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Unread 02-11-2001, 09:17 AM   #20
Kyrie
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Default Re: New collector pitfalls

Hi Bill,


Absolutely no offense intended, but I think you have missed the point :-(


You say, "If I can find the correct original #21 holdopen and make the gun all matching, I feel I have done nothing wrong, and certainly have not forged or faked this gun, in my opinion." and I quite agree. But this discussion is not concerned with finding the original part, because that cannot be done. Even assuming the original hold open for your Luger still exists (unlikely in and of itself since hold opens were generally removed only if they were broken and a replacement was needed), it would be just one of ten thousand odd hold opens with the same number. There is no way to *recognize* it in the crowd.


While it's always risky to try and read minds, I think you are aware of this. What you are proposing is not searching for the original hold open for your pistol. Rather you are proposing that the first hold open you come across numbered "21" is the original hold open for your pistol. Anyone who knows the approximate number of Lugers made is going to recognize as wishful thinking the assumption that the next numbered "21" hold open you come across is the original part for your pistol :-(


There is nothing wrong with wishful thinking - we all do it. But it becomes a problem when we begin to regard our wishful thoughts as reality. The nut of this issue is the difference between a pistol that *is* all original versus making up a pistol that only *looks* all original.


With all that said, you make some very good points concerning grips that would be fuel for excellent conversation! But I'm going to defer involvement in hose discussions for the moments, as the discussion on numbered parts seems to still be a ways from conclusion. I don't juggle well at all (it's one of my many personal failings [smile]), so I need to keep both eyes on the one subject in front of me


Best regards,


Kyrie





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