I love that he doesn’t just shoot the guns, he actually tells us the story about it and everything.

I once heard a story of a German high ranked officer (major or a colonel) who together with his troops rushed across a river so they could surrender to the allies instead of the russians... he asked to go back so he could gather some more of his men... the soldiers told him he could but only if he brought back some luger's since every allied soldier being British,American,Candadian etc. wanted one as a souvenir... they told him if he came back without a bag of lugers he'd be shot when crossing the river... tells alot about the legend of the luger.

The two guns were designed by very different companies who had different design goals. Like Hickock says, the Luger was designed for officers, the 1911 for battlefield soldiers. Both are enduring icons of an earlier era.

this dude is literally the bob ross of guns

I'm a canuck whose grandfather was a combatant in WWII. When I was a kid, my dad had among his gun collection a German Luger. The story dad told me is that at some point during the push of the Canadian Army Corps through Holland they had captured a German Unit. As the German prisoners were filing past a point where Grandpa was standing, he happened to notice a German officer who still had his holstered pistol, whereupon he demanded that the officer relinquish the gun to him. Grandpa secreted the pistol back to Canada (who could blame him for taking such a cool souvenir?), and some time after the war he gave the gun to my dad. In the 1960's when our bureaucrats started regulating handguns my dad duly registered it with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), who were the mandated authority to handle these things. My dad even had an official letter of registry authorizing him to possess this gun, signed by an RCMP Seargent, which is the way these things were done back then. Fast forward to two years ago, and out of the blue my dad (now 86) receives a notification from the RCMP informing him that their records show he has an "unregistered" hand gun, and he was forced to turn it in. They refused to recognize the official document issued in the '60s, and would not allow him to register the pistol in accordance with modern regs. So sad that a treasured possession with a cool personal family connection was callously snatched away by overzealous bureaucratic edict.

The 1911 is a timeless design. Even today the 1911 looks contemporary. Wow!!

I bet you´ve already heard but just to make sure: As a german shooter i can tell you that you need a new springset for the Luger P08 or some harder loaded ammo. I got hands on one and was so dissapointed when i first shot it because every third shot jammed. The president of my club and gun specialist saw that and told me the the P 08 was supposed to be used up to about 50 Meters. He gave me a package of original war ammo and everything worked just fine! Greetings from Hamburg, Germany

The Luger's grip angle seems extreme, and, as my father at one time had about 25-30 Lugers, I did conduct a 'pick it up with eyes close, extend arm with one in firing grip, then open eyes.... The damn sights were PRECISELY aligned with my eye. I'm convinced, it's damn well a natural pointer!

Over 100 years later....... john Moses Browning's slider drop barrel pistol is the most popular pistol design. Luger's 9mm cartridge is the most popular cartridge design.

That luger jam was caused by weak magazine spring.

Few things as pure as hickok's little giggle of joy when he shoots with his toys

i just love the calmness in these videos, the birds, the nature is just different than any other gun channel

The P08 is balanced for a recoil impulse from a fairly stout load, the original load designed by Georg Luger is today what we call a +P load with a over 120 grain bullet. The P08 got a reputation for being ureliable by military personel who brought it back from Europe as a sovenir, but that was because of the weak 9 mm ammunition loaded by US ammo manufacturers they used, it did not generate enough recoil. Give it +P loads with at least 115 grain, preferably over 120 grain RN (of course) bullets, and it is very reliable. Cheers.

I'm a 1911 guy but I've always liked the design of the luger.

I love that this is just an old man having fun explaining the stories behind these guns, and shooting them

Enjoy watching your videos, very informative. My father was also in WW11. He was a pilot in the 509th. They were the very top secret group that dropped the atomic bombs on the Japanese Empire. He flew on both missions. He came home with trunks of equipment from the war, radio equipment , flight suits, parachute and everything that he had to have when they flew including his 1911. The crew members would fly with their 1911's. That was the first pistol I ever shot. When we went rabbit or deer hunting we would all take a turn on it. My oldest brother ended up with that firearm. Both the 1911 and the P08 Luger are truly incredible works of art.

