[ithacaartist]

I have won Lugers at RIAC. No great triumphs or heartbreaks. I was after shooters, so would lowball dozens of them. It's definitely the rule that their estimates are fancifully low for the realized prices; but there were enough exceptions to allow me to obtain a total of 5, over the course of three different auctions. All mine had issues. A broken safety lever spring is better than a ground-off stock lug, but I knew that stuff from the descriptions, bid as though I did NOT have X-ray vision, and now have some fairly decent iron to love.

Collectible Lugers, that would be a different story, unless I just went to the auction. Seeing the gun in hand is best, or with at least an examination period. For investment, it would take more than someone else's description and a handful of generic pics, IMO.

One is best off by bidding directly on the RIAC site and paying by check to keep that 3% credit card surcharge.