What do the markings on a Walther P38 mean?
What do the markings on a Walther P38 mean?
The P38 was developed by Carl Walther in 1938. In 1940 the walther banner was replaced by a secret code to indicate the manufacturer. The Germans were afraid that markings like the Walther banner would make it quit easy for the allies to determine the weapon production sites and bomb them.
Where are the serial numbers on a Walther P38?
The Walther banner and P38 model indication are stamped on the left side of the slide with the serial number next to it.
What year was my P38 made?
More than 1,200,000 Walther P38 pistols were made between 1940 and 1945. After the war, the French captured machines and parts of the Walther P38 pistols; kept as war reparations, the French firm Manurhin manufactured these pistols between Jun 1945 and 1946.
Is the Walther P38 reliable?
Like the 1911, the P38 was quite popular with troops so armed. It was much more reliable and rugged than the P08. Trouble was, however, production could not keep up with demand. Germany even resorted to getting Mauser—the manufacturer of the P08—and Spreewerk GmbH of Berlin to help produce the popular pistol.
Who made my P38?
Carl Walther GmbH
The Walther P38 (originally written Walther P.38) is a 9 mm semi-automatic pistol that was developed by Carl Walther GmbH as the service pistol of the Wehrmacht at the beginning of World War II. It was intended to replace the costly Luger P08, the production of which was scheduled to end in 1942.
How many Luger pistols were made?
| Luger pistol | |
|---|---|
| Produced | 1900–1943 |
| No. built | 3,000,000 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 871 g (1 lb 15 oz) |
Is a P38 a Luger?
The Walther P38 (originally written Walther P. 38) is a 9 mm semi-automatic pistol that was developed by Carl Walther GmbH as the service pistol of the Wehrmacht at the beginning of World War II. It was intended to replace the costly Luger P08, the production of which was scheduled to end in 1942.
Do they still make P38 pistols?
The last commercial P38 pistol was manufactured in the year 2000. Technical Description: The Walther P38 is a short-recoil operated, locked-breech pistol.
Are P38 still made?
This one had a lighter aluminum frame and was nominated as the Pistole 1, or P1 for short. Commercial pistols were still manufactured under the original P38 designation….More videos on YouTube.
| Walther P38, P1 | Walther P4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Barrel length | 125 mm | 104 mm |
| Magazine capacity | 8 rounds |
What was the secret code for the P38 pistol?
The secret Mauser code byf was replaced in 1945 by the code SVW. In april 1945 the Allied forces captured the Mauser factory and became under control of the French. the French used the factory to produce P38 pistols for their own use and they kept using the SVW acceptance code till mid 1946.
Who was the manufacturer of the p38 rifle?
P38 Manufacturers. The P38 was developed by Carl Walther in 1938. The first weapons produced for the German army were marked with the walther banner on the slide.
What was the inspection stamp on the Mauser p38?
After approval the weapons were stamped with an inspection stamp (Waffenamt). The Walther inspection stamp consisted of an eagle above the number 359 ( E/359 ). The increasing demand of P38 pistols resulted in two more manufacturers in 1942, Mauser and Spreewerk.
When did the Swedish army start using the p38?
Around 1500 Walther HP pistols (serial number range 1000-2500) were exported to Sweden in 1939-40 to be used by the Swedish army under the name m/39. The grips of the Swedish m/39 have round loopholes for the lanyard and are checkered. The 0-Series was the first official P38 variation issued to the German army.