New member...Questions!
 

Hello,

Been collecting WW2 arms for a few years now. I've recently gotten the fever for a luger! I've been researching around here and other forums trying to gain as much knowledge prior to the big purchase. A luger will probably be the most expensive firearm in my collection at this time. I'm looking for a nice collector piece, aka a non shooter. I've come across a few Lugers locally, but most of them have been sub-par and overpriced. I recently came across a 1938 S/42 non matching, with capture papers, 1939 holster and 1 non matching mag. I haven't seen the pistol in person, but had a friend check it out for me today. He confirmed that the gun is non matching, the paperwork looks legitimate, and the holster looks correct too. He has no experience with Lugers...so I take his opionion lightly. I figured I'd come here and ask... The owner of the gun said it is on consignment from the Vets family, and that the gun has been reworked during the war. He would not let my buddy remove the grips to inspect. The capture papers do match the frame? serial #. The barrel apparently matches, the mag does not.


Thanks guys!
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...psa6f16114.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...ps7f017cac.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...ps3e13be52.jpg

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...psc8bf46cf.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...ps45bb317d.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...psa8bced09.jpg

If you are looking for a collector luger this isn't the one. It has been made up from several different lugers. When this was done who knows but I have my doubts about Germany. The holster looks good. The capture papers I would not guess at. Many of these have been faked. This would probably make a good shooter if the price was right. One has to believe the gun not the stories. If you are only going to own one luger (which will be difficult) this is probably not the one. Welcome to the Forum. Good luck Bill

if not matching, then I would hold out and find one that is correct

This one is hugely mismatched. Just for s---- and giggles, what are they asking? If you want a collector gun, check the for sale section. There is a unit marked Erfurt that you should take a look at.
dju

1100+tax
According to my research the holster is worth 300+ and the gun 600+Ish being a mismatch assuming the paperwork is bogus. Not sure if this is a good starter

my 2 cents......
 

it is a mystery to me about suspect capture papers on an alphabet soup pistol like this one.........i would be much more careful about one with all-matching and gorgeous appearance being hyped for big bucks with a story good enough for Ed's books.....if you have interest in jumping into the wonderful world of lugers, let 'er rip...you could have a lot of fun with this one and not dread scratching, dropping or otherwise marring the finish and learn a whole bunch about lugers in the process.
welcome aboard.........tom

PS...at the range, you will be the hit attraction and none of them will care if numbers match !!

You should get one for collecting and one for shooting!

(I'm good at spending other people's money)

To echo what everyone else is saying, it's a nice enough gun but if you're wanting a collectible all-matching one then this isn't it. This is, for me at least, a shooter (and worthwhile in its own right) but not what you want yet. No Luger is a bad Luger, though. ;)

If only it could talk. Seems like 3 guns were used to make just this one. I can't justify spending 1100 on a set up when a matching example isn't that far away...$300+ maybe?. Plus my Kriegsmarine HSC wouldn't be comfortable sitting next to something of lesser class haha. I use the AAD archives to verify information that contains vets army serial numbers. This army serial and vet do not come up, further enhancing my distrust. I'm going to hold out for a matching example. My only problems are finding them locally to inspect in person and having to commit to a risky online purchase.

Assume, gun is "body", holster is "cloth", and capture paper is the "soul". Cloth can be sold alone, but soul's value depends on the body. I believe it's correct not counting paper's value in this context even if it's a genuine one, due to the body's shape. I would say waiting a matching one, it can still shot occasionally. Just like buying a $1500 AR-15, people shoot it. Nothing makes a Luger special.... value decides it's shootable or not. Shooting occasionally increases the interest, especially for the 1st Luger.

The Capture Paper is odd in that it does not mention caliber. For whatever reason, almost all Capture Documents I have seen over the years always mention caliber.