Why can't I find/buy a $600 shooter; or " What is the value of a parts luger"

[DonVoigt]

"What is a parts/mis-match luger worth?"

This question came up just a couple days ago, and is asked in various ways quite frequently. I decided to "add up" the costs of the individual parts in a luger- to see what a "shooter" could be worth on a sum of the parts basis.

I knew from buying parts and repairing or assembling shooters that some parts are hard to find and all are getting expensive, well expensive to me anyway.

Everyone will have their own idea or opinion on this question, so feel free to state yours- just don't throw rocks at me or others who post- as there is no "correct" answer !

I had and have a shooter for sale, so when an interested member said I don't want to pay that much- I want a $600 or $700 shooter, I decided to do the analysis now.

So, first the list of parts was made and some online searching done. It quickly became evident that there is a WIDE range of prices on any given part- and some parts offered are Junk!

Anyway, first number is using the lowest price found which would include reproduction parts, the second is the "high end" and no repro parts. Neither includes what would amount to a significant costs in postage when buying parts piecemeal! And do note that on any given day, all the parts will not be found for sale.

Low value- $1000
High value- $1589

If you get lucky and buy a complete upper, complete lower, and then add a repro side plate and magazine -

I got lucky value: $850

My conclusion,
a shooter luger- complete and functioning- not rusted to heck-
has a minimum value of $850, and if one were patient in selling or got some "good" parts, could net near $1500.

Moral- if you want a shooter and can find one for under $900, that is probably as good as you can do. Of course there are the exceptions if you buy from an ignorant seller or your Uncle!

PS:
Anyone with "good, cheap parts" please PM me.

[Edward Tinker]

will you hear folks say, I got this for $500 or $600 - sure.

But the average, person to person buy is harder to find for less than $800

And the last shooter you saw at a dealer? $1000 - $1100 - usually more?

I am always irritated when I put up a nice 'shooter' and its been shot, test fired and played with and can't get $1000 for it. Well folks, realize that building one is gonna cost you more than that.

It just does

Ed

[kurusu]

My last shooter cost me around $1500. The only part that doesn't match is the firing pin, which was prepped for target shooting and mated to the sear bar for a 3 pound trigger pull. It's a 1938 S/42 with good original finish but lost it's collectible value because it has the initials of the previous owner engraved on the left side.
I paid the price because, besides being a neat pistol, it had already been well prepared as a shooter by the previous owner. Both an excellent shooter and a competent gunsmith who knows his Lugers (not big on collecting though).

[MikeP]

Excellent post.
Some guys insist on lowballing everything that they confront.
It's a near mania with some. Even a compulsion.
I had a friend who would argue himself blue in the face over a door charge.
There was a youngster on another board braying like a jackass about buying a rifle at a garage sale for near nothing from an old lady who thought it was broken.
I remember $50 mint Lugers. Also bins of cheap Luger parts from stripped pistols.
That's long gone.
$600 shooter is a fantasy and holdouts need to move on or do without.
Same-same with parts.

[rhuff]

I can tell you for a fact that my last shooter build(fairly recent) cost a LOT more then any $6-800. Granted it is not a rust bucket, looks quite nice and shoots soooo much better than I can. The components, if nice, are no longer cheap. You pays your money, and you makes your choice!!

[4 Scale]

I enjoy looking for shooters and spend way too much time doing it. I think Don and Ed have accurately described the price environment. From time to time I see collectors commenting that a decent shooter can be had for $600-$800; IMO this is simply not the case (unless as Don says you find an exceptionally ignorant seller or have some kind of inside track on the pistol). IMO decent shooters are $900 and up in most cases.

[Zorba]

Originally Posted by 4 Scale

From time to time I see collectors commenting that a decent shooter can be had for $600-$800; IMO this is simply not the case ...

WORD.

I have *NEVER* seen a price on *ANY* collectible gun as low as folks on the various collector boards seem to think you can get one for. I think the prices are always ahead of recollection!

[Big Fre]

Apparently I had a nice deal on my 1916 dwm p08 luger "shooter", bought it for 700€, that's around 750$, and at a dealer!

[DonVoigt]

The BIG difference is in whether or not you are buying or selling And your degree of patience.

I can still occasionally find shooters for $600 to $800; BUT, I would not sell one for that; for when I go looking for one they are priced above $900!

