Introductions

GySgt1811 · 03-10-2012, 11:01 AM

Good day, gentle-persons. I've gotten my nerve up to post and feel the need to introduce myself. My name is John Cornwell and I live in Southern Indiana about 30 miles from Louisville, KY. I have been lurking around the site for about a year now and finally screwed up the courage to register. I am so impressed with the mother lode of knowledge and experience to be found here. It awakened in me a desire to be possessed by a Luger or two. I am now owned by a 1916 (Same year my dad was born) DWM, an M1914 Mauser 7.65, and C96 Mauser c1912 or so. The Luger is a mostly matching (I think!) shooter about NRA Very Good condition. The c1928 M1914 Mauser is in remarkable shape; and the C96 "has issues." Pictures, naturally, when I get sufficient posts to do so.

My future (also present and only) wife gave me my first firearm 48 years ago and I've been collecting and shooting ever since. I'm a former Marine tanker with trigger time, a retired Banker and have earned a Masters in Theology (What ever was I thinking!). As time and treasure allow, I hope to acquire additional Lugers to fondle. Meanwhile I am immersing myself in the forum, drinking in the knowledge and experience to be gleaned.

Best regards to all,
John

Frank · 03-10-2012, 11:07 AM

Hi John,

WELCOME!!! Nice to have you as a Luger NUT. Some of us are old Luger Nuts and some are young Luger Nuts; but we all like 'em.

Luger collecting is a difficult thing to ignore, so be careful!

Neil Young · 03-10-2012, 11:41 AM

Welcome aboard Gunny, from an old Marine, but I only made E4. Virtually everyone on this forum is great. Occasionally, a stinker comes along, but they can't camoflage themselves and don't last long. There are novices like myself and then there are world reknown experts here. I learn from them every day.

Neil

GySgt1811 · 03-10-2012, 11:51 AM

Semper Fi, Marine. The two best enlisted ranks in the Corps are Corporal and Gunny; (the two best Officer ranks are Captain and Commandant.) Thanks for the welcome.

Neil Young · 03-10-2012, 12:30 PM

Semper Fi Gunny.

Neil

DavidJayUden · 03-10-2012, 01:12 PM

Oh my God, not a Theologian...
Welcome.
dju

padredan · 03-10-2012, 01:44 PM

Welcome to the forum

rhuff · 03-10-2012, 02:16 PM

Welcome to the forum. A lot of knowledge is floating around here, and it is free to the taker.

wlyon · 03-10-2012, 02:21 PM

Welcome to the Forum and the crazy world of luger collecting. Bill

JTD · 03-10-2012, 05:44 PM

I hope you are not the one that parked that tank in your aitar! Welcome aboard, John

GySgt1811 · 03-10-2012, 06:00 PM

Well, as the old saying goes, "If'n you don't get a backlash now and then, you ain't fishin'."

No, actually, the picture in the avatar isn't mine, thank goodness. However, I put mine in hull defilade in the mud...twice. Took two tanks and the M-88 to un-stick it...twice; once in Wisconsin and once in Saudi Arabia. I got good at it. Then there's the time my old M-48 caught fire...but that's another story.

GySgt1811 · 03-10-2012, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidJayUden

Oh my God, not a Theologian...
Welcome.
dju

No, DJU, thank goodness. Theology is for better/smarter folks than what I am. I ended up being an adjunct professor of Ancient Near Eastern Literature. And that's almost as arcane as Luger lore.

TheRomanhistorian · 03-10-2012, 11:36 PM

Welcome aboard, Gunny and greetings from one adjunct to another! I look forward to seeing the photos of your pistols when you are able to post them!

Curly1 · 03-11-2012, 02:17 PM

Welcome aboard bro.

Sammler · 03-11-2012, 05:41 PM

Welcome, indeed, to Luger appreciation and collecting.

In June of 1955, I was in Louisville and checked out the guns in a few pawn shops. I recall one shop that had row after row of Lugers in their glass display case. They were priced by barrel length--the longer the barrel, the higher the price! No one knew about just how rare some Lugers were, so an average artillery cost more than a really nice Krieghoff. There was no mention of commercial (grip safety) models, police , MAUSER "banners," etc.--they were all simply Lugers. If my memory serves me right, the four inch barrel Lugers were $30, the four and three-fourth were $40, the six inch were $40-50, and the eight inch "artillery" (no one called them that in those days) were $60. There was some variation in price to allow for condition.

Good old days!

