MadReloader, we share a common interest in military firearms, that's what I collect (from two wars). The former communist block has recently been unloading small forgotten arsenals to the highest bidder, usually at base-commander level. Huge stores of captured German equipment are being released to international arms dealers, some re-captured (I was offered a Soviet SVT38 with Nazi proofs that was subsequently re-captured by Ivan and arsenal reworked). I have a few friends in UK who are dealers so they often pick out something special for me if they come accross it. I am awaiting a new shipment of K98 Snipers, MP38s and MP40s to get my paws on a couple of items.
Here's a pair of WW1 treasures for you, a 1917 Webley Mk6 with shoulder stock (made from the actual rare rocking horse of excrement-story fame) and a 1917 DWM Arty Luger with stock/holster. I'm hoping to pick up a snaildrum mag soon for the Luger and anxiously yearn for a Red 9 Mauser.
On a further historic note, as a pistol instructor you learn how to read targets to diagnose shooting errors e.g. hits low/left usually are an indicator of snatching the trigger. I recently learned that the reason for the curved mainspring housing on the 1911A1 was to raise the angle of the muzzle to cure the WW1 problem of low hits. Can you imagine some US Army clerk coming to the conclusion that the reason Doughboys miss low with their automatics is in fact not because Gerry is coming over the top with fixed bayonets and imparted some 'stress' on the shooter, but actually due to the grip shape of the pistol? I've added a pic of my 1911s, the top is a 1917 US Army 1911, the next is a 1943 Ithaca 1911A1.
