Iron Cross Luger

[Mark M.]

Gruss Gott,everyone!

I know most of you are probably NRA members,so I find it odd that I haven't seen any mention of the full-page ad in the Sept. issue of "America's 1st Freedom" magazine.I seem to recall an outcry when a similar gun showed up on some web auction site some months ago. Is it possible we're all secretly trying to get one of them? At $3195 they'd be a bargain at half the price! Just kidding!Have any of you seen this ad and if so what are your thoughts on this appearing in an NRA publication? I'm merely curious as to your views on this alteration of "real" Lugers.


Tschuss! Mark M.

[John Sabato]

As long as it brings the NRA legitimate revenue, I don't care much who advertises in the their magazine as long as it is not illegal or immoral... (fattening is okay!)


just my $0.02


-John

[BILL]

Hopefully they are taking mismatched Lugers and repro parts to build these little "pieces of history". I think that there is no way to stop people from preying on the 'innocent'. Seriously, there are people who fancy themselves as collectors of guns and one of these might be right up their alley.

[lugerholsterrepair]

I have come accross people who have many parts they have taken off these lugers. Grips etc. He was involved in the production and said they were East German. Consequently they had everything emaginable in the mix but were saving out the unuseual ones. He was selling a grocery bag full of grips taken off these refurbished guns as they put on new grips. Jerry

[Mark M.]

Gruss Gott,John and Bill!

Your thoughts on this are quite enlightening to the likes of me.Your observation,John,that anything within the realm of legality and morality which benefits the NRA in the common battle to preserve the Second Ammendment and thereby our way of life, is well taken.The ad does say that these are original pistols which will be "modified" as opposed to simply "original" guns.Also,Bill,you make a good point.They don't claim that these guns will be "all matching".They only state that they are of original German manufacture- not Reproductions.Thanks for sharing your views with me!


Tschuss! Mark M.

There will always be lazy, uninformed so-called "collectors" who are involved in buying manufactured "rarities." This includes all the commemorative Colts, both single action and 1911 types, phony Winchesters with machine stamped decorations, imitation M1 carbines and Garands, and on and on in unending categories. This is the price one pays for not researching and learning the hard way that true collectibles go to those who have invested time, money, and effort in becoming knowledgeable in one or more specialized fields.

[Big Norm]

"Americas 1st Freedom". I never heard of it. I when through my "American Hunter" magazine looking to what you were talking about but couldn't find anything. Please enlighten me.

Big Norm

[Rick K]

I remember the "Iron Cross" Luger being advertised a while back in The American Rifleman. It was advertised, I think, by "The American Historical Society". There are threads about it on this site. I don't remember anyone who thought anything good about the deal!

Look guys I know its not an original rarE collEctiblE in fact its beyond mE to spEnd any amount of monEy ill nEvEr shoot, but the piEcE would sure look damn nice on my wall!

REal collEctor piEcEs would not hold the EyE catching glory of this lugEr, except for maybe a lugErmaniac. In nEw york if i put a typical lugEr on my wall id be considErEd a lunatic or fanatic. The iron cross lugEr would provide mE an alibi given its ostEntacious dEcorum


HEY I JUST COINED A NEW TERM LUGERMANIAC!

LONG LIVE THE LUGERMANIACS---thats us

[Mark M.]

Gruss Gott,alle!

The ad for this piece that I saw was in "America's 1st Freedom",one of several NRA magazines.It used to be called "American Guardian".This gun is indeed being offered by "The American Historical Foundation".I assumed the ad would probably appear in the other NRA magazines as well,but I guess we all know what often happens when one dares "assume"... At $3,195 I doubt too many of you here will be sending an order for one via Express mail.


Tschuss! Mark M.

[bill m]

[BILL]

Everything serves a purpose. Maybe these 'flashy' Lugers will satisfy the need to own one for somebody who would otherwise have bought the really nice collectible Luger that you will end up buying for your collection. Look at the positive side of it.

[Rick K]

I have spoken at length with a technician involved in the production of these lugers and have "rescued" some original matching military lugers from what the firm calls "processing". The value of these is whatever it is to the buyer. I must admit that I extended an offer for one of these but did not succeed in buying it. I offered $190 and I valued it on the basis of the interesting engraving done by a husband and wife team who work for the firm and to discourage further alterations of original condition military lugers.


If you ask, you might find there exist prototype artillery lugers this firm has processed. I suspect they are pricey.

There are historical collectibles and artistic collectibles. Important historical items, though not always pretty, are quite valuable and sought after. Fine art is pretty or at least interesting and quite valuable and sought after.


These are neither, being produced in quantity by a production line-type process and having lost much of their historical appearance, so it can be safely said to a new collector that these will not appreciate in value along with other lugers. Selling one of these would be very difficult at a price over what is associated with any obsolete low-capacity 9mm handgun.

[Rick K]

I think you're absolutely right!