WWII German Walther P.38 P38 P-38 ac-44 ac44 9mm Semi-Auto Pistol, 1944 C&R
SOLD FOR: $1255
LSB#: 210423DW10
Make: Walther, the frame was made by Fabrique Nationale in occupied Belgium
Model: P38 ac-44
Serial Number: 1912h
Year of Manufacture: 1944
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”, “1912 h”, and “ac 44”, 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 “1912 h” and with eagle over “140” waffenamt (Fabrique Nationale production) above the trigger guard. The front face of the barrel assembly is marked “1912 / h”, the left is marked with eagle over “359” waffenamt at the front and eagle clutching swastika at the rear. The right of the locking block is marked with eagle over “359” waffenamt, the left with eagle clutching swastika proof, the bottom with “912/ H”. The inside of the right grip panel has “Bob Heater” hand-scribed at the top.
Barrel Length: 5”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a blade dovetailed to a boss at the front of the barrel (marked “4” on the left). The rear sight is a “U”-notch dovetailed to the rear of the slide.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece brown serrated AEG manufactured grips. The grips have light handling wear with only a few scattered minor scuffs and light handling marks. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in about Fine condition.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is bright with sharp rifling. There is no erosion in the bore.
Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 92% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at most edges. There are some scattered light nicks, scuffs and scratches. The action shows light operational wear. The frame’s finish has a plum hue. The markings are clear, most have been filled with a white paint. The screw head is sharp. Overall, this pistol is in about Very Good-Fine 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 in a black leather flap holster with a total of two 8-round magazines. The inside of the holster flap is hand-carved with what appears to be a name and address, but it is not quite legible. The holster has scattered wear, most notable at corners and edges. The stitching is intact, there are no rips or tears. Overall, the holster is in about Good condition. One magazine is marked “P.38v / U” on the left and eagle over “359” on the spine (Walther production). The other magazine is marked with a Walther banner logo over “P38 9mm” on the left with “1005-12-120-0892 9/59” on the spine. The magazines show scattered operational wear, intact feed lips and strong springs, in about Very Good condition.
Our Assessment: The P38 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. The ac-44 pistols were produced in 1944 as the ultimate outcome of the war was becoming apparent, even to the Germans. Tolerances were gradually opened to the maximum which could safely be allowed, some small parts which were previously individually marked by inspectors were now left blank, and the quality of the finish gradually declined during the ac-44 production. This period also saw the introduction of parts production at the occupied Fabrique Nationale factory in Belgium, though only the frames produced there would be assembled by Walther. This example has matching numbers and all the correct markings for a Walther ac44 P.38 assembled on an FN produced frame. The pistol is in about Very Good-Fine condition with about 92% of its finish remaining. The bore is still in great shape and the mechanics are strong. 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, with its scarce FN produced frame is likely to get snapped up by a serious collector of WWII or P38 pistols, but could also make for a fun shooter. Please see our photos and good luck!