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Originally Posted by craigster59
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Parker, Fox, Ithaca, Rizzini...
The gun market is very strong...some things get hot and then cool, while others pick up the slack.
Lugers were flat for nearly 20 years...then along about 2003 boom they doubled..now they have cooled, come down a bit and flattened.
Problem with Lugers is that they are easily faked...that has put a big damper on them. Gale Morgan up in San Jose can make ANY luger variation you want and you can not tell.. Fortunately he is honest. So I would be especially carefull of any RARE variation you come across. The standard WW1 and WW2's are about the only ones I would basically trust fairly easily.
Early Colt 1911's are also easily messed with and enhanced...restored so that one has to be very carefull of what one is looking at on the raritys. I know one S CAL gun dealer that has a long reputation of finding mint specimens all the time...HMMMMM..problem with that is the 2 ND and 3rd owners lose the papaer trail and suddenly WOW look at the original mint condition rarity you have just found...and for only 5000....
Colt SAA's and Percussions...they have been collectable for so long and for so much money...ya gotta watch out...also back in the day if a part broke they replaced it..barrel wore out they replaced it...so on the US military variations for the most part it is mix and match parts.
Springfield 1903''s, M1 Garands & Carbines. As military weapons they were rebuilt and rebuilt with mix and match parts taken from the parts barrel..and that was just by the US military.
High Grade Shotguns...let us just say ENHANCED...and restored...when looking at those beastys I wana see some wear and tear from 50 to 100 years of use... I wana see factory records...and anything that is tooooo clean....UMMMMMMMM
But as with anything every spoon has a story to tell just by looking at it...and most alterations can be spotted...it is when you step up to the mega dollar stuff that the fakers are not so easy to spot.