Too "smart" or too "greedy" , matters not which; when you get a luger in your hands that belongs to you- the "value" goes up. JMHO.

Not to even consider that you may "need" it; a part might break in one of your other shooters!

[steven c]

It does seem nowadays when you do see a shooter they are $850+
If I happen to look. They haven't been my primary focus for some time now.

After reading this thread I relized that the first one I bought is now worth more then I paid that I thought was a little high at the time of $600 quite a number of years ago, but it was my first and I always wanted a example to have. In time I found out more about it and was told the side plate and pin although matches was from a earlier gun.

Long story short these aren't getting any cheaper and increase more in time from when I was a younger.

[Jim Mac]

Im not a collector or builder like some of the folks here on the forum. I bought my first luger off backpage and paid $625 for it 4 years ago. Its a really nice reblued 1917 dwm only mismatch is the sideplate and take down lever. Then about three years ago on backpage again I found a original 1918 erfurt with a replacement firing pin for $750. The last luger I bought off backpage was $500 for a totally mismatched gun. I decided I wanted a romanian AES-10b rpk I decided to sell the luger to fund the rpk purchase. Sold the luger for $550 but kept the mauser numbered magazine.
I decided I was done buying lugers until a guy on the ak files offered a g date upper complete for $250. Fortunately ive been a member on this site and knew someone here probably had the rest of the gun available which he did (thanks Don!) So with shipping and transfer fees im into my latest gun for $840.
If I saw this luger in a gun shop or pawn shop for $840, I probably wouldn't have gave it a second thought and walked right by it. But breaking it up into smaller payments over time made the purchase a little more tolerable. Sadly if I had to sell it I probably couldnt get $700.
Basically a chrome g date upper with a 1937 mauser lower and a mauser numbered + magazine. Now to go out and shoot it some more. Jim


Lastly, the cheap lugers are out there. My son in laws friend inherited his granddads luger recently and being young and the gun not being a polymer and not holding 18 rounds in the magazine sold the old gun for $200. Sadly I found out about it after the fact. I would have gladly bought it for twice that. Jim

[Olle]

Originally Posted by 4 Scale

I enjoy looking for shooters and spend way too much time doing it. I think Don and Ed have accurately described the price environment. From time to time I see collectors commenting that a decent shooter can be had for $600-$800; IMO this is simply not the case (unless as Don says you find an exceptionally ignorant seller or have some kind of inside track on the pistol). IMO decent shooters are $900 and up in most cases.

I would agree with that. You do see some people stating that a Luger shooter is a $600 gun, but you have to read between the lines. First of all, what they're probably saying is that $600 is all they would pay. Second: If you ask them where you can find a $600 shooter (or if they want to make a few bucks by selling you one for $700) you'll be met with dead silence. You may also see the same guys advertising shooters for $1000+.

So those who actually have $600 shooters for sale, raise your hands.

[DonVoigt]

I should have further defined "shooter"; my definition is a pistol that actually shoots reliably- and is guaranteed to do so, or has been tested by the seller; Not just a "cheap" pistol.

Many pistols offered in the "shooter" price range absolutely will not function reliably- and will require spending of more money to get them to work reliably! If it can be done at all.

[kurusu]

Originally Posted by olle

so those who actually have $600 shooters for sale, raise your hands.

Yeah! Sure!

[Olle]

Yeah, kinda like that. Ask them to sell you a $600 shooter, and the crickets will immediately start chirping.

[RShaw]

Very informative and useful post!
Should perhaps make a "Sticky" from it?

[Diver6106]

... and then I purchased my last Luger off GB. A 1917 Artillery for under $700. Pitted and no finish, mostly matching and a great buy for my money. BUT - you have to hunt... OH, I also believe it came with ivory grips and some missing parts.

[Zonaken]

Very helpful post for this newbie...
Thanks everyone!
Zk

[Sergio Natali]

Here where I live a decent shooter grade LUGER wouldnt cost less than the equivalent of at least 1200/1400 $

[P08Leder]

I got a $650 Erfurt mismatched shooter refinished
from Cherry's in Greensboro NC within the last year.
They posted it on their website and I was there the next morning when they opened.
While doing the paperwork they got two calls about it.
I was very pleased