About to purchase 2nd luger.need suggestion

OneShotOneKill · 11-09-2007, 12:12 AM

Ok, I have been looking at these two guns for sale for a little while now and either one would be a nice buy to me but unfortunatly as always I can only buy one.I have already bought a shooter and I am looking for one to just put back for a while. I was hoping some of you might have some opinion on which one would be the better purchase.

1. Byf42 with original black bakelite grips with silver tipped mag that does not match. approx. 70% of blueing left on gun. all matching parts. slight frost in barrel but rifling is decent. Price: $750

2. A commerical DWM (not sure what year). it does not have the rear grip safety. has stock lug. all parts match. magazine is wooden and unnumbered. blueing is 80-85%. Quite of bit of strawing is left on the trigger and other parts. comes with a second magazine that is wooden too but it does not match and is serial numbered and also has a + below the number. it also comes with a decent looking holster that is brown. the only stamps I can see on the holtser is under the top cover it is stamped "Breslau 1917" there is another word above that but I cannot make it out. The gun is chamber in 7.65 and says "Made in Germany" on the side of the frame and has the N proof on the left side. Bore is good, better than the previous. Price: $850

I'm not planning on shooting either one of these, I was more or less wanting one as a collectors piece. Any suggestions would help me out alot. I am glad I found this forum, research on these guns is very very extensive!

OneShotOneKill · 11-09-2007, 12:18 AM

I am trying to get around and get pictures but have yet to find the time. I attempted to put up a good description but if I am leaving anything important out, let me know! Thanks

Hunter

Ron Wood · 11-09-2007, 12:37 AM

Serial numbers (including suffix) would be helpful.

MFC · 11-09-2007, 01:07 AM

Hunter,
The Byf42 is more valuable and collectable, probably because it is Nazi/Military. It's also 9mm which is more desirable to a lot of collectors
The commercial you described is most likely an alphabet commercial, S# w/suffix, and is the most common Luger there is. If it happens to be a 5 digit S# no suffix, it would be quite a bit rarer, and with it's condition being so much better than the Byf, it could be equal or more valuable.
That's my 2 cents,
Mike C.

OneShotOneKill · 11-09-2007, 03:28 PM

Serial numbers are as follows:

byf42: 9218 with an "l" suffix
DWM: 7198 with and "m" suffix

hope this helps thanks

Hunter

Dwight Gruber · 11-09-2007, 06:49 PM

Hunter,

With respect to my colleagues on this Forum, I suggest that, in the condition you represent, neither of these Lugers are of prime collectibility.

If you are really intent on a high-quality collector Luger, permit me to suggest saving your money until you have two to three times the amount these pistols would cost, and in the meantime do some research on what variations are the most desirable; what variation might actually interest you the most; what high-quality examples of that variation might be found; and what you might actually expect to pay for a collection-worthy Luger.

Remember, in this hobby, there are three benchmarks for collector quality and value, they are: condition, condition, condition.

Best of luck, and good hunting. We are always here to help with your search.

--Dwight

383 magnum · 11-10-2007, 12:58 PM

That is a good price on the byf IMHO. Mismatched and/or refinished shooters cost almost that much.

MFC · 11-10-2007, 09:09 PM

Hunter,
Dwight's advice is very sound, but if you've got an itch and just have to scratch it, the Byf could easily be used to sell are trade later towards something more valuable.
Mike C.

OneShotOneKill · 11-11-2007, 11:19 AM

Hey everyone thanks for the great advice this helped alot. I think I am going to go with the byf just because well....I have an itch I suppose. so thanks everyone!

