WWII German Walther P.38 P38 P-38 ac-42 ac42 9mm Semi-Auto Pistol, 1942 C&R
SOLD FOR: $1077.69
LSB#: 210925DA09
Make: Walther
Model: P38
Serial Number: 8616k
Year of Manufacture: 1942
Caliber: 9mm Parabellum
Action Type: Single or Double Action Semi-Auto with Removable Magazine. This pistol has a de-cocker safety.
Markings: The left side of the slide is marked “P.38”, “ac / 42”, and “8616k”, the right is marked with two eagle over “359” waffenamts, one to each side of an eagle clutching swastika proof. The left of the frame is marked “8616 k” and with eagle over “359” waffenamt above the trigger guard. The front face of the barrel assembly is marked “8616 / k”, the left is marked with eagle over “359” waffenamt at the front and with eagle clutching swastika proof at the rear. The left of the locking block is marked with eagle clutching swastika proof and “52”, the bottom with “616 / K” and the right with eagle over “359” waffenamt.
Barrel Length: 5”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a blade dovetailed to a boss at the front of the barrel. The rear sight is a “U”-notch dovetailed to the rear of the slide.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are AEG two-piece serrated panels. The color is a mottled black and dark brown and some areas showing minor chemical erosion as from handling or cleaning solvents. The grips show handling wear with some scattered scuffing and handling marks. There is some more notable wear in the right panel’s serrations toward the bottom. The serrations are otherwise well defined. There is a small crack at the front edge of the lanyard ring slot on the left panel. Overall, the grips are in Good-Very Good condition.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Refinished
Bore Condition: The bore is gray with well defined rifling. There is scattered light erosion and pitting in the bore.
Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 96% of its current metal finish. The new finish is generally strong throughout. There is thinning finish on the left slide flat. The action shows light operational wear. There is some scattered surface erosion under the finish. Some areas show a plum hue, most notable at the bottom of the frontstrap, on the safety lever, hammer and trigger bar. There are a few other scattered minor marks. The screw head is tool marked with a strong slot. The markings are generally clear, some are worn, but legible. Overall, this pistol is in Very Good condition as refinished.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. It has a decocker safety on the left side of the slide. The slide is tight 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 magazine and a certificate for captured enemy items dated 7 June, 1945 including a P.38 German Pistol, one 7.65mm pistol, one 6.35mm pistol and two cameras. The certificate states that the items were in the possession of Staff Sergeant Arthur Hauschild and was certified by what appears to be a Major Jensen. The certificate does not list any serial numbers. The magazine is marked “P.38v” on the left and with an eagle over “359” waffenamt on the spine. The magazine body shows light operational wear, some scattered minor surface oxidation and is bowed out slightly at the bottom of the spine. The floorplate is notably dented in along its length. The feed lips are intact and the spring is strong.
Our Assessment: The P.38 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. This is a mid-production Walther model made in 1942. All of the waffenamt marked parts have a Walther “359” marking, and serialized parts all match. The great majority of its new blue finish remains and the markings are still in good shape despite being refinished. This pistol should make for a good example of a mid-war production P.38 with a fair 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 would make a nice addition to a collection, but could also make for a fun shooter. Please see our photos and good luck!