Walther P-38

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carojoe

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Anyone know P-38s?

I got my hands on this P-38 recently and those long from being my expertise, I've been looking around for some infos (date, value, etc) for about an hour and I am a bit lost.

So it would be a commercial/export model, 1966, but anything else? Pretty certain it is unfired and comes with 2 mags btw..... I didn't strip it down but here are picts of all the visible exterior stamps. Thanks in advance for the help, now I got a headache....lol
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Looks like a 1966 aluminum frame P38. Commercial model for police, civilian, and foreign sale.

Same as a Walther P1, but P1's were for West German military use.

Not sure if it's unfired, but it is in pretty good condition.

Not really qualified to speak to it's value, but I would guess $600 - $800.

I'm sure others will be along shortly to either prove me right or wrong.
 
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Didn't some of the aluminum frame P1s have a hex reinforcing pin in the frame? I can't see one in this pic. i think they were supposed to strengthen the frame. Still a decent piece. As for price i seem to recall the P1s were selling in "As New" condition in the past year for about $500.
 
ted_dent said:
Didn't some of the aluminum frame P1s have a hex reinforcing pin in the frame? I can't see one in this pic. i think they were supposed to strengthen the frame. Still a decent piece. As for price i seem to recall the P1s were selling in "As New" condition in the past year for about $500.
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Can’t tell for the P1, this one being a P38.....and I finally sold it for 800$ (original box and papers included)
 
The Bundeswehr Reserve unit in Bielefeld hosted an annual pistol shoot for NATO personnel while I was stationed in Soest. We shot their P1s and quite liked them. However, no one liked the DA on the first shot and the hammer lowering safety gave us the creeps.

We were also given an introduction to their H&K 7.62mm which they referred to as the 'CETME'. Even with the lower powered German ammo, it was uncontrollable from the shoulder in FA. Many of us put rds into the overhead baffles.

The range was essentially surrounded by suburbia, but the berms were quite high.
 
^^ Why did the safety give you the creeps? Is it known to malfunction, causing the handgun to fire? Just wondering as I have a P38 that I have used once only, so not much experience with handguns of that type...
 
cheb said:
^^ Why did the safety give you the creeps? Is it known to malfunction, causing the handgun to fire? Just wondering as I have a P38 that I have used once only, so not much experience with handguns of that type...
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The type of safety that causes the hammer to fall on a live round in the chamber, albeit blocked, is extremely unnerving the first time, especially for someone used to a P35 or 1911
 
cheb said:
^^ Why did the safety give you the creeps? Is it known to malfunction, causing the handgun to fire? Just wondering as I have a P38 that I have used once only, so not much experience with handguns of that type...
Click to expand...

I remember reading a story, in the time before the internet, about late wartime P38s going full auto when the safety was used to drop the hammer, apparently there are small tabs on the rotating safety drum that can shear off causing it to do a mag dump , this was , as far as I know , only on late wartime production, when quality control was falling .

I'll try to find the comment for reference.
 
bearhunter said:
The type of safety that causes the hammer to fall on a live round in the chamber, albeit blocked, is extremely unnerving the first time, especially for someone used to a P35 or 1911
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Exactly. I also find it a little unnerving to lower the hammer on a chambered round when shooting a CZ Shadow as per IPSC starting condition.
 
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