Crates of Lugers!

Doug G. · 06-29-2006, 10:22 PM

How many would like a time machine to go back and pick up just one of those crates?

Hugh · 06-30-2006, 01:48 AM

Shame on you Doug!! Now I have drooled all over my keyboard!

Imperial Arms · 06-30-2006, 01:49 AM

It makes me cry - they were probably all destroyed.

How sad,
Albert

06-30-2006, 11:44 AM

What a crime to destroy such beautiful pistols, but because many were destroyed thats why the ones left are so valuable today.

HerbZ · 06-30-2006, 04:37 PM

Has anyone ever done any research into exactly how many Lugers have been made, approximately how many have been destroyed, and how many may remain? Sort of like a historical demographics of the Luger. Then maybe plug in some geography too.

My eyes go immediately to the one he has in his left hand. I'd like to think that he had picked that one out for himself. Maybe it's sitting in the back of the top shelf of his bedroom closet, inside an old leather briefcase with broken straps, wrapped in an old t-shirt, and just waiting for his family to find it some day...

John D. · 06-30-2006, 07:44 PM

Hmmmmmmm.................

Stuff that dreams are made of....

JD

stefanosg · 07-01-2006, 07:50 AM

DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMN!

and look at that guy, "I want this one, and this one and this one" Looks like the $5 DVD bin at Walmart

Johnny C. Kitchens · 07-01-2006, 07:15 PM

He appears to have an Artillery in his hand. The barrel is longer. In the second bin from the camera you can see what appears to be a P-38, with its barrel pointing to the right and slightly up...

Nomadr · 07-01-2006, 07:52 PM

Hey, I bet they were all taken off a dead German officer

MikeP · 07-02-2006, 01:16 PM

Seen that picture before, believe it was one of the big importers back in the 50s/60s They were in the US at the time.

$25-$50. Was a lot of money, then.

John Sabato · 07-03-2006, 09:02 AM

I have often heard it joked that the photo is of Ralph Shattuck... but I don't believe that is true... I wish that any of those crates had been my Dad's footlocker on the way home!

HerbZ · 07-03-2006, 06:24 PM

Has anyone ever heard if it's true that GI's were able to purchase German pistols at the PX, either at the end and/or after the war?

Also, I'm under the impression that a German soldier didn't have to be an officers or dead for a GI to get a pistol off them.

Edward Tinker · 07-04-2006, 01:05 AM

The picture is in Johnson's book on war booty. It is of a GI, you can see his private strips.

GI's could buy lugers from the PX and in fact in the 1980's could buy them from the Rod and Gun club, I never was able to get one.

Germans could carry a pistol, much like a US soldier could, if he was a machine gunner, a motorcycle runner or courier, maybe an NCO, there were many reasons they were not an officer but carried a pistol.

It is very true that as officers went up in rank, they had smaller pistols, it was a status thing. It was also a status thing to have a newer pistol, so they might have a P38 instead of a luger. And, a soldier or officer at war would want something that punched, so they might have a P38 or Luger for battle and a PPK for normal carry in the rear.

Ed

Lugerdoc · 07-04-2006, 10:26 AM

Since German officers were required to purchase a pistol (or use a family hand me down) upon commissioning, these were generally smaller, cheaper ones than the luger or P38. These were used for dress parade and when not in combat. When in action, they would be issued a more powerful army issue weapon (my choice would be an MP40) which they would late turn in or pass on to their relief. TH

06-29-2006, 10:22 PM	#1
Doug G. User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Illinois Posts: 713 Thanks: 1 Thanked 53 Times in 17 Posts	Crates of Lugers! How many would like a time machine to go back and pick up just one of those crates? __________________ Suppose you were an idiot.....and suppose you were a member of Congress.....But I repeat myself" ~~ Mark Twain

06-30-2006, 01:48 AM	#2
Hugh RIP Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Southeast Texas Swamp Posts: 2,460 Thanks: 2 Thanked 165 Times in 64 Posts	Shame on you Doug!! Now I have drooled all over my keyboard! __________________ *TRUMP FOR PREZ IN '20!*

06-30-2006, 04:37 PM	#5
HerbZ User Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 128 Thanks: 20 Thanked 9 Times in 7 Posts	Has anyone ever done any research into exactly how many Lugers have been made, approximately how many have been destroyed, and how many may remain? Sort of like a historical demographics of the Luger. Then maybe plug in some geography too. My eyes go immediately to the one he has in his left hand. I'd like to think that he had picked that one out for himself. Maybe it's sitting in the back of the top shelf of his bedroom closet, inside an old leather briefcase with broken straps, wrapped in an old t-shirt, and just waiting for his family to find it some day... __________________ "I have never let my schooling interfere with my education." Mark Twain

07-01-2006, 07:50 AM	#7
stefanosg User Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: East Central Florida Posts: 367 Thanks: 1 Thanked 7 Times in 2 Posts	DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMN! and look at that guy, "I want this one, and this one and this one" Looks like the $5 DVD bin at Walmart __________________ "When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty."

