luger: refinished or not?

P38

I bought this Walther AC45 made very late in the war Feb 1945 from a Normandy invasion vet before he died in his 90's. He never shot it all the years he had it stored in a wool sock but I am making up for him now shooting the heck out of it.

The byf on the one you are looking at is the code for Mauser, 143,300 made in 1943 and g code was made in July.

AC45.JPG
 
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Polish and reblue of course

Now I want you guys to give me credit for not giving a smarmy answer suchlike:

Markings on P38 slides notoriously fade in direct sunlight, use unscreen while shooting:D

WildimustbemellowingAlaska TM
 
No no no.

When GIs bring them back over here, the markings choke on all the American freedom in the air :D










(Disclaimer: "American freedom" and all related terms superseded by "international fairness and equality" as of 2009. Some are more equal than others, purchase mandatory, all rights revoked.)
 
So if the P38 was polished and reblued, I have a few questions:

why are the other markings so crisp?

Why is the safety still red? Shouldn't it have went blue?

Is it worth $350 if its numbers matching?
 
I wasn't sure either if it was reblued. The 2nd pic shows some pitting so I guess the question was on the dumb side of things. Its a shame that people restore those guns
 
Its a shame that people restore those guns

Lots of people think so today, but remember that for most of the past half century, the guns were fairly common, often fairly cheap, and not particularly highly thought of!

If done well, a restored gun is a joy to the eye, but not to the wallet. Collectors want original condition, with all the dings, scrapes, and pits it has accumulated over the years. And they pay for it. Guns that have survived in good condition bring tremendous prices.

Ever wonder why that is? Strange that people think restoring a classic/antique car is wonderful, and they sell for a lot more than one that isn't, but a gun? Nope!

This attitude just didn't exist (outside of a handful of collectors) as little as a few decades ago. And because it didn't, that's the reason we have "collectible" pieces today!

These guns, even if reblued, are tangible connections with an era of history that will never come again. I like 'em, and get as many as I can afford. I decided some time ago, that being able to afford a refinished gun of a particular type was better than not having an original condition one (that cost more than I could pay)!
 
Yep, worth the asking price as shooters. Both look refinnished but are priced as such.. Be sure to replace the recoil springs on the P 38. Check both bore. On the p38 the locking block numbers should match too.
 
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