[Jeff Higgins]

P-38's are certainly great guns, but I'm afraid they just are not for me. I'll keep this one forever, obviously, and I have shot it a great deal. It shoots great and is as reliable as the day is long. It just feels weird in my hand. It's very oddly balanced, very muzzle light, with all of its weight right there in your palm. It feels really whippy and flighty, for lack of a better description.

1911's feel much more natural in my hand. They balance better and "hang" better, with a good deal more muzzle weight. The triggers are far better as well. I don't like double action autos in the least. If I were ever in a serious situation, like the war these both served in, I would feel much better about a 1911 on my hip than a P-38. But, then again, I would feel much better with a '98 Mauser in my hands than a Garand, or even an '03A3 Springfield.

The Luger is certainly the most collectable of the military sidearms of the period. They are just plain cool, to boot. A poor third choice in the hierarchy of the period's fighting handguns, with lots of problems with reliability and durability, but we really don't have to care about that anymore. The cool factor carries the day. Neat stuff...