1939 Code 42 Nazi German P08 Luger

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us.marine

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Up for your viewing pleasure is my 1939 Code 42 Nazi German P08 Luger.

All numbers match, in decent shape. Has little finish left, so it is considered a shooter. At some point will get it professionally refinished to factory specs, just to preserve the piece for my future grandchildren. It is a shooter so it does not matter. :D




 
Looks nice to me.

I know folks will give you heat about refinishing a matching Luger, but I agree with you, the finish is gone and it needs the work. I don't see anything wrong with restoring a nice pistol.

Take care of that holster, too. If it's WWII issue, they can run $200-$400.
 
just preserve it as it is; It's current state (finish wear, etc.) is part of its history.

Even if you have someone who knows what they are doing and specializes in refinishing Lugers, it's always going to have the stigma of being "refinished," even though it may look "pretty."
 
If it were mine I would leave it as-is. Since it is yours, go ahead and do as you see fit. I believe the future grandchildren would probably appreciate it in either condition, but a WWII Luger in war-worn condition would fascinate me more as a young boy. More so than a "new" looking Luger. But that is just me.
 
Your gun, with matching numbers and a worn finish is worth more on the market than a mis-matched guns with a pristine finish.

Collectors (vs ordinary owners) want guns that are all original, (first), and in the best finish possible as a secondary consideration.

You call your guns a shooter, because of its worn finish, but a real collector would still consider it a collectable piece, not a "shooter".

Your gun, your call. Just be aware that if you have the gun refinsished (no matter who does it) you will be dropping its market value, perhaps by half, or more.
 
That's too rough to be "collectible", even if it might be worth more as-is than if refinished.
Collectors want not just original finish, but all the original finish.
I have a 1920 Commercial that was in overall better shape than that on the outside, light pitting scattered overall, with a pristine interior but for the bore, which looked like a sewer pipe. It wasn't a shooter, or a collector.
I had a replacement barrel installed, trigger job, reblue and restraw, and it's now one of my favorite guns, where before it was a very historical paperweight.
A buddy has a '36 Mauser restored by the late John Martz, and I don't know what it looked like before, but it's absolutely beautiful, now.
 
Collectors want not just original finish, but all the original finish.
Click to expand...
They are happiest (and pay the most) when they get that, but many will still pay more for a gun in "original" condition (all the original parts, and whatever finish condition is left) than they will pay for a matching refinished gun.

I've got a 1936 gun that looks brand new. According to the dealer I got it from, it was "refinished during the war" (yeah, ok...:rolleyes:), anyway, it looks pristine, all markings sharp and clear. However, its not all matching (sideplate /magazine) and so, was only half the cost of the same gun in "all original" condition.


Collectors are funny folks, and they spend their money on what they want most. A really rare variation, even battered with no finish might be worth more to a collector than a common gun in mint condition.
 
To me, refinished sets the collector value to the 0 finish point in the blue book. As the gun is at or near 0 finish to begin with, it's not much of a loss.
And if you keep it for your grand kids, by the time it's 100 years old the "old refinish" just becomes historically expected.
 
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