German Police Mauser P.38 P38 P-38 byf44 9mm Semi-Automatic Pistol 1944 C&R
SOLD FOR: $2050
LSB#: 210928JM03
Make: Mauser
Model: P.38, Police Issue
Serial Number: 3478
Year of Manufacture: 1944
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”, “byf / 44”, eagle over “N” and “3478”. The left side of frame is marked “3478” and with an “Eagle / WaA135” Waffenamt. (The 135 Waffenamt was the code for Mauserwerke Oberndorf used from 1941-1945). The right side of the slide is marked with “Eagle / WaA135” Waffenamt and with an Eagle holding a circled “X” next to “L”. The left of the barrel is marked with an “Eagle / WaA135” Waffenamt and eagle over “N” at the front, the front barrel flat is marked “3478”. The bottom of the barrel stop is marked “478” and “2”. The left side of the lug on the bottom of the barrel stop is marked with an Eagle over “N” and the right side is marked with an “Eagle / WaA135” Waffenamt (upside down).
Barrel Length: 5”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a blade dovetailed to a boss at the muzzle (marked “-” 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 serrated Julius Posselt panels. Posselt grips are associated with Spreewerke production, it is not clear if different grips were used for Mauser Police issued P.38s. The grips have light handling wear, with some scattered light nicks and scuffs. 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: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is bright with sharp rifling. There is no erosion in the bore.
Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 94% of its metal finish. The finish is lightly thinning at some edges, most notable at the leading edges. There is light handling wear in the grip areas. There are some scattered light nicks and scratches. The action shows minor operational wear. The screw head is sharp. The markings are mostly clear, some of the inspection marks are poorly struck. Overall, this pistol is in Fine condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The double action trigger pull is smooth, the single action pull has a smooth takeup followed by a crisp break. The slide has minor 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 magazine. The magazine has minor operational wear, intact feed lips and a strong spring.
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 rate required, and production was ordered to commence at both Mauser and Spreewerke in 1940. Mauser was busy building Lugers at the time, and their conversion to P38s took quite a while, possibly because they didn’t want to make the P38 in the first place. Production didn’t really get started until October of 1942, and completed pistols were not assembled until early 1943. This P38 pistol is a Mauser byf-44, and is a scarce example of a P.38 made for issue to German Police forces. While it retains WaA135 waffenamts and the byf code to indicate its production by Mauser, it also has Police proof and acceptance marks. The Police issued pistols were produced in their own serial range and lack the letter suffixes seen on most of the pistols produced for the Wehrmacht. It has the correct markings, matching serial numbers, and about 94% of its original finish remaining. The bore is still great and the mechanics are strong. This is a great example of a Police issued byf44 series P.38 pistol and with the scarcity of these pistols, it will make a wonderful addition to a collection. Please see our photos and good luck!