Shooter value
 

What is a shooter worth? The way I understand it is: if you take a Luger and make changes (change numbers, change parts, refinish upper/ lower) you have made it into a shooter. Does it make a difference how many changes were made (only one or a half a dozen) Now then, does the shooters value change according to the value of the gun before the changes were made or is a shooter a shooter? Most posts I have seen mention $1000.00 or less as a shooters value. What say you???

I don't know how it's in the States, but here in Italy a "shooter" is a gun that has been modified one or more times, refinished etc, in other words that it is no longer "original", and therefore wouldn't be a problem to use it for fun at the shooting range. Usually a "shooter" hardly costs much more than 1K €

There is no simple answer other than a shooter is worth whatever you are willing to pay for it. Some shooters are very nice, others have no merit other than they shoot. I think that the $1000. or less range is a good estimate, with mostly original examples at the top and buffed-out or otherwise seriously flawed examples at the bottom. I paid $1500. for my artillery Luger shooter which is in excellent original condition except that it is an upper-lower mismatch. I am satisfied with what I paid.

KFS

Similar to others here, I paid $1000 for an all matching commercial 1920's 5 digit gun with a large spot of finish rash but otherwise great blue (my "collectible shooter" as I call it), another $1000 for a G.T. build Mauser shooter with different toggle train that has functioned flawlessly, and another ~$1500 for a matching Erfurt Artillery shooter that has been refinished and re-strawed.

My shooters just happen to be really nice looking to me and all have worked without a hitch so far, easily worth the money. I've seen more mongrel and problematic shooters sell for $900 or even lower. Heck, I saw a nice looking, original finish-but British proofed- 1918 DWM just go for $925 on the other gun boards, and I wouldn't even call that a shooter as the British proofs to me are part of the gun's WWI or WWII heritage as a British trophy.

I have a Navy and I think the frame is the only original part and it has been refinished.

Model 1900 Black Widow
 

I was thinking of posting this anyway, and now it fits great with this thread on shooters.

Here is a shooter now on GB, clearly disclosed by the seller, currently at $555.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/879435652

I think it looks cool-a model 1900 Black Widow!

Seriously though-in general-do really old Lugers like this need a good spring/etc check before shooting?

Another example-I have an "06/24" Bern, a recent import that seems reworked for post-service Swiss target practice-the firing pin mismatched, the sear bar is white, the trigger is great but scary light, the recoil spring seems light offhand. OK to try it?

Best Wishes, Joe

That's an interesting gun - one of "US Test Configuration" pistols that has a serial number too high to be on the Bannerman list. It would certainly be a unique shooter, but I would be a little concerned about the repair to the right side of the pistol. You might also ask for a picture with the grips off to see if the flat recoil spring has been changed to a coil spring. That may be why they refer to it as a "1902" model rather than a Model 1900.

That "repair" to the right side of the pistol is an unfortunate attempt to stake the toggle lock frame catch. These were originally friction mounted and silver soldered, They sometimes work loose, particularly if a high temperature hot blue was used for refinishing, and I have seen a number of examples where the catch was missing. As far as function goes, a missing catch does not matter much. have no idea why they designated it a "1902" other than being misinformed...a 1902 still has a flat recoil spring. Not a bad looking early shooter for 500+ bucks, wouldn't want to go much higher though.

But, it is a new number for the "Test Configuration" data base so that makes me happy.
Ron