Walther P38 / P1 9mm Pistol Review

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  • Опубліковано 6 вер 2024
  • Fun Gun Reviews Presents: Walther P38 / P1 9mm Pistol Review. Taking the tried and true Walther design and looking at the history and shoot-a-bility of this classic firearm. Imported by Century Arms.
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КОМЕНТАРІ • 765

  • @duartesimoes508
    @duartesimoes508 3 роки тому +13

    I carried an identical one when serving in the Portuguese Army in the eighties. It sure felt good to pack it when you were alone on guard duty in the middle of the night. I'm lucky to own a P-38 nowadays, but it is - has to be - 22LR. Mine was manufactured in 1974. I absolutely love this pistol!
    Presently, both the Portuguese Armed Forces and National Republican Guard have changed their P-38s and Hi-Powers for the Glock 17 and 19. I always wondered where all these thousands of P-38s went...

  • @deanwolstenholme6991
    @deanwolstenholme6991 3 роки тому +46

    My dad used to have one. Great gun. In South Africa, the SAPS used it when they first moved from the .38 revolvers. Even with better and more updated firearms going into circulation, it has always been one of dads favs.

    • @TheChelcam
      @TheChelcam 6 місяців тому

      You should get one. They are really cheap in sa broe

    • @ItisOKtobewhite
      @ItisOKtobewhite 5 місяців тому +1

      Started at JHB flying squad with te P38 . Great gun, but 8 round magazine was a problem.

  • @korybleu3491
    @korybleu3491 8 років тому +474

    Way better looking than most modern pistols.

    • @korybleu3491
      @korybleu3491 8 років тому +9

      +Jeff Windle That would look awesome, but decrease the effective range.

    • @alexmoore1506
      @alexmoore1506 8 років тому +8

      +Jeff Windle didn't they make a K model that was just that?

    • @sockchanger
      @sockchanger 8 років тому +2

      +Alex Moore
      There is such model, search Walther P38 gestapo model.

    • @grahambird3112
      @grahambird3112 6 років тому +4

      kory bleu Dynanic looking and very simple !

    • @john-plumber-y9y
      @john-plumber-y9y 5 років тому +2

      But not netter shooting :-(

  • @willieckaslike
    @willieckaslike 6 років тому +16

    Although described by an American assessor as a "sheet metal & wire spring wonder" the P38 proved to be one of the most reliable handguns of WW2. Especially on the 'Eastern Front' where climatic conditions showed many weapons as 'not fit for the purpose'! It's relatively simple design made it much cheaper than it's predecessor, (the very complex P08 Parabellum aka Luger) and far more reliable in those terrible conditions. The fact that it is (albeit in modified form) still in production, speaks for itself !

    • @gustavmeyrink_2.0
      @gustavmeyrink_2.0 2 роки тому

      The Luger 08 was very reliable in the muddy trenches of WW1.
      Check out the InRange mud test of it and compared it to the Glock one! I know which gun I'd rather have in muddy conditions...

  • @greyknight05
    @greyknight05 6 років тому +43

    Hi there, all post-war civil pistols were marked P38, all Army or Police pistols were marked P 01.
    They are +P rated, german Army always shot +P ammo as it was similar to the Uzi machinepistol-ammo.
    But +P is a bad idea if you have no steel crossbolt in your aluminum grip, results in heavy wear by the locking block :-(
    Best regards, Björn from Germany, P38-owner;-)

    • @iatelegos1675
      @iatelegos1675 11 місяців тому

      I think you got it mixed up, P38 is ww2 and p01 is post war.

    • @greyknight05
      @greyknight05 11 місяців тому +6

      Nope, the civil post-WW2 variant stayed designates as P38, the police- and army-version was designated as P1. I know that for sure, as I'm serving in the army, being schooled at the old P1 and I own a 1998 Walther P38 as a sportshooter😊👍🏼

    • @SonOfTheDawn515
      @SonOfTheDawn515 4 місяці тому

      ​@@iatelegos1675My father has one made post war marked P-38 as well. Military used designation of P-1. Kind of like army called the Beretta 92SF the M9.

  • @charleslarson3152
    @charleslarson3152 8 років тому +78

    One of the best pistols ever made. If you can find one in good condition you will bring home a work of art.

    • @roberthawthorne6515
      @roberthawthorne6515 4 роки тому +10

      Charles Larson , I have a close friend that wants to sell me his P38 Documented with papers WWII officers pistol with original holster.. not sure what’s it worth..

    • @Noname-mb6xw
      @Noname-mb6xw 3 роки тому

      Все по немецки четко подогноно, щелк, щелк и автомат Хуго Шмайсер изобрел и не надо ляля, до войны советы на клячах ездили, а после все присвоили на халяву, кулибины ,мать вашу

    • @peterguns
      @peterguns Рік тому

      Any opinion about post war version made by French Maruhin ?

    • @borisdrivo7156
      @borisdrivo7156 10 місяців тому +1

      ​@@Noname-mb6xwчто они присвоили, чудик?