The 1911 is like a Zippo. Not a lot of changes, but then, not a lot needed to be changed. it'll be around (in some form) in 2111!

Is it me or the 1911 just looks so modern compared to the Luger ? Like the design seems timeless

"A century of use and ready for a hundred years more"

Your comparison of the Schofield vs the Colt SAA to the 1911 vs Luger P-08 was absolutely spot on. Both gun guns, but the 1911 and SAA clones over the years that continue to be manufactured today does say a lot. That said, I’d love to get a remanifucatured P-08 as a hobbyist. That and the Mauser.

Im from Austria, and we found a luger in a Cereal storage under the roof at Renovation work. The gun was in very good condition and still works !! No rust nothing the owner of this gun has to know how to store this baby.

The Luger certainly the coolest, even if it's less practical.

My uncle had a huge collection of lugers and one of them in 7.65mm. I was 8 when he taught me to shoot these guns on a range he had set up in his basement. Great memories, favorite uncle. R.I.P. uncle I miss you..

21:22 well that's just wholesome, I don't even use a firearm and it just warms my heart, thanks hickok45

”Am I the luckiest man on earth?” Anti-gun person: *inhales*

The M1911 to me is like the first modern handgun. It feels right. It was used by the US Military for 70 years until the Beretta M9. The Luger is beautiful as well. It's a true piece of art. The Germans were very technologically advanced.

Great to see how this channel has changed, but stayed the same, over the last 10 years!!! The best firearm review channel to ever grace the internet, in my humble opinion!!!

been watching hickock45 since i was like 14-15 years old. im 23 now and have learned so much and own a fine collection myself now. thanks for getting me so interested in the hobby hickck

1911 guy: 1911's better Po8 guy: po8's better Me: laughs in c96

I have an artillery Luger. It has a (I'm guessing) 9" barrel. It shoots very, very accurately. It's a much faster round than the 1911 but the energy of both rounds is very similar. I suspect that the 1911 would be better at close range and the Luger better at greater distances. The recoil on the Luger is much less than the 1911. The Luger looks to be a more precision weapon but the 1911 still looks extremely functional. The Luger is _very_ fussy about the ammunition. (But) using a powerful round, from a quality manufacturer, it never misfires. The 1911 seeems to be a lot less particular about the ammo. For home defense, either would be devastatingly effective. Another gun to consider is the Walther P38. This is even more particular about the round (needs a really powerful bullet) but is beautifully made and very easy to service and maintain. (With the "gray ghost" finish, the P38 never tarnishes or rusts. I have one - it's 77 years old and the finish is perfect).

The Cicadas are out and about here, hard to miss... Love this channel - subscribing right now!

I just inherited two 1911s that were owned by my GPA who passed away in 1981. One is in .45 the other .38 Super.

the ability to compare warfare technology without any discrimination against which side used it gives me faith in humanity somehow.

I do carry my WWII PO8 which my father brought back from the war. It isn’t an everyday carry, but fairly often. My 1911 is also a favorite carry; however, not every day. Be it nostalgia and fond memories of my father, or just owning a unique piece of history few others have, and especially carry, I love my PO8. I’ve never had the problems with mine as you have with the one you demonstrated on your video. In old vintage firearms, many are not kept in good condition and/or maintained properly, so over many years of being kept in that condition (especially since the PO8 was made to such tight tolerances) I would expect the problems with it you encountered. Needless to say, I love mine, it has never failed me and I do rely on it from time to time. I love all your shows and appreciate the quality of your presentations. Best of Luck, Jim Marye Colonel, U. S. Army (Retired)

First expert pistol medal In Navy was on 1911. Loved it. Always reliable. Did joke about the loose tolerance, but it did the job. Marine gunny training us made us tear down “blindfolded”. Another nice feature is easy to clean. Wish I had the money when the Seabees had a 50th Anniversary limited release. Still looking for one today. Good memories

person: breaks into this mans house hickok45: and now we can compare the effects of these guns on a live target

I had the opportunity to fire a lunger awhile back and I love how natural it feels in the hand it just fits

The Luger was the German equivalent of the Japanese Army Officer's sword.

