[Johnny Peppers]

I agree that if your only interest is shooting, the replicas are the way to go. If you are a collector, you collect because of your interest in your selected field. Coin collectors don't spend their scarce coins, and stamp collectors don't use their rare stamps to mail letters, yet that was what the coins and stamps were originally minted for. They have exceeded their utilitarian purpose, and are now highly collectible as only a tiny percentage have survived in original condition. Same applies for weapons that haven't been made in the last 50 to 100 years. If a weapon has survived in almost new condition for almost 100 years, I would feel guilty about possibly destroying the weapon. I will own the Luger of Colt for only a brief time, and it is my interest to preserve it for the next owner.