picked up a walther p38 from 1962 in excellent condition today - The Firearms Forum

The Count · 07-07-2010, 05:18 PM

hi all, not really a C&R gun but almost old enough to be....

a real live walther P38 in excellent condition with matching numbers, 2 mags and the holster is in like new condition, all for only $350.00

how good a deal did i make here? and no issues shooting this with modern 9mm luger ammo?

deadin · 07-07-2010, 06:30 PM

I would guess that it's not a P-38, but rather a P1 alloy frame??
It should be just fine with current ammo.
Don't know about +P or +P+ though.

If it was made in 1962 it isn't quite a C&R yet. Another couple of years.......

The Count · 07-07-2010, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deadin

I would guess that it's not a P-38, but rather a P1 alloy frame??
It should be just fine with current ammo.
Don't know about +P or +P+ though.

If it was made in 1962 it isn't quite a C&R yet. Another couple of years.......

here is a picture. i looked at several P38 sites and could not find one just like it....?

on the other side is stamped 4/62

Jim K · 07-07-2010, 09:29 PM

In postwar production, Walther marked their (West) German army contract pistols "P1" per army nomenclature. The civilian production was marked P38. Wartime pistols were marked P.38, with the period. A good pistol, and the price seems reasonable. I would avoid super hot ammo, though.

Jim

deadin · 07-07-2010, 09:45 PM

Jim,
Did the civilian post war P38's aluminum frames??

Years ago I has a Manurin post-war "P38" that still had waffenamts on the slide. I assumed these were left over captured parts that the French were just using up.

Jim K · 07-08-2010, 12:27 PM

Walther did make 2000 steel frames post-war, but they were not used for the P1. 500 were used in the Walther 100th Anniversary model, which was engraved; the rest went into civilian P38 production, offered as an option, and into special pistols for collectors, such as gold or silver plated. So a steel frame post-war P38 would be a rare gun, but not unknown.

The alloy frames developed wear and battering on the angled surface of the frame where the locking block is cammed up to close as the slide goes into battery. That is the area where the steel insert is installed.

I have never seen a Manurhin marked pistol with Nazi marks, but the Mauser factory was in the French zone, and they continued limited P.38 production/assembly after the war for the Foreign Legion. (The "French" Foreign Legion was 99% ex-Wehrmacht anyway, so giving them P.38's and K.98k's made sense.) These are the "svw" pistols with the French star on the slide.

Jim

The Count · 07-08-2010, 03:30 PM

@Jim K
i saw an offer for the following. price would be close to $500. would it be worth it?

"hese are WWII, all steel, Nazi marked P38 pistols that were captured by the Russians. At some point over the years, they have been refinished and mismatched and rematched by a Russian arsenal. Mechanically they are excellent, metal finish is excellent, Nazi codes and proofs are all there. The markings are crisp and clear, it’s just that one of the numbers on the barrel, frame or side has been renumbered to match the other two."

the count

Jim K · 07-08-2010, 06:27 PM

Depends on what you want. Like any mismatched gun, the collector value is about nil. But if you just want a P.38 to shoot and play with, $500 might be OK, though IMHO a bit high. If you are lucky and all the parts are Walther, there should be no problem with fitting.

Jim

The Count · 07-08-2010, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim K

Depends on what you want. Like any mismatched gun, the collector value is about nil. But if you just want a P.38 to shoot and play with, $500 might be OK, though IMHO a bit high. If you are lucky and all the parts are Walther, there should be no problem with fitting.

Jim

thanks for your input. think i will pass on this gun as i would have to buy it sight unseen.

zb338 · 07-08-2010, 08:01 PM

I always disliked P38 because of their crummy triggers. There is a
guy at our gun club that shoots one in IDPA combat shooting events.
Someone must have done his trigger because it is half decent and
he shoots very well with it.

Zeke

Jim K · 07-08-2010, 10:31 PM

P.38's and variations generally have SA trigger pulls best described as mushy. I know they can be improved, but I have never tried doing it.

I know they can be better because I fired one a fellow had that was as far as I could tell an average bringback, though an early gun (ac40). That gun not only had a very nice trigger, but shot into one ragged hole at 21 feet. I have no idea what might have been done to it (the current owner had done nothing) but it was as nice a P.38 as I have ever fired and one of the most accurate handguns I have fired. I know my ac40 doesn't shoot that well and the trigger is average, so I suspect the original owner had it worked over by someone who knew what he was doing.

Jim

The Count · 07-09-2010, 08:36 AM

took the pistol to the range yesterday. i was impressed. handled great and very good accuracy at 25 yards.no misfeeds or anything with federal FMJ ammo from wally world.

