WW2 German Walther P38 P-38 5” SA/DA Semi-Automatic Pistol ac 1944 C&R
SOLD FOR: $1,026.00
LSB#: LSB250523DH017
Make: Walther
Model: P38
Serial Number: 5263i
Year of Manufacture: 1944
Caliber: 9x19mm (9mm Luger)
Action Type: Single or double action semi-auto with removable magazine. This pistol has a decocker lever.
Markings: The left side of the slide is marked “P.38”, “ac 44”, “5263i”. The safety lever-well is marked “S” and “F”. The right side of the slide is marked with a reichsadler and a “359” WaffenAmt. The barrel assembly face is marked “5253 / i”. The left side is marked with a “359” WaffenAmt. The bottom of the bolt is marked with a “263i”. The left side of one of the magazines is marked “P.38”. The spine of the other magazine is marked with a “706” WaffenAmt and “jvd”. The interiors of the grip panels are marked PA 1528 in a circle.
Barrel Length: 5”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a blade dovetailed into a barrel mounted base. The rear sight is a u-notch blade set into the top of the slide.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are serrated brown plastic that enclose the backstrap. The left grip has a lanyard ring protruding through it from the grip frame. There are light scuffs and scratches throughout. The grips rate in about Very Good overall condition.
Magazine Quantity & Condition: 2 8-round magazines in Good Condition.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: Refinished
Bore Condition: The bore is semi-bright and the rifling is defined. There is moderate erosion in the bore.
In this writer’s opinion, this bore rates 6 out of 10.
Many military and C&R eligible weapons have bores that will show erosion. This is not only due to age but to the fact that corrosive primers were commonly used in ammunition worldwide. For example, the U.S. used corrosive ammunition throughout WWII. The U.S. military did not begin to phase out corrosive-primed ammunition until the 1950s.
Overall Condition: This handgun retains about 25% of its metal finish. There are light scuffs and scratches throughout the metal surfaces. There is heavier wear and scattered erosion on the outside surfaces, some of which has been treated with cold blue. The magazine bodies have areas of scratches and finish loss along the sides. The screw heads show light use. The markings are mostly clear, though some of the smaller ones are blurry from the refinish. Overall, this handgun rates in about Very Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this handgun. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This handgun comes with 2 8-round magazines and a black leather holster marked “P38”, “bla 1944”, and with a WaffenAmt 159.
Our Assessment: The Walther P38 was developed during the interwar period as a cheaper to produce alternative to the Luger P08 pistol. The P38, which was the first locked-breech pistol to use a double-action/single-action (DA/SA) trigger, introduced a number of design features that have continued to be use on more modern handguns. During the Second World War, the P38 was built by Walther, Mauser, and Spreewerk.
The P38 was produced from 1939 to 1945 and again by Walther after 1957 for the West German military. It served there until 2004 — meaning it had a 65 year military service life! Some models served the French armed forces after the war. An improved version, called the P4, was produced in the late 1970s.
This example was originally built by Walther in 1944, the “ac” being the wartime production code for the Walther factory in Thuringia. Interestingly, one of the magazines has a 706 waffenamt and jvg, meaning it was made in occupied Sudetenland.
The blueing that this example retains appears to be original, with cold blue having been applied and worn off. The grips are AEG and appear to be original. The bore has a fair amount of erosion in the lands, but it should still be an effective shooter. A lot of the original markings are still present, with some of the smaller WaffenAmts and reichsadlers being blurry around the edges from the refinish. This would be a good addition to any German or Second World War collection. Please see our photos. -C.B.
