WWII German Walther P.38 P38 P-38 ac-42 ac42 9mm Semi-Auto Pistol, 1942 C&R
SOLD FOR: $1633
LSB#: 210929FW06
Make: Walther
Model: P38
Serial Number: 6771j
Year of Manufacture: 1942
Caliber: 9mm Parabellum
Action Type: Single or Double Action Semi-Auto with Removable Magazine. This pistol has a de-cocker safety.
Markings: The left side of the slide is marked “P.38”, “ac / 42”, and “6771j”, the right is marked with two eagle over “359” waffenamts, one to each side of an eagle clutching swastika proof. The left of the frame is marked “6771 J” and with eagle over “359” waffenamt above the trigger guard. The front face of the barrel assembly is marked “6771 / j”, the left is marked with eagle over “359” waffenamt at the front and with eagle clutching swastika proof at the rear. The left of the locking block is marked with eagle clutching swastika proof and “1”, the bottom with “771 / J” and the right with eagle over “359” waffenamt.
Barrel Length: 5”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a blade dovetailed to a boss at the front of the barrel. The rear sight is a “U”-notch dovetailed to the rear of the slide.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are AEG two-piece serrated panels. The color is a mottled black and dark brown and some areas showing minor chemical erosion as from handling or cleaning solvents. The grips show light handling wear with some scattered scuffing and handling marks. The serrations are well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in about Very Good-plus condition.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is semi-bright with sharp rifling. There is some light erosion in the bore.
Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 85% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at all edges. The balance is mostly in handling wear in the grip areas, the frontstrap shows some minor discoloration from oxidation. There is some scattered minor surface erosion, mostly on the slide flats. The firing pin cover has some minor surface oxidation. There are a few scattered minor nicks and scratches. The action shows operational wear. The screw head is sharp. The markings are generally clear, some are worn, but legible. Overall, this pistol is in Very Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. It has a decocker safety on the left side of the slide. The slide is tight to the frame. We did not fire this pistol. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This pistol comes with a black leather flap holster and a single magazine. The magazine is marked with eagle over “359” on the spine (Walther) and “P.38” on the left, showing operational wear, some scattered minor surface oxidation, intact feed lips and a strong spring. The holster is marked “bml/42”, eagle over “WaA23” and “P.38” on the rear. The holster has scattered wear, some areas worn brown, some minor fraying on the flap’s securing tab, and has intact stitching.
Our Assessment: The P.38 occupies a significant place in history. It was the first locked breech pistol to have a single action/double action trigger. After the start of WWII, Walther could not keep up with the production required, and production was ordered to commence at both Mauser and Spreewerke in 1940. By the end of the war, Walther had only produced about 580,000 of the 1.2 million produced. This is a mid-production Walther model made in 1942. All of the waffenamt marked parts have a Walther “359” marking, and serialized parts all match. This pistol should make for a nice example of a mid-war production P.38 with a shootable bore. No collection of WWII small arms would be complete without a P38 made by each of the three manufacturers, and many collectors have one from each year that they were made by each of the three manufactures, in addition to most of the common variants. This pistol would make a nice addition to a collection, but could also make for a fun shooter. Please see our photos and good luck!