Inspection Before Buying

[Mac Cat]

If you can get closeup photos of the gun, you can get some better opinions here on the forum. You should includes close-ups of the top, the front (with the Serial numbers of the frame and the barrel), each side, and on the grip, if there are unit markings on the front or back of the grip. We all enjoy examining and commenting on guns shown here!

Personally, I wanted at least one Luger that I was comfortable shooting (normally, a "shooter" is a gun that isn't collectable for any number of reasons: All the parts don't have matching serial numbers, it's been refinished, or the acceptance stamps are suspect. Some Lugers have very few proof stamps, particularly those intended for export or non-military use.

If the Luger is in good working order and can be fired safely, is probably worth anywhere from $900 - $1200.

If it has any visible cracks or damage to the vital parts, it's probably not worth $300-$400 (value of good parts).

Also, accessories sometimes are worth almost as much as the gun. A good holster, the tool, the magazine clip, and any paperwork that tracks the gun's possession and past, all can make it more interesting and valuable.

You have to decide what your budget is, what you want from a Luger, and in particular, if you want to shoot it or not.

If you just want to see how it operates, assembles, etc, you may be happy with a gun not suitable for shooting. You may even find a gun with missing parts, as there is a pretty good market for spare parts.

If you have never handled a Luger before, I would suggest you buy it with the condition that you can return it, un-fired, after at least 3-day examination. That would give you time to look it over carefully, do some basic research, and/or take it to a knowledgeable gun smith for inspection.

My recommendation is to pickup some books, ASAP.
There are some downloadable books on this web site and occasionally, some for sale.
Amazon has quite a few excellent Luger books.

That's my 2 cents.

(BTW, the FAQ link it on the top of the web page! There is another in the General Information link on the left column)