I feel your pain

JRS · 05-02-2010, 06:49 PM

For all you guys out there who got stung financially on your first or second or third Luger, I feel your pain.

My first Luger was a Stoeger 9mm stainless steel like NIB with papers and a spare mag. I got it 10 years ago at a gun show where I traded a WWII U.S. military M1 carbine for it. When I got it home, I found that the trigger, trigger lever and the sear bar were not operating on the same page. I shimmed the trigger lever to solve the problem and headed to the outdoor range.

My Stoeger obviously never heard of the Luger reputation for accuracy. It was like throwing pebbles at an elephant. It was all over the place I had the range officer, who was an excellent marksman with both pistol and rifle, take a turn with it. He had the same results. I was disgusted. I packed up that gem and took it to a collector friend of mine to dispose of. I think I wound up with $300.00 for my trouble.

I forgot about Lugers until a couple of months ago when I spotted an Air-Soft Luger on the internet for $150.00. I was back in the Luger hunt. The Air-Soft Luger is a nice toy, but it's not the real McCoy. It just whet my appetite for the real thing.

I searched the web for a Luger and found what I thought I wanted (a shooter) at an on-line antique and collectibles dealer. I wasn't familiar with matching numbers and the intricacies of collectibles vs.non-collectibles. A real rookie and ripe for the picking. I bought a DWM double-date rework for $1195.00 on the basis that it had a decent bore and was 90% blue; 10% straw.

I got it two days later; cleaned up the grip panels; cleaned and lubed it and took it to the indoor range. The barrel looked okay with just some slight pitting about halfway down. I put about 50 rounds through it with decent results and decided it was a keeper. The next step was to a local gunsmith to have the gun refinished for $90.00. He does superior work, but it takes him forever and a day. It's been two months and I'm getting anxious.

I've caught the Luger bug, but I've also learned to do some research through this forum. I will take this information to the next gun show in my area in September and see if I can't buy a couple of non-matching Lugers for the same price I paid on-line for the same thing.

So, I guess no matter how much we think we know, we have a lot to learn.

Edward Tinker · 05-02-2010, 06:58 PM

JRS, welcome to the forum.

Unless he has done the work, you may want to go and get it back from him and ask our opinion before you turn a $1200 gun into a $600 refinished shooter....

Not all 'double dates" are reworked, this is a common misconception, plus the 1920 is not a date, but a gov't property stamping...

Ed

Ron Wood · 05-02-2010, 09:56 PM

James,
The next time you feel the urge to have a Luger refinished for $90.00, please let us know so that we can line up to smack you up along side the head.

jamese · 05-03-2010, 09:09 AM

James,

Next Time you get the bug, I have a couple of matching refinished WWII Lugers that I will sell you for less than $1,200. (each)

Jim

alvin · 05-03-2010, 09:56 AM

You may want to try postwar Mauser Luger, or 1920 DWM Commercial. Both are easy to find great pieces. These two are least messed-up guns on the market. Especially postwar Mauser, many of them are still NIB which performs great in range.

05-02-2010, 06:49 PM	#1
JRS User Join Date: May 2010 Location: Virginia Beach, VA 23452 Posts: 81 Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts	I feel your pain For all you guys out there who got stung financially on your first or second or third Luger, I feel your pain. My first Luger was a Stoeger 9mm stainless steel like NIB with papers and a spare mag. I got it 10 years ago at a gun show where I traded a WWII U.S. military M1 carbine for it. When I got it home, I found that the trigger, trigger lever and the sear bar were not operating on the same page. I shimmed the trigger lever to solve the problem and headed to the outdoor range. My Stoeger obviously never heard of the Luger reputation for accuracy. It was like throwing pebbles at an elephant. It was all over the place I had the range officer, who was an excellent marksman with both pistol and rifle, take a turn with it. He had the same results. I was disgusted. I packed up that gem and took it to a collector friend of mine to dispose of. I think I wound up with $300.00 for my trouble. I forgot about Lugers until a couple of months ago when I spotted an Air-Soft Luger on the internet for $150.00. I was back in the Luger hunt. The Air-Soft Luger is a nice toy, but it's not the real McCoy. It just whet my appetite for the real thing. I searched the web for a Luger and found what I thought I wanted (a shooter) at an on-line antique and collectibles dealer. I wasn't familiar with matching numbers and the intricacies of collectibles vs.non-collectibles. A real rookie and ripe for the picking. I bought a DWM double-date rework for $1195.00 on the basis that it had a decent bore and was 90% blue; 10% straw. I got it two days later; cleaned up the grip panels; cleaned and lubed it and took it to the indoor range. The barrel looked okay with just some slight pitting about halfway down. I put about 50 rounds through it with decent results and decided it was a keeper. The next step was to a local gunsmith to have the gun refinished for $90.00. He does superior work, but it takes him forever and a day. It's been two months and I'm getting anxious. I've caught the Luger bug, but I've also learned to do some research through this forum. I will take this information to the next gun show in my area in September and see if I can't buy a couple of non-matching Lugers for the same price I paid on-line for the same thing. So, I guess no matter how much we think we know, we have a lot to learn.

05-02-2010, 06:58 PM	#2
Edward Tinker Super Moderator Eternal Lifer LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: North of Spokane, WA Posts: 15,933 Thanks: 2,032 Thanked 4,530 Times in 2,092 Posts	JRS, welcome to the forum. Unless he has done the work, you may want to go and get it back from him and ask our opinion before you turn a $1200 gun into a $600 refinished shooter.... Not all 'double dates" are reworked, this is a common misconception, plus the 1920 is not a date, but a gov't property stamping... Ed __________________ Edward Tinker ************ Co-Author of Police Lugers - Co-Author of Simson Lugers Author of Veteran Bring Backs Vol I, Vol II, Vol III and Vol IV

05-02-2010, 09:56 PM	#3
Ron Wood Moderator 2010 LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Santa Teresa New Mexico just outside of the West Texas town of El Paso Posts: 7,022 Thanks: 1,090 Thanked 5,178 Times in 1,703 Posts	James, The next time you feel the urge to have a Luger refinished for $90.00, please let us know so that we can line up to smack you up along side the head. __________________ If it's made after 1918...it's a reproduction

05-03-2010, 09:09 AM	#4
jamese User Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: South Florida Posts: 789 Thanks: 0 Thanked 84 Times in 34 Posts	James, Next Time you get the bug, I have a couple of matching refinished WWII Lugers that I will sell you for less than $1,200. (each) Jim __________________ The "truth" is a matter of Perception

05-03-2010, 09:56 AM	#5
alvin User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: US Posts: 3,843 Thanks: 132 Thanked 729 Times in 438 Posts	You may want to try postwar Mauser Luger, or 1920 DWM Commercial. Both are easy to find great pieces. These two are least messed-up guns on the market. Especially postwar Mauser, many of them are still NIB which performs great in range.