    • @Gieszkanne
      @Gieszkanne 5 місяців тому +2

      The US Army was so impressed that after WW2 they also wanted a 9mm DA/SA. S&W developed the 39 for them but then for any reasons the stay with the 1911 untill 1985.

  • @grahambird3112
    @grahambird3112 6 років тому +13

    Had one for 25 years ~ Beautiful, smooth and completely reliable !

  • @natural-born_pilot
    @natural-born_pilot 3 роки тому +9

    Always been my favorite pistol. I love its looks and it’s double action. I have a nice post war Wahlters made in Germany 9/66. Picked mine up in 1971 in a pawn shop for $100 on a layaway plan over 2 mos. I’ve carried it concealed for years and still shoot it. It’s accurate and easy to field strip and clean. It shoots RX HP’s without problem.

  • @marcusmcintire6683
    @marcusmcintire6683 6 років тому +7

    I own the P01 with a manufacturers date 1977. It came with a holster and 2 magazines marked P38. The bluing is 90% plus. Great pistol and accurate.

  • @boarli
    @boarli 5 років тому +30

    Nice video and well explained. The P1 was some years my service pistol. During my helicopter time I had the Walther PPK as service pistol in my shoulder holster. The PPK was only available at the Luftwaffe. Army air crews had the P1 as sidearm. And at the end I had the HK P8. Now I still have privately a P1 with wooden grips. By the way ULM is a very nice old town at the river Donau. Therefore ULM/Do. ;) Ulm has a long tradition for weapon manufacturers. Besides WALTHER also KRIEGHOFF and ANSCHUETZ.

    • @josefstrauss9017
      @josefstrauss9017 5 років тому +5

      boarli Danke für deinen Dienst! Deutsche Soldaten bekommen viel zu wenig Würdigung für das was sie machen. LG 👏🏼

    • @nancybarnes29
      @nancybarnes29 4 роки тому +2

      @@josefstrauss9017 greetings from r.g.wachendorf, farmer, usa wish i could visit ulm, good luck getting through present troubles, i collect j.p.sauer shot guns 1900-1933, carried p-38 no. 2703-p byf as young man, god bless

    • @josefstrauss9017
      @josefstrauss9017 4 роки тому +1

      @@nancybarnes29 god bless you sir

    • @MybeautifulandamazingPrincess
      @MybeautifulandamazingPrincess 3 роки тому +1

      The USP is a great and great looking gun, I have one myself a 9mm compact

  • @001alien.
    @001alien. 7 місяців тому +2

    Oh my god, how beautiful this pistol is, it is truly one of the most beautiful pistols I have ever seen

  • @si_vis_pacempara_bellum4906
    @si_vis_pacempara_bellum4906 8 років тому +98

    I wish Walther can put a remade version of it. Keep everything the same. I'm not a collector, I buy guns to shoot. And I don't wanna destroy a piece of history.. I wanna a new one, and shoot it until it dies..

    • @Gieszkanne
      @Gieszkanne 7 років тому +5

      The P1 were build untill 2004, so they are not realy a piece of history. The version of sootch is also just thrown together of differnt guns!

    • @Uwe040
      @Uwe040 6 років тому +10

      In Germany you can get them for 200€ bucks, meaning there are enough of them for you to abuse one ;)

    • @thomasboss4046
      @thomasboss4046 4 роки тому +1

      @@Uwe040 no you can't

    • @Uwe040
      @Uwe040 4 роки тому +3

      Heinrich Himmler Yes you can. However you would need to go through the official procedures, which increases the price again.

    • @oolooo
      @oolooo 4 роки тому +1

      Which is why people should put me far away from antique firearms .I want a SA Gasser revolver in Smokeless Powder , a Sharps rifle with only one trigger and more .I would probably destroy them .But I want them ..... but I want them preserved perfectly .

  • @Ed-ig7fj
    @Ed-ig7fj 3 роки тому +13

    Great video, great gun. One real advantage to the P-38/P-1 is the ease of racking the slide. The springs are not super stiff, and the safety lever gives you an "ear" to hook your left index finger over for additional grip. My hands are not as strong as they were, and this definitely helps. Berettas have a similar safety location on their M-9 and the PX-4's. All are great.

  • @alpine9996
    @alpine9996 5 років тому +8

    My favorite pistol, ever since Napoleon Solo carries one in “The Man From Uncle” when I was a young boy.

  • @yuribartieniev8364
    @yuribartieniev8364 8 років тому +7

    The Soviet military counter intelligence department aka SMERSH during WW2 loved Walther P38. They loved it because of the double action. They also loved Tokarev pistol for their power, also they loved the Nagant 1895 for it's reliability. You can check out the book called "The Moment of Truth" by Bogomolov. The book is about the SMERSH. The setting takes place in August 1944 and it narrates about the work of the small counterintelligence unit, trying to capture the spies. Great video. Long live the Republic. Amen.

