Walther P38

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MattE93

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I am toying with the idea of buying my first handgun soon. Being a milsurp lover I am seriously leaning toward a milsurp handgun. I really like the P08 and 1911 but originals are a little pricey for me. I also really like German militaria so have considered a P38. While not as classic as then venerable Luger I still like the look of the P38. I am wondering how they are as handguns?

I am looking for as much info as possible to help guide my choice. It won’t be one I will make lightly as it will likely mean selling my Mosin M38 with correct stock which took a while to find so I want to make sure it is what i am looking for.
 
The p38 was my first handgun as well,love shooting it.
I made a big mistake though by shooting some very hot submachine ammo through it and ended up with a cracked slide.
Did find a replacement slide but have only been shooting handloads since.
 
Not sure if I like the look of the Tokarevs. Also worried about what happens when surplus ammo runs out. While 9MM is still quite cheap. I also have a K98 the P38 would complement. It would be tough to let the M38 go by if I could find a 41 dated P38 which would match the year of my K98 it would be tempting.
 
I recently sold my last war date P38. It was a lovely piece with all matching numbers and 95% throughout.

IMHO, collectors and shooters sort of fell of their track when they started paying more for Russian Capture refurbs than for original pieces with all matching components. Go figure.

I get the wanting a been there, done that piece but the chances of an RC P38 actually having been there and done that are not 100%. Many of those pistols were found in depots and warehouses and often in poor condition from exposure. That's why they were stripped down to their components and refinished then had the parts reassembled without concern of matching any numbers.

To be sure, it was a marvel of wartime effort to make the parts so close to tolerances that the parts were all interchangeable.

Then there are the later P1 pistols. Basically a copy of the wartime P38 with aluminum frames and different grips. Most parts will interchange with the early P38s.

If you can find one, there are P38s manufactured in Northern France after WWII at Manhurin. They are made up out of newly manufactured parts and wartime parts and are called Walther Hi Powers.

I kept the Walther Hi Power I have because it shoots extremely well, has an all steel frame and many of the parts still have waffenampts. I like the P38. Some consider it to be the best pistol developed and issued during WWII and with good reason.
 
The thing that scares me about Tok ammo too is no one uses it anymore. 30-06, .303, and 7.62x54r are still either used by militaries or common enough that they aren’t going anywhere. When Tok ammo runs out that’s it!

I do like my M38 but I have 5 rifles all bolt action and was looking to change things up with a handgun. Really don’t want to sell my K98 or No.4 so the Mosin is at the top of the chopping block.

Phat Eagle said:
Famous last words... try finding surplus .303, .30-06, even 7.62x54r has gone up as supplies are drying up.
Click to expand...
 
Reading lots of info on cracked slides on P38’s. Making me a little weary, I know my Mosin receiver won’t crack anytime soon
 
Of the WWII era pistols I actually own (1911, TT-33, and the P-38), the P-38 is easily the nicest shooting. Also, the ###iest looking.

But it's an old gun, and I worry about wrecking it, so I don't shoot it as often as I would like.

If you're looking for something to shoot, and want a P-38 pattern, you can get a Walther P1, which is a post war production P-38, for significantly less money.
 
I’ve read lots of stuff online about slides cracking. Though I don’t know if these people used high pressure rounds or the gun is just old. I struggle with the idea of buying a $1000 pistol I can’t shoot.

There is a nice P38 post war for sale. Any fundamental difference?
 
Yeah that’s what worries me. Wary of buying a $1000 pistol that might crack when I could probably use my Mosin to pound tent pegs in and then go fire it.
 
I've owned a couple, a cyq and a P-1. Got rid of both.
One thing to have one as a collector's item, but as a shooter there are better.
This business about cracked slides and high pressure loads... The Germans didn't issue powder puff ammunition for P-38s. One size fits all submachinegun ammunition used in everything.
 
I guess the dream of owning a WW2 pistol is dying a slow death. 1911 are a little pricey, Lugers are cool but I hate the stupid law that makes real ones prohibited, and I want a shooter so P38’s are out.

Tokarev would be an option but something about them just screams ugly and utilitarian to me
 
grelmar said:
Of the WWII era pistols I actually own (1911, TT-33, and the P-38), the P-38 is easily the nicest shooting. Also, the ###iest looking.

But it's an old gun, and I worry about wrecking it, so I don't shoot it as often as I would like.

If you're looking for something to shoot, and want a P-38 pattern, you can get a Walther P1, which is a post war production P-38, for significantly less money.
Click to expand...


Parts are available for just about everything on a P38. They may not be period correct but they work.
 
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