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WWII P-38 bring back refinish


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Posted

I recently inherited a P-38 that my wife's grandfather brought back from WWII. (Also have the documentation from the Army for the weapon) Unfortunately it appears that over the years someone tried to "restore" the gun which basically consisted of removing the bluing.  I know that it is generally frowned upon to refinish historical pieces. But... I have no plans to sell so I really don't care about decreasing value, and I would personally enjoy the gun more if it looked a bit more presentable. I'm torn on what to do with this. The gun is 100% heirloom/conversation piece and may see occasional range use (I've never fired it but the trigger is amazing). Would I be committing blasphemy if I had it professionally reblued?

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Posted

It's your gun.  Do what you want.  I know I've had some guns restored and have never regretted it.  If it loses value from refinishing, but you never plan to sell it, what do you care if its resale value is decreased after you're dead?  If you'd like it better refinished, go ahead and get it refinished, and enjoy it during the rest of your life.  You'll be focused on other things in the next life.

Cheers,

Whisper

  • Like 1
Posted

At this point, it has no original finish anyway.  
If it was mine, I'd get it blued simply to help prevent further damage from rust.  The original finish was most likely a dull matte blue unless it was a very early gun.  Be careful to preserve the original markings.

  • Like 1
Posted (edited)

Ordinarily, I'd say no. But as it is a family heirloom and you do plan to keep it, sure go ahead. I suppose you can find somebody to just refinish the gun  locally. But be sure to check their other work before giving it to them. Many will polish the gun on rotary wheels and damage the markings. That's a sure value killer right there. 

 What you really need for that gun is a proper restoration. Some place like Ford's can make that gun look like when it was brand new. But it don't come cheap and could be a year or more to get it back. 

Then there's always the DIY option. Polish by hand and preserve all the markings. Its slow but you know you won't damage anything. I've had excellent results with a product called Blue Wonder.  But be sure to read and follow the directions exactly. 

Just had another thought. You could have the gun Ceracoated or even hydro-dipped in black. Cheap, but functional. 😉

 

Edited by Grayfox54
  • Like 1
Posted (edited)
1 hour ago, Grayfox54 said:

Just had another thought. You could have the gun Ceracoated or even hydro-dipped in black. Cheap, but functional. 😉

 

The thought of refinishing is bad enough but that is just nasty. Get your mind out of the gutter, lol.

Edited by Garufa
  • Haha 1
Posted
5 hours ago, Grayfox54 said:

You could have the gun Ceracoated or even hydro-dipped in black. Cheap, but functional. 😉

Why not just coat it in RhinoLiner at that point . . . 🤮

  • Like 1
  • Haha 1
Posted

Rule of thumb,never refinish an original finish but in this case go ahead it will not devalue it but add value. as above find a refinisher that will not remove markings although some small one may remove. Option#2 have it bright or dull nickeled. 

Posted

Is it eroded like that on both sides? I bought one years ago with similar erosion on one side. The other side was clean. It was in an original holster and the story was it was battle field pickup with blood on one side .  You know how stories go. As to your pistol do what you want but if it was me especially if the other side is similar I would just cold blue it. I wouldn’t do any polishing, erosion appears too deep and would certainly remove all the markings. Cold bluing isn’t permanent. That’s my 2c

Posted
1 hour ago, Gurn said:

Is it eroded like that on both sides? I bought one years ago with similar erosion on one side. The other side was clean. It was in an original holster and the story was it was battle field pickup with blood on one side .  You know how stories go. As to your pistol do what you want but if it was me especially if the other side is similar I would just cold blue it. I wouldn’t do any polishing, erosion appears too deep and would certainly remove all the markings. Cold bluing isn’t permanent. That’s my 2c

No, all of it is like that. I'm hoping to be able to get the story of who stripped it this weekend from some family. I'd say I could narrow down to 4 people. 2 are still alive, I suspect the culprit is not. You are correct on the markings. This is an ac45 gun. The ac45 markings are so light I'm scared to put OOOO steel wool on them. No doubt they would be lost upon rebluing. 

Posted

You aren't going to further hurt it's value by reblueing it. If it's worth it to you, go for it. Just realize whatever you spend on it will be money thrown away from a financial standpoint.

Posted

After talking to my wife's uncles, they recall the gun always looking like this. I'm wondering if it may have always looked like this? For the time being I think I will clean it well and do nothing. 

 

In a side note. One of the uncles told me that he had his dad's rifle that he captured and brought back, but didn't have any paperwork for it. He said that it is duffle cut and that his dad took it from a German officer. I suspect the P-38 may have belonged to the same officer. He didn't have specifics on the rifle, but I'm hoping to learn more about it. 

