NIB, 70's Mauser Luger 9mm. Worth collecting?

[Fiero]

I was in a local gun shop today and saw something I have never seen. I don't presume that just because I have never seen it, that it is rare or something.

It was an unfired Mauser Luger in pristine condition. The gunshop owner estimates that it was made sometime in the 70's, and called it a "reproduction", which made me grin. I know that old Lugers had no grip safety, but does the existence of one then qualify it for "reproduction" status, as opposed to being "genuine"? The fit and finish were superb, except for the grips. Oh, the grips were new, but seemed to just have rough checkering(burrs and slivers) with no varnish. It was as though the grips were strictly for service, not beauty. As if up to the owner to finish them, if desired.

I've always admired Lugers, but all you see are old WW 1 & 2 vintage stuff in questionable firing condition, strictly for sentimental collections at high prices.

I was wondering just how rare a NIB Luger is. I mean does Mauser still make them, but are simply not typically carried by gun shops? Is it because only the old historical ones previously owned byNazi's have any popularity?

I was wondering if you Luger buffs think $850 is a bad price for what I saw.

Appreciate any knowledgeable replies.

-Fiero-

 

[mete]

There were a limited number of those 'reproductions' IIRC .They were made with Swiss tooling that they found.Don't know the value.

 

[Jim Watson]

The Mauser Parabellums (Couldn't call them "Luger" because Stoeger still has that trademark registered.) were made in the 1970s on a mixture of old and new tooling. There were a number of different models and variations, almost as bad as 1900-1945 Lugers. Value has been creeping up although not like the 1900 - 1945 guns. They have not been made in any quantity for over 20 years although Mauser would make a few commemoratives every once in a while up into the '90s. I was sorry not to have been able to afford $1250 for a Sport model (500 made with bull barrel and adjustable sights) in 1986.

I don't think $850 is out of line for a new one, but it may not appreciate very much over the next few years.

Oh, by the way. You know something that is not so. Many old Lugers had grip safeties. In fact, the older it is, the likelier it is to have one. Most of the Mauser Parabellums were of Swiss style, which all had grip safties, and some of their P'08 variants did too.

 

[nero45acp]

I don't know what the market value is, but I'd pay $850 for that pistol and leave the store with a big $*@# eating grin.


nero