New collector from STL seeking value
 

Just wanted to say hello and pick your brains. I was thinking of grabbing this American Eagle Luger .22 from a friend and wanted your guys knowledge. Price? Date? It still has half the paper box of ammo, and that is all that has been fired from it. It is in pristine cond. Bluing is very nice, looks like it did form the factory. Serial number is C09XX if that helps :cheers:


http://i1063.photobucket.com/albums/...ps4f68fc8d.jpg

I heard people calling this gun "Erma". Saw one in local gun show. Don't know the price, should be cheaper than Interarms Mauser in similar condition.

Since both are styled and scaled on the Parabelum pistol, Ermas look similar, but only at a glance.

Stoeger owned the legal rights to the brand name Luger at that time in the U.S., so in a sort of technical way these are Lugers. However, these are blowback system guns with a toggle that jumps up and down, basically for show. They contain many stamped/pressed steel parts. Two versions were made; the steel frame ones, I think, are the more desirable in a small collectors' niche they have, and I think shooters prefer them, as well. Their operational reputation, however, is about the same as the earlier, Zamak action Ermas. If you're buying it to shoot, and it actually shoots dependably, then enjoy! I can see how it might be a minor collector/investment--but in that case, just keep it in the box. My theory is, if you don't try to shoot it, it can't display issues or fail. Then your conscience can be clear when you cash in when value plateaus. :) With the nice box and original stuff, I'd say top retail for it as a collectible is somewhat North of $300. There's a halfway decent .22 Stoeger Luger shooter that's been camped out on Gunbroker for a couple of rounds, starting at $200. So, we are operating at about a 1/5 scale, price-wise, of original Lugers (Sorry, Ron).

Thank you! Saved me from wasting money :) He wanted 400

I agree one hundred per cent with Ithacaartist, that gave, as usual, a complete answer, then, this one from the photo looks re-blued. Here in Italy an ERMA in pretty good conditions but without the box costs around 250,00/300,00 Euro.

It may be re-blued, but I'm skeptical. The cost/benefit would be pretty low-or non-existent. More likely it's original because the box does not seem to have much wear. Plenty have purchased stuff like this new and kept it pristine, hoping for an increase in value. Many 70s Mausers are turning up these days because of this ploy--even the 90s stainless Texas made "variation". An Erma La.22, for example, cost around $60 new back then. Now, one with a lot of wear and maybe even with an operational issue or two can reasonably sell for between $100-175. But it took 50 years for this to be the case...