my profile |
register |
faq |
search upload photo | donate | calendar |
09-04-2015, 08:06 AM | #1 |
New User
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 4
Thanks: 2
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
|
1938 Mauser Luger
Good morning everyone, Thank you for letting me join the forum. I am currently looking to purchase a luger and have one in my sights. A bit about the luger- it is a 1938 S42 Mauser Luger it is all numbers matching including 1 magazine. It also has the original leather holster with Nazi stamps on the back, the luger tool and a mag tool. I am looking to confirm the stamps on the gun and maybe a rough value of the piece. It is nickle plated ( I know its less desirable) but over all excellent condition. Attached are some photo's. any help would be greatly appreciated
|
09-04-2015, 09:14 AM | #2 |
User
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: near Charlotte NC
Posts: 4,681
Thanks: 1,441
Thanked 4,350 Times in 2,040 Posts
|
K9,
welcome and congrats on deciding to have a Luger. Be careful they are habit forming and you probably won't have just one. Your prospective pistol looks largely correct; however, being plated pretty much negates any collector value that markings might have. It is essentially a shooter. If you want to share the asking price of the piece, several of us might have an opinion- but many are reluctant to throw out a price in mid air- I am. I don't mind saying too high or too low though! |
The following member says Thank You to DonVoigt for your post: |
09-04-2015, 09:18 AM | #3 |
Lifer 2X
Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: May 2005
Location: Somewhere in Montana
Posts: 2,631
Thanks: 3,169
Thanked 2,554 Times in 954 Posts
|
It has been ruined as a collectible. Therefore it is in the shooter class. Some people like these chromed lugers. For a shooter this one should be very good. My best guess would be $800-900 , tops. Bill
__________________
Bill Lyon |
The following member says Thank You to wlyon for your post: |
09-04-2015, 09:28 AM | #4 |
New User
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 4
Thanks: 2
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
|
Thanks for having me, So originally it was on gun broker for $2800 and I have had him down to $1250, I had it professionally looked at and my contact says somewhere in the 600-800 range give or take. I explained if he wanted $1000 I would be out at that point and I feel more comfortable in the $700-$800 range at the very top but would feel comfortable at $650-750 range. I agree it is a tragedy but ive heard a lot of old timers coming back from the war had them nickle plated overseas or when they got home... some people said german officers had nickle plated guns but I can't find any research to back that claim
|
09-04-2015, 09:46 AM | #5 |
Lifer
Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: ...on the 'ol Erie Canal...
Posts: 8,182
Thanks: 1,400
Thanked 4,442 Times in 2,330 Posts
|
I agree with Bill. It's not collectible but is kind of desirable. In years past I had several handguns nickel plated. The biggest problem was 'fit'. If the handgun parts were tight to begin with, it got tighter with the additional thousandth or so of plating. Another area of concern was flaking or peeling due to incorrect surface preparation.
But nickel looks great with contrasting grips. There is a pic on the forum here somewhere of a nickel plated Luger with smooth ivory/white grips. It really stands out.
__________________
I like my coffee the way I like my women... ...Cold and bitter... |
09-04-2015, 03:53 PM | #6 |
Patron
LugerForum Patron Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Az.
Posts: 2,288
Thanks: 2,703
Thanked 971 Times in 716 Posts
|
As others has stated, it will make a good shooter. If one doesn't like the plating(I do), it can always be stripped off and blued....it will still be a shooter, just more expensive of a shooter. In my part of the country, if it is all matching with the accessories, and NICE, it will bring up to $1000. The "extras" if correct, are worth dollars to say the least. One could sell the accessories and reduce the overall price of your shooter Luger.....just a thought.
|
09-06-2015, 11:34 AM | #7 |
New User
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 4
Thanks: 2
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
|
So, Update for today I ended up purchasing the Luger for $750 I think from everything I have heard that is FMV. I have the 2 tools and the holster for it so if worst comes to worst ill shoot it once or twice a year and keep it in my safe and pass it on to someone or maybe sell it and buy a better one
|
09-06-2015, 11:39 AM | #8 |
New User
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 4
Thanks: 2
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
|
So my next question would be, is it worth stripping and having it refinished?
|
09-06-2015, 12:11 PM | #9 |
Twice a Lifer
Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Atop the highest hill in Schuyler County NY
Posts: 3,334
Thanks: 7,236
Thanked 2,550 Times in 1,357 Posts
|
Financially, of course not--unless you can have it done very inexpensively, or do it yourself. If you consider the several hundred dollars' value represented by the holster and tools, it would reduce the apparent cost of the gun itself to a level where you might come out about even, after it is restored. Thor (Ted Green) here on the forum is one of the members who could fix you right up! Drop him a PM with pics and he will probably be able to answer your question more precisely.
__________________
"... Liberty is the seed and soil, the air and light, the dew and rain of progress, love and joy."-- Robert Greene Ingersoll 1894 |
09-06-2015, 01:38 PM | #10 | |
User
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: near Charlotte NC
Posts: 4,681
Thanks: 1,441
Thanked 4,350 Times in 2,040 Posts
|
Quote:
after spending a couple hundred $$ or more, you would still have a refinished shooter worth no more than it is now, JMHO. If you don't want a chrome/nickel pistol, don't buy it in the first place. |
|
09-06-2015, 06:21 PM | #11 |
User
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 544
Thanks: 194
Thanked 489 Times in 251 Posts
|
There is a subjective component to restoring/refinishing. Ususally, it does not make sense as the cost of the original pistol plus the restore cost is greater than a more desirable original would be. But, in this case you've got the gun in hand rather cheaply and all other things being equal, refinish makes a little more sense.
It really depends on your own preferences. For example, I found a "shooter" once with an excellent bore but a rough receiver,. Having a good looking pistol with an excellent bore was, to me personally, desirable so I had the receiver refinished by Charles Danner (do a search and you will find his contact info). Charles is known for his excellent work, reasonable rates and fast turnarounds. I am very pleased with the result, but it is unlikely I will refinish future 'shooters' unless some other unusual combination of circumstances exists. Each must decide for themselves, but the general rule is that unless there is something special or unusual about the pistol it doesn't pay to get it restored. In your case, the surface looks very good and all parts were salt blued on '38 Mausers, no strawed parts; those two factors will tend to decrease restore time and therefore cost. If it has an excellent bore, and functions well, and you find the idea of a like-new finish attractive (that subjective factor again), restore becomes an option. Some, and perhaps many Luger collectors take a sort of pride or enjoyment in having shooters with finish issues. They tend to view the matter as, if you want a pretty gun there's plenty of new (non-Luger) choice at Cabela's. That view makes sense too. I would suggest enjoy the pistol for now, learn about it and defer any decision on refinish. |
The following 2 members says Thank You to 4 Scale for your post: |
09-07-2015, 11:09 AM | #12 |
User
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Marco Island, Florida
Posts: 4,867
Thanks: 1,685
Thanked 1,916 Times in 1,192 Posts
|
The fact that the pistol has an original, matched magazine, (according to the original post), makes restoration a little more compelling.
|
|
|