Inflated Prices

[Milburn]

I was into P-38s for awhile. Then I visited a major collector's home. Lots and LOTS of magnificent pistols, but after awhile, I got bored. All the same except for tiny differences in markings. And what he showed me was only a small part of his collection. I got to thinking, what would happen to the P-38 market if, say, five major collectors had to sell their guns all at once? Most pistol collectors don't give a hoot about estorotic markings and variations. All these lovingly assembled pistols would suddently be reduced to simply mint examples. I switched to 1911s. THEY don't need any apologies. The slides don't break, the grips don't crack, you point them and generally,they will go bang seven times like they were made to a hundred years ago. (I do wish to mention the P-38 forum members are wonderful people who are helpful beyond measure.)

[CJS57]

I don't know if this is "inflated" or not? But $9500 + is a pretty good hunk of change for a gun that has no box, is not mint and doesn't have fire blue small parts.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...Item=291091906

[dsk]

Originally Posted by Milburn

I was into P-38s for awhile. Then I visited a major collector's home. Lots and LOTS of magnificent pistols, but after awhile, I got bored. All the same except for tiny differences in markings. And what he showed me was only a small part of his collection. I got to thinking, what would happen to the P-38 market if, say, five major collectors had to sell their guns all at once? Most pistol collectors don't give a hoot about estorotic markings and variations. All these lovingly assembled pistols would suddently be reduced to simply mint examples. I switched to 1911s. THEY don't need any apologies. The slides don't break, the grips don't crack, you point them and generally,they will go bang seven times like they were made to a hundred years ago. (I do wish to mention the P-38 forum members are wonderful people who are helpful beyond measure.)

The P.38 was strictly a wartime pistol, and there are only three manufacturers who all got into the act at roughly the same time and made them to the same specifications. There are only a few minor production variations beyond that, so yes when you see one P.38 you've mostly seen them all. 1911s are another matter entirely, similar to Lugers. With a long production history, two major variations, over a half dozen manufacturers (some making as few as 100 pistols), beautiful blued pre-war examples, rough mid-war examples, rare "demonstration" examples, commercial and military models and so forth the 1911 is a collector's dream.

[CJS57]

"beautiful blued pre-war examples, rough mid-war examples, rare "demonstration" examples, commercial and military models"

Dsk, I agree with you about 1911's but P-38's have all of that and more!

[dsk]

Sorry, I was being narrow-minded and thinking only of the Nazi-issue ones.