I subscribed after watching this. He pros and cons both weapons and was very educational and entertaining. I will watch more

Hickok's videos are among the very few with which I just go ahead and hit the like button before I even watch them just to get that out of the way. I've always wanted a Luger but could never afford one.

1911: Most efficient . Luger: Most beautiful. I would take a 1911 to war but leave the Luger at home. Btw, i wish he was my grandfather.

we all love the look and mechanism of the Luger but if you needed one to save your life give me the 1911 every time.

Pretty cool. I love the history of theses. I’d like to see a part 2 of these where the WW 1 vs the WW 2 versions were also compared.

The Ka-Bar on the table is just as iconic.

The 1911 has one of the best and most timeless designs ever. It is still beautiful. Handles well, too.

in all honesty I would want both , both are a big part of history 󾓦👍.

Very nice, detailed and professional comparison. Well thank you.

The 1911 just seems like a more user-friendly design. Thank you sir for what you do.

The 1911 is cheaper, which is why it’s more prolific. Also, The PO8 is a little more difficult to manipulate, due to the fact that the German military tried to ensure that their soldiers were competent when dealing with firearms, so they didn’t necessarily idiot-proof them. But! They perform pretty darn well in rough and cold conditions, sometimes better than modern guns Also, I recommend a new spring for the magazine in the PO8, and hotter ammunition: Winchester white box is too lightly loaded.

The P-08 is my favorite pistol of all time. Absolutely gorgeous.

honestly one of the greatest conflicts in history, and the greatest pistol matchup

So interesting! Loved the historical comparison.

Lugers are notoriously `fussy eaters` but function perfectly with the correct diet.

"The luger probably would not stand up as well in a muddy trench" inrangetv: challenge accepted

I carried my P08 just last week. Love that gun. I open carry it in the regular.

Lugers are very sensitive to ammo and magazine spring pressure. The PO-8 came with a small tool that helped you pull that knob on the magazine down for loading. A lot of GIs shortened the mag springs to make it easier, but that toggle action is so swift to cycle that the pistol really needs that stiff spring. I have two Lugers. The bring-back is accurate and reliable, the other one, manufactured in the 1970's by Mauser from old parts, is usually reliable, but occasionally the extractor will fail to grab the empty for ejection. I have known a couple of German soldiers who used Lugers, and they both felt that the guns were an excellent combat arm. Personally, I am a P-38 junkie. --Old Guy

It's been many years since I fired a P08, but I still say it's the best "feel" of any pistol I've ever held. It feels like it's making love to your hand. OTOH, the 1911 is the rational choice to stake your life on.

The Luger is cool and iconic but the 1911 is so simple that it’s one of the if not the best pistol in history

My first and only handgun for several decades was a Ruger Mk.II Bull barrel model which I used to shoot extensively. Later I bought a PPK, several Sigs, a Glock and a 1911, but they all felt foreign to me. Until I tried my first Luger. It was like coming home again!

All these years later and they still work amazing

The 1911 is widely accepted as the best military pistol ever. But that doesn't mean the p08 Luger isn't good. In fact the the p08 is extremely cool, I don't even know if there's a more Psycho-sexual pistol then the Luger.

The Luger is stylish and the 1911 is more simplistic

In WW1 versions of the Luger P08 (issued with shoulder stock) were used mainly for artillery men for defense against calvary charges. All lugers since have the stock attachment slide on the back bottom side with that little notch to grab it firm.

The John Browning handguns are definitely my favorite, love the M1911 and even the M1899, such fine guns.

As far as I know the 3 main reasons of a luger jamming are as follows: 1 Underpowered ammo. Most 9mm ammo in the US today is underpowered. Luger's spec for his 9MM ammo is a 124Gr FMJ moving at 400+ meters per second out of the standard luger barrel. (That is over 1300 FPS). (Do your own research but all I read so far as that these guns do not like weak loads). 2 Bad magazines. (Even 1911-s had this problem and weren't that popular with the modding crown till Wilson Combat really upped the level with their mags) 3 Worn out springs. If your Luger jams often, it is recommended to change out the springs for a fresh one. I believe that Wolf makes them and it will restore the guns reliability in a big way if the previous 2 items are addressed.

