To shoot, or not to shoot?

[Warhogg]

I bought this beautiful P.08 back in April. It is in such great condition that I don't want to shoot it! It's a 1938 S/42 Luger, all matching except the mag. I fear some matching part might break, and it will get a few more wear marks.





I get obsessive like this with most my guns. I buy a real nice example, can't bring myself to shoot it, then turn around & buy another to shoot. It's like I have "Noah's Gunrack" - two of everything!

Am I too nuts or should I just bust the cherry & shoot it already? I'm dying to see how it does, but if any of you others have the same affliciton I'll feel better, and keep it in my safe.

[tenbears]

I used to shoot all my Lugers but stop doing this due to heeding the advice of other collectors. If you break a part on a all matching Luger. You than have made a drastic cut in the value of it. Bubba collector wont care but a serious collector will.

[Balder]

Warhogg,

Guns are meant to be fired. I shoot all of my 50+ guns, including seven out of my eight Lugers. I do use replacement firing pin, extractor and grip panels though; I don't want to ruin the original parts most prone to breakage.

I'm far from being a Luger expert, but there is something about yours that says "refinished". I can't really pinpoint it, something about the color and general finish. I hope I am wrong though, I'll leave it to the Gurus here to chime in. Great looking gun, regardless!

Baler

[Warhogg]

I'm certainly no expert either but I have the same suspicion about the finish. I bought it from a forum member here through Gunbroker, and it was not expressed as redone. The machining marks are evident throughout the gun, and there is the plum-ish coloring in spots I read are evident on these from the original production. It's in such nice condition though, but I would like an expert to see it to confirm or not. It's hard to tell from the pics though.

[GerColctor]

Just my openion on your qestion, I never shoot any of my collectable Lugers. I have a mismatch that I bought many years ago and if I want to shoot a Luger, I use that pistol. As mentioneed above, don't break a numbered part on an all match Luger.

Joe

[alvin]

One expert said "You won't understand how it works unless you shoot it" and he shoots them.... Personally, I found that I could not figure out how gun works by shooting anyway, and considering the danger of breaking any parts, even unnumbered parts, let alone those numbered ones. So I gave up shooting collectibles early, thanks the Lord.

If you suspect the finish, you may post close-up pictures.

[jamese]

Warhog,

Run a mag thru it, and put it away, then you can say you shot it!

I would not shoot that gun on regular basis. It looks to be a very nice S/42

Jim

[John Sabato]

Great looking S/42

Extreme closeups in sharp focus of the markings of this gun (wth the white material removed so the marks themselves could be examined in high resolution) would tell the story about whether or not this beautiful pistol has been refinished. Could you identify the person you bought it from. Since the sale took place publicly on Gunbroker, there is no reason for anonimity... Hardly a Luger sale takes place anywhere that the forum is not aware of. Welcome to the Lugerforum.

[Warhogg]

I'm proud to say the seller was Tom Whiteman. I had "beginner's luck" buying my first big purchase of this kind on any auction site. The gun was much better than described when I went to pick it up, and I was well pleased to see he was a fellow collector & not a "typical "gun dealer. It was like hitting the lottery. He was terrific to talk to, knowlegable & honest.

The bore is sharp like the day it left the factory, which to me, adds to the evidence it's original condition. He explained that since it had a mismatched mag, he put it up for sale to put the proceeds towards an all-matching example. Makes great sense to me!

I just heard his commercial on the radio this morning for the second time on my way to work. His advice in the ad is theraputic in itself, espescially before walking into a stressful day at the office!

[Rod WMG]

"It is in such great condition that I don't want to shoot it!"

Doesn't that say it all? You don't want to, so don't do it.

[John Sabato]

I have no doubts that the pistol is original, if it had been refinished, Tom Whiteman would have told you so. Congrats on a great gun.

[Warhogg]

I'm not shooting it!

I picked up another to enjoy at the range.

Thus begins my Luger collection...

[whcoyote]

Warhogg:
The pistol was made to be shot. Lugers were not made to wear and impress the enemy. It's already been shot, so you won't detract from it's value if you shoot it again. You only detract from it's value if you abuse it.
SHOOT THE DARN THING!! Take care of it. Clean the bore, oil it and wipe it down after every range session. You will never truly get to know your Luger until you shoot it some. It was made to shoot. It wants to be shot. Humor it - take it out and shoot it. ...but take care of it.
Bob

[Ron Wood]

The pistol was made to be shot a half-century ago when impressing the enemy was performed by having him make the supreme sacrifice. I agree that for a pistol that exhibits considerable wear, bang away. But in case you haven't noticed, there is a dwindling supply of these pristine old war horses available. Bust it and it is gone. Yes, it wants to be shot, but a teenager wants to drink and drive...do you knuckle under or exercise adult judgement? Sure, it was made to shoot, a long time ago, but abuse is only one half-century broken part and considerable investment away. Shoot a shooter, but preserve a collectable for the next generations. We are only caretakers of these historical pieces, they pass through our hands but once. But if you wish, go ahead and ruin it, it just makes other surviving examples that much more valuable.

[Warhogg]

I've got my shooter right here:



It's a byf 42 (at least the top of it is), with a forced-matched numbered frame. It started out with the ugly black plastic grips which I replaced with a mismatched original set.

No guilt, no worries, just blasting fun!!

[Edward Tinker]

did it work this time? I was feeling guilty about telling you how the owner told me it show flaWLless etc....



going to a small gun show north of here, Eagle Arms productions, have a table.

[Warhogg]

Hi Ed!

No, I haven't got out yet again...I get pretty frustrated between work & chores. My free time keeps getting "re-scheduled"...

No need to feel guilty! I only shot a box of Fiocchi through it, and for the most part it was okay. You're only going on what the former owner said. There's a real good chance it's the choice of ammo.

I wa planning to go to that show today...got rescheduled since I have daddy duty while the wife goes to a baby shower (playtime for her). So I'm going to try & cram the gunshow into tomorrow's do-do list.

Hopefully I'll see you up there!
Bryan

[whcoyote]

ROn:
I understand your point. I was not suggesting that he take the pistol out and wear it out. I would suggest he check the pistol out thoroughly and make sure that everything inside is healthy and then take it out for a session - or two - and get to know how the piece feels when it's doing what it was made to do - maybe 50 rounds or so. Someone else had the idea to keep a firing pin and a couple other fragile parts around to put into a collector piece that you want to shoot, so as not to take chances on breaking a critical part. That sounds reasonable.
I have a small collection of P.08s and I have shot them as above. It makes ownership so much more meaningful if you can let the little puppy bark some before you put him away. I have never broken a part (knock on wood) - but have lost a couple when disassembling - fumble fingers.
Bob