Luger Values
 

In one of the postings, someone discussed the little Luger book by Davis. I agree that this little book is great for gun shows and does a super job of identifying a particular Luger. One problem which I have seen is that the price guide which he has listed seems on the "high" side to me. When I use the book as a value guide, I take the condition of the pistol I am looking at, and drop it by one conditin grade in Davis's book and the value seems to fit. I felt that maybe Davis did this on purpose so the value guide may be useable for a longer period of time.


What are others thoughts on the value guide Davis has listed. I wish I could sell mine for the price he has listed (not that I would). How about some feedback on his value guide?


Marvin

Re: Luger Values
 

Marvin, I agree 100% his values are definitly too high for my part of the country, (although I have seen some dealers that are almost as high, but they are not selling any guns).

Re: Luger Values
 

Hugh is on the right track.

Gun values are highly influenced by location.

People in the midwest seem to be willing to pay double what people in the southwest will pay.

Price guides in books are good for reference, not for setting the price of anything.


Mike

Re: Luger Values
 

Marvin, In general, I agree with you. In some cases, I would drop two conditions. Some of the Mauser Military are really over priced. For instance, the byf category is way high IMO. It still is a pretty good reference with the proper "English" applied to the prices!!

Re: Luger Values - Thanks
 

I appreciate the responses on the values in Davis's book. I have felt that this was the case. I would never be able to get the price range in the SC, NC, and GA area that he is calling out. I agree that it is a good reference and as a few years go by, the values will fall in line as he has presented. I do not fault his values once I learned to drop down at least one or two catagories and get close to a decent value.


My only problem is that I have had some dealers at gun shows try to use the price guide as shown. I left their tables quickly if they would not want to discuss the value.


Thanks gain for your comments. I feel better about my thoughts now.


Marvin

Re: Luger Values
 

I do not have that guide, but understand what you're observing. I have a slightly different opinion on this subject though. Condition is the most import charateristic to consider. In my opinion an 98% plus gun is unique and will bring a premium. What is a 98% to 99% original conditioned gun worth compared to a 97% or 96% gun? The actual condition I would think would be a huge factor in the value. If a someone describes an item as 99%, but in your eyes it is only a 97% gun, then you would have a difference in price from the price guide. Also, in this day and age of the internet with all its gun auctions, and gun papers and magazines and dealer lists, I think it would be hard to say that a gun has a different value in each part of the country. The value of thay byf is what someone will pay for it, whether it be in MT or FL. If you can sell your byf in FL for a certain amount, why sell it in MT for a less amount?

Re: Luger Values
 

Bill,

Far fewer people than you imagine are using lists or internet auctions to buy guns. Certainly the internet auctions have become more popular but the mailing lists are more of a specialty item used by collectors.

Buying Curios and Relics via the internet is a very iffy proposition. It brings in a lot of sellers that haven't got a clue as to what they have. Far too many 95% matched pistols are NOT. Rather than seller's trying to pass off fakes what is more common are seller's that don't have a clue as to what it is they really have. In many cases they are only repeating to the buyer what they were told when they were the buyer of the pistol. These novice "collectors" don't have a clue that their 95% pistol is a house-fire rebuild or other non-import-marked refurbished pistol. Not to mention that many of these sellers apparently do not consider the grip frame to be part of the pistol and will grade a firearm at 90% though there is zero bluing on the grip straps.

Gun show prices do vary widely as to the location. Items in the East and Midwest really do command much higher prices than in the South or Southwest. A gun show is a local event not influenced by the internet.


Mike

Re: Luger Values
 

Hi Mike,

I'm sorry to disagree with you, but I think that the internet, with all their auctions, and the gun magazines and gun sales papers, and the dealers lists DO influence all gun show prices. This information is out there and gun owners at local shows are using it to establish prices from what has recently sold and what items are priced at. Perhaps the prices of shooter grade guns does vary from place to place slightly, but the high end stuff is pretty much in the same price range where-ever I have been. Premium conditioned stuff brings a premium regardless of where you live, as it is just drying up and getting harder and harder to find. The days of the bargain Lugers are just about over, no matter what region of the US you live in.

Re: Luger Values
 

No doubt about the premium Lugers drying up part, that's for sure. Higher prices are a given.

My experience at Gunshows is that about 20% of the public that walks through the door is at least partially savvy about guns. Of that 20%, only the real hard-core gun buffs are even aware that you can buy guns at auction on the internet.

Maybe I live too far out in the sticks, being out here in the West Texas wastelands.


Mike