07-07-2010, 05:18 PM	#1
The Count V.I.P. Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 264	picked up a walther p38 from 1962 in excellent condition today hi all, not really a C&R gun but almost old enough to be.... a real live walther P38 in excellent condition with matching numbers, 2 mags and the holster is in like new condition, all for only $350.00 how good a deal did i make here? and no issues shooting this with modern 9mm luger ammo? --> Last edited by The Count; 07-07-2010 at 05:32 PM..

07-07-2010, 06:30 PM	#2
deadin Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 858	Re: picked up a walther p38 from 1962 in excellent condition today I would guess that it's not a P-38, but rather a P1 alloy frame?? It should be just fine with current ammo. Don't know about +P or +P+ though. If it was made in 1962 it isn't quite a C&R yet. Another couple of years....... Last edited by deadin; 07-07-2010 at 07:22 PM.. Reason: added comment

07-07-2010, 09:29 PM	#4
Jim K Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 6,408	Re: picked up a walther p38 from 1962 in excellent condition today In postwar production, Walther marked their (West) German army contract pistols "P1" per army nomenclature. The civilian production was marked P38. Wartime pistols were marked P.38, with the period. A good pistol, and the price seems reasonable. I would avoid super hot ammo, though. Jim

07-07-2010, 09:45 PM	#5
deadin Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 858	Re: picked up a walther p38 from 1962 in excellent condition today Jim, Did the civilian post war P38's aluminum frames?? Years ago I has a Manurin post-war "P38" that still had waffenamts on the slide. I assumed these were left over captured parts that the French were just using up.

07-08-2010, 12:27 PM	#6
Jim K Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 6,408	Re: picked up a walther p38 from 1962 in excellent condition today Walther did make 2000 steel frames post-war, but they were not used for the P1. 500 were used in the Walther 100th Anniversary model, which was engraved; the rest went into civilian P38 production, offered as an option, and into special pistols for collectors, such as gold or silver plated. So a steel frame post-war P38 would be a rare gun, but not unknown. The alloy frames developed wear and battering on the angled surface of the frame where the locking block is cammed up to close as the slide goes into battery. That is the area where the steel insert is installed. I have never seen a Manurhin marked pistol with Nazi marks, but the Mauser factory was in the French zone, and they continued limited P.38 production/assembly after the war for the Foreign Legion. (The "French" Foreign Legion was 99% ex-Wehrmacht anyway, so giving them P.38's and K.98k's made sense.) These are the "svw" pistols with the French star on the slide. Jim

07-08-2010, 03:30 PM	#7
The Count V.I.P. Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 264	Re: picked up a walther p38 from 1962 in excellent condition today @Jim K i saw an offer for the following. price would be close to $500. would it be worth it? "hese are WWII, all steel, Nazi marked P38 pistols that were captured by the Russians. At some point over the years, they have been refinished and mismatched and rematched by a Russian arsenal. Mechanically they are excellent, metal finish is excellent, Nazi codes and proofs are all there. The markings are crisp and clear, it’s just that one of the numbers on the barrel, frame or side has been renumbered to match the other two." the count

07-08-2010, 06:27 PM	#8
Jim K Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 6,408	Re: picked up a walther p38 from 1962 in excellent condition today Depends on what you want. Like any mismatched gun, the collector value is about nil. But if you just want a P.38 to shoot and play with, $500 might be OK, though IMHO a bit high. If you are lucky and all the parts are Walther, there should be no problem with fitting. Jim

07-08-2010, 08:01 PM	#10
zb338 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Recently moved to Pennsylvania. Posts: 286	Re: picked up a walther p38 from 1962 in excellent condition today I always disliked P38 because of their crummy triggers. There is a guy at our gun club that shoots one in IDPA combat shooting events. Someone must have done his trigger because it is half decent and he shoots very well with it. Zeke

07-08-2010, 10:31 PM	#11
Jim K Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 6,408	Re: picked up a walther p38 from 1962 in excellent condition today P.38's and variations generally have SA trigger pulls best described as mushy. I know they can be improved, but I have never tried doing it. I know they can be better because I fired one a fellow had that was as far as I could tell an average bringback, though an early gun (ac40). That gun not only had a very nice trigger, but shot into one ragged hole at 21 feet. I have no idea what might have been done to it (the current owner had done nothing) but it was as nice a P.38 as I have ever fired and one of the most accurate handguns I have fired. I know my ac40 doesn't shoot that well and the trigger is average, so I suspect the original owner had it worked over by someone who knew what he was doing. Jim

07-09-2010, 08:36 AM	#12
The Count V.I.P. Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 264	Re: picked up a walther p38 from 1962 in excellent condition today took the pistol to the range yesterday. i was impressed. handled great and very good accuracy at 25 yards.no misfeeds or anything with federal FMJ ammo from wally world.