Petey baby,
no secret. I am interested in the 1906 navy (and possibly, rig). But I am also interested in a certain artillery rigs. But before I make the LONG trip to Moline, Ill. from the Detroit area, I want to ask some questions before I load up my motorhome with some expensive gas (and repair a leaky ceiling and water tank). Taking a motorhome deer hunting during the rifle season in Michigan can really ruin a good motorhome.
The competiveness in me wants to challenge a certain deservatively, respected member of this forum whom I shall refer to as 'The Machine' but otherwise will keep anonymous. This individual has me beat by having a certain 1904 navy and now has a rare 1943 Kreighoff rig. I have a prized 1943 Kreighoff but he beat me by having a rig. By having a full navy rig, I hope to close the challenging gap that he is creating.
I have a very nice set of WW1 Era artilleries. I have matching stocks AND mags on all but the 1914 DWM and 1916. On the navies, I am only missing the 1906 second issue and, of course, the 1904. If the Rock Island auction has a 1906 navy rig 2nd issue, then at least I can keep THE 'machine' from getting too far ahead of me and fill in a slot that is currently empty. But having 3 of the 4 1906's isn't exactly chopped liver.
I have (3) 1914 DWM artilleries (2 with matching mags) and a 1916 (nice, but without matching stock AND/OR mag), but they are not rigs. I have many navies but non that are rigs. So my primary current goals are to get
(1) a 1906 navy 2nd issue rig
(2) a 1916 artillery rig (I already have (2) full leather setups for this date)
(3) artillery holsters with all the leather attachments that are dated to the chamber dates on my artilleries.
I also have some other Lugers, but the above mentioned objects are my challenges. I know that I am bragging, but what the heck. This is what all the Luger forums like to hear and I am not above (or below) doing a bite of bragging. Life is short.
I also emailed Brant Auctions in New York about a number of artilleries and accessories that they are selling. But those yahoos did not respond to my questions. So write them off. Gotta get my digs in at that outfit.
I hunt these articles down but I am not willing to pay outrageous prices. We live in a capitalistic society but I am not about to put some guys kid through college by paying a rediculous price just to satisfy my admitted egotism. The fun in collecting (and investing) is the hunt for what you want and paying what you think is a fair price. You can buy anything you want, if you have the money. But what fun is that?
But I am currently going to wait until Rock Island publishes their catalog which will finalize their auction items. Some people pull items off of their lists before an auction. This will take another two weeks as of this writing. Then I will ask some more questions to someone who knows Lugers at that auction before making a decision about attending. I don't want to drive that distance just to look at some nice lugers. I can stay home and do that.
Gosh, I sure write a lot, don't I?
Big Norm
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