Gun Show Report--Portland

[Dwight Gruber]

Gun show in Portland this weekend has a fair number of interesting Lugers. there is, of course, the usual 1900 American Eagle that doesn't seem to sell show after show for $1.6k, and a rebarreled DWM with a holster for $795.

There is a Vickers Dutch in not terrible shape for $1k; this guy also has a 9mm Broomhandle commercial for sale (didn't catch the price) and a decent Papa Nambu for $3k. This guy also has a Mauser Broomhandle carbine, the one on which the entire grip/stock slides off rearward; it was for sale, but didn't have a price tag.

There was a nice byf 41 Black Widow (much nicer than mine [img]frown.gif[/img] ) for $900, it sold durng the day.

There is a really sweet 1900 Commercial with what is described as a Cronin holster for $3.5k.

Another table has a nice 1913 police (sear safety) and a 1916 "military", both of which have been seen before; I don't have details, but iirc the prices are moderate. On another table there is a matching 1918 dated DWM for $700.

The table with the John Martz Baby ($2.8k) also has a DWM double-date for $500 (he's selling it as a shooter) and a nice 1900 American Eagle for $2k.

Jerry Kramer is there with a selection of Lugers, as usual high quality at corresponding prices: a Krieghoff $4.5k; a Simson $2.5k; a 1906 Portuguese $2.2k; a 1906 American Eagle $3k; a byf 42 (-not- a Black Widow) $2k; a drum magazine $1.1k; and a .22 cal. conversion, boxed, for $750.

There is another table of Lugers, claimed to be from a collection which is being "pruned". There are two Finnnish Lugers for $499 each (very odd guns, these Finnish models), two S/42, one a G date and one 1936, both mismatch, for $599 each, a 1906 American Eagle for $699, and a 1900 American Eagle reblue for $1k. The Lugers on this table are not prime quality guns--mismatches, reblues, hard-use worn-finish--and priced pretty much accordingly. None are junk, however.

One of the guns on this table is notably odd--a DWM with an 8" barrel, but -not- an artillery. I didn't catch the chamber date or the serial # on the barrel, but it does, iirc, seem to have the same wear as the rest of the gun. The gun has a standard toggle rear sight, the barrel is round its entire length (does not have the Artillery rear sight platform) but does have a flat ground on the top of the barrel near the breech for some kind of a sight which is no longer on the gun.

This table also had a 1917 chamber date Navy for $1k; this sold during the course of the day.

Other than Lugers there is only one P-38, a byf 44, amidst a whole lot of P-1s (both Walther and Manurhin); a couple of Broomhandles; a couple of Radoms; and a sprinkling of Astra squirt guns.

I spent large portions of the day, variously, in the company both of Russ and Orv Reichert, a circumstance which always enjoyably enhances any gun show experience.

All in all its not a bad gun show (at least from a Luger standpoint), except that there are a lot of empty tables, too many empty spaces in the parking lot, and most of the exhibitors are expressing unhappiness that sales are pretty poor.

--Dwight