why can't they copy pistols like p-08 luger...

October 16, 2003 20:08

Couldn't a company copy an old pistol ike the popular ones from ww1 or ww2 and sell them?

Guns like Muaser c96 at least should have its design in public domain. If any of those pistol design rights are claimed under ownership of anyone.

May be a dumb question but it pops up in my mind every once in a while.

Comments

10 comments

Rembrandt

October 16, 2003 20:19
Mauser has made Lugers in recent years for Interarms, good quality...some still surface from time to time. Lugers were complex by todays standards, early Lugers were made with cheap labor....with todays higher labor costs, you could buy an original for less than they could make one now. A few custom makers still specialize in these...Marntz (SP?)

Mitchell attempted to bring back the Luger in stainless a few years ago...only lasted a couple of years before they ceased. Had some reliability problems.

Who would want a copy when there are still plenty of originals available?
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Xracer

October 17, 2003 05:45
I believe you can still buy Lugers thru Stoeger's.

I imagine that any patents on the P08 design ran out long ago, but I also imagine that there's a limited market for any copy/clone.

As for the C-96....that's a very complicated firearm. Every part fits together with the utmost precision, and the only screw is to hold the grips on. Can you imagine the cost of duplicating this kind of intricate machine work today: http://www.okiegunsmithshop.com/mauser96.jpg

....and all for a very limited market?

Sooooo.....if you'd like to go into the P08 or C96 business....have fun@
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He Dog

October 17, 2003 06:19
Stoeger made (or had made, I am not sure)a .22 caliber Luger for a while into the 90's, but I don't believe those are still being sold.

My heros have always killed cowboys.
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schwartzwald

October 17, 2003 14:28
Hmm I knew the c96 was complicated but not that some of the others are.

I had seen a documentary of some company making a limited amount of p-08 and that's what made me wonder.

Thanks for the answers. Maybe someday when they become really rare or people appreciated quality over quickly some copies will be made.
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schwartzwald

October 17, 2003 15:01
A little extra information I couldn't have found without the MArtz info.

Krausewerke owned by Mike Krause made some .45 Lugers based on the surviving original form the U.S. gun trial in which is was passed over in 1907.

UNfortunately it said only 100 were likely to be made with $10,000 plus being the suggestest cost. OH well.
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kingjoey

October 17, 2003 16:38
Yep, manufacturing costs for such a gun would be astronomical. They could be made, but they'd be selling in the $1000+ range because of the man-hours requires to fit and tune each gun. The Luger holds the proud distinction of being the least copied gun ever made. Jungle shops around the world have cranked out wartime Hi-powers, 1911's, even C96 clones, but the Luger never seems to turn up at these places.[;)]

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bobski

October 17, 2003 17:42
doesnt erma still make them?
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v35

October 17, 2003 18:18
Good points Bad points

Accuracy Expensive to make
Precision Cocks on closing, affecting reliability
Striker too light allowing pierced primers & damage
Trigger pull weird
Muzzle too light
Clumsy safety except for early grip safety models
Failed US Army reliability & Cavalry field tests
Pistol needs fully enclosed holster to exclude dust
Pointability not as good as 1911 or P35

The Mauser 96 is a clumsy pistol which like the Tokarev pistol, might be greatly improved with a better grip.
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JudgeColt

October 17, 2003 21:21
In the early 1990s, Mitchell made stainless copies of Luger P08 pistols. They were acceptable but not great quality.
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woodsrunner

October 17, 2003 22:34
Also Stoeger sold the stainless ones. There was an outfit in Texas that started it all. They had money problems and Mitchell gave then a financial shot. The problem they ran into, is they were calling it a "Luger" and Stoeger has the trademark. Stoeger sued and ended up selling them. I saw one a few years ago still made by the Texas outfit, they just can't call them "Lugers". The last ones I saw were in 30cal and were $1500 limited editions.

Woods
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