WWII German Walther P.38 P-38 ac44 9mm Semi-Automatic Pistol, 1944 C&R
SOLD FOR: $2576
LSB#: 230728JS006
Make: Walther
Model: P.38
Serial Number: 4596e
Year of Manufacture: 1944
Caliber: 9mm Parabellum
Action Type: Single or Double Action Semi-Auto fed by Removable Magazine (no magazine included). This pistol has a de-cocker safety.
Markings: The left side of the slide is marked “P.38?, “4596e” and “ac 44”. The right is marked with two eagle over “135” waffenamts, one to each side of an eagle clutching swastika proof. The left of the frame is marked “4596e” and with eagle over “135” waffenamt above the trigger guard. The front face of the barrel assembly is marked “4596 / e” and the left is marked with eagle over “135” waffenamt at the front and with eagle clutching swastika proof at the rear. The right of the locking block is marked with eagle over “135” waffenamt, the left with eagle clutching swastika proof, the bottom with “596 / e”.
Barrel Length: 5”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a blade dovetailed to a boss at the front of the barrel, marked “4” on the left. The rear sight is a “U”-notch dovetailed to the rear of the slide.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are Polyamide-6 two-piece serrated black synthetic panels. The grips have light handling wear with some nicks and scattered scuffs. There is a notable scratch at the top of the left panel. The serrations are well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in about Fine condition.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is bright with sharp rifling. There is no erosion. On a scale of 1-10, the bore rates about 10/10 as a C&R. 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 until the 1960s.
Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 75% of its metal finish. The frame and slide have a mustard patina appearance. There is some light oxidation on the right sie of the slide. There are some scattered small nicks and scratches with some more notable dings on the right side of the barrel towards the rear. The action shows operational wear. The screw head is tool marked with a strong slot. The markings are clear. Overall, this pistol is in Good condition. (See Mechanics)
Mechanics: The retainer latch plunger is missing, thus not allowing the plunger spring to be installed which causes the latch to fall out when the slide is pulled back. The spring is included separately. The action functions correctly. It has a decocker safety on the left side of the slide. 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 and the retainer latch plunger 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 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-44 pistols were produced in 1944 as the ultimate outcome of the war was becoming apparent, even to the Germans. 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-44 production.
This example has matching numbers and all the correct markings for a Walther ac44 P.38. The pistol is in Good condition with about 75% of its finish remaining. The retainer latch plunger is missing causing the latch to fall out when the slide is open. This piece can be found Here. 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 likely to get snapped up by a serious collector of WWII or P38 pistols, but could also make for a fun shooter. Please see our photos and good luck!
-Greenfield