  • @anvior45
    @anvior45 5 років тому +6

    I love the looks of this gun! When i was a kid i had a P-38 toy gun: And when i grew up i finally got a real one. One thing that always puzzles me however is.. Well the Browning Hi-Power was so ahead of the curve. 1935, and 13 or 15 shot magazines+1. So the standard configuration 14 shots of 9mm. In 1935..... I know it was adapted and used to some extent by Aliies, and Axis. But for me the High Power seems almost anachronistic.

  • @billpohlman803
    @billpohlman803 7 років тому +11

    Sootch--Excellent history lesson on this pistol! For info, the German military demanded an open barrel design based on their experiences in the ww1 trenches with the luger.

  • @gewamser
    @gewamser 8 років тому +2

    I have a very rare Walther P4 Manurhin. It was the last German contract gun for a P38 type pistol ever completed. About 500 were made and about 250 were imported here. 10,000 P4' s were made in Germany at Ulm, but only 500 in France. This is significant because the P4M was quite different than the German model. The P4M has a polished deep blue slide, a bobbed hammer, a hammer drop safety only, heavier slide and heavier alloy frame, no loaded chamber indicator, a SOLID slide with no dust cover, 4" bbl...different sights, different proof marks. Shoots beautiful...and the P5 is close. Wish I could send a picture.

    • @Desperado3248
      @Desperado3248 6 років тому

      George Wamser I have one of the German P4 pistols. Nice

  • @Michelle_1805
    @Michelle_1805 3 роки тому +2

    Thank you very much for your video. As a woman I chose german Walther P1 as my personal handgun Nr. 1. After comparing it with another actual modern pistols, this was the best option for me even though there are many other great and accurate pistols with lots of advantages in the market.

  • @davidgeyer1929
    @davidgeyer1929 8 років тому +19

    Great video, as usual. One minor correction, however. You said that the rear sight is driftable for windage. It is not. If you look closely, you will see that the rear sight is in a square slot, not a dovetail. In detail striping the slide, when you remove the dust cover (usually the first step), the rear sight pops off and you can see that it is locked to the firing pin retaining pin. Trying to drift it would surely damage something. If you want to correct windage, you drift the front sight. Other than that, spot on!

  • @jackdaniel.2546
    @jackdaniel.2546 4 роки тому +1

    I have a P1 made in 82. My first pistol. $300.00 years in perfect shape. Great shooter great design.

  • @gate01965
    @gate01965 3 роки тому +5

    This gun was used by the main promoter in Japanese animation. Its name is Lupine III.

  • @Mrgunsngear
    @Mrgunsngear 8 років тому +133

    The P38s really are some sweet shooters!

    • @frenchfan3368
      @frenchfan3368 6 років тому +5

      The P38 and P1 are two different pistols. Yes, they are very similar but the P1 should not be referred to as a "P38."

    •  5 років тому +1

      P01, not P1

    • @thomasbleming678
      @thomasbleming678 5 років тому +4

      Mrgunsngear Channel I own a original P38 pistol. It was manufactured in 1943 and it is in very good condition.

    • @stefanfreestylez
      @stefanfreestylez 5 років тому +3

      @@thomasbleming678 dam thats cool. My gramps had one for a long time. Got rid of it a while back sadly :^/ i wouldnt have minded takin it off his hands :D ahah

    • @slojogojo2766
      @slojogojo2766 4 роки тому

      john brandenburg
      And German tanks were prone to breakdowns and were over engineered!

  • @NewsNowHouston
    @NewsNowHouston 8 років тому +185

    Beretta 92 series is modified copy of the Walther.Its no secret.

    • @AZ70s
      @AZ70s 8 років тому +7

      true ,same system

    • @nindger4270
      @nindger4270 7 років тому +17

      Yep the falling block system is the same, although the open slide design (mentioned around 9:00) in the P38 and the Beretta are completely unrelated. The Berettas already had that back in 1915. In the development of the P38 the forward bridge above the barrel wasn't there initially, it was added because the barrels kept jumping off their guide rails in the frame in early development.

    • @user-ch7ow6wz9r
      @user-ch7ow6wz9r 6 років тому +2

      News Now Houston كم سعره رجاء

    • @pedrotome9119
      @pedrotome9119 6 років тому +3

      Yes!! You're RIGHT!!

    • @neutronalchemist3241
      @neutronalchemist3241 6 років тому +9

      Only the locking block is similar. A bit too little to talk of "modified copy".

  • @kai_thamm
    @kai_thamm 8 років тому +6

    Oh jes my old grandpa has brought one from the war. Greetings from south germany

  • @LightningZetton
    @LightningZetton 3 роки тому +18

    DIE AUTOBOTS!
    ~ Megatron 1986

  • @tiredlawdog
    @tiredlawdog 5 років тому +3

    I really like your presentations, no laughing and giggling like I've seen on other sites. Just the facts, and some shooting.

  • @mrnickbig1
    @mrnickbig1 8 років тому +81

    I always thought it was ironic that the rest of the world adopted Browning based designs, while the U.S. got rid of the 1911 and adopted a modified Walther P-38.

