WWII German Spreewerke cvq P.38 P-38 P38 9mm Semi-Auto Pistol, 1943-44 C&R
SOLD FOR: $1300
LSB#: 210616KB02
Make: Spreewerke
Model: P38 cvq Series, 1st Alphabet Run,2nd Variation
Serial Number: 7274n
Year of Manufacture: Late 1943- Early 1944 (See Pg. 138, Vol. 2, “The P.38 Pistol” by Buxton)
Caliber: 9mm Parabellum
Action Type: Single or Double Action Semi-Auto with Removable Magazine. This pistol has a de-cocker lever.
Markings: The left side of the slide is marked “P.38”, “cvq” and “7274n”. The left side of the frame is marked “7274n” and an “Eagle / 88” Waffenamt. The left barrel flat is marked with an “Eagle / 88” and “cyq”. The front barrel flat is marked “7274 / n”. The right barrel flat is marked “B” and “c”. The bottom of the locking block is marked “274 / n”, the right side is marked with an “Eagle / 88” and the left side is marked with an Eagle clutching Swastika. The left rear of the barrel is also marked with a poorly-struck Eagle clutching Swastika. The right side of the slide is marked with two “Eagle / 88” Waffenamts, with an Eagle clutching Swastika in the center. The left of the frame is marked “107” at the top under the grip panel.
Barrel Length: 5”
Sights / Optics: The pistol is mounted with a flat topped “U” notched rear sight dovetailed into the slide and a blade front sight dovetailed into a band on the front of the barrel.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are serrated Posselt production panels. The grips have some a few scattered light nicks and scratches. The serrations are well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Fine condition.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore has bright lands and mostly bright grooves. The rifling is sharp. There are some scattered spots of erosion in the grooves, mostly along the edges of the rifling.
Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 85% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at most edges. Most of the balance is handling wear in the grip straps with. There is some scattered minor surface oxidation. There are some scattered light nicks, scuffs and scratches, mostly blending well with the slightly rough late-war finish. The screw head is tool marked with a strong slot. The markings range from clear to poorly struck (common with Spreewerke production in this serial range). Overall, this pistol is in Very Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. It has a decocker safety at the left rear of the slide. 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 marked “P.38v” on the left. The magazine has a plum hue to its finish, light operational wear, intact feed lips and a strong spring, in about Very Good condition.
Our Assessment: Walther’s 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 finally started in 1942 at Mauser and Spreewerke. During the war, the German code for Spreewerke changed from cyq to cvq, and this has sparked much discussion as to whether not there was actually a code change or if the stamp was just worn out, and the tail of the “y” no longer present. This pistol was made in late 1943 or early 1944, as the Allies were pushing the German Wehrmacht back in Italy, the Soviets were approaching the Romanian border, and preparations were underway for D-Day. It shows the typical late-war finish on the metal, with non-bearing surfaces showing tool marks and rough polish. The serial numbered parts are all matching with proper inspection marks. The pistol is in Very Good condition with about 85% of its metal finish remaining. The bore is mostly bright with sharp rifling. This is a very nice find for the P38 collector, and would make a great addition to any collection of WWII P38s. Please see our photos and good luck!