Long time fan of the Luger looking to buy.

[BrianSFL]

My grandfather, my dad's dad, brought back a pre-WW2 Luger from WW2. My uncle has owned it since I was a kid, and I'm nearly 30 now, but I've seen it numerous times.

It was in pretty poor shape. I'm not even sure if it was in firing condition at all, and I believe it was missing some parts. I'm not sure if any of the numbers matched. As far as I can remember from the story, my grandfather, who was in the army, actually killed the person who owned it, presumably a German soldier.

In any case, my uncle had it restored to firing condition, had it reblued, and the like. Probably not something I would have done, but it was in rough shape. It also survived his truck being stolen back in the 90's. He had it hidden under the front seat, and when they recovered his truck, which was completely stripped of EVERYTHING, including the motor, the Luger was still under his seat.

I'll have to try and take some pictures of it sometime the next time my uncle is around (he lives about 800 miles away from me.)

I've always thought they were some of the best looking guns ever made.

So, now I'm looking to buy one, preferrably a WW2 era one. I've been browsing on Gunbroker, but the selection is a bit daunting, and I don't want to buy something without knowing what I'm getting.

Can I get into a decent WW2 one for $1200-$1500? What should I be looking for?

Another big question is, should I feel alright shooting it? Others have told me they're extremely strong and love modern ammunition.

Thanks for the information. I'm going to start reading the forum and trying to learn a few things before making a purchase.

[John Sabato]

Brian,

Welcome to the Lugerforum.

My recommendation is that you do a LOT of reading on the forum. Decide for sure what era and what manufacturer you wish to own...

You can invest a lot of money in Luger reference books but I would recommend you start by reading this forum in the areas that interest you... you can also check your local library for some of the titles you will find here, and most public libraries have programs where they will borrow the books you want from a library that has a copy...

You can buy a nice matching Luger for the price range you have specified, but you can get a good shooter for somewhere between $600 to $900 depending on age, condition, and finish... Don't be a hurry... unless you come across a bargain, or the exact model you are looking for...

Enjoy yourself here. There isn't a better gun forum on the internet.