Walther p38?

[Guest bsherrill]

I am planning on getting my c&r license this summer and I have been looking at the p38s.

So, just wondering who has one and what they like/don't like about it.

[1gewehr]

Not all P38s are C&R. The German surplus with an alloy frame are only C&R if they are over 50 years old. The slide date should be 3/60 or earlier.

Steel frame P38s are excellent, accurate, reliable pistols. They are a bit dated with long, heavy DA triggers, dark sights, and typical European magazine release. WWII production had excellent mechanical quality well into the late 1944 timeframe.

If you want an alloy frame versions as a shooter, look for one that has the steel hexagonal reinforcing pin through the frame just in front of the trigger pin. Alloy frames last about 20,000 rounds without the pin, and an indefinite life with it.

Factory magazines are the only really reliable ones out there except for MecGar which are about the same price as surplus Walther mags. Centerfire Systems and Military Gun Supply have surplus mags for under $20.

People that have P38s tend to like them a lot. My ex-wife hated guns, but when we divorced she kept the P38 I had given her, but not the .22, .38, or 16ga.

[323ssplt]

I bought one of the alloy frame P1's a few years ago. I don't shoot it much at all, but when I do it is a fun accurate gun. Plus it has a definate "cool" factor to it.

[Guest gcrookston]

The P-38 we can consider as one of the first Modern handguns, sharing it's place with the Browning HP. It was/is, a Single/Double action, skeletonized frame and Beretta borrowed quite heavily from it to develop their 92. It will function best with 115 gr fmj ammo and that is what they were designed to withstand. Using 115 gr will prolong their service life and also produce the best accuracy. Thankfully, it's also the cheap stuff. This model allowed Walther to survive the war. It was the first sidearm allowed to be issued to the new German army and police (hence the P1 designation).

I echo the others on the alloy frame P.38/P1. Also, on the 1944 and 1945 look closely at the muzzle, as they often were fixed with contract barrels from FN which were produced with brittle steel and have a tendency to crack in that area when shot with heavier/hotter loads.

As stated above the P1/P38 made prior to 1960 will be CR, though most will not pay that close attention and tell you all P38s are CR. I believe (correct me if I am wrong), the P1 run ran until 1968 and the gun continued to be produced commercially and for export until the late 70's. (my studies focus on pre-1945 models).

When I last checked, Hero gear had a P38 alloy frame (about a month ago), that I thought was fairly well priced.

I have always been fixated on the 1943 vintage byf (Mauser Mfg). I've owned several dozen over the years. If you are going to use it for a shooter, look for a "type 2", either byf, ac or cyq mfg. They can be easily identified by a slight hump near the trigger pin, which corrected a design flaw that caused the frame to crack at that point. Below are a type 1 and 2, the 2 being at the top. both were manufactured in early 1943 and were part of my collection at one point when I was on the quest to figure out exactly when the transition happened.

Edited March 13, 2010 by gcrookston

[R1100R]

I have a 80's produced P1 and find it a accurate gun. I have seen pistols that were

manufactured in the 90's. I was told they were produce from 1957-2000. The modern

German Army stopped use in the early 90's.