Collecting Shooters Shameful? Opinion/poll

[4 Scale]

Finding shooters is challenging. I recently tried to purchase a model 1906 AE shooter off GB. Pictures were poor, the pistol would not hold open, Mables front sight and seller didn't know if all parts matched. The price was a bit high for a shooter with mechanical problems but what I could see in the pictures seemed good, so I rolled the dice and won it.

I get the darn thing and it is all matching except grips, no rust, BUG proofed and with a good bore. The bluing is so nice that at first I suspected a re-blue, but comparison to my other AE under a microscope, halos etc. has convinced me the finish is original. Even the grip straps have almost no finish loss. Magazine is original and like new. The takedown lever has some scratches and the straw is more faded than the blueing. There are no other flaws. A $25 spring from Tom Heller fixed the hold open issue.

In other words my attempt to buy a shooter failed miserably as I won't shoot this. Below is a quick grab picture, I hope to take better pictures when the weather warms. The pistol's finish looks better than this picture shows, the "blemishes" are fingerprints. I guess my search for a 1906 .30 Luger shooter must continue.

[kurusu]

Originally Posted by 4 Scale

Finding shooters is challenging. I recently tried to purchase a model 1906 AE shooter off GB. Pictures were poor, the pistol would not hold open, Mables front sight and seller didn't know if all parts matched. The price was a bit high for a shooter with mechanical problems but what I could see in the pictures seemed good, so I rolled the dice and won it.

I get the darn thing and it is all matching except grips, no rust, BUG proofed and with a good bore. The bluing is so nice that at first I suspected a re-blue, but comparison to my other AE under a microscope, halos etc. has convinced me the finish is original. Even the grip straps have almost no finish loss. Magazine is original and like new. The takedown lever has some scratches and the straw is more faded than the blueing. There are no other flaws. A $25 spring from Tom Heller fixed the hold open issue.

In other words my attempt to buy a shooter failed miserably as I won't shoot this. Below is a quick grab picture, I hope to take better pictures when the weather warms. The pistol's finish looks better than this picture shows, the "blemishes" are fingerprints. I guess my search for a 1906 .30 Luger shooter must continue.

Get a Mauser, any Mauser will do. Even if original finish and all matching, as long as it isn't in NIB condition ( and they seldom are), considering the number produced, I would never frown as it being used as a shooter.
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