My First Luger

[flywgn]

Anyone here an owner of a Luger?

I just acquired one through a little "horse trading" and I'm told that it won't be the last one. It's a 7.65mm, "Alphabet Commercial", ca. 1928, and is complete with holster and in addition to the original magazine has a couple of extra ones of later vintage.

I'm not a handgun collector. I have a couple of guns: 1918 (1911 model) Colt .45, a nickel-plated 1873 Remington (spur-trigger) .36 cal (yep, .36), and a couple of assorted "pocket pistols" (My maternal grandfather was a 'drug dealer'...legitimate kind, but he traveled and always had a handgun on his person.)

Anyway, many years ago I had the opportunity to fire a 9mm Luger and thought it to be a super-nice piece of fine craftmanship, so when this opportunity arose last week I found the temptation hard to resist, even though this particular gun is a 7.65mm.

And the friend is correct...I find myself already looking at others for sale, and I've placed a couple of phone calls to folks that I have talked to in the past who have (had???) 'extra' ones in their collections.

Addictions come in strange categories, eh?

Allen R

 

[Quill]

I believe Tom Horn used one in a jail break. Trappers were using them in the 20s. I have a trapping magazine from 1926 and you could buy one for $19.75, of course they list a Harley-Davidson single brand new for $235.:bike_rider:

 

[flywgn]

I believe Tom Horn used one in a jail break. Trappers were using them in the 20s. I have a trapping magazine from 1926 and you could buy one for $19.75, of course they list a Harley-Davidson single brand new for $235.:bike_rider:

Yep, I've read those stories about Horn's attempted escape. He supposedly failed owing to his unfamiliarity with the operation of the gun, but there is just as much evidence that the gun was a Bergmann-Bayard or perhaps an FN. In any event it's a good story.

Some of those original product prices are a kick to read, and we tend to compare to today's prices. Have to consider, though, that in 1926 coffee was 50¢/lb, gas was 18¢/gal, and the avg worker could expect about $6.00/day is wages.

Allen R