Do you shoot your collectible surplus 1911, Luger and such?

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What about a Israeli surplus Hi-Power, it is stock except I Cerakoted it black. I bought it a few years ago from Cole's and it had been reparked so it already had a excellent base coat. It does not qualify as a safe queen.
 
I have had only one true collectible, an unfired NIB 1978 manufactured 6" Colt Python. Every time I contemplated shooting it I realized the first round would cost me $500 in reduced value. Accordingly, I sold it at a nice profit and reinvested the proceeds in shooters. If I can't feel good about shooting them, I don't want them.

My problem is that my kids don't want my collection so I'm slowly selling it off. I only hope that I don't die suddenly and my wife sells my guns for what I told her I paid for them.
 
I replaced the original GI rear & front sights w/Novak fixed sights (not adjustable)..

I have to agree with MN Fats changing to Novak sights gives too much of a edge compared to original sights on a G.I 1911 and just wouldn't be fair to members who submit targets with a unaltered 1911
 
What about a Israeli surplus Hi-Power, it is stock except I Cerakoted it black. I bought it a few years ago from Cole's and it had been reparked so it already had a excellent base coat. It does not qualify as a safe queen.

That's ok, reblued, recoated as long as the gun has not been altered otherwise
 
I might consider putting 10 rounds through the Luger I've had since 2002. It's almost a safe queen, but not quite. Checked my log book and its only had 177 rounds through it since I inherited it. Last time it was fired was Aug. 19th, 2016 when it fired 15 rounds. If there's any question as to why it rarely gets shot I just tell folks to look at the bore. It's had an awful lot of rounds through it already. Including my late uncle that I got it from doing a lot of rat shooting in a dumps in Ohio in the early 1950's when he lived there. It only averages a few rounds a year and hasn't been fired in almost 3 years, so I might think about it. IMG_5526.JPG
 
I might consider putting 10 rounds through the Luger I've had since 2002. It's almost a safe queen, but not quite. Checked my log book and its only had 177 rounds through it since I inherited it. Last time it was fired was Aug. 19th, 2016 when it fired 15 rounds. If there's any question as to why it rarely gets shot I just tell folks to look at the bore. It's had an awful lot of rounds through it already. Including my late uncle that I got it from doing a lot of rat shooting in a dumps in Ohio in the early 1950's when he lived there. It only averages a few rounds a year and hasn't been fired in almost 3 years, so I might think about it.View attachment 851034
Another way to look at it is you're not really hurting it any more than it's been hurt. :)
 
I have a collectible Colt 45 six shooter and a very collectible German luger from WW2 taken off a German General.

While i do not keep them ready for SD in the home or use them for carry weapons. I do on occasion run 100 rounds or so through them a few times a year. Followed up by a good cleaning.

Usually when I have fired these, they are for the benefit of family and/or friends to get a taste of history.
 
I have had only one true collectible, an unfired NIB 1978 manufactured 6" Colt Python. Every time I contemplated shooting it I realized the first round would cost me $500 in reduced value. Accordingly, I sold it at a nice profit and reinvested the proceeds in shooters. If I can't feel good about shooting them, I don't want them.

My problem is that my kids don't want my collection so I'm slowly selling it off. I only hope that I don't die suddenly and my wife sells my guns for what I told her I paid for them.

Personally i find less value in virgin firearms that were never used. It builds no Providence in value.

Knowing my German Luger was owned any a high ranking german general and having the paperwork to prove it as well as knowing it was used in WW2 to me gives more value then if someone had a Virgin Luger from the war.

Yet, many love virgins!
 
I do not buy guns to not shoot them. I shoot my Luger and P-38. I do have a well worn original Colt 1860 Army that I haven't shot, but I would shoot it if the urge hit me.
 
The C-96 on the bottom was fired once, in 1913, the year it was made. It will never be fired again. I shoot the snot out of the other one!!!
 

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Just because the gun is old and mil-surp doesn't automatically make it a "collectible" weapon.

With real estate it's "location, location, location." With many guns, especially collectibles, it's "condition, condition, condition." There are plenty of "shooter" guns out there (such as a mil-surp but not in pristine condition), and many of them perform very well, indeed.

I've had a number of WWII military-surplus weapons over the years and the more common ones -- including a Soviet-captured Luger (with all numbers matching number except a re-numbered side plate) showing some wear.. I didn't hesitate to shoot those guns.

That Luger, despite a badly corroded barrel near the chamber, was a tack-driver. I think I paid about $325 for it, from a local gun shop which had 15 or so for sale in the late 1990's. Parts for many of these guns are more easily found than parts for U.S. guns made in the late 1990's -- probably because there were so many of them made and so many of them still around!

If you have an old Luger like my Soviet-captured Luger, you might win some shooting competitions if you do your part..
 
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