Some Pics for Newbies

[Herb]

Looking for your first shooter? Here are some pictures of my "shooters" or at least that is what the real money calls them. I collect these as the all original Lugers are just too expensive and there are too many really good fakes out there. The Bulgarian cost $350, the Simpson $395, the DWM custom barrel was$550. In the Luger set the second from the right is an all matching DWM from Ralph Shattuck for $850, and on the far right is a DWM no matching for $295. When I refer to all matching it excludes the mag. The DWM long barrel is not matching as it is a custom job with a white dot insert in the sight. The Simpson is all matching, the Bulgarian is matching less side plate. I currently have a really nice all matching, less firing pin, Erfurt at a shop in Florida getting refinished, it was $350 and came chromed. Hang in there, they are out there and not all that expensive, and in my opinion, look great. Check them out at http://members14.clubphoto.com/herb5...43/guest.phtml click on the photos to enlarge them. Good hunting!

[Edward Tinker]

Cool!

nice pics Herb, your collection has grown, as has mine in the last year or two!!

Ed

<img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />

[Herb]

Yea Ed, four this year and hunting more. Going to the gun show in Rock Springs WY this weekend huntin' more. The wife is getting a case of the jaws but is biting her tongue, she wants a $1600 sewing machine but has the good judgement to not voice her thoughts. I need a 'shooter' (read junker) by Vickers, Spandau and Bern to complete the manufacturer's collection. Know of any in the $300-500 range or thereabouts??

[Pete Ebbink]

Good Morning, Herb;

You might try Bob Lewis (that Swiss guy we met at the Reno Gun Show) for a Bern shooter...

Send me a Private Message if you do not have his contact info...

p.s. You owe me one for that Simpson...(just kidding, of course...)

Regards,

Pete... <img src="graemlins/yltype.gif" border="0" alt="[typing]" />

[Edward Tinker]

Holy smokes, must be in the air.

The wife got a very nice sewing machine / embrodery thingy and I sent a check to Tom H., so you will see another on my wall, 4 inch John Martz, bull barrel...

Yes Tom, I am anxious, it ought to shoot pretty tight groups, although anything better than 4 inches in 20 feet is okay by me [img]biggrin.gif[/img]

[Roadkill]

I sort of feel like the apes when Charlton Heston told them to get their dirty hands off him. I was beginning to think I was the only non collecting loves to shoot 'em won't spend the $ on them having fun with them replacing parts on them loves the history in all of them don't look down on any of them cold blue touching up Looger Shooter out here. Thank you gentlemen, Thank you.
<img src="graemlins/crying.gif" border="0" alt="[crying]" />

RK

[Herb]

RK. I think there are a lot of us low-lives here, but they won't lower themselves to admit it. I much prefer a well done refinish to a 'combat soiled' original with months, or years, of imagined history that will never be known, only imagined. See that bullet graze on the right grip, it must have been from an American Garand! Triple AAA BS.

[AGE]

RK and Herb,

I'm with you guys. I have more guns than I care to admit, and few are in the same condition as they left the factory.

My Luger is a reblued 1936 Mauser (although I just bought a reconditioned one from Thor), my 1911's are highly modified GI guns, my Springfield has only the original action and barrel, etc. etc.

I can pick up any of my guns knowing they look great and will hit what I shoot at. This is a requirement for me--if they don't shoot, out they go.

The Luger is really neeeat, but I would hate to have a beat up rare one that would loose value if it were refinished. Mine shot a 35 shot 3" group today at 25 yards with 25 of the shots in a 1.5" hole just above the 10 ring. It's been 300 rounds since it was cleaned, and I did have one disappointing stovepipe with WallyWorld ammo.

[Herb]

Ah-Ha, the truth is sloooowwwly seeping out! AGE, enjoy your shooter, at least you aren't afraid to shoot it for fear of breaking a part that is irreplaceable. Welcome to the shooter family.

[Doubs]

[quote]Originally posted by Herb:
<strong>See that bullet graze on the right grip, it must have been from an American Garand! Triple AAA BS.</strong><hr></blockquote>

Herb, I've seen one Luger that I wish could talk. A friend of mine once handed me a brown Luger holster with maybe 6 or 8 small holes in the cover and body. Most were of the size that a large sewing needle would make and penetrated at an angle. When the holster was opened, the Luger inside had rips in the metal of the back strap and wood of the grips that matched the holster holes precisely. Unless someone went to a lot of trouble to fabricate the whole thing - and damage an otherwise very nice Luger - the holster and pistol had been struck by shell splinters. I don't know if the friend still has it or not but I'll ask the next time I talk to him. A very interesting pistol and holster.