    •  5 років тому +7

      The P38 design is superior to the Browning design because the barrel does not tilt.

    • @231mac
      @231mac 5 років тому +5

      Yeah, I dunno about that. Beretta had the open slide design WAY before Walther and have you seen the Glisenti Model 1910? Gee, I wonder where Walther might have gotten some design cues from. Hmmmm....

    • @dannysees
      @dannysees 5 років тому +13

      @@231mac It's about the action, not the open slide. DA/SA with decocker and the locking block were copied, even the grip shape...all put into the 92. Slimmer, longer slide and a double stack mag were the main Beretta advancements.

    • @MybeautifulandamazingPrincess
      @MybeautifulandamazingPrincess 3 роки тому

      The rest of the world adopted browning based designs? The only browning designed FN pistol that was largely adopted was the Hi power, and that's been decades ago, all militaries now use either Glock, Sig, or some domestic design or soviet era design in case of Eastern European countries. Poland with viz radom and Czech republic with CZ

    • @mrnickbig1
      @mrnickbig1 3 роки тому

      @@MybeautifulandamazingPrincess , are you really this ignorant? The Glocks, most Sigs, Radoms, Tokarevs, et cetera, use the Browning tilting barrel lockup! The only difference is that some use the Peters modified design where the barrel locks into an oversized ejection port, instead of using ribs.

  • @cultofmalgus1310
    @cultofmalgus1310 8 років тому +7

    A lot of people will tell you the 9mm fmj is a junk round. I agree that it is nowhere near optimal but it was a Walther P38 loaded with 9mm that saved my grandfather as he escaped with one from captivity as a POW. He took out 3 axis soldiers with this firearm as he fought his way out of an attempted capture.

    • @maxshby8136
      @maxshby8136 7 років тому

      NERD IT UP did he win any medals?

    • @cultofmalgus1310
      @cultofmalgus1310 7 років тому +1

      maxy waxy not sure since he was fighting for Italy and not the Allies.

    • @maxshby8136
      @maxshby8136 7 років тому

      NERD IT UP for the revoluction

    • @mutschel1
      @mutschel1 5 років тому

      bull..........

  • @RabbitusMaximus
    @RabbitusMaximus 6 років тому +9

    Good video but one comment that could cause Someone to ruin their gun. Rear sight is NOT drift adjustable. It sits in a recess, not a dovetail. ALL adjustments are via front sight. Removing top cover will show you this in a detail strip. Don’t try drifting the rear...you’ll just break the pistol.

  • @sandman1242
    @sandman1242 5 років тому +9

    There was 2 Luger P08 that was made for the 45 ACP cartridge. one was destroyed in military testing and the other is out there somewhere, it would be priceless!!!!

  • @jmfa57
    @jmfa57 5 років тому

    I managed to get one exactly like this back in the late 1980s, a German police trade-in, complete with nice box, manual in English, holster and extra magazine for $199. Mine shoots way low also, so like you, I filed down the front site. One day at the range it flew apart; the extractor and a tiny spring flew off the gun. I was fortunate enough to recover all the pieces and reassemble, haven't shot it much since. My late dad was a WWII vet who had a chance to buy a captured P38 from a buddy for $15, but didn't, a choice he regretted all his life. I enjoyed letting him shoot mine.

  • @epramos6800
    @epramos6800 8 років тому +6

    Great SHTF pistol. I bought two of them five years ago and they were brand new old stock from WWII captured by the old USSR and sold in US.

    • @StanwoodSpartans
      @StanwoodSpartans 6 років тому +1

      E P Ramos how the hell did you find those?

    •  5 років тому

      About 15 years ago there was an importer that would bring dozens of the "gray ghost" P38s to the Dallas area gun shows. I should have bought one then ...... The gray ghost was made late in the war and was so named because the frames were plated / treated with zinc rather than blued. The barrel was still blued.

    • @manfredrichthofen2494
      @manfredrichthofen2494 5 років тому +1

      In a news at U-TUBE last January 2019, the Russian Government have decided to melt the German weapons they have captured at The Siege of Stalingrad in1944!
      Lugers,Walthers, FG-42s..MP-40s..STg-44s..etc, ALL!
      The melted weapons will be made into steps for a Cathedral!!!

  • @GrOuNdZeRo7777
    @GrOuNdZeRo7777 8 років тому +2

    I bought my wife a post war P38 for her birthday, Luck had it we found a VERY reasonably priced post war P38, What makes it more interesting was the fact it is actually most definitely a veteran bring back since it had no import markings whatsoever! From the research I did I found out it was a pre-P1 manufacture but it did come with the post-war aluminum slide...It had some heavy wear so it was either carried a lot or perhaps it was taken from Germany (were the soldier was likely stationed) to Vietnam where the soldier carried it as his personal backup firearm (I can dream) Either way a really cool piece of history and a prized possession of my wife who loves WW2 era firearms especially Nazi firearms...

