first leap
 

Hi
I'm new to the forum. I'm an avid shooter. Mostly 1911's & modern 9mm's. I've been reading up on luger's, searching the web & checking you tube. I want to purchase a luger. My budget is $1500. A dealer suggested I look at DWM lugers from WW I , 1914 thru 1918 with matching serial numbers. I want a shooter. My question is this:
Should I purchase from a gun show, a internet site or a company like Simpson.
The gun show I can see and handle the gun. Simpson is an established company. The internet can be a gamble.
Also should I wait till I have more experience. Any suggestions are welcome. thank you
Peter

Peter,

Welcome to the forum.
You are starting with a nice budget for a shooter. For $1500 you can even get a collectable Luger in these days. WWI Lugers with matching magazines are more prized by collectors and rarely shot, as any breakage will hit harsh their values.

For a shooter, people usually prefer WWII-era pistols, finish and matching numbers not being an issue. Reblued or Nickled guns of Russian Captured pistols are good options and all fall in your price range.

From what I have read collector-to-collector deals can bring some nice results. In this forum you have a "For Sale" section where you can find some Lugers for shooting for less than 1000.

All the best,

Douglas.

Get books and experience :)

You can find a mismatched, reblued or nickled for less than $800 - then use the remaining $700 and buy some good books (there are some poor books out there, some inexpensive and not really worth their weight)

Ed

Follow Ed's advice! Find a lower priced "shooter" grade Luger, and buy the better reference books. "Luger University" will save you money in the end, and help you understand the history of these remarkable pistols.

Marc

From a Luger newbie standpoint its spot on advice.

While I lucked out on my first buy in that it was far better than I thought, it also could have been easily far worse (I did have an expert check it out but not the in depth needed for that type purchase.)

More or less I could have bought a shooter for what you are looking at and it would not have had any collector value at all.

It wasn't until I went through the whole checkout process that I really found what I had bought and as it was progressing found it was a value wrecking move to even think of shooting it.

And the varieties and nuances are far wider than I had a clue as well as shocking as how quickly one can push the value up or down (and usually down!)

Good luck and I join you in looking for a shooter when I sell one of my other guns.

Thanks all of you! I will be following your advice and go for a shooter and start my library.