Walther P-38 with Alloy Frame --> What Ammo to Use?

[762mm]

Hello,

I recently purchased a post-war P-38 and it came with the alloy frame and no reinforcement screw. I've read in some american firearms forums that these have a tendency to crack when using something called +P ammo (124 Grain NATO) and that one has to absolutely use less powerful ammo in them to prevent failure.

So, I was just wondering... which 9mm Luger bullets should I be looking for? I already have some shooting club reloads in 9mm (124 grain), but now I'm afraid to even try it.

Here's a pic of the reinforcement screw mentioned (that my P-38 doesn't have). Most P-1's come with it and some P-38's are arsenal retrofited :

And here's the failure. If this ever happens, I'm gonna be soooo p*ssed, lol! I Wouldn't even know what to do with a failed frame like this, as it's still technically registered to me (but obviously useless at that point)

Thanks in advance for any info!

 

[canucklehead]

Your normal ammo won't be loaded to +P pressures. You'll be fine with any normal 9mm loading.

That being said, the P38's are the most durable firearm on the planet. Fine for plinking and casual shooters, but I wouldn't shoot high volumes (ie: compete) with it.

But who uses a P38 for competition anyway?

 

[762mm]

Your normal ammo won't be loaded to +P pressures. You'll be fine with any normal 9mm loading.

That being said, the P38's are the most durable firearm on the planet. Fine for plinking and casual shooters, but I wouldn't shoot high volumes (ie: compete) with it.

But who uses a P38 for competition anyway?

Thanks for the info... So basically my 124 grain range-load 9mm FMJ is fine? How does one determine the pressure in a bullet, are the +P usually marked as such on the box? I've been reading that 9mm is also made in 115 grain... Would that be even safer?

I already like my Walther very much, but I would just hate to see it 'crack' in my hand, lol! The steel frame P-38's (WWII era) are uber-reliable even with +P ammo, but the post-war light-weight alloy (aka "duraluminium") ones seem to have a common failure. Hence the reinforcement screw and the thicker rear frame in some revised models (unlike mine).

 

[canucklehead]

+P would be marked on the brass as well. The exception would be NATO surplus but that would be marked with the circle and cross. Stay away from that stuff as it's loaded hot.

115 or 124gr won't be very different as far as pressure goes, so don't worry about it. Any off the shelf or normal reloads will be fine in your gun.

Oh and the wartime p38s aren't rated for +p stuff either. It's very much discouraged.

 

[MTF]

I agree with Canucklehead. P-38s were introduced long before "+P" ammunition ever existed. They were made to function with bullets in the 100 to 125 grain range, and without heavy powder loadings. "Regular" 9mm ammunition will work fine. Just as a point of information, the item you point out is a reinforcing pin that was increased in size on the P-4 pistol because under heavy loads and heavy use, the P-1 pistol frame you (and I) have may crack. The older, WWII pistols are obviously more heavily built, but even they may crack under +P usage. And +P ammunition is all marked accordingly. They are hard on handguns, and in my opinion not worth the extra stress on the gun. Handgun ammunition, if loaded to +P or +P+ levels, is still going to do a limited job as a defense round, has muzzle blast that is objectionable, and if you're target or IPSC shooting, definitely more of a problem than a solution.

 

[762mm]

Thanks for the info guys, it is much appreciated. As for the wartime P-38's being ok with +P ammo, that's just something I've been reading on american firearms forums; most of these guys claim to shoot that type with no problems in wartime pistols... which doesn't mean that an occasional problem won't occur or that the pistol won't wear out prematurely.

Anyway, if I had a WWII issue, I don't think I would want to wreck it to hell by shooting hot loads in it. It would definitely be treated like a high value collection item and not abused more than necessary at occasional range trips. I guess that some people don't really deserve their collector-grade P-38s, lol!