WWII German Spreewerk P38 CYQ 9mm Luger 5” Semi-Auto Pistol, 1944 C&R
SOLD FOR: $1,250.00
LSB#: LSB251028TE001
Make: Spreewerk
Model: P38
Serial Number: 1886s
Year of Manufacture: 1944 (C&R)
Caliber: 9mm Luger
Action Type: Semi-Automatic, Center Fired, Double Action / Single Action, Fed By Detachable Magazines.
Markings: The left side of the frame is marked “P.38 CYQ 1886s”. The left side of the frame is marked “1886 s” and a waffenamt 88. The right side of the frame is marked with two waffenamt88, 58, and a spooky chicken with pin wheel. The front of the frame is marked “1886 / s”. The right side of the barrel extension is marked “Bf”. The left side of the barrel extension is marked “cyq”. The back side of the magazine is marked “WAA706 / jvd”. The serialized parts are matching.
Barrel Length: 5”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a blade dovetailed to the barrel. The rear sight is a U-notch sight dovetailed to the slide.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two piece serrated plastic panels with a cut for a lanyard loop. There are scratches and nicks throughout. The serrations are mostly sharp. The smooth borders have scattered scratches. There are a couple of serrations on both panels that have chipped off. There are no cracks. Overall, the grips are in about Good condition.
Magazine Quantity and Condition: One eight round magazine in about Very Good condition.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Original, Serialized parts matching.
Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp. There is no erosion in the bore. In this writer’s opinion the bore rates 9.5 out of 10.
Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 92% of its metal finish. The balance of the finish shows handling and storage wear. There are scratches, thinning, and oxidization throughout. There is light operational wear. Along the slide there are light nicks. The blue finish on the frame has turned to a patina and thinned along the edges. The screw heads are sharp, the pins are unmarred and the markings are clear and legible. Overall, this pistol rates in about Very Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We have not fired this pistol. As with all used firearms, a cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance needs. The safety also doubles as a decocker.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None.
Our Assessment: This 1944 Spreewerk “cyq” P38 comes from a period when German industrial pressure was immense, yet production had not yet reached the extreme shortages and hurried machining characteristic of the war’s final months. Spreewerk-built pistols from 1944 typically show utilitarian but competent workmanship: simplified finishing, sharper tool marks, and thinner blue compared to early-war production, but still fully functional and mechanically sound. The matching serialized components and intact wartime acceptance stamps—including the WaA88 marks—anchor this pistol firmly within mid-war military manufacture.
Chambered in 9mm Luger, the P38 embodied Germany’s shift toward a modern double-action service pistol—lighter, safer, and more economical to produce than the earlier Luger. The bright bore and sharp rifling described here are consistent with a well-preserved example, and the honest blue wear across the slide and frame aligns with expected aging of mid-war Spreewerk finish. Despite its streamlined wartime production, the pistol retains the distinctive mechanical character and historical identity that make the cyq-marked P38s a compelling reflection of Germany’s evolving ordnance priorities in 1944. Please see our photos and good luck on your bid! -N.P/MA
