[Dwight Gruber]

The Gun Show

There were some sizeable accumulations of Lugers at this show, in the hands of dealers and high-level collectors. These were too extensive to document. In the spirit of getting a sense of what Luger prices commonly are, this is a survey of the rest of the room...rooms...where I found the occasional singleton or small number of Lugers on a table.

1939 S/42, $1150, a pretty good one; Interarms Swiss on the same table, looked new, $950.

Commercial 1914-pattern Navy, very fake (small-head toggle pin, number restamp, etc.), $3.200; 1918 Erfurt, refinish, re-stamp matching mag, $1,100; 1938 S/42 reblue, $1,200.

DWM Alphabet Commercial with Erfurt sideplate, about $550

DWM Alphabet Commercial mismatch sideplate, $695

John Martz .45 4" barrel, more than $5.500; .45 with 8" barrel, more than $5,000; a John Martz .45 Carbine, didn't get the price, also a selection of Martz babies.

1918-1920 LP-08 unit marked $1,295, not a bargain but honest; 1938 S/42 w/holster, $575 an honest shooter; 1900AE overpriced for condition at $2,900. He had a -terrific- 1917 Navy in a rather worn holster under the table, which he didn't -really- want to sell, but would let go for $3,500.

1939 S/42 reblue, $649

1913 DWM police, approx. $1,000

byf 42 wood grips, $1,485 (two of them actually at that price), 1939 S/42 $1,595; 1929 u-block blank toggle police with police proofs, $1,995--several hundred dollars over-priced, but a very desirable gun in very good condition.

Simson Police, polished and re-blued, the owner wouldn't quote a price but refused $600.

Noted Swiss collector Bob Lewis had a nfs display and a 1900 Swiss w/3rd model safety for $3,950, a very choice gun at a very choice price.

Alphabet Commercial .30, mismatched, pitted, no rifling left, $695.

Beat-up 1915 DWM all matching, $575; 1918 LP-08 mismatch barrel, blue mostly worn away, $1,050; byf 42 nickel-plate, $575.

The absurd gun of the show, a complete mismatch with a Parkerized upper, $2,500.

The Road Trip

I took the opportunity to check out the gun shops in central Oregon and the southern Willamette Valley on my way to and from Russ's house. I was surprised to discover that there are many more pawn shops in this part of the state than there are in the Portland area.

And, there is an interesting variety of guns. Salted in among the shops were a Frommer Stop, a couple of Walther Model 4, one store had a lot of interesting guns (mostly lever guns and early revolvers) including some long-slide Colts, Steyer-Hahn, 1922 FN, some PPs and PPKs, off-topic so I merely got the sense of the stock. There were a couple of very promising stores which were closed on Mondays.

Found one Luger in a pawn shop, 1917-1920 Erfurt (not a Police gun), old reblue, all matching including grips, ground-off unit marks, offered to me for $600. If the unit marks had still been on the gun it probably would have followed me home.

--Dwight