What got you into lugers?

danielsand · 03-26-2014, 05:02 PM

I voted "other" as my interest involves almost all categories mentioned.

My family history is rich, and HEAVILY immersed in both "Great Wars". One grandfather died in WW1, one in WW2+ two uncles. Mom and dad both served in WW2 (on OPPOSITE sides!). Mom brought an Arty home as a trophy, and as a VERY young boy, I remember playing with it on the couch (unloaded of course). One can say that the Artillery Parabellum was my first toy. After my dad was killed in (what the family believes) a staged "accident", mom fell on some hard times (financially), and the Arty was sold to a European collector (we lived in Europe at the time).

I need to mention something here, that some of you might find amusing. My mom told me that this pistol (Artillery Parabellum) has a nickname! Later on, I've heard MANY European veterans refering to it by this nickname. Directly translated in English, she was calling it "The Stork" (the bird that brings babies in European fairytales!). I wonder if any of you Arty collectors, ever heard this moniker? An old man (years later) told me that the vets named it so because of the disproportionally long barrel, that 'fits" on the pistol just like long stork legs "fit" on the bird. Anyway,....just a little trivia for you guys.

I went into military in 1975, and stayed for a little over 20 years. Been to "few" places, saw some action, but since the early childhood, I was enamored with firearms, and assembled the impressive collection after I took my uniform off. I started collecting military small arms,.... mostly the ones I was trained on, which included both sides (East and West). Parabellum was just a distant memory, and it didn't have a place in my collection.

Past X-mas (2013), a family friend brought me a present. 1918 Erfurt! The feel of the grip, the sleek design, the fit and finish, took me instantly to my childhood! I have to mention that up to this point I never fired a Parabellum (I will always call it this for two reasons,......my European upbringing, and in honor of my late mother, who always refered to it by that name/or nickname,......VERY few people in Europe refer to it as "Luger"). I promptly cleaned this one, and started shooting it.

I just LOVE it! I carry it wherever I go. I have modern magazines for it, and I feel adequately armed with it. My Glocks (handguns of choice up to this point) are getting a little break.

And that's my story.

View Poll Results: Peaked interest of Lugers
One of the first widely adopted automatic pistols	1	1.27%
Craftsmenship, engineering, function	27	34.18%
Beauty, apperance, style	14	17.72%
Romanticized/connotion to WWI	5	6.33%
Connection to the Weimer Republic	2	2.53%
Romanticized/connection to Nazi Germany & WWII	9	11.39%
Other (explain)	21	26.58%
Voters: 79. You may not vote on this poll

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Switch to Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Threaded Mode

03-26-2014, 05:02 PM	#16
danielsand User Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: SoCal Posts: 137 Thanks: 52 Thanked 100 Times in 43 Posts	I voted "other" as my interest involves almost all categories mentioned. My family history is rich, and HEAVILY immersed in both "Great Wars". One grandfather died in WW1, one in WW2+ two uncles. Mom and dad both served in WW2 (on OPPOSITE sides!). Mom brought an Arty home as a trophy, and as a VERY young boy, I remember playing with it on the couch (unloaded of course). One can say that the Artillery Parabellum was my first toy. After my dad was killed in (what the family believes) a staged "accident", mom fell on some hard times (financially), and the Arty was sold to a European collector (we lived in Europe at the time). I need to mention something here, that some of you might find amusing. My mom told me that this pistol (Artillery Parabellum) has a nickname! Later on, I've heard MANY European veterans refering to it by this nickname. Directly translated in English, she was calling it "The Stork" (the bird that brings babies in European fairytales!). I wonder if any of you Arty collectors, ever heard this moniker? An old man (years later) told me that the vets named it so because of the disproportionally long barrel, that 'fits" on the pistol just like long stork legs "fit" on the bird. Anyway,....just a little trivia for you guys. I went into military in 1975, and stayed for a little over 20 years. Been to "few" places, saw some action, but since the early childhood, I was enamored with firearms, and assembled the impressive collection after I took my uniform off. I started collecting military small arms,.... mostly the ones I was trained on, which included both sides (East and West). Parabellum was just a distant memory, and it didn't have a place in my collection. Past X-mas (2013), a family friend brought me a present. 1918 Erfurt! The feel of the grip, the sleek design, the fit and finish, took me instantly to my childhood! I have to mention that up to this point I never fired a Parabellum (I will always call it this for two reasons,......my European upbringing, and in honor of my late mother, who always refered to it by that name/or nickname,......VERY few people in Europe refer to it as "Luger"). I promptly cleaned this one, and started shooting it. I just LOVE it! I carry it wherever I go. I have modern magazines for it, and I feel adequately armed with it. My Glocks (handguns of choice up to this point) are getting a little break. And that's my story.