Import marks?
 

What's the general feeling about import markings on Lugers?
Is this something that hurts the value of the firearm, I get mixed opinion's on this . About 8yrs. ago I bought a P38 from a private FFL holder, who ordered it for me (not knowing much about them).
When it came in it looked really good! Upon further inspection I noticed an imprint of "R Guns" on the right side of the frame. It was very hard to see, unless you really looked. All the numbers were matching ,except the magazine and it looked like the slide , at one time had had some pitting on the front corners, that had been removed and reblued. Overall the gun was in nice condition and functioned well. I paid $575.00 at the time, I am currently looking to buy a collectible Luger and am afraid of an import mark impacting the value of it.

It really, honestly, seems to depend on who you are buying from/selling to. Some people say it is a blemish on the gun that decreases value, others (like me) think that the import marks are either harmless or enhance the value by adding to its traceable history. Plenty of Lugers (like 1920 and alphabet commercial variants as examples) have import marks as defining characteristics to determine what they are.

Lugers are no different than other collectible firearms when it comes to import marks. Import marks lower the value. How much does it lessen the value? I am unsure. It probably depends on the mark and the particular Luger it is on. Regardless, I won't buy a Luger with an import mark.

Look at a bunch of the listings on the Simpsons LTD website. They are importers themselves. You will see that they just don’t get as much for the ones they describe as import marked.

If you look at a lot of their guns you will get a feel for what their pricing differences are. That might at least give you a basic feel, in a fairly quick way. Seems like the WW2 era made guns are where you see their imported ones, if memory serves me right.

Hi Chris,
Ask yourself, if you had to choose between two identical guns, one with an importer's mark, and one without, which one would you choose? The fact is that an import mark on a common variety like your P38 would have a severe effect on it's value, to put it another way, no collector would want anything to do with it. If, on the other hand, it was a really rare variation, then the negative effect, while still present, would be much less.
Norm

Actually, I think you are thinking of the 'Germany' stamped export markings. See FAQ - it was a requirement of the USA gov't to show where an item is from, still carried out to this day.

Import markings themselves will lower values no matter how much we don't want them to or how small the marking is.

There is one, and only one, instance where an import mark can actually ADD value to a gun, I'm referring to the very rare "Irish Navy Lugers". The import mark on these guns is stamped on the right frame rail and is visible only when the gun is disassembled. To learn more about these rare guns, read this thread by my friend Dick McEvoy.
Norm
http://luger.gunboards.com/showthrea...t=irish+lugers

Ed,
Yes those were the marks I was referring to. I didn’t realize they fell into their own unique category of import marks when referring to value.

Import marks have been a long time marketing tool.

Always has some room for loopholes, some pistols are just rare in number; who really cares about small things on such a perceived rariety.

Collectors like pure originality if they know what that really is; some originality concepts are afterthoughts........... and their 401K aspirations.

Enthusiasts seem to be able to stand a little less originality just for the joy/experience of owning such.

always something for everyone.