The "Gathering" (Long winded)

[Ted]

First of happy birthday to Frank, he made this entire trip possible, coordinated with GT, got Marvin and I our rooms, just a super guy! Thanks a million Frank! Here is my rendition of the goings on at Ralph's It is destined to become an annual event for sure! I need to save for that Luger I want BAD!!!! I truley cherish my new friends! You are all SUPERB people!!


Trip to Ralph Shattuckâ??s World of Lugers


By the Luger Forum members


http://lugerforum.com


Forum Attendees:

Hugh Clark, Marvin Cook, Ted Green, Gerry Tomek and his son Gerry Tomek Jr, John and Jen Dunkle, Frank Manders and his Son!


Also attending was Murray Willie and Wife (he called her a â??Sheilaâ?�) from Australia, his friend Jack McCabe, and Mr Bill Forsythe.


March 3rd, 2001


Friday-March 2nd


Several of the Luger Forum regulars got a gracious invitation from Ralph and Nancy Shattuck to visit Ralphâ??s World of Lugers! An adventure, none of us was willing to slip by us! Marvin Cook from SC flew into Albuquerque, NM to drive to Phoenix with me for the meeting.

Marvinâ??s plane arrived Thursday night and after a nice Mexican food Dinner we went home and we talked guns and World War II weapons for quite some time. We got a late start and left Albuquerque around 10:30 and began the drive the Phoenix through Flagstaff. I even forgot my great camera and felt stupid as heck! I was going to have to look Ralphâ??s K dates very closely. Marvin was really bored by the scenery to Flagstaff but we played German Marching Music and told jokes the whole trip! It sure was fun! We arrived in Phoenix around 7 pm and had quite a time finding the motel. We checked into our rooms and went to eat some Chinese food. The food was great and we went back and studied some Luger books and talked about the day to come.


Saturday-March 3rd

We were scheduled to meet for breakfast at 8 am not far from Ralphâ??s place. I told Marvin I thought nobody would show for this part as I didnâ??t get much responses back when I invited people to join us for a pre party breakfast. We arrived just on time and saw to our amazement our Luger friends and much to my surprise there sat my friend Ralph Shattuck! Ralph was certainly in a great mood and we all shook hands and introduced ourselves. I made a mental note how great Ralph looked and in much better health than he was in when we saw him last fall after a heart attack! He seemed to be much invigorated! Wow!! Great news! Ralph had some nametags for us and we all got tagged. Ralph left early and the rest of us ate and talked Lugers for a while. Hugh Clark, Gerry Tomek and his son were there with Marvin and I. We finished around 9:15 and decided to leave to go to Ralphâ??s World of Lugers. Arriving at Luger Heaven, we all met up with Ralph at the door and we all got to meet (Marvin and I already knew her) Nancy Shattuck-what a fine gracious lady!!! Ralph handed out some terrific World of Luger patches! Nice design! This one will go on my shooting jacket and I will wear it with pride!


Well the impetus to see â??the playroomâ?� was overwhelming and we all went into Ralphâ??s Luger room! Ralph had several other people there and we all meet and proceeded to check everything out! I STUPIDLY left my nice digital camera at home! I felt low as a snake! Ralph came to the rescue and took quite a few pictures for us to share!! Cool! He even got one of GT, the infamous picture dodger! Hugh Clark passed out iron ons of the Luger forum Patch and ironically enough so did Frank Manders (later in the party)!! Great minds think alike! Lol

Just as I stepped into the room I spied a nice Party Leader Holster for a PPK! (Maybe I can put a cloaking curse on it and maybe nobody but me will see it) After biting my nails for what SEEMED like an ETERNITY, I managed to whisper in Ralphâ??s ear â??Is that PPK holster for sale?â?� â??It sure is!!â?� Ralph said in a commanding voice (I flinched hoping like heck NOBODY else heard him, I WANTED that holster bad) He told me how much and I realized quality rare items cost an appropriate amount and I put it on layaway and much to my relief he put it away for safe keeping! WHEW!! That was close!!


As time progressed Frank Manders and his son showed up and we all met them! Frank had left a real challenge for me at Ralphâ??s last year, a heavily pitted Luger that we deemed â??The Ugly Ducklingâ?� which I transformed (with GT and Hughâ??s help) into the â??SWANâ?� a beautiful DWM Rust Blued Luger.


Then I noticed my olâ?? buddy Hugh Clark had brought two of his first BABY Lugers that he had made! Number 1 was a working gun and Number 2 was almost there. I handed him a 1920 Commercial to transform in to #3. I was lucky enough to make the list last year. I knew these will be a much-wanted item once the word got out how fabulous they were. Ralph pulled a John Martz Baby Luger and it was super too! We also, courtesy of Ralph, got to examine Georg Lugerâ??s own Baby Luger that is owned by Ralph! WOW, what a piece of history in the hand!


We all had one hell of a time and Ralph was having much fun showing us all those terrific Lugers. Hugh Clark ended up buying two Navy Lugers shooters that he will do some sight swapping to make them really nice working weapons. I spent much time myself perusing the Krieghoffs in Ralphâ??s collection, NICE! John Dunkle showed Marvin and I (thanks John) two REAL show pieces he was purchasing from RALPH (one an Assassinâ??s Luger) ! We didnâ??t get to spend as much time with John as we would like as he was getting ready to head back to the New England area before the monster snow storm hit! We were told it was going to be a bad one and the airports would have to shut down there!

