WWII P38 Questions

tntcan

tntcan

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I was looking at a WWII Walther P38 AC and a WWII Mauser P38 BYF, which is better? Or is there a difference? Is one more of a collectible than the other or more valuable?

Any help would be appreciated!

Tim
 
If you want to read about WWII P-38, here's a book:

P-38 Automatic Pistol
The First 50 years
by Gene Gangarosa Jr.

Stoeger
ISBN 0-88317-170-8

IIRC, the AC (Walthers) are the best, then the BYF (Mausers) are in the middle and then the CYQ (Spreewerkes) are the worst for finish.
 
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Wasn't it a Walther design, and the others produced it under license to supply the armed forces? If the condition is not greatly different, that would make me choose a Walther, if I were going to collect them, at least for my first one.
 
Thanks for the info guys! I'm leaning toward the Walther myself now, I like the design of the P38 overall. Too bad I don't have my prohibited or I would have a Luger!
 
They are all collectable, but the AC (Walther) seems to be in more demand than the BYF or the CYQ (Spreewerke, my favorite:))
 
I used to have an AC44, I have seen and handled a few, I personally liked the Walthers the best, seemed to have better fit/finish, however the BYF's were a REALLY nice pistol aswell. Are they both in the same condition?
 
Earlier Walther are more desireable before they "Kriegsmaschine" began to run on all cylinders. Production got outsourced and numbers went up (quality down).
 
Many options available out there, all are collectable. Here are a few of mine for example:
First is an AC41 matching including magazine:
milsurps%20jan2010%20001.JPG

milsurps%20jan2010%20003.JPG


Next is an AC42 matching including magazine (I believe they stopped numbering mags in the E block)
milsurps%20jan2010%20004.JPG

milsurps%20jan2010%20005.JPG


And my favorite, a CYQ Spreewerke in the Z block, manufactured in occupied Czechoslovakia in February of 1945. Russians were likely pounding on the door at the time:)
milsurps%20jan2010%20006.JPG
 
Thanks, I feel the same way. Once in a while you can find with the German holsters a name or a feldpost number. This can be traced back to what action, if any, the unit saw.
Please let us know what you decided, and post when you have her! :)

tntcan said:
Sweet examples Joe! I love the historic touch behind firearms, especially if you can find out who owned them and when!
Click to expand...
 
I once owned a regimentally marked DWM 1915 Luger which I was able to trace back to the higher German Divisional formation by researching a WW1 enemy order of battle document in the NDHQ Library. I then cross referenced this information in the Canadian Army Official History of WW1 and found when this formation had been in contact with the Canadian Corps. From this I was able to deduce the place and date that this piece was most likely aquired by a Canadian soldier.
 
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