Luger USA website-the response

[BILL]

On 5/23 we ended a thread regarding the new Luger website http://www.lugerusa.com There was curiosity about this site and I took the action to correspond with them and report back to the group. This is the message I received this morning from Mr. John Siroonian at the website:


Bill-

I have sold numerous guns through Ralph Shattuck over the years, I've also had dealings with both Jan Still and Tom Heller. You are more than welcome to ask them about me. If you'd like to talk with me personally, feel free

to reach me at 800-276-6060 during office hours (Pacific Standard Time) or after 5pm at 949-673-8383.

John


Note: I haven't called regarding any particular pistols at this time but wanted to complete my action item and possibly put some minds to rest and open up another channel for collectors to possibly locate some hard to find collectable pieces.

[John Sabato]

Bill, Thanks for your time and trouble in finding out if the Luger USA site was legit. Apparently it is. I'm sure we all have had goose bumps waiting for our merchandise to arrive after we've sent money to someone we have never delt with before. Thanks again, Jerry

[Dok]

to give us his viewpoint. If Tom gives this guy a "thumbs up", I'll put him in the Links & Resources.

I have sold John some very nice original PO8 mags and parts years ago at the Great Western shows in LA. As to the providence of his pistols and buying from him, I have not had any experience, but I have no reason to question his reputation.

[Kyrie]

Hi Folks,


I have a comment here, and it may not be a popular one. With that said...


Anyone who calls his business â??Luger USA Collectorsâ?� and professes to â??... buy, sell and trade collectible lugersâ?�, and is found to be buying Luger parts, then prospective buyers need to be very, very, cautious. The man may be as honest as the day is long - but he is doing what fake factories do


Caveat emptor.


Best regards,


Kyrie

[Thor]

Noticed the 42 Krieghoff he has listed, and pictured on his site, has BROWN plastic grips, I thought the later ones had all black grips? Did I miss something? Also noticed a 40 Krieghoff with BROWN plastic grips and this one should have black too, maybe the commercial models were different? Any thoughts on this, JOHN DUNKLE? Thor

[BILL]

As always, caveat emptor. The higher the stakes, the higher the risk.

[Dok]

and not provide a link to his site. If I start hearing really wonderful things from members or others (self-praise is no recommendation) then I'll list his site. I wouldn't want folks to feel that we endorsed him, which is the implication of all out listings.

[BILL]

Dok, I would have to agree with you wholeheartedly! Any resources that are on the Lugerforum should be there because we have had a lot of postive feedback from the members. Most of the resources here are based on just that (or even better, active participation). MTCW

[Kyrie]

Hi Folks,


Easy now


Please don't get me wrong on this, and think I'm saying more than I am. I don't know the gentleman and have never dealt with him. He may well be an honorable man and completely square in his deals. The only point I was trying to make was his activities looked suspicious on their face. He may well have perfectly good reasons for wanting parts (doing restorations, or the like). Or not. I don't know either way, and only wanted to share the red flags that pop up in my own mind whenever someone offering collector grade Lugers is also buying parts, for reasons unknown (and largely unknowable, unfortunately!). That's why I advised caution rather than avoidance.


Best regards,


Kyrie

I hope that I haven't given anyone the wrong impression. I the only parts that I can recall John buying, were mags & grips.

[Dok]

I feel it's part of my job as webmaster to "police" to the degree I can what goes on this website. When I took over, I went through all the links that I had inheirited, and checked them out for validity and appropriatness etc. And got rid of a bunch of them. Only those folks who met with the criteria of being someone who dealt in Lugers, parts, services or accessories was eligible to be posted, and then only if it was a reputable link, by either "preponderance of the evidence" or by referral.


Mr. Siroonian made a claim that he was well known through numerous dealings to the likes of Ralph Shattuck, Jan Still and Tom Heller, and maybe so, but the one resource I chose to check, left me with the interpretation that those dealings were not as numerous as he would have us believe, and while you make a valid point regarding the parts issue, I think a few glossy pictures of Lugers does not a reputation build.


In the same vein, Bob Adams plys his wares in a similar manner, however I know people who have dealt with him, and who feel that he is legit, so Bob get's a listing. I just don't need to be promoting a site that is an unknown, and then someone winds up getting hurt. We all look bad. If someone of your caliber (bill m, Johnny Peppers, Marvin, Frank or the two Toms) has glowing things to say, well then that's good enough for me, but without that, I'll err on the side of caution.


Dok

[Dok]

we did not take your comments to mean he was doing something underhanded... I guess I would have expected a dealer in fine Lugers to have been "better known"

[BILL]

Good job, buddy!