[Vaquero]

FYI, if anyone is interested in the most used german handgun
of WW 2....that would be the Walther P-38...

they are selling real cheap at Wideners...original with the Nazi markings...

https://www.wideners.com/itemdetail.cfm?item_id=100000958&dir=700|1012|1027

[SJSAMPLE]

I was hoping that the article would mention “Luger #2”.
One of the most rare and valuable pistols ever.

It would only be surpassed if they ever found “Luger @1”.

[Tupelo]

Ergonomically the Luger is to this day one of the most comfortable semi automatics to shoot. Same can be said for the Colt 1873 Peacemaker for revolvers.
Sometimes things are done right the first time.

[IronJack]

Great esthetics, but not a strong design. The toggle-slide action is just not meaty enough for a stronger cartridge.

[Chainmail]

"It screams “bad-boy gun” because of its Nazi past, and rarer Lugers such as the ones chambered for the 7.65-millimeter round sometimes sell in excess of $1,200."

Watch this guy: if you can find ANY original Lugers with matching serial numbers for $1,200, buy it! An original DWM WWI-era Luger in presentable and matching shape goes for upwards of $2,000. Nazi-era stuff like the S/42 Luger go for about the same amount. Rarer stuff like K-date or G-date Lugers or prewar commercials go for even more.

I own a really rare 1906 American Eagle Luger in 9mm in pristine shape and it's worth North of $8,000.

$1,200 indeed...

[TomMix]

The Luger is one of the most natural pointing handguns around. But the design is bad. The toggle has maximum leverage at the beginning of forward travel and almost no leverage at the end of travel where it’s most needed.

Consequently the gun jams all the time. In my limited testing, I would get about one jam per clip of ammo. The problem gets worse as the gun gets dirty. Under field conditions, the Luger is almost sure to jam, miss-feed, stove-pipe or fail to return completely to battery with every shot.

[Larry Lucido]

Jerry: "Nice Lugar."

[JoeFromSidney]

I've nothing against the Luger pistol, but if I wanted a 9 mm, I'd get a Browning Hi-Power.

[MasterGunner01]

I've owned both the Pistole 08 (Luger P.08) and Pistole 38 (Walther P.38). Of the two, the Luger is sexy and sleek; the Walther is bulky and frumpy. The Luger reeks German craftsmanship; the Walther mass production sameness. As combat pistols though, the Luger P.08 is a dog. It is sensitive to ammo type, dust and dirt, and its magazine lips are easily deformed. The magazine is hard to load and the pistol feels muzzle light in the shooter's hand.

The Walther P.38 (and post-WW2 Walther P.1 clone) is a go to war pistol. Its magazine is reliable, it stands up well to dust and dirt, it is a double action with a de-cocker safety, and good fixed sights.

The Luger P.08 is a good gun for your pistol collection, but not to be relied upon in a serious gunfight. The Walther p.38 (and P.1) are accurate and reliable handguns under all combat conditions. If you need a good combat sidearm, the P.38 (P.1) does the job.

[jim_trent]

I own a P-38 and have fired a Luger, but I cannot shoot worth a darned with either one of them. I think it is because they are so light on the front end. I own a Browning P-35 that I can shoot much better with. It has more weight up front. A 9mm x 19 Star (postwar) I have shoots even better. It has even more weight up front, being a close copy of the Colt 1911.