Sammler

alvin · 03-11-2012, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sammler

Good old days!

In its "tool" stage, gun does not appreciate in value, only drops in value through depreciation, like Glock. From old advertisements, Artillery Luger was $40, Navy Luger was $38.50, 7.65m/m Luger was $21.50, 7.63m/m Mauser was $35, 9m/m "Red 9" was $40. That's in 1920s. Price in 1950s was not very different from that of 1920s.

Even in "collector" stage, if considering inflation, many C&R European automatic pistols have appreciated in value, but not that much, except a few star variations....

kmichaels90 · 03-11-2012, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alvin

In its "tool" stage, gun does not appreciate in value, only drops in value through depreciation, like Glock. From old advertisements, Artillery Luger was $40, Navy Luger was $38.50, 7.65m/m Luger was $21.50, 7.63m/m Mauser was $35, 9m/m "Red 9" was $40. That's in 1920s. Price in 1950s was not very different from that of 1920s.

Even in "collector" stage, if considering inflation, many C&R European automatic pistols have appreciated in value, but not that much, except a few star variations....

Back in 1960 my grandfather, who was 16 at the time ordered a broom handle mauser from a mail order catalog. He no longer recalls the name of the catalog but the pistol he recieved was a late post war bolo in near mint condition with matching stock rig with the leather harness and a cleaning rod. He says he paid around $45 for it. He still has it to this day and I have fired it on occassion it is all matching and still near mint.

alvin · 03-11-2012, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kmichaels90

I have fired it on occassion it is all matching and still near mint.

Probably you don't want to shoot it anymore. Postwar Bolo with matching stock in NRA excellent condition could sell $4k to $6k. If you break a single numbered part,,,,, the value drops dramatically. On 1987 (or 1984, I cannot remember) gun value catalog, the editor recorded one event: a guy bought ten minty Bolos at $750 each as "investment" (total $7500). Those days are gone. Nowadays, even junk C96 cost that much, numerically.

C&R guns with over $2k value should not go to range. Different people have different lines, but most guns in current production, e.g. various kinds of AR15s, seldom go above $2k (except early variations). Those are for sports shooting.... so I guess $2k could be a line. Just an opinion. I found C&R guns between $1-$2k are easy to sell, probably because they are collectibles, also shootable.

spartacus38 · 03-11-2012, 08:56 PM

Welcome to the forum John.
Bob

03-10-2012, 11:01 AM	#1
GySgt1811 Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Southern Indiana Posts: 237 Thanks: 1,238 Thanked 126 Times in 84 Posts	Introductions Good day, gentle-persons. I've gotten my nerve up to post and feel the need to introduce myself. My name is John Cornwell and I live in Southern Indiana about 30 miles from Louisville, KY. I have been lurking around the site for about a year now and finally screwed up the courage to register. I am so impressed with the mother lode of knowledge and experience to be found here. It awakened in me a desire to be possessed by a Luger or two. I am now owned by a 1916 (Same year my dad was born) DWM, an M1914 Mauser 7.65, and C96 Mauser c1912 or so. The Luger is a mostly matching (I think!) shooter about NRA Very Good condition. The c1928 M1914 Mauser is in remarkable shape; and the C96 "has issues." Pictures, naturally, when I get sufficient posts to do so. My future (also present and only) wife gave me my first firearm 48 years ago and I've been collecting and shooting ever since. I'm a former Marine tanker with trigger time, a retired Banker and have earned a Masters in Theology (What ever was I thinking!). As time and treasure allow, I hope to acquire additional Lugers to fondle. Meanwhile I am immersing myself in the forum, drinking in the knowledge and experience to be gleaned. Best regards to all, John

03-10-2012, 11:41 AM	#3
Neil Young Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Scottsboro, Alabama Posts: 545 Thanks: 559 Thanked 442 Times in 168 Posts	Welcome aboard Gunny, from an old Marine, but I only made E4. Virtually everyone on this forum is great. Occasionally, a stinker comes along, but they can't camoflage themselves and don't last long. There are novices like myself and then there are world reknown experts here. I learn from them every day. Neil __________________ Neil The hurrier I go the behinder I get. Sometimes it takes me all day to get nothing done.

03-10-2012, 12:30 PM	#5
Neil Young Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Scottsboro, Alabama Posts: 545 Thanks: 559 Thanked 442 Times in 168 Posts	Semper Fi Gunny. Neil __________________ Neil The hurrier I go the behinder I get. Sometimes it takes me all day to get nothing done.