  • @rmblwgn
    @rmblwgn 4 роки тому

    I found 2 wwii p38's, a winchester 1886 in 33 wcf and a winchester 1890 in my fathers attic when I was 18. It blew me away that growing up we had all theses guns. When I asked him he acted like it was no big deal and he wanted me to be grown when he showed me them. They are now a prized heirloom. I'm so sad though that the 1886 is in an obsolete caliber(.33 win) because it truly is a fantastic brush gun. Its 45-70 necked down to .338. I have 2 1950's boxes of ammo that came with it that I don't dare shoot as they are valuable. One thing I did luck out on however is that the winchester 1890 is chambered in 22lr the most desirable out of the 3 other rimfire possibilities

  • @TheWabbitSeason
    @TheWabbitSeason 8 років тому +37

    Megatron looks pretty sweet in his 80s design.

  • @SkinnyMedic
    @SkinnyMedic 8 років тому +48

    Now that is a cool pistol!

    • @richz650
      @richz650 8 років тому +1

      Why do they call you "skinny" medic?

    • @SkinnyMedic
      @SkinnyMedic 8 років тому +4

      Have you watched my videos? ;-) I am not on the heavy side.

    • @sootch00
      @sootch00  8 років тому +3

      +SkinnyMedic Wait til you hit 40! Lol!

  • @NudeJawn
    @NudeJawn 8 років тому +7

    Bought two in 2007 for $ 225 They shoot great. No jams ever.

    •  5 років тому +2

      Damn! Best I've seen for new is $1,000.

    • @enforcerstarwolf5792
      @enforcerstarwolf5792 5 років тому +1

      Probably bout p1 which are cold war variations best way to tell if its m48 or p1 is the material the frame is made of

  • @lib556
    @lib556 3 роки тому

    I bought mine in the late 80s in Germany from a fellow soldier. It's a P1 just like the one shown only the original Walther slide had cracked and was replaced by a Manurin one. I had exactly the same issue with the lower groups and manually filled the front sight down. Shoots nicely now.

  • @jmyersv1
    @jmyersv1 8 років тому +26

    Id kind of like to see a remade p38, double stack, and improved

    • @cattledog901
      @cattledog901 8 років тому +36

      yeah its called the beretta m9

    • @jmyersv1
      @jmyersv1 8 років тому

      +THEKINGOFMETROPOLIS pretty much except the barrel is a bit longer.

    • @ScuffedEngineer
      @ScuffedEngineer 8 років тому

      +Josh Myers The barrel is the same length...

    • @jmyersv1
      @jmyersv1 8 років тому +1

      Shadow I'll be damned.

    • @werre2
      @werre2 8 років тому

      M9 does one thing worse then P.38, the locking block is visible from above when slide is in battery. In Walther it's completely covered.

  • @joseziami7461
    @joseziami7461 3 роки тому +3

    Me encanta esta P 38 walther, de lo mejor en calibre 9mm!!!

  • @davebuck2494
    @davebuck2494 3 роки тому

    About 10 years ago the Germans were selling brand new 1970s production P01s, in vacuum sealed original bags. I managed to get one, a 1978 made one, and loved it. It wasn't that long ago tgat Walther dropped them from their catalogue.

  • @shanelen
    @shanelen 8 років тому +1

    it really is a gorgeous piece and the quality and craftsmanship is very apparent

  • @Gieszkanne
    @Gieszkanne 5 місяців тому

    The US Army was so impressed that after WW2 they also wanted a 9mm DA/SA pistol. S&W developed the 39 for them but then for any reasons the stay with the 1911 untill 1985. But the Beretta 92 M9 is a kind of modern upgrade of the P38.

  • @pouch2598
    @pouch2598 2 роки тому

    I fired that pistol to qualify for the German Schutzenschner. It was easy to shoot; very intuitive. That was in the 80’s when the German Army used it as their standard sidearm. Most of us Americans had no problems with the pistol. The machine gun, however... that was a whole different animal! They used a version of the MG 42 which fired 1200 rounds per minute. Only a few of us got past that test.

  • @youngchu6504
    @youngchu6504 4 роки тому +5

    Perfect Design & Function!

  • @TheOneTrueAJ
    @TheOneTrueAJ Рік тому +1

    That's a hot gun! You do it justice!

  • @Kysushanz
    @Kysushanz 4 роки тому

    Had two P38/P1 pistols, sold one and kept the other; fantastic to shoot; natural pointing pistol.

  • @robertthomas5906
    @robertthomas5906 4 роки тому +1

    I have a war time P38. Seems it was shot a LOT. It was found discarded and broken during the war. The sear was worn out, so is the front locking block. I had the sear fixed so the hammer wouldn't drop when loading a round. The locking block was fixed by using some axle grease. Otherwise it'll jam BAD. I mean BAD. Even with all that use it still holds as good as group as my other 9mm. Probably better. Make sure they're greased, they'll last a lifetime or so. Same with an M1 rifle, grease is your friend.

