[ithacaartist]

Welcome to the forum, Don.

You seem like a good candidate for a bit of advice, and you've come to the right place. World class experts, technicians, collectors, shooters, authors, importers will be encountered here.

First, remember to remain calm. Next, take a deep breath. You need to answer some further questions for yourself.

Do you want a shooter or collectible? You prefer military, but which one--Imperial, Wiemar, Nazi, or any of the foreign military contracts?

You are like a sponge, ready to soak up the knowledge, so take advantage of the forum, which has lots of topics to search thru. Buy some collectors' research-quality books, and read through them. There are some classics which, though a little dated in their content, are still an excellent and affordable first step. The more you pay, generally the better the book.

Simpson's is a reputable dealer, for sure. There are others. Checkpoint Charlie comes to mind. A good dealer stands behind what he sells, for which you basically pay in their full retail prices. It's like buying insurance, I suppose.

Once you narrow your focus onto what you want, a WTB posting in that section often loosens up a pistol someone is ready to sell. If you run into one in a gun shop or in an online auction, take/get lots of pics of it and post them here to assist in getting it evaluated and discussed here on the forum.

Some have nicknamed this Luger U., and I have enjoyed giving the propeller on your Luger Freshman Beanie perhaps its first spin.