[Guest]

I just found this sight. It looks to be just what I was looking for. I am probably like so many before me that come after they bought/ aquired their first Luger.
I have no safe queens in my humble collection so when I looked for a Luger, I bought a mechanically sound and cosmetically presentable .30 cal Luger with a 3 3/4 barrel. All possible numbers match with the exception of the mag. The receiver is not dated. It has the Crown over "N" markings and the cursive letter "o" beneath the four digit serial number that is in the 4,000's.
The bore is very crisp and bright and the internals are all in great shape displaying little sign of being shot. The outside had about 85% of the original blueing although there is some sign of pitting on the barrel and along the raised portions along the sides of the gun wear the blueing had worn thin. It cycles and fires flawlessly. I was amazed at the accuracy. I have shot handguns a great deal but never a Luger. It was accurate beyond my hopes -1" at 7.5 yards was no problem.
All of this is to ask ...... what is such a Luger worth? Even a tight range estimate would be helpful. Thank for your help in advance.

 

[Olefogey]

Without pictures, it is difficult to evaluate. If it is a commercial model, don't worry about mag. numbers...the wood bottoms weren't numbered. A commercial .30 luger in that condition goes for around $500. - $600.... A military model woud run probably another $100., but would be in 9mm.
Dave

 

[Guest]

Yes I knew the lack of pic's would hinder this question. I have no access to a digital camera tonight.

Its funny, I have spoken to a couple SERIOUS high dollar Luger collectors at the show where I purchased this. They too said these commercial versions could be had for 500-600 yet no where at the show, on the net, other forums, etc.. have I seen any Luger, however beat up and mismatched numbers being offered for less then 795.00 and most being in the 895-1295 range. Is there some place selling these for more resonable prices that you can recommend?

Or.. are the prices increasing faster than most people realize. Certainly the printed gun value guides are outdated by the time they go to print. Most people seem to be amazed at the increase in values of the Lugers over the last couple years.

 

[Olefogey]

Scott,
I usually see them at Gun Shows!!.
I just sold a 98% .30 cal. commercial for $500.00!!

Dave

 

[Guest]

$500.00?? I have never seen a Luger for less than 795.00-especially at gun shows where high pricing reigns to take in the inexperienced buyers. These $795-$1295 guns at the shows are generally not very presentatable either.

 

[Edward Tinker]

all depends on where you live. LARGE gunshows will have more lugers, but you usually don't see them for less than $600, but most people don't want the 30 luger, costs too damn much for cartridges, so that is why value is less.

Ed

 

[taudelt]

Tucker....... Perhaps you need to find some new gun shows. I sold a very nice 1917/1920 arty rebarrel that had been refinished at the time for $700. It was all matching except for the mag which was period wood bottom.

 

[Ron Smith]

Hi Tucker,
You will see alot of .30 Commercials priced in the $750-$1000 range. However. you will also notice that they will be there for a long time. Unless they are minty,they don't sell very fast. You can find a pretty nice WWI or WWII dated Luger for that price range if you look around. Even a pretty clean Russian or East German rework in $500-$600 range. These are gaining as collectable/shooter Lugers.

Good Luck, Ron

 

[Olefogey]

Tucker, As the other guys have said, alot of people don't want .30 Lugers and ammo is one reason. The reason I sold mine so cheap was that I couldn't get $650. for it!!!. I was offered $500. and took it!. However, if you collect Lugers in general, it is nice to have one .30 as a representative piece!!

Dave

 

[Guest]

This all leads me to believe that the prices on the "special" examples or "most collectable" Lugers is the force behind the values of the common less desireable stuff. If a man wants to join the game but the anti in fee for the WWII collectables has moved into the 2,500 to 3,500 and up 795.00 to 1,295 for "a" Luger starts to look more like a deal.

 

[Ron Smith]

Tucker, That's pretty much the case. Luger values, on the average, tend to increase 50-100% on the average of every 7 to 10 years. And have increased quite a bit, in just the last year or so. As the upper end collectables go up. The low end stuff is being gouged by the dealers. As I said, there are still some pretty good deals, but you need to know what to look for.

The rule of thumb is to spend the price of a mid-range Luger on books. Read and study the books until you are knowledgable enough to know what you are buying. And ask questions. Post your questions on the forums, with photos if possible. There is more knowledge available here than you can digest. I have 756 posts in a year and a half. 75% of those are questions. I have been very successful in aquiring some very nice Lugers, thanks to these guys.

Some of the responses may be blunt, and not what you want to hear, but they will be honest and extremely knowledgable.

The rental agency just called. They want their soapbox back.

Good Luck! Ron

Tucker, At the very least decide what era you are interested in.
Imperials(WWI),Weimar(1919-1933),Mauser(WWII). Then buy the one appropriate book by Jan Still. Or get "Lugers at Random" by Kenyon.

 

[lisik]

Tucker,

Buy both Jan Still's and Kenyon's books - that's what I did after I bought my first Luger, but you'd better buy the books before you buy the guns. And also check and compare as many Lugers on dealer/collectors tables as you can after you read the books.
And talking about prices: friend of mine paid $700 for 1920 commercial 30 cal. Luger in 95% condition on Friday at Louisville National Gun Day show - it was the cheapest and all correct Luger you could buy at this show. The same 1920 30 cal commercial Luger in 99% condition was priced at $1150 at another table.