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barr44 · 01-31-2009, 03:55 PM

Jabbo,
Like Ed mentioned, a '38 S-42 is a fairly collectible luger, of course in today' market most all lugers are collectible. I was fortunate and that I was able to purchase an all matching, including the mag., '38 S-42 for less than $800 dollars. This gun is rough but has a good bore and is fully functional. IMO it would rate as 'good' condition since it has most of it's original bluing, although it does have some areas where the surface rust is there to stay.
I have also seen this same variation with a missed matched mag. selling for $1800, which was not a pristine gun, but overall finish was better than mine. I bought mine from a collector who was thining his collection.
Collecting is a funny game. It all depends on what drives the collector. If all you want is a good condition luger to have and perhaps display, then you would want to be selective and buy a specific luger that meets your desires. If you wanted a gun to shoot, then you could back off of a highly collectible gun and get one that has a few mismatched parts and has been reblued or re-conditioned, as some like to call them. These 'shooter grade' guns usually sell for about half of what a similar collectible gun would.
Personally, I like both, as I do shoot several of the one that I have. They are fun to shoot and I have found them to be very accurate and comfortable in the hand.
Again, a lot of it depends on the desires and budget of the individual. Over the past few years, I have seen a fairly steep increase in the prices of these guns even in poor condition. You should keep in mind that there are many variations of lugers, so you should probably try to get a couple of good books and do some studying. Learn something about them before making a decision on what to buy and how much to spend.
IMHO you will probably do better buying from an individual as opposed to buying from a dealer. Again, this would depend on what you want.
This forum is a great place to learn about these guns and they also have a 'For Sale' area, where you might find what you desire.
I'm more of an accumulator as opposed to a collector. Hope this helps.
Barr

01-31-2009, 03:55 PM	#9
barr44 User Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: york co., va Posts: 159 Thanks: 28 Thanked 42 Times in 24 Posts	38 s-42 Jabbo, Like Ed mentioned, a '38 S-42 is a fairly collectible luger, of course in today' market most all lugers are collectible. I was fortunate and that I was able to purchase an all matching, including the mag., '38 S-42 for less than $800 dollars. This gun is rough but has a good bore and is fully functional. IMO it would rate as 'good' condition since it has most of it's original bluing, although it does have some areas where the surface rust is there to stay. I have also seen this same variation with a missed matched mag. selling for $1800, which was not a pristine gun, but overall finish was better than mine. I bought mine from a collector who was thining his collection. Collecting is a funny game. It all depends on what drives the collector. If all you want is a good condition luger to have and perhaps display, then you would want to be selective and buy a specific luger that meets your desires. If you wanted a gun to shoot, then you could back off of a highly collectible gun and get one that has a few mismatched parts and has been reblued or re-conditioned, as some like to call them. These 'shooter grade' guns usually sell for about half of what a similar collectible gun would. Personally, I like both, as I do shoot several of the one that I have. They are fun to shoot and I have found them to be very accurate and comfortable in the hand. Again, a lot of it depends on the desires and budget of the individual. Over the past few years, I have seen a fairly steep increase in the prices of these guns even in poor condition. You should keep in mind that there are many variations of lugers, so you should probably try to get a couple of good books and do some studying. Learn something about them before making a decision on what to buy and how much to spend. IMHO you will probably do better buying from an individual as opposed to buying from a dealer. Again, this would depend on what you want. This forum is a great place to learn about these guns and they also have a 'For Sale' area, where you might find what you desire. I'm more of an accumulator as opposed to a collector. Hope this helps. Barr