German WWII Walther P.38 P38 AC-42 AC42 9mm Semi-Automatic Pistol, 1942 C&R
SOLD FOR: $1262
LSB#: 220504CR006
Make: Walther
Model: P38
Serial Number: 8602b
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 “8602b”, 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 “8602 b” and with eagle over “359” waffenamt above the trigger guard. The front face of the barrel assembly is marked “8602 / b”, the left is marked with eagle over “359” waffenamt at the front and with eagle clutching swastika proof at the rear, the right is marked “B” in circle and “31”. The left of the locking block is marked with eagle clutching swastika proof and “3”, the bottom with “602 / b” and the right with eagle over “359” waffenamt. There are eagle over “359” waffenamts on the slide stop and sear arm.
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 brown and some areas showing minor chemical erosion as from handling or cleaning solvents. The grips show minor handling wear with some scattered light scuffing and handling marks. The serrations are well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Very Good condition.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Most finish appears Original, we believe that the barrel is refinished and force-matched to the gun.
Bore Condition: The bore is gray with well defined rifling. There is scattered light erosion in the bore.
Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 90% of its current metal finish. The finish is thinning at all edges. There is some scattered light finish wear, mostly on the barrel and in the grip areas. There are a few scattered light nicks and scratches. The action shows operational wear. The screw head is sharp. The markings are clear. 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 single 8-round magazine. The magazine is marked “P.38v” on the left and with an eagle over “135” waffenamt on the spine. The magazine body shows light operational wear, the feed lips are intact and the spring is strong.
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, though we suspect that the barrel has been force-matched to the pistol. The great majority of its blue finish remains and the markings are still in good shape. This pistol should make for a good example of a mid-war production P.38 with a fair 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!