  • @larskunoandersen282
    @larskunoandersen282 8 років тому +3

    Don. you are a professional historian. i am a big fan.

  • @ScottfromNP
    @ScottfromNP 8 років тому +2

    Lovely looking classic gun, I have one same as yours but mine is X military, a Walther made 3/60 example.
    I also have a mint BYF 44, AC 42 and a CYQ.

  • @mrfourtysevenman
    @mrfourtysevenman 4 роки тому

    I met a guy at the range who let me try the luger then the walther. Cant say i liked anything about the luger besides the look. Didn't like shooting it. The p38 soon became my favorite handgun after firing it. Easy to handle and accurate. Puts a smile on my face just seeing one

  • @basilbcf
    @basilbcf 6 років тому +1

    Inherited mine from my Dad who was in WWII (Utah Beach and Battle of Bulge). It's a a 1943 made by Mauser (byf code)

  • @eurodog4222
    @eurodog4222 8 років тому +2

    Fair to say the Beretta F92 general design was directly influenced by the P38...

  • @talih3610
    @talih3610 4 роки тому

    In my personal opinion, I think it is the best performance & design pistol of all the pistols developed so far😍

  • @Woodman-jl6kw
    @Woodman-jl6kw 4 роки тому

    I have a P1 pistolet made in France. It’s a great pistol and well balanced.

  • @AtomicSilverDollar
    @AtomicSilverDollar 8 років тому +31

    a classic firearm, also Megatron lol.

  • @regsparkes6507
    @regsparkes6507 8 років тому

    These P38 and P1`s are super pistol.., I was shooting with one about a month ago, and love it. Since then I have found a dealer with the all steel P38`s in stock.
    Maybe tomorrow, I will contact him and have a chat !!!
    Thanks for this review.

  • @Jish1695
    @Jish1695 8 років тому +3

    When I was a kid I thought these were literally one of coolest handguns ever. Still think that haha

  • @Iboo30
    @Iboo30 8 років тому +3

    I handled one, when I was in the Bundeswehr, sadly I didn´t get to shoot it, only shot the H&K P8, I was told though, that some units still use it.
    The Bundeswehr seemed to have a lot of these sitting in the warehouse somewhere, until they sent them to the Peshmerga along with 10.000 G36 rifles and ammo last year...
    Oh and the soldiers I talked to who did shoot it, didn´t like it. They all said it would be more accurate if you disassembled and thrown all the pieces of it at your enemy lol

    • @828enigma6
      @828enigma6 3 роки тому +1

      I suspect it had more to do with the shooter's accuracy. Mine are easily combat accurate.

    • @waltrohrbach2459
      @waltrohrbach2459 3 роки тому

      The P1 was not that much on shooting schedule on the army range, oh we shot plenty, just not the pistol. Used to have the P1 plus UZI aboard IFV Marder as gunner and later commander. Didn't like it either that much, the UZI is the better, more comfortable weapon. So in 1980/81 the P1 was abandoned as personal defense weapon for tankcrews, fine by me. It was not unheard of, that especially on weekends, young officers and NCO committed suicide because of personal problems, with a P1 and they always picked the bathroom..how considerate. Of course the UZI had to go later too because of new CRISAT rules, like being able to penetrate 2mm titanium plus 10 layers of Kevlar body armour, so the HK MP7 was introduced, well, that was past my time.

  • @avflyguy
    @avflyguy Рік тому

    Bought mine in mid 80's at local collectors meet. Has original all leather full cover holster with hard leather pocket for extra clip. He's right _dot the i_ and will be right on the mark. I can't even guess how many rounds have been through this even since I've had it. Definately a conversation starter at the local indoor range. I'm ashamed to say how little I paid for this piece back then.

  • @rogerbeckner6419
    @rogerbeckner6419 5 років тому +1

    I love my 1942 made in the Walther factory, numbers matching , Waffen stamps and just smooth feel and operation.

  • @mrhamburger6936
    @mrhamburger6936 6 років тому +13

    I'm surprised Walter didn't read design the P-38 to 15 round clip

    • @fritshogenboom319
      @fritshogenboom319 6 років тому

      mr hambuger
      .

    • @waldmeister0815
      @waldmeister0815 4 роки тому +2

      @Stefano Pavone I shot it in the german army as a lefty. You get used to the right hand safety and develop your own techniques for shooting right handed guns.

  • @pedrotome9119
    @pedrotome9119 6 років тому +1

    Man!! We STILL have it in many of our Armed Forces here in Portugal!! Still does its job well! And P.B. M-9 family, is not much, than an updated sort of copy! And there's no need to go to College, to figure that out!! A 1937 design presented in 1938, and shooting ever since!! Longer and maybe better, only the 1911s!! ''Old'' does not mean ''useless''!!

    • @moc6897
      @moc6897 5 років тому

      I fully agree! As (nearly) always the Muricans have no clue ... hahaha

  • @juscaws
    @juscaws 2 роки тому

    I have a 1943 walther p38 made by mouser I inherited through my grandpas death it is my prized possession, it only runs steel cased so far without jamming though I don’t shoot it often it means the world to me as a bring back.