03-10-2012, 01:44 PM	#7
padredan User Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: louisiana Now, but from the Rebublic of Texas Posts: 937 Thanks: 429 Thanked 316 Times in 182 Posts	Welcome to the forum __________________ In this world nothing is free, except the grace of God

03-10-2012, 02:21 PM	#9
wlyon Lifer 2X Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: May 2005 Location: Somewhere in Montana Posts: 2,631 Thanks: 3,170 Thanked 2,555 Times in 954 Posts	Welcome to the Forum and the crazy world of luger collecting. Bill __________________ Bill Lyon

03-10-2012, 11:07 AM	#2
Frank RIP Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Hot & Dry PHX, AZ Posts: 2,078 Thanks: 24 Thanked 163 Times in 87 Posts	Hi John, WELCOME!!! Nice to have you as a Luger NUT. Some of us are old Luger Nuts and some are young Luger Nuts; but we all like 'em. Luger collecting is a difficult thing to ignore, so be careful!

03-10-2012, 11:51 AM	#4
GySgt1811 Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Southern Indiana Posts: 237 Thanks: 1,238 Thanked 126 Times in 84 Posts	Semper Fi, Marine. The two best enlisted ranks in the Corps are Corporal and Gunny; (the two best Officer ranks are Captain and Commandant.) Thanks for the welcome.

03-10-2012, 01:12 PM	#6
DavidJayUden Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 4,047 Thanks: 578 Thanked 1,414 Times in 887 Posts	Oh my God, not a Theologian... Welcome. dju

03-10-2012, 02:16 PM	#8
rhuff Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Az. Posts: 2,289 Thanks: 2,704 Thanked 971 Times in 716 Posts	Welcome to the forum. A lot of knowledge is floating around here, and it is free to the taker.

03-10-2012, 05:44 PM	#10
JTD User Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: PA Posts: 425 Thanks: 217 Thanked 408 Times in 149 Posts	I hope you are not the one that parked that tank in your aitar! Welcome aboard, John

03-10-2012, 06:00 PM	#11
GySgt1811 Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Southern Indiana Posts: 237 Thanks: 1,238 Thanked 126 Times in 84 Posts	Well, as the old saying goes, "If'n you don't get a backlash now and then, you ain't fishin'." No, actually, the picture in the avatar isn't mine, thank goodness. However, I put mine in hull defilade in the mud...twice. Took two tanks and the M-88 to un-stick it...twice; once in Wisconsin and once in Saudi Arabia. I got good at it. Then there's the time my old M-48 caught fire...but that's another story.

03-10-2012, 11:36 PM	#13
TheRomanhistorian User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 301 Thanks: 170 Thanked 88 Times in 64 Posts	Welcome aboard, Gunny and greetings from one adjunct to another! I look forward to seeing the photos of your pistols when you are able to post them! __________________ Michael Nos morituri te salutant - Supposed saying of the gladiators to the emperor ('We, who are about to die, salute you.') 'We are the lantern bearers, my friend; for us to keep something burning, to carry what light we can forward into the darkness and the wind' - From Rosemary Sutcliff's The Lantern Bearers

03-11-2012, 02:17 PM	#14
Curly1 User Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Upstate New York Posts: 1,236 Thanks: 116 Thanked 708 Times in 369 Posts	Welcome aboard bro. __________________ Laugh hard and often. Gary

03-11-2012, 05:41 PM	#15
Sammler User Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 31 Thanks: 0 Thanked 6 Times in 5 Posts	Welcome to a new collector! Welcome, indeed, to Luger appreciation and collecting. In June of 1955, I was in Louisville and checked out the guns in a few pawn shops. I recall one shop that had row after row of Lugers in their glass display case. They were priced by barrel length--the longer the barrel, the higher the price! No one knew about just how rare some Lugers were, so an average artillery cost more than a really nice Krieghoff. There was no mention of commercial (grip safety) models, police , MAUSER "banners," etc.--they were all simply Lugers. If my memory serves me right, the four inch barrel Lugers were $30, the four and three-fourth were $40, the six inch were $40-50, and the eight inch "artillery" (no one called them that in those days) were $60. There was some variation in price to allow for condition. Good old days! Sammler

03-11-2012, 08:56 PM	#19
spartacus38 Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: South Lake Tahoe,CA. Posts: 695 Thanks: 0 Thanked 70 Times in 56 Posts	Welcome to the forum John. Bob