Correct Matching FN Frame Walther P.38 ac45 9mm Semi-Auto Pistol, 1945 C&R
SOLD FOR: $1,450.00
LSB#: LSB251205MB015
Make: Walther, frame made by Fabrique Nationale under German occupation.
Model: P.38
Serial Number: 1747c
Year of Manufacture: 1945
Caliber: 9mm Parabellum
Action Type: Single or Double Action Semi-Auto fed by Removable Magazine. This pistol has a de-cocker safety.
Barrel Length: 5”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a blade dovetailed to a boss at the front of the barrel, marked “3” on the left. The rear sight is a “U”-notch dovetailed to the rear of the slide.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are Walther 2nd Variation two-piece serrated synthetic panels. The grips have minor handling wear with a few scuffs and handling marks. The serrations are well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Fine-plus condition.
Type of Finish: Blue, some Phosphate parts.
Finish Originality: Original, numbers match.
Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright with sharp rifling. There is no erosion in the bore, just a little stubborn fouling. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates 9/10.
Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 95% of its metal finish. The finish is generally strong throughout with thinning at some edges. There are some scattered minor nicks and small scratches. The action shows light operational wear. The screw head is lightly tool marked with a strong slot. The markings are clear. Overall, this pistol is in Fine condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. It has a decocker safety on the left side of the slide. The slide has light play 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 late-war P.38/U magazine, jvd marked on the left and eagle/359 marked on the spine.
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-45 pistols were produced in 1945 as the walls were closing in on Germany as a whole, and eventually on the Walther factory itself. 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-45 production. Parts were simplified with no serrations on the slide stop, coarse grooves on the hammer, and a mix of blued and phosphate finished parts.
This example has matching numbers and all the correct markings for a Walther ac45 P.38. It comes from the c-serial block, one of the few which is known to have been assembled with frames produced in Belgium at the occupied Fabrique National factory. For the dedicated P.38 collector, this is a real treat. In addition to being an all-matching “nonstandard issue” pistol, due to the lack of some waffenamt inspection marks, and its scarce FN frame, it has correct 2nd Variation Walther grip panels and comes with a correct late-war P38U magazine. It doesn’t hurt that the pistol is in Fine condition, retaining the vast majority of its original finish and a strong 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 is a wonderful example of one of the more desirable variants, sure to take a prized place in even an advanced collection. Please see our photos and good luck!
-Bud