Mauser 42 shooter

[JonWalther]

Here is my Mauser 1940 42 code shooter :-)

[Edward Tinker]

Jon, welcome to the forum!


Looks like a nice shooter? And/or a good start!




ed

[Balder]

I like the gun but not the background.

Balder

[mauser]

Originally posted by Balder
I like the gun but not the background.

Balder

No offense, just reading through the posts, but you like the Nazi Pistol, but you draw the line at the Nazi Flag?
Their is a gentleman I work with that does not understand how I can love a German Pistol so much, I just do not think there has to be a connection of my interest in many WWII German souvenirs, and any sympathy with the Nazi Regime, because their isn't any from me, or anybody I know.
If that is the reason you say that you do not care for the background, I think the background is cool.

[John Sabato]

<SOAPBOX MODE ON>
Jon (Jonwalther), Michael (mauser), and John (Balder), â?¦as each of you are probably aware, the Luger is not a Nazi pistol, but extremist members of that party used Lugers and many other different guns as tools in their destructive activities during the middle of the last century. They were ultimately stopped by the righteous use of force, which included pistols of all descriptions.

The Luger is a pistol, designed, and manufactured by a civilian commercial company, long before there was anything called Nazis. The history of this pistol includes many nations, and many political factions, and includes those who would be considered resistant to their hate philosophy, who would be best called defenders of freedom.

We as a forum do not honor the wrongful use of firearms, but respect the history in which these firearms participated, without consent or opinion.

This particular example was produced and issued during a time of great human destruction, by people who are not now, nor at that time respected, ...only feared.

If you choose to collect Lugers that were used during the Nazi era, that is the exercise of your freedom that you were â??endowedâ?� with... and as long as items associated with the era from which a particular Luger was produced are presented in good taste, the postings will not be subject to being banned from this forum.

We are not a political forum, but an association of like minded collectors and gun enthusiasts who admire the engineering, design, functionality, and even beauty of these guns, and the significant role they played in the history and development of firearms.

This is also an international forum and heartfelt opinions are welcome from all, at all times.

Michael, perhaps if you lived in a nation like Norway, where pistols like this, and this flag, were carried by conquerors your sentiments might be a bit closer to Balder's comment.

We all like guns - ...guns of many types with many different histories. The members of this forum agree by their participation that we should leave the politics of hate behind us when we enter these web pages... All of us have the privilege to associate with this forum and exchange ideas with like minded folks all over this planet.

I encourage you three and all of our members to enjoy that privilege and not dwell on the â??darkâ?� side of the historical facts, materials, artifacts and images that bring history alive in the pursuit of our hobby.
<SOAPBOX MODE OFF>

Kind Regards,

-John Sabato

[A.Mifsin]

Well said John.
Alf

[Balder]

mauser,

As John pointed out, the Luger is not necessarily a Nazi pistol but used by Nazis, among others. While presenting a Luger I do not react to other paraphernalia being present, granted they have a relevance to the pistol itself. What struck me here was the fact that the background was the swastika and nothing else. As such I regard it as a symbol of an oppressive political ideology, not as an historic artefact. A flag or an NSDAP button with the swastika would not raise any of my eyebrows.

That being said, I totally respect that other board members feel differently and choose to display pictures like the ones above. I do not expect our excellent moderators to remove it, nor do I expect JonWalther to delete his post - on the contrary. I just wanted to voice my opinion for whatever it is worth.

Living in a country that was occupied by Nazi-Germany for more than five years, I guess I do have a sore toe or two. My grandfather spent more than a year in a Nazi concentration camp, his brother was tortured to death by the Gestapo, two of my uncles were imprisoned and heavily tortured and the Gestapo did their very best to kill my father - with Lugers and Mausers. My presence here is living proof that they missed. But I still own seven Lugers and several other German guns.

"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." Voltaire (Fran�§ois-Marie Arouet), 1694 - 1778

Regards,

Balder

[AGE]

I agree with Balder. I like the gun (I have 2 at the moment) but I'm old enough to remember WWII too vividly to do anthing but detest everything else Nazi including holsters, belt buckles, flags, daggers, etc. The other stuff belongs in the garbage or grave but the guns are neeeaaat.

[JonWalther]

Balder and others, I'm sorry the flag behind the gun was offensive. I was using that background in a historical context. In no way was I trying to glorify nazism or it's ideals. I was simply using it the same way one might photograph a Japanese Nambu pistol on a rising sun flag, or a British Webley revolver on a Union Jack. I certainly understand how someone like yourself from Norway would find that upsetting. My Grandfather served proudly in WW II (he's the one in the MP uniform standing behind the wreckage of the ME-109 that I have as my avatar). He saw first hand the devestation and horror brought to Europe by the Third Reich. I agree that the Luger is not a Nazi gun even though some people may feel that way, it's just that this particular one is a Third Reich Luger. Once again I apologize if these pictures sent the wrong message.

[CROLUGER]

Welcome from Croatia. Nice Luger!

[mauser]

My appologizes, I did not mean to open up a can of worms, I also should not have reffered to it as "A Nazi Pistol".

I just, through my own ignorance, did not see the difference between the pistol, and the flag when, as far as I know, that late of a luger has a swastika in the proofs.

Again, my appologizies, I meant no offense.

[Balder]

Gentlemen,

It seems that I started this whole Nazi discussion, that was not my intention. As mentioned in my former post, I reacted on the swastika as a symbol of an ideology since it was not shown on any (visible) artefact from that period. I am definitely not trying to tell other people what kind of opinions they ought to have or what kind of pictures they should post. No offense taken on my behalf. Let us all move on, collecting Lugers and other historical items.

Sincerely,

Balder

[John Sabato]

Well Said Balder... let's get back to Lugers.