  • Like 2
Posted
23 hours ago, 10-Ring said:

After talking to my wife's uncles, they recall the gun always looking like this. I'm wondering if it may have always looked like this? For the time being I think I will clean it well and do nothing. 

 

In a side note. One of the uncles told me that he had his dad's rifle that he captured and brought back, but didn't have any paperwork for it. He said that it is duffle cut and that his dad took it from a German officer. I suspect the P-38 may have belonged to the same officer. He didn't have specifics on the rifle, but I'm hoping to learn more about it. 

Very wise...........

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

It’s yours to do what you want with, but I’d leave it alone. Being a late war gun, they were rough by German standards from the factory, and the fit and finish was nowhere near pre war or early war standards. I have a family member whose father brought back a P38 from WW2 in a holster and it stayed in there for a long time and was never oiled or cleaned and the finish was absolutely wiped out. It’s possible someone tried to strip the finish, or maybe the firearm got wet and stayed wet for an extended time in the field, or maybe sitting in a holster for 80 years has also contributed to how it looks. It’s a damn cool piece though, and I am jealous!

  • Like 2
Posted
20 hours ago, austin7.62 said:

It’s yours to do what you want with, but I’d leave it alone. Being a late war gun, they were rough by German standards from the factory, and the fit and finish was nowhere near pre war or early war standards. I have a family member whose father brought back a P38 from WW2 in a holster and it stayed in there for a long time and was never oiled or cleaned and the finish was absolutely wiped out. It’s possible someone tried to strip the finish, or maybe the firearm got wet and stayed wet for an extended time in the field, or maybe sitting in a holster for 80 years has also contributed to how it looks. It’s a damn cool piece though, and I am jealous!

I say Amen to this comment.  Don't know what the allure is to messing with a vintage handgun.  But that's just me.....

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted
7 hours ago, Bucksnort justin said:

I would not refinish it .   I have seen many WW2 firearms in similar condition . 
possibly did not have very good finish on it when new . 

Yes. Being a late war production I'm lead to believe this is the case. Also the finish is consistent everywhere on the pistol. I though that if someone had attempted to strip it they wouldn't have given that much attention to the hard to get to spots.  Really glad I didn't decide to go ahead and refinish. 

  • Like 2
Posted

I think you stated you possibly have the capture papers from the Army . 
if so that really is very neat because after 80 years very few papers still exist with the weapons.  It would be neat to see a picture of the papers .  I have the capture papers to a German Luger on of my uncles brought back from WW2 , another family member currently has the gun . 
But someday soon they will be reunited . 
It is my understanding that most people did not even go to the trouble to get these papers , most just brought their souvenirs home in their bags or shipped them home without papers . 
It’s possible that you have a cigarette gun , the Walther plant was captured by US forces in April of 1945 .  Late in the war in April of 1945, Walther was assembling “B” block guns when they were captured by the 90th armored division. Many of these “Cigarette” pistols were assembled for the GIs by plant employees out of available parts bins in trade for “necessities”. That is the reason virtually none of these have matching numbers,

Posted
1 hour ago, Bucksnort justin said:

I think you stated you possibly have the capture papers from the Army . 
if so that really is very neat because after 80 years very few papers still exist with the weapons.  It would be neat to see a picture of the papers .  I have the capture papers to a German Luger on of my uncles brought back from WW2 , another family member currently has the gun . 
But someday soon they will be reunited . 
It is my understanding that most people did not even go to the trouble to get these papers , most just brought their souvenirs home in their bags or shipped them home without papers . 
It’s possible that you have a cigarette gun , the Walther plant was captured by US forces in April of 1945 .  Late in the war in April of 1945, Walther was assembling “B” block guns when they were captured by the 90th armored division. Many of these “Cigarette” pistols were assembled for the GIs by plant employees out of available parts bins in trade for “necessities”. That is the reason virtually none of these have matching numbers,

Here you go. I haven't heard of the cigarette guns before. Sounds like those guns would have been made for the GIs directly and not issued as German service pistols. My wife's grandfather, as the story goes, captured this pistol and the rifle from the German soldier who attempted to use it on him. 

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  • Thanks 1
Posted

IMG_5623.thumb.jpeg.9caf6b6a13cd21bb7b02d5e3816a2d13.jpegFunny how they have the caliber as .38. 
cigarette guns were put together by GI s or civilians after the factories were liberated . They were assembled from whatever they could find in the factory . 
It looks like your serial number ends in A if so then your gun was assembled in Feb of 45 . The cigarette guns were from C and D block of production . 
still you have awsome piece of history.    
 

 

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