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hqbmw · 09-08-2005, 03:45 PM

I just disassembled my 1936 S/42 that Ralph Shattuck sold me last December. when I was as gullable as anybody could possibly be. I had read John Walter's The Luger Story and Charles Kenyon's Lugers at Random which in this small mind of mine had made me an instant expert on Lugers. There was NO way I could get taken; not with all the knowledge I had in the many gigabytes of the Hiles brain.

Upon a gracious greeting into Ralph's Luger room; (I have No idea why he would share such a treasure with ME), my tongue was tied into square knots. Streams of drool dribbled from the corners of my jaw that itself had dropped to lie on my late 40ish six pack of a gut. Gigabytes of The Story at Random, or is it random Stories of Kenyon by Walters Chronkite whizzed past my mouth, leaving me speechless and dumbstruck. At this point, I might as well have gone to a local pawn Shop to be sold The Rarest Swiss- Simson-Krieghoff-.45 Artillery with matching Holster Stock, one of a kind, belonged to Hitler himself and never fired Luger!

But this is where things changed for. I found a man who shared his life's passion with me for over 3 hours only to sell a single, not so rare, but exquisite to my opened eyes S/42. So overwhelmed was I that I was afraid to open my mouth to allow the droll to drip anymore, but Ralph went through the education process as I am sure he has done time and time again over the years. He didn't know me from Adam and had no reason to believe I could afford even the modest gun I bought.

You see, a Greenhorn like me armed with the books I had read, thinking I was somewhat knowledgable in the subjest of lugers, is the easiest targets to sell. Ralph was aware of that and did nothing to discourage me or take advantage of the situation. Nor has he ever neglected to respond to any of my many stupid questions I posed to him long before I knew of The Luger Forum. Now you people have to put up with my stupid questions and I can allow Ralph to relax in his room of memeories and enjoy his collection.

Why would Ralph intentionally subvert his reputaion to sell a gun he didn't even own? He did say the gun was consigned and if he wanted to make money, wouldn't he be better off selling one of his own beauties? I think he probably took the word of another not so knowledgable collector that the Swiss gun he sold was real; and probably this person is one of us who thinks he knows his stuff simply because he read all of Jan's book as I have, or Mr Walter's and Mr Kenyon's books. Mistakes happen. This consignor may well be one of the know experts as well, a distinguished colector admired by all; who himself made a mistake and got lazy.

Anayway, after the reception Ralph gave me into his own house and into his room with all his prized collection, and the hours he spent with a drooling fool namely me, I find it very hard to believe he set out to take somebody purposely.

Jack Hiles
Mesa AZ
480 219 6676

09-08-2005, 03:45 PM	#30
hqbmw User Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Mesa AZ Posts: 228 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I just disassembled my 1936 S/42 that Ralph Shattuck sold me last December. when I was as gullable as anybody could possibly be. I had read John Walter's The Luger Story and Charles Kenyon's Lugers at Random which in this small mind of mine had made me an instant expert on Lugers. There was NO way I could get taken; not with all the knowledge I had in the many gigabytes of the Hiles brain. Upon a gracious greeting into Ralph's Luger room; (I have No idea why he would share such a treasure with ME), my tongue was tied into square knots. Streams of drool dribbled from the corners of my jaw that itself had dropped to lie on my late 40ish six pack of a gut. Gigabytes of The Story at Random, or is it random Stories of Kenyon by Walters Chronkite whizzed past my mouth, leaving me speechless and dumbstruck. At this point, I might as well have gone to a local pawn Shop to be sold The Rarest Swiss- Simson-Krieghoff-.45 Artillery with matching Holster Stock, one of a kind, belonged to Hitler himself and never fired Luger! But this is where things changed for. I found a man who shared his life's passion with me for over 3 hours only to sell a single, not so rare, but exquisite to my opened eyes S/42. So overwhelmed was I that I was afraid to open my mouth to allow the droll to drip anymore, but Ralph went through the education process as I am sure he has done time and time again over the years. He didn't know me from Adam and had no reason to believe I could afford even the modest gun I bought. You see, a Greenhorn like me armed with the books I had read, thinking I was somewhat knowledgable in the subjest of lugers, is the easiest targets to sell. Ralph was aware of that and did nothing to discourage me or take advantage of the situation. Nor has he ever neglected to respond to any of my many stupid questions I posed to him long before I knew of The Luger Forum. Now you people have to put up with my stupid questions and I can allow Ralph to relax in his room of memeories and enjoy his collection. Why would Ralph intentionally subvert his reputaion to sell a gun he didn't even own? He did say the gun was consigned and if he wanted to make money, wouldn't he be better off selling one of his own beauties? I think he probably took the word of another not so knowledgable collector that the Swiss gun he sold was real; and probably this person is one of us who thinks he knows his stuff simply because he read all of Jan's book as I have, or Mr Walter's and Mr Kenyon's books. Mistakes happen. This consignor may well be one of the know experts as well, a distinguished colector admired by all; who himself made a mistake and got lazy. Anayway, after the reception Ralph gave me into his own house and into his room with all his prized collection, and the hours he spent with a drooling fool namely me, I find it very hard to believe he set out to take somebody purposely. Jack Hiles Mesa AZ 480 219 6676 __________________ Jack Hiles Mesa AZ