  • @fonzieskatesurf
    @fonzieskatesurf 8 місяців тому +1

    I had Megatron for Xmas in the 80s, awesome Walter p-38 gun. Decepticons seemed more cooler than Autobots

  • @tripplewhipper
    @tripplewhipper 8 років тому +1

    I have one myself, haven't been getting the best accuracy out of it, deffinetlly a possibility that the barrel has had a lot of wear but none the less i love it

  • @Sol-abiete
    @Sol-abiete 18 днів тому

    I wish Walther would make a spruced version of this thing like FN did with the Hi-Power.
    Make it double stack, improve its mechanics, etc. But maintain that classic P38 esthetic.

  • @jerepotts2674
    @jerepotts2674 8 років тому +1

    Sweet. ..good review...its cool how the two recoil springs are on the sides like that...

  • @5Ring
    @5Ring 3 роки тому

    The Beretta M9 is basically a combination of the P38 and the Browning High-Power. My Berettas are my favorite pistols. My P01 is their grandpa!

  • @Jokerfan45
    @Jokerfan45 8 років тому +42

    Megatron...

  • @Crylhound
    @Crylhound 8 років тому +2

    For those interested in the german proofmarks ("Beschusszeichen"):
    The eagle with the "N" = normal fire (there is also a "V" for reinforced fire; for ammunition with a higher gas pressure , "PN" for Black Powder and some more marks.)
    The antler represents the location of the proof house, in this case its Ulm in Baden-Württemberg, situated on the River Danube. (the horse is Hannover, the blazon with three crowns is Cologne, the bear is Berlin and the leaf is Kiel)
    Also: Waffenfabrik Ulm / Do. = Weapons factory Donau (Danube)

    • @mauserk98bnz44
      @mauserk98bnz44 8 років тому

      The eagle with N over it I've read is commercial made

  • @danschneider3077
    @danschneider3077 8 років тому

    I have a 6/58 "skinny" slide P38. Great shooter. One myth people always seem to get wrong is that when they see the alloy frame it's automatically a "P1"....that designation didn't come about until 1962. Before then a P38 was a P38

    • @danschneider3077
      @danschneider3077 8 років тому

      1963...my mistake for the P1 designation

    • @XX86
      @XX86 8 років тому

      October 1963 :)
      Pistols with the same alloy frame and lined barrels made for the civilian marked and other armies, was marked with P38 much longer than that.

  • @DenisHauser
    @DenisHauser 8 років тому

    The P1 and the UZI I had often as a service weapon in the armored infantry.

  • @nathansauerbier5011
    @nathansauerbier5011 8 років тому +1

    The Flektarn in the background is a nice touch for a German gun.

    • @moc6897
      @moc6897 5 років тому

      Yes, it is!

  • @mahakaalkalikavatar3449
    @mahakaalkalikavatar3449 2 роки тому +1

    I personally love this gun.

  • @anderss6818
    @anderss6818 9 місяців тому

    The P38 was a great pistol, but the Beretta 1915 had a similar open slide and the Mauser C96 had a tilting block that functioned in a similar way to the block on the P38.

  • @borisveenstra1028
    @borisveenstra1028 2 роки тому

    This is the best video of the P38 on UA-cam !
    Thanks for making it.

  • @Boris_Chang
    @Boris_Chang 6 років тому +2

    Napoleon Solo’s handgun of choice.

  • @dongies5834
    @dongies5834 4 роки тому

    It's ULM , on the Danube . I have 2 Post War,Aluminun frame,bought in Germany in (58-60). Cost $62.40 each. @ the time. Had both engraved(Oak Leaf),w/monogram on slide and Walnut grips. Was (440 DM) ($110.00 US) Is a nice souvenier of time in Army

  • @magnum2videos612
    @magnum2videos612 8 років тому +1

    Nice video. I used to have one of those back in the early 70s. I bought it used, so it might have been a WWII model. I wish I still had it.

  • @Gmar69
    @Gmar69 6 років тому

    It's all about how the operator is trained to use it, as with ALL FIREARMS. Anyone can shoot firearms throughout history with the right training. Basis sight picture, grip, etc. is necessary. Don is good!

  • @Jesse-ng4tb
    @Jesse-ng4tb 8 років тому +3

    I don't want a wartime model, I just want a cheap-ish one I can plink with lol
    Nice review as always!

  • @14GT5.0
    @14GT5.0 6 років тому +1

    One bad hombre that P-38 I have a Spreewerk from 1943 with the swastika and eagle beautiful firearm

  • @seraphimprince
    @seraphimprince 6 місяців тому +1

    I'm here because of Man from U.N.C.L.E and Transformers G1 Megatron. Sorry. Lol. G1 Megatron was based on the Takara figure, which was based on the pistol from the Man from U.N.C.L.E.
    That being said, I like the pistol. The double-actiom and safety are what I am used to, as I own a PX4 and fired 92 pistols while in the military.

