A rude awakening?
 

For your perusal: https://www.proxibid.com/Demilitariz...ation/44485014

I'm astounded by the current high bid. Either these collectibles are really pricey, or someone thinks this is a firearm. Rich, can you shed some light on this?

Expensive toy :eek:

You are right. Nothing better than a $400 stage prop!

I think the guy who bid did not know what he was bidding on.
He likely expects to get a "luger" with just the barrel plugged, not a pot metal toy.
But even at that, add the buyers premium and shipping and he is paying way too much- JMHO.

Heh. Whoever that guy was, there are one or more that are also deluded--current bid 500 clams!

I'm not sure which 'Rich' you are asking, but to me it does not look like a Japanese modelgun. It's too crude. The MGC, Hartford, Marushin, and CAW modelguns are much more realistic. Plus, they would not have the 'junk' on the left side flat area. They might copy the 'P08" that was on later real Lugers, but that would be all.

Mr Hondo of CAW went to extremes to duplicate the Borchardt C93 in his CAW modelgun, even going so far as to buy an original [real!] Borchardt, serial # DRP 75837. At one time, he had pics on the CAW web site showing how his C93 modelgun parts could interchange with the original C93, and vice versa. I posted pics of my CAW C93 here some years ago. The Japanese are meticulous about copying the originals. I have two 1960's era MGC MP-40's and they are fantastic as to detail. :thumbup:

This Luger modelgun may be a Denix. I think that is a Spanish modelgun company. They make low end replicas, I suppose for re-enactors and movie props, etc. :rolleyes:

There is a flood of modelguns on eBay, I have seen LP08's for $75 NIB. Can't tell the quality. :(

Rich, my recollection that you had some expertise about modelguns seems to have panned out! I've only ever seen any of those you mention in pics, and you've had one of these things in-hand. The evidence for casting for this one is obvious even in these pics. Everything seems to be there, and in the correct places, but the whole thing screams crude casting.

I know a little about a few things. My first modelgun was, ironically, a "Luger' Made of green plastic, mechanically correct but proportionately distorted. Too big, too flat. Cast in grips. Hairpin springs instead of correct springs. It came as a 'kit' and had to be assembled. Supposedly it would fire projectiles but I could never get it to work. I don't remember what happened to it but I bought a second one a year or two later. I couldn't get that one to work either. :(

I check eBay occasionally to see if there is one for sale but no luck so far. Memories of the 50's, gone but not forgotten. :crying:

Saw examples of that one for sale in large numbers on militaria shows and in museum / souvenir shops in the 1980s -early 2000s. For about 50 to 80 bucks.

They can be cocked and dry fired. Made of some type of pot metal.