quick story

[45collector]

hey guys! newbie here and I thought I'd share a quick story with ya about something I saw a few years back.

Was at a friends house and he showed me a gun that his grandfather had brought back from WWII. it was a '42 DWM Luger that was taken from a dead German officer. the gun looked to be in nice working order with 2 correct mags. but...
my friend's father, at some point in the 80's, had the gun completely stipped and nickel-plated because he thought it would look "cool". I nearly shat myself. It broke my heart that the gun had fallen into the hands of someone who had absolutely no idea of it's worth in original condition. while I'll admit that it did look nifty, I wished that the gun's fate would have been to stay with it's dead German owner rather than be hacked by a clueless boob 40 something years later!!

 

[Dirtypacman]

Yes atleast you knew better - nothing worse then to refinish a bring-back like that. I would have been arguing over how to get it in my collection from the first sight of it.

 

[45collector]

I think I'd be embarrassed to have it in my collection (in nickel-plated form, that is). I'm a sucker for MilSurp weapons and want only all-original stuff. but I guess he can strip the nickel and have it re-blued if he wanted to salvage any of the gun's dignity.

 

[Dirtypacman]

I have not had the real pleasure of many milsurp arms in my collection. I do have a Garand from the CMP which I love.

 

[Boston-Irish]

The gunsmith who plated the pistol should be slapped for agreeing to do the work. I cringed when I read this.

 

[The Village Idiot]

My dad had a Luger taken from a dead German officer. Took it out once per year to clean. Was stolen in '65 when "neighbors" robbed our apartment in The Bronx. They left the dress dagger and binoculars that I still have. I'd give anything to get that back.

 

[Carguy]

My dad brought back a luger from WWII and my mom wouldn't allow it in the house so he had his brother "hang onto it" for him...for years. As I got old enough he wanted it back for me and found out my uncle got rid of it (sold it) as his wife was worried about it being in their house as well! Never saw the luger nor a penny from the sale...that's brotherly love!!