My granddad served under General Paton. He had some Po8's with the SS engraving and one with the scull and bones

His a riot! Enjoyed this video thoroughly. Thx!

Luger v 1911 , the luger had a special tool in the holster to load the magazine, thanks for the nice video’s

"I'm not gonna do a 30-40 minute video" does a 25 Minute video

Thank you, that was an amazing story of two iconic sidearms!

Those looks in absolutely gorgeous condition

The experiential difference between a 1911 and the Luger, is that the .45 feels like you are aiming a pistol, but the luger feels like an extension of your body, like pointing a finger. I remember thinking "I dont have to aim this, it hits right where im looking" the first time I fired one. That being said, the Colt wins hands down for overall design and will likely be around until we move on to non-kinetic weapons.

I’ll go with the P-08, German Engineering fascinates me.

2 of my favorite pistols, I own both of an a fan of the artillery luger, something about they way a luger naturally points I have always liked.

I love the way the luger feels in the hand. My grandfather owned 2 as well as several 1911s and revolvers. We would shoot all of them sometimes and I would always miss a few times with every gun except the luger. I wish I could put the luger handle on a 1911 chambered in 357 sig. But that probably won't be happening anytime soon.

I just love the way you shoot and then say "HAHAA". its lovely :)

The original tool that came with the Luger makes loading the magazine easier: it fits over the button so you can hold it down.

P08; one word of warning: Be damn sure chamber is clear before stripping. When the barrel-toggle group is separate from the grip, if you accidentally trip the sear, it will fire. This is why you need to know the manual of arms of the arm you are using. I saw this demoed with a primed case in the chamber. This is no different than knowing to keep an empty chamber under the hammer on an original Model P Colt revolver.

I used to go shooting with my Dad, amongst his collection he owned a Luger P08 which was from memory made under licence. He also owned a Tom Neild custom 1911. Tom was the British team Olympic armourer in the 1972 Olympics in Munich, which had that terrorist attack. We used to reload both 9mm and. 45 rounds. We used to go shooting at the indoor range called Pennine Shooting Centre in Rochdale, UK. When my Dad retired, he handed over all his firearms to me but after I started a family, I felt uneasy having firearms in the house. Shortly afterwards successfully selling the whole collection, there was the Dunblane shooting in Scotland and the UK drastically changed the firearm laws. I would have had to surrender everything and would have been given virtually nothing. I support the American Constitution and the Right to bear arms. Thank you for this video, it has brought back very happy memories of my Dad and me.

Both are certainly unique pieces of history.

My father was stationed in Germany back in the 1960's, for the US Military. He brought back a P08. From the research I've done, it's mostly a genuine model. There is only 1 part, maybe 2 that are from another P08 model. Still, it worked great. He had no issues with it for years, though he only shot it a few times from the time he got back in the late 60's through the 80's. He never shot it after that. So when he died it came to me. I had a friend of mine help me with cleaning it up, and making sure everything was ok with it. I took it shooting, and I didn't have the problems I'm seeing here, except for one problem. Anyway, I spent a day at the range with it, and it only malfunctioned once...which I would say was pretty good due to the fact that it wasn't shot for 30 years. It was pretty accurate after I figured out the sights. My only issue was the damn magazines. They were super hard to load. I could only get 5 rounds in before my hand was too tired to continue. So my friend and I did our best to clean them up, and we oiled up the springs as well. After that they were much easier to load...still stiff, but the more I work with them the better they are getting. Though I won't complain about stiff magazines due to the fact that they are 80 years old and still functioning. It's a wonderful and amazingly engineered firearm, and I love it to death.

My grandfather was in the German army then (he was drafted, he didn't go in willingly) and was able to bring back all of his gear (uniform, helmet, and weapons) he brought back his k98 and his p08. I currently have both of the guns in my home and that p08 is one of the most beautiful pieces of weaponry I own

The P08 has the tool that helps with "Speed Loading". It attaches over the spring depress button and makes it easier.

