I have to ask... reproduction Lugers?

[rightwire]

Originally posted by Dwight Gruber
The Mauser Parabellum which sold for $400 in 1975 would cost $1,580 in this year's dollar$, so their value has dropped precipitously.

I understand--not authoritatively--that the new Krieghoffs are being made on CNC machines. I wonder how much it actually costs to make one like this, as opposed to the $15k they are trying to screw out of the collector's market?

--Dwight

It would be an interesting analysis to do.

A good engineer could solid model every part of a Luger without much difficulty. Although very advanced for its time, and quite unique now, there are probably components of the CNC machine that would produce the parts that are more complicated than any single part in a Luger.

Once modeled it could be translated into a CNC program in the same way any other modern firearm is produced. Hand fitting? Well given the precision of todays automation, hand fitting would be minimized if not eliminated. It would then be a matter of cranking out matching parts in batches for later kitting and assembly.On a mass production scale, even a few hundred units a year, I can't see the cost each being anywhere near $15K each.

Now, if it was a small machine shop where someone took the pains to measure out and build a CNC program off a Luger in order to do small quantities, OR is actually hand machining to match, I could see the cost being fairly high just due to the man hours required. Actually, the man hours alone would account for a good amount of that $15K. If you average it out to man hours/machine hours at $80/hour, that $15K is about 190 working hours (about 5 weeks) per Luger. In a small shop, to build a firearm of that complexity... that seems reasonable.

Maybe there just isn't enough interest in "shooter" Lugers other than occasional trips to the range. I am hoping to fire mine this weekend for the first time and find out for myself, but anyone that I have EVER talked to that has fired a Luger has related how enjoyable, natural, and accurate the pistol was compared to modern firearms. I have to admit that holding it feels like it was made to be in my hand, and dry firing with snap caps is effortless compared to my other firearms.

All of what I have heard begged the question; "If the Luger is so natural, smooth, and accurate as people claim, then would a Luger built with modern technology and materials rival stock guns used in competition? (IDPA, etc)"