We continued to look at Black Widows, Krieghoffs, Simsons, Navy and Artillery Models! DWMs, Erfurts, Swiss BERNs! The real small 32 Caliber Baby Luger complete in presentation case! WOW! Carbine, Engraved Lugers, double barrel Lugers, small ones, big ones, you name it! P.38s, PPKs, Borschardts, cased Lugers, Luger holsters, Luger Stocks, Luger license plates, Luger Lighters, a miniature wooden model complete with ammo the size of a BB, a large Luger about 19â?� overall length. Luger wooden stock Holsters, Gold inlayed presentation Lugers. The list went on and on and on! Rigged Lugers, double matching magazine Luger rigs! WOW!!!

1600 Lugers in one room is AWESOME! We were in the middle of Luger heaven!!

Nancy and the other wives came back to the house and brought sandwiches! That was super nice of Nancy and we all enjoyed a quick lunch then back to The Luger Vault.

This viewing continued until around 1:30 when we all tired out from Adrenaline and the excitement! We planned to meet again at GTs at 6:00 pm that evening for dinner. Ralph was coming to that and we were all glad that he was going to GTs.


Meeting at GTs for dinner that night was a great treat! He and his family also rolled out the red carpet and made everybody feel at home! Marvin, me, Hugh Clark, Frank and son and of course Ralph were there with GT and his family! Marvin and him talked P.38s and I got to see 30 or so minty P.38s, the nicest collection I have ever seen! WOW!! I was stunned to see them all and had a ball looking at them! GT son brought out a Mauser 98k Bayonet that was PLUM color, just like my 1938 S/42. It was beautiful and sharp as hell. It was a very desirable item. One of the highlights of the viewing was a Luger that John Martz had made for GT, a one of a kind target Luger in 30 Luger. This beauty was really nicely finished! How did he do that? Lol It had a slab sided bull barrel and was so stunning, I pick it up many times and sighted down the barrel at imaginary bulleyes. It had the Martz patented toggle lock drop safety. WOW, this was cool! You pulled the mag out and hit the safety lever back and forth once and the toggle dropped. You could replace mags with ONE HAND! It was an Engineering Marvle. John only made one these target Lugers and GT has it! Stunning! The food was FABULOUS as was the beer, which Frank brought for all of us, Thanks Frank!!! I made myself leave finally, though it was tough! I was having a ball but the airplane to take Marvin back to SC was leaving early in the morning and it was almost midnight!


As I left the airport and started the long climb out of the Phoenix area and began the slow climb into the mountains of Flagstaff, I realized I had meet some really special and smart people that were all very great to be around! We all vowed to do it again in a year! I got the feeling everybody will be there as well as a few more once the word gets out that Ralphâ??s (and GTs) is quite a place to view some damn fine Lugers (and P38s)! What a great place and a great life! I sure felt lucky to be around and be a small part of it!

Ted Green

[John D.]

I finally found out what all of you did *after* I left Figures I missed all the fun at G.T.'s place...


Also - I am *convinced* that Ralph leaves little treasures around the room and in the open for each of us - you found the PPK holster and I found a .22 conversion..?? Sort of like finding Easter Eggs on Easter


BTW: I vote a definate YES for an annual event..!!


Really a great write-up, Ted - thanks!!!!

[G.T.]

Ted! You pretty much covered it all! I sure hope we can make it an annual event, as all the forum people are just great! As always the time went all to fast....See you next year! till...later...G.T. (we had six of the eight board members there at one time! Kinda neat!)

[Frank]

[Marvin]

Ted,


The write-up was great except for one thing. I was not really bored by the desert, I just had to use the restroom and there was NOTHING there, ha, ha, ha.


Seriously, this was one of the best events I have ever attented. All the Forum guys were great and a real pleasure to be around. Ralph and Nancy were gracious host for allowing us to visit his home and see his unbelievable collection of Lugers. G.T. and his wife were made the day with thier gracious hospitality and great food. Carol's chocolat pie for dessert was super!


Marvin

[Ted]

Pie!!!! What PIE? I missed the PIEEE!!!! I demand a recount! It was super

[Hugh]

Great writeup Ted, and great pie, don't worry about missing it, I ate your piece!

[Dok]

but I'm more sorry not one of you remembered the poor ol' Dok (sittin' here keeping the web site safe) when the World of Lugers patches were being handed out!!!! Some friends you are!

[EOC Bob]

Nice mini-book on the trip Ted, felt as if I was actually there, started drooling at the thoughts of Black Widows, Simsons and Krieghoff's. Maybe (probably) next year, Hope he doesn't sell 'em all.

[Ted]

Not unless wildman Dunkle continues to buy at the current rate! he would buy him out in short order then I would have to go to the New England area for one! lol Glad you enjoyed the "book" Ted

[Russ]

sounds like you guys had a ball. wish i was thair.


russ

[G.T.]

Hello Russ! It truly is an experience of a life time....If you like lugers, there is no other place on earth that is like Ralph's......Till...later...G.T.

[RET]

...I had obligations that were planned long ago....

Hello folk from the gathering,


Many thanks Ralph and Nancy for a great day. We are now back in New Zealand (not Austrailia) and trying to settle down again after Luger overload!!!


By the way, My wife's name is Jan. Not Sheila, that is a "nickname" we give to all good ol girls here in New Zealand


Many thanks to all of you for some great Arizona hospitality


Kind wishes from Jan and Murray Willis.

[G.T.]

Hello Murray and Jan! I very much enjoyed your stories and company at Ralphs! As always, time went way to fast, and I didn't get to talk to you as much as would have been liked...perhaps, if your ever in the area again you could let us know, and we could discuss lugers in a longer time frame, you definitly had some interesting stories! Best of luck to you...till...later...G.T.

[Ted]

Murray, sorry about the mix up with the names and Your country. I guess it is hard to remember everything when you are looking at 1600 Luger. Enjoyed very much meeting you and your wife, it was great that you guys could make it.

It was fun and the best thing is Ralph says we can do it annually! I am already looking forward to the next one!

Ted