07-01-2006, 07:15 PM	#8
Johnny C. Kitchens User Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Arlington, Texas Posts: 518 Thanks: 0 Thanked 20 Times in 8 Posts	He appears to have an Artillery in his hand. The barrel is longer. In the second bin from the camera you can see what appears to be a P-38, with its barrel pointing to the right and slightly up... __________________ Johnny C. Kitchens

06-30-2006, 01:49 AM	#3
Imperial Arms Banned Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Malta, EU Posts: 579 Thanks: 0 Thanked 7 Times in 7 Posts	It makes me cry - they were probably all destroyed. How sad, Albert

06-30-2006, 11:44 AM	#4
ironcross4148 Guest Posts: n/a	What a crime to destroy such beautiful pistols, but because many were destroyed thats why the ones left are so valuable today.

06-30-2006, 07:44 PM	#6
John D. Administrator & Site Owner LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: A Little NE of Somewhere... Posts: 2,651 Thanks: 471 Thanked 513 Times in 127 Posts	Hmmmmmmm................. Stuff that dreams are made of.... JD

07-01-2006, 07:52 PM	#9
Nomadr Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 276 Thanks: 16 Thanked 28 Times in 22 Posts	Hey, I bet they were all taken off a dead German officer

07-02-2006, 01:16 PM	#10
MikeP User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: ILL Posts: 686 Thanks: 36 Thanked 452 Times in 198 Posts	Seen that picture before, believe it was one of the big importers back in the 50s/60s They were in the US at the time. $25-$50. Was a lot of money, then.

07-03-2006, 09:02 AM	#11
John Sabato Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The Capital of the Free World Posts: 10,150 Thanks: 3,003 Thanked 2,304 Times in 1,096 Posts	I have often heard it joked that the photo is of Ralph Shattuck... but I don't believe that is true... I wish that any of those crates had been my Dad's footlocker on the way home! __________________ regards, -John S "...We hold these truths to be self-evident that ALL men are created EQUAL *and are endowed by their Creator* with certain UNALIENABLE* rights, and among these are life, LIBERTY, and the pursuit of happiness..."*

07-03-2006, 06:24 PM	#12
HerbZ User Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 128 Thanks: 20 Thanked 9 Times in 7 Posts	Has anyone ever heard if it's true that GI's were able to purchase German pistols at the PX, either at the end and/or after the war? Also, I'm under the impression that a German soldier didn't have to be an officers or dead for a GI to get a pistol off them. __________________ "I have never let my schooling interfere with my education." Mark Twain

07-04-2006, 01:05 AM	#13
Edward Tinker Super Moderator Eternal Lifer LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: North of Spokane, WA Posts: 15,915 Thanks: 1,989 Thanked 4,506 Times in 2,080 Posts	The picture is in Johnson's book on war booty. It is of a GI, you can see his private strips. GI's could buy lugers from the PX and in fact in the 1980's could buy them from the Rod and Gun club, I never was able to get one. Germans could carry a pistol, much like a US soldier could, if he was a machine gunner, a motorcycle runner or courier, maybe an NCO, there were many reasons they were not an officer but carried a pistol. It is very true that as officers went up in rank, they had smaller pistols, it was a status thing. It was also a status thing to have a newer pistol, so they might have a P38 instead of a luger. And, a soldier or officer at war would want something that punched, so they might have a P38 or Luger for battle and a PPK for normal carry in the rear. Ed

07-04-2006, 10:26 AM	#14
Lugerdoc Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: POB 398 St.Charles,MO. 63302 Posts: 5,089 Thanks: 6 Thanked 736 Times in 483 Posts	Since German officers were required to purchase a pistol (or use a family hand me down) upon commissioning, these were generally smaller, cheaper ones than the luger or P38. These were used for dress parade and when not in combat. When in action, they would be issued a more powerful army issue weapon (my choice would be an MP40) which they would late turn in or pass on to their relief. TH __________________ Tom Heller POB 398 ST.Charles, MO. 63302 Tel 636-447-3006 lugerdoc@charter.net