[Herb]

Doubs, not having been there, just listened to it on the radio, I can't imagine what would have made the holes that you describe other than a shotgun and I don't think they were in use then by our troops. The old 'pineapple' grenade we used was serrated into about 1/2" squares and usually stayed that way after detonation, the artillery shells did throw shreds of steel casing, shrapnel is not the proper term, these were usually varied in size and shape with no intended shape shattering built in. In this case it would be neat to hear the real story of what happened to it. Perhaps one of the 'old' guys was there and could enlighten us about the types of frag in use at that time.

[AGE]

Herb,

My Luger has nice straight edges, all matching numbers, and a moderately OK bore (kind of dark), but has an import stamp, has been dip blued and has no strawed parts. I bought it at a gunshow from an old fellow (at a table) who was selling it for a friend who was moving back to Germany. Hugh fixed me up with modified aftermarket grips and I am much happier with them than the chopped up originals. If I break any parts shooting it, I'll look for unnumbered replacements, anyway I gotta shoot it (it's in my blood).

[Edward Tinker]

Cool story Doubs. When I was looking for a house to live in, in the Netherlands we were going on a tour and in the attic you could see where shrappnel has put splinters all over the wall, the round had come through the roof. (roof repaired, this was 45 years later, [img]wink.gif[/img] ). So it is easy to believe that small pieces of a car body, armored carrier, etc., blew shrappnel pieces through and around the Luger. Now we used shotguns in WW1 and Vietnam, and had them from 1980-2000 for MP's, but can't say about WW2?

[Roadkill]

Shotguns definitely in WWII, they used Stevens, Remingtons, and Winchesters, both pumps and autos. There is a whole very expensive collector market for US property marked 12 gauges. They were generally 22" barrels with an adaptor for a bayonet. The adaptor was a screen type shield that slid over the barrel with a tightening screw and bayonet lug. The bayonets are the Eddystone type made by Remington 20" long. US in WWI used the Winchester Mod 97, excellent gun. Germans filed a protest with the Geneva convention over it, were deadly in trench clearing. You can wire the trigger back on a Mod 97, it has an exposed hammer that won't lock back that way, will shoot five rounds fast as you can pump. (I had a 12 ga. Ithaca while on a tank in Vietnam, was great as long as the three 50s and three M60s backed it up)
Reference the holes in the holster, sand, gravel, and dirt are very destructive when propelled by a blast as are wood splinters, bark, bamboo splinters ect. Sand especially, works its way out of your hide for years, looks like road rash.

RK

[Doubs]

I tried to call my friend this evening but got no answer. He may still have the Luger and holster although it's been at least six or seven years since he showed it to me. He's a member of this forum (and NAPCA) but he only "lurks" here. I won't mention his name without his OK. If he still has it, I'll try to get some pictures.

[Edward Tinker]

Doubs, if he has a "story", I'd love to hear it, pretty cool sounding incident to say the least!

mailto:66mustang@palouse.com66mustang@palouse.com</a>

[Doubs]

[quote]Originally posted by Roadkill:
<strong> Reference the holes in the holster, sand, gravel, and dirt are very destructive when propelled by a blast as are wood splinters, bark, bamboo splinters ect. Sand especially, works its way out of your hide for years, looks like road rash. RK</strong><hr></blockquote>

That's a good point, RK. Remarque, in "All Quiet on the Western Front" notes that in Winter, frozen earth was as deadly as any shell fragment. During fighting in wooded areas in WW2, tree blasts were feared because of the splinters of wood thrown around by the explosion. They were especially difficult to remove as well.

[Herb]

Don't disagree with anything said. My shotgun comment was due to Doubs comment that most holes were the size of a large sewing needle, sounds like bird shot, not rocks or dirt or whatever. Maybe a French farmer took him on for chicken stealing?

[Stevie]

I paid $325. for aDWM with alot of rust pits and matte black refinish. Shoots fantastic. Paid $350. 2 months ago for a 42 Mauser Luger, mismatched # but clean as a whistle. Also shoots great. Bought the first one at a gunshow, from a dealer who had several lugers about the same price. Purchased the second one from my boss's dad, who needed money to buy a new lawnmower.
No shrapnal damage yet. Hope to God not to be involved in a treeburst.

Stevie

[Edward Tinker]

Stevie, what is that, two in a couple of months! Careful, its catching...