First Luger

[RShaw]

I went through the same internal debate when I acquired my first Luger last November; main reason for buying it was to shoot. (and because I was fascinated and couldn't pass it up) It turns out to be a collector, so I've decided NOT to shoot it, for all the reasons mentioned above.

Instead (since I love to shoot) I ended up buying a nice non-collectible Luger (all matching but refinished 1918 DWM) also from a forum member. I still have yet to actually shoot this gun, still have 4 months to wait (Dutch law).

It may cost a little more (maybe), to look for a separate shooter, but in the end, I see the collector more as an investment piece and a beautiful piece of engineering, and I can shoot all I want with a quality shooter. Until I can actually bring my shooter Luger home, I have a good P38 (ac43) to bring to the range (no it's not a collector, and it shoots very well)

Maybe I should collect shooters!!

What I DON'T want is to mess up a higher priced all matching original collector. As one person on this forum said, "They just ain't makin' these no mo...."

[Eugen]

Originally Posted by RShaw

Maybe I should collect shooters!!

What I DON'T want is to mess up a higher priced all matching original collector. As one person on this forum said, "They just ain't makin' these no mo...."

Makes sense to me. I have two shooters, that is half my collection. Two for investment (well, I am stretching the definition of the term "investment") and two to shoot'em like I hate'm.

[Robert in NC]

Originally Posted by RShaw

Maybe I should collect shooters!!

What I DON'T want is to mess up a higher priced all matching original collector. As one person on this forum said, "They just ain't makin' these no mo...."

I'd say I'm a 'shooter collector'.

I'm new to Luger collecting, although I've been looking at Lugers for 30 years, just actually bought my first one a few months ago (1920 alphabet commercial). I've already decided that I'll be collecting 'shooters'. Mainly because I shoot my all of my guns, if I can’t shoot it I don’t want it.

My first goal is a DWM (4 inch barrel) from each year of WW1. Must have year appropriate magazine (wood base). Actually, that’s pretty much my total goal, although I’d also like to get a 5 digit serial number commercial to go with my alphabet commercial.

I find all matching shooters at various places, like Simpsons, in the $1000 to $1500 range. I guess condition is what makes them shooters, since they are all matching, except often for the magazine. For Lugers I think that's important because of the close tolerances, non-matching guns I understand are more prone to functional problems. And on an aesthetic side it looks nicer for all the external numbers to match.

It’s fascinating to read all the information about the variations, but I myself wouldn’t pay any extra just because a particular Luger variation was rare.

I guess that relegates me to the realm of ‘non-serious collector’. I appreciate those real (‘serious’) collectors for all the information they provide, I’m just not one of those. Yep, “shooter collector”, that’s me.