I'm glad you mentioned the Winchester white box ammo. In the past several years I have had many ,low power loads or not even fire with a good primer strike. And that's with several different calibers. I've just quit buying it. Also the black box 22lr.bad bad. Like one out of 20 not firing. Love your Channel. Thankyou.

When my first wife took off she took my 1911 along, leaving me with a Luger. The final settlement brought my 45 back home where it still is 35 years later.

Love this guys little laugh after he shoots"he he he " 😂

I just inherited a Luger stamped in 1917 used by German infantry in ww2. It’s a DWM no American stamps so was brought home as a war trophy. Pretty wild since I didn’t know the family member. Thanks for the video Hick! Mine looks liked it’s been sitting in a storage unit since it came to the US.

I love how this man is happiest man ever every time he fires a gun, oh... It's really nice to see.

So many experts in the comments

Bill Ruger was interviewed in one of the gun mags years ago, and said his inspiration for the grip angle and outward appearance of his first .22 semi auto pistol was the Japanese Nambu.

The Luger was so much a military weapon for all the reasons you stated. Of course that 1911A1 can go in my holster anytime. My favorite, and best, was made by Ithaca for WWII. I had access to about every make when I was an armorer in the MP'S.

Love your video's! Please do more classic firearms! Greets from the Netherlands in Europe

Lugers are great, but nothing beats a good ol' 1911.

I carried the Fn Herstal Liège chambered in 32 auto, made by Browning, since 1927 in Portugal, and it never had a mal function, or missed fire; it has an internal hammer! Also I fired several times the Walter P-38 in the Air Force of Portugal, and I remember that it had a powerfull recoil!

Just stumbled upon this. What a great and interesting comparison. Thank you. To think of some of the atrocities that may have been committed with that Luger is chilling. Like most German technology of the day, a fine bit of engineering put to awful uses. If steel could speak.

I like the German ww2 guns designs :)

Perhaps if Germany had won both wars, then the Lugar would now occupy the highly regarded spot that the 1911 holds. As they say, winners write history.

I love watching this video and his other video on the Luger while admiring my own 1939 Mauser made Luger that’s just a few serial numbers apart from that one , is all matching numbers too ( although mine is a battle worn veteran that has obviously seen a lot more use and cosmetic wear that that one ). I have actually used mine as an EDC occasionally because I have bought new mec gar magazines that are 100% reliable and have trained with it enough to condition myself to automatically remove the safety as I acquire my grip and the sights come on target. It’s almost as fast and easy for me as it is with my own beloved 1911’s and I can actually get the first and subsequent shots on target faster with it due to the lower recoil impulse and balance of the mechanism. I just sit here chuckling and thinking about how much I love watching him shoot and how much I hate listening to someone who knows so little about the guns he shoots. Dude take a little time out from call of duty and pick up a book or two sometime. I have all 75 issues of gun digest from 1944-2021 and dozens of specialty books about the guns I own or have owned as well. When you buy a gun buy a book. Or when you borrow a gun to do a video on, maybe take a day or two to read up and educate yourself about it before telling someone else all about it, that’s a good place to start if you want to really get knowledgeable about guns. My feelings are before you even load let alone fire a gun you’re not familiar with you should have at least a basic working knowledge of it. Like when he was complaining about loading the magazines. I bet if he were to look in the top of the holster flap of the one that the guy sent with it he would find the handy dandy loading/ takedown tool that was issued with the gun and if not could have spent $7.00 for a reproduction one that usually only needs a little filing to fit properly over the mag button, or $10 for a pair of better modern ones made from polymer like I did. They work like gangbusters and even better than the original one. In fact I keep one on my keychain now just to make people ask, what is that and so that on days I actually carry mine for defense I have it handy.

I had an old worn out DWM Luger and it never jammed. It was 100 years old and still fairly accurate even with a "frosty" barrel.

I love how this is in my recommendations as soon as I say I want a gun.