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John Sabato · 06-24-2004, 04:27 PM

David, welcome.

Replacing a worn or used mainspring on an antique gun that is going to be shot is a good idea, but IMHO it has the same impact on value that replacing anything else would... however, most who would replace a spring for shooting would retain the original to keep the parts together and the gun can be restored to it's original condition for any subsequent owner...

Dry firing a Luger is not a recommended practice, but an occassional "snap" should not be expected to cause irreparable harm... I always use a snap cap or a fired case to buffer the fall of the firing pin... but that is just me.

The reason that prices have risen so sharply in the last couple of years is that the shooting community has realized that there are a finite number of original Lugers, and there are no more hiding in quantity in some European warehouse that will be dumped on the market and reduce prices... When all the good ones are gone... and there are quite a few of them... you will have to wait until somebody dies or decides to sell one.

Prices will NEVER come back down, since the supply is limited.

I have owned two Lugers for about 30 years and the only way I will part with either them is when my widow sells them to make the house payment AFTER I am gone...

The best way to handle one or more, and shoot one if you don't own one is to find someone else who does and get to be buddies... You can ask for folks on this forum who live in Texas (there are many but Texas, as you know is a BIG place) to drop you a line and if one of them or a surrounding state is close enough, you might get together for a "shoot."

READ lots of printed references about Lugers to decide on what you really want to own, either to shoot or collect, and then enlist the assistance of someone who is knowledgeable in that area to help you find the one that is for you... just another reason that this forum exists.

You don't have to be in hurry, but I would NOT wait a couple more years before buying, even if you only want ONE. Just decide what is the one for you and then find it and buy it.

06-24-2004, 04:27 PM	#3
John Sabato Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The Capital of the Free World Posts: 10,156 Thanks: 3,003 Thanked 2,309 Times in 1,098 Posts	David, welcome. Replacing a worn or used mainspring on an antique gun that is going to be shot is a good idea, but IMHO it has the same impact on value that replacing anything else would... however, most who would replace a spring for shooting would retain the original to keep the parts together and the gun can be restored to it's original condition for any subsequent owner... Dry firing a Luger is not a recommended practice, but an occassional "snap" should not be expected to cause irreparable harm... I always use a snap cap or a fired case to buffer the fall of the firing pin... but that is just me. The reason that prices have risen so sharply in the last couple of years is that the shooting community has realized that there are a finite number of original Lugers, and there are no more hiding in quantity in some European warehouse that will be dumped on the market and reduce prices... When all the good ones are gone... and there are quite a few of them... you will have to wait until somebody dies or decides to sell one. Prices will NEVER come back down, since the supply is limited. I have owned two Lugers for about 30 years and the only way I will part with either them is when my widow sells them to make the house payment AFTER I am gone... The best way to handle one or more, and shoot one if you don't own one is to find someone else who does and get to be buddies... You can ask for folks on this forum who live in Texas (there are many but Texas, as you know is a BIG place) to drop you a line and if one of them or a surrounding state is close enough, you might get together for a "shoot." READ lots of printed references about Lugers to decide on what you really want to own, either to shoot or collect, and then enlist the assistance of someone who is knowledgeable in that area to help you find the one that is for you... just another reason that this forum exists. You don't have to be in hurry, but I would NOT wait a couple more years before buying, even if you only want ONE. Just decide what is the one for you and then find it and buy it. __________________ regards, -John S "...We hold these truths to be self-evident that ALL men are created EQUAL *and are endowed by their Creator* with certain UNALIENABLE* rights, and among these are life, LIBERTY, and the pursuit of happiness..."*