Hunter

11-09-2007, 12:12 AM	#1
OneShotOneKill User Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Texarkana,AR Posts: 14 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	About to purchase 2nd luger.need suggestion Ok, I have been looking at these two guns for sale for a little while now and either one would be a nice buy to me but unfortunatly as always I can only buy one.I have already bought a shooter and I am looking for one to just put back for a while. I was hoping some of you might have some opinion on which one would be the better purchase. 1. Byf42 with original black bakelite grips with silver tipped mag that does not match. approx. 70% of blueing left on gun. all matching parts. slight frost in barrel but rifling is decent. Price: $750 2. A commerical DWM (not sure what year). it does not have the rear grip safety. has stock lug. all parts match. magazine is wooden and unnumbered. blueing is 80-85%. Quite of bit of strawing is left on the trigger and other parts. comes with a second magazine that is wooden too but it does not match and is serial numbered and also has a + below the number. it also comes with a decent looking holster that is brown. the only stamps I can see on the holtser is under the top cover it is stamped "Breslau 1917" there is another word above that but I cannot make it out. The gun is chamber in 7.65 and says "Made in Germany" on the side of the frame and has the N proof on the left side. Bore is good, better than the previous. Price: $850 I'm not planning on shooting either one of these, I was more or less wanting one as a collectors piece. Any suggestions would help me out alot. I am glad I found this forum, research on these guns is very very extensive!

11-09-2007, 12:37 AM	#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: 6,988 Thanks: 1,067 Thanked 5,099 Times in 1,676 Posts	Serial numbers (including suffix) would be helpful. __________________ If it's made after 1918...it's a reproduction

11-09-2007, 01:07 AM	#4
MFC User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Louisiana Posts: 1,237 Thanks: 183 Thanked 281 Times in 162 Posts	Hunter, The Byf42 is more valuable and collectable, probably because it is Nazi/Military. It's also 9mm which is more desirable to a lot of collectors The commercial you described is most likely an alphabet commercial, S# w/suffix, and is the most common Luger there is. If it happens to be a 5 digit S# no suffix, it would be quite a bit rarer, and with it's condition being so much better than the Byf, it could be equal or more valuable. That's my 2 cents, Mike C. __________________ Mike C.

11-10-2007, 09:09 PM	#8
MFC User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Louisiana Posts: 1,237 Thanks: 183 Thanked 281 Times in 162 Posts	Hunter, Dwight's advice is very sound, but if you've got an itch and just have to scratch it, the Byf could easily be used to sell are trade later towards something more valuable. Mike C. __________________ Mike C.

11-09-2007, 12:18 AM	#2
OneShotOneKill User Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Texarkana,AR Posts: 14 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I am trying to get around and get pictures but have yet to find the time. I attempted to put up a good description but if I am leaving anything important out, let me know! Thanks Hunter

11-09-2007, 03:28 PM	#5
OneShotOneKill User Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Texarkana,AR Posts: 14 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Serial numbers are as follows: byf42: 9218 with an "l" suffix DWM: 7198 with and "m" suffix hope this helps thanks Hunter

11-09-2007, 06:49 PM	#6
Dwight Gruber User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 3,890 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1,282 Times in 424 Posts	Hunter, With respect to my colleagues on this Forum, I suggest that, in the condition you represent, neither of these Lugers are of prime collectibility. If you are really intent on a high-quality collector Luger, permit me to suggest saving your money until you have two to three times the amount these pistols would cost, and in the meantime do some research on what variations are the most desirable; what variation might actually interest you the most; what high-quality examples of that variation might be found; and what you might actually expect to pay for a collection-worthy Luger. Remember, in this hobby, there are three benchmarks for collector quality and value, they are: condition, condition, condition. Best of luck, and good hunting. We are always here to help with your search. --Dwight

11-10-2007, 12:58 PM	#7
383 magnum User Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 120 Thanks: 1 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	That is a good price on the byf IMHO. Mismatched and/or refinished shooters cost almost that much.

11-11-2007, 11:19 AM	#9
OneShotOneKill User Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Texarkana,AR Posts: 14 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Hey everyone thanks for the great advice this helped alot. I think I am going to go with the byf just because well....I have an itch I suppose. so thanks everyone! Hunter