[ithacaartist]

Mark,

I would not hesitate to shoot any of my early Lugers...but I bought them as shooters to be representatives of their variations. Each has an issue that knocks it out of the collectibles category.

1900 Commmercial--all matching, but light pitting over the entire gun, I have run fewer than a dozen mags thru this one, in consideration of its leaf recoil spring. But I would shoot it any time the urge may strike because its finish issues have reduced it to pretty near minimum for its value.

1906 AE old model--all matching, but possibly refinished, a tapped hole in its rear strap near the bottom, presumably to attach a homemade board stock, and a grip safety lever that was repaired in a very ugly way. This si my prettiest early example, so I will shoot it the least, and maybe get the hole and safety lever restored just for the heck of it when I can afford it, which expense I will consider my fee for shooting a gun with restored integrity (but not originality, of course).

1906 AE new model frame, had lots of finish wear and high corner rounding, plus a 3 7/8 bbl that had taken a beating externally--particularly the fornt sight and sight block. I bought a 6" barrel from Ed Tinker and had G.T. install it on the upper--but after I had it turned and milled to be 'pencil taper". This one is my main .30 shooter, due to the work done on it, and it has improved my IDPA match results, compared to the ATI GI 1911 knock-off I was using before. I will use it for one more match, which will use up the last of my Berdan primed rounds I got cheap from Samco--which is now out of business. (My 1917 DWM is 1920 Wiemar property stamped 9mm with a 4" Nazi-proofed bbl that took the place of its original artillery bbl during a depot re-work. For the sake of economics, I will use this in the IDPA matches.)

I also have a stainless 1900/2000 commemorative (100 years!), which one might call early style. Its condition will remain "rarely fired", mostly because its mag well is so sloppy that it doesn't work very dependably with any other than a couple of mags that fit it well enough to allow it to cycle. This one may actually be collectible--depending on whom you ask. I call the rest of them "interesting/collectible shooters", which is accurate, I guess, because I've collected them!

Oh, and they all seem to do OK with whatever I feed them. I've used the most readily available Fiocchi and S & B .30 Luger ammo with good results, some vintage Remington, and have some Winchester to try sometime, if I think I need to. The latter two ammos are still available, but not currently being made--but even if you find some, they will cost you over $1 per shot. I won mine at auctions, with low-ball bids, and none of the expensive stuff wound up costing any more than the run-of-the-mill stuff, even after B.P. and shipping. The Samco ammo was even more economical, but it was not easily re-loadable without converting the primer pockets. I used it at the matches because I wasn't so concerned about losing it.