  • @828enigma6
    @828enigma6 3 роки тому +1

    They are well built pistol, even the the late war models. Finish was not great, but quite functional.

  • @deathwarfaminepest3226
    @deathwarfaminepest3226 6 років тому +6

    Id love to own one of these for self defense. Of course I would mod mine with a speaker and a button you can press to hear Megatron saying ""Die AUTOBOTS!!!"

  • @bearasscreekfarmssameasabo2775
    @bearasscreekfarmssameasabo2775 6 років тому

    Alloy slide cracked after five or six hundred rounds. Replaced it with a steel slide from a P1. Fired thousands of rounds with THAT and still golden.

  • @tomtomsen791
    @tomtomsen791 4 роки тому +8

    I had this while i served in the Bundeswehr back in 2001
    We had a joke over here:
    How to kill your enemy with a P1? You give 8 warning shoots and one acurat litter

  • @828enigma6
    @828enigma6 3 роки тому

    Had a aluminum frame later production one with the cross bolt. And a chest rig for it called the Biafran Mile Run Pouch. Straps crossed in the back, and the pouch part had four velcro flaps that folded over it. Had the holster, a single mag holder, space for a boot dagger, ID, cash, and I believe a misc space for a second magazine. I carried 147gr +P ammo in it as neighbors had big dogs who were decidedly unfriendly. It was my jogging rig and was very comfortable., I only carried +P in it. Practice was done with regular ammo. Fortunately, once I stopped jogging and face them, the dogs lost interest in me.

  • @pjteves1
    @pjteves1 4 роки тому

    Postwar P.38 were made with aluminum frames. P.1 doesn’t designate an aluminum frame. It was just a renaming of the P.38. Later versions of the aluminum frames had a hexagonal metal crosspiece integral to the frame to prevent cracking from the impact of the locking block.

  • @Geomanb
    @Geomanb 8 років тому +9

    This was my standard issue, then I got the Hk USP aka P8, which I liked much more.
    But of course the P38 is / was solid gun.

  • @teotselek1536
    @teotselek1536 5 років тому +9

    The best ww2 pistol, a gun ahaid of its time!!!

  • @JohnSmith-mg5ve
    @JohnSmith-mg5ve 8 років тому +1

    good video and you don't ramble on I passed on 1 of these about 4-5 years ago wished I would of taken it but that might of been the day I bought my Makarov.

  • @s_jerininstagram1073
    @s_jerininstagram1073 8 років тому

    My grandpa had a WWII P38, took it off a German as a trophy. Sadly sold it in the late 60's because he didn't want a gun in the house because my dad kept looking for it when he was a kid.

    • @maxshby8136
      @maxshby8136 7 років тому

      Stefan J War trophies are illegal also

    • @s_jerininstagram1073
      @s_jerininstagram1073 7 років тому

      maxy waxy No they were legal in Yugoslavia under the rule of President Tito!

    • @s_jerininstagram1073
      @s_jerininstagram1073 7 років тому

      maxy waxy And another thing i'm pretty sure the Americans took the biggest possible "trophies" after WWII. Like the whole damn German Missile program and all of their top scientist! Without trophies there wouldn't have been a moon landing!

    • @maxshby8136
      @maxshby8136 7 років тому

      Stefan J I'm talking soldiers can't take things off of dead Germans, today you can even get severely punished

  • @Lawrence64
    @Lawrence64 8 років тому +6

    I was waiting for this one. 2 thumbs up!

    • @sootch00
      @sootch00  8 років тому +1

      +Fun & Family Channel Thanks Brother

  • @rauchgranate5648
    @rauchgranate5648 4 роки тому

    If you want a P1 / P38 you don't wanna get the aluminium one, they have a slide crack problem, because they don't like the hotter loads (Surplus/MP). In Bundeswehr, we still had some old P38 from WWII and they hadn't that problem, because they had a steel slide. So for long term the old ones with the steel slide are more durable.

  • @michaelgaribaldi8491
    @michaelgaribaldi8491 5 років тому +4

    With this weapon I was trained at the Bundeswehr. very good video! Greetings from Germany

  • @joeltan2416
    @joeltan2416 2 роки тому

    Walther P-38, Heckler & Koch P7M8 both 9MM pistols are best pistol ever made.

  • @mnpd3
    @mnpd3 5 років тому

    Some 15=20 years ago my gun shop started stocking a few Makarovs and P1 imports. I bought both types; $125 and $150 respectively, and still have them. Miy P1 has the Walther banner and the added wear pin, but instead of "P38" on the slide, mine is stamped "10/80" which someone said was an arsenal refinishing date --- the pistol is parkerized. Surprised to hear about the Russians exporting P1's to the U.S.; didn't know the Russkies had anything to do with the pistol.
    I even got two mags and leather military holster with the P1. Very reliable pistol, suitable for any use a full-sized 9mm handgun might be needed.