I have a 1944 (July) Walther (numbers matching). It has a plum colored frame. At first it jammed like crazy. I replaced both recoil springs, the magazine springs, and all the other internal springs. I also discovered it liked Winchester white box. After the improvements, it has operated flawlessly. It is one of my favorite firearms.
I know people are going to shake their head or say wow or both,when I tell you this.In 1970 when I was in the Navy,my brother said there is this guy down the street from him who, will trade an ac42 P38 for a switchblade!! Even if it was a non firing replica it was a good deal.So I traded,and it was NOT a replica.It was missing the locking block and spring .which at the time cost me $10 .I got the parts,and have been shooting it ever since.Not bad for a $6 switchblade.
good trade man, I've always favored the WP-38 , it's a well made weapon,with all the accuracy that you need,& it is a very nice collectors piece, that has. some Historical value behind it !
The german armed forces used this til the 90s when it's replaced by the "Heckler und Koch Pistole 8". The post-war model called Pistole 1 (P1) because it was the first pistol adopted by the Bundeswehr. The P1 is the same gun but with different name.
I have a 1943 GI "take home" with two original magazines and all original parts... The holster long rotted away but the pistol shoots just fine and is the pride of my collection. It's extremely simple to break down and clean with is unique for a German design! Thanks for this video. It is the most accurate piece on the P-38 I have seen yet and the FIRST time I have heard about the mfg site code names!
I have one that was made in the 1960’s and was a West German Police trade in. Interarms imported them and I purchased it in the early 1980’s. It has an aluminum frame and came with the holster that has the officers initials inside. Fun gun to shoot!
Yes. and you can also go directly to Wolff gunsprings and order direct. "Service Pak Type I - For the P-38 contains the following springs to replace weakened or broken springs, returning the pistol to original factory condition: 2 recoil springs, hammer spring, extractor spring, auto firing pin lock spring, retainer latch plunger spring and cartridge indicator spring." $16.99 + shipping. Individual springs available. They have magazine springs also. Have purchased from them before.
+Eric W The Walther P1 is a direct evolution of the P38 with just minor changes. It was the standard side arm of the German forces until the early 2000s. I could imagine that some surplus ones are getting shipped to the US.
The W. Germans continued to produce the Walther P1, up until the mid-80's. Beretta makes a newer pistol known as the 92F, that has many P38 designs incorporated into it. The US military adopted the Beretta as it's standard side arm in 1985. Still in production, and available in commercial versions as well.
I bought a "44" Mauser import and it looks next to new, I bought an extra mag from the same factory and marked the same year and bought a "44" holster, I can't wait for good weather and my next purchase of a Walther "43" P38 as well and already have a "43" holster, I plan on buying all three which will leave me a Spreewerk in my bucket list.
I brought P-38 CYQ in 1978 for $130.00 in Upper Darby Gun Shop near Philadelphia. The gun has original match S/N but the slide was chrome plate and the metal on the slide has a bobble pin hole due to war time fabrication that not completely refinished. I shot this gun at he range and it was very accurate in 15 yards score 8-10 in 2" group. I was offered $180.00 4 months later from the persons at the range with $15.00 FFL transfer fee (that made a buyer from NJ very upset for transfer fee for out of state gun), I love the gun and it was sold very quick back then even it was chrome plate partially. I then brought French Manurin P-38 with hostler and spare magazine and original box in 1982 for $230.00. I also have Walther PPK 7.65 that has the same chrome plate style with Nazi proof mark with bobble mark in slide. I stll have PPK that I brought in 1980 for $299.00.
Walther manufactured most of the P.38 pistols. Their facilities used the alpha designator "AC" in a "production series beginning with 480AC , then specifying the year of mfg. e.g. AC40 , AC41 through to AC45 as the final year of war production. The only anomaly of the wartime production series was the AC43 "stack" -- that had the AC struck on the slide directly above the 43. This is the model that I own. Later in the year, Walther reverted to stamping the AC on the same line as the year. Because of the high demand for the pistol, Walther sub-contracted mfg. to Mauser from 1942 to 1945. Their serial numbers were stamped Byf42, Byf43 etc. Spreewerke also was given a contract beginning in 1941 with the code prefix Cyq and initially, the pistol did not bear any year of manufacture. A fourth factory was used from Jan. - March '45 to stamp/assemble/test parts manufactured by Speerwerke. That was Joseph Rathgeber Muchen 54. Their code for this final war production was Cvq. The Walther P.38 was a very good semi-automatic firearm in its day -- a bit heavy and a limited magazine capacity (8 round) but very reliable and quite accurate in good hands. There has been some claim that the pistols manufactured near the end of the war were junk. It's hard to believe that Walther, Mauser or Speerwerke would alter/modify the production design ; but perhaps, the grade of steel was inferior toward the end of the war or maybe the barrel rifling became second rate. If someone has knowledge of any specific defects in the late war production/assembly, please comment.
I found a good clean and well oiled solved my chambering issue. Many have hardly been fired and cycling the action helps. So far the original springs are working as designed. I would say the only outdated feature is ammo capacity.
I just purchased a walther p-38 ac43 at a gun show.. all parts match .. just bought an aftermarket firing pin and wolf spring kit.. very excited about this pistol in great condition.. thanks for inspiring me to get one! :)
@@troyvermillion3649 Yes, new the springs should be longer since your old original springs are probably 75 years old and worn out. Also make sure you replace the extractor spring which should be included in the spring kit. With your new springs and a little lube on the rails your pistol should function like new.
mixup98 thanks for replying! Ok that makes sense.. I replaced the extractor spring.. along with a few others . Didn’t take that long.. thanks to youtube! :) have a great Sunday:)
I own an original which was taken off of a dead German pilot. All matching numbers and it shoots like a champ. I have the original clips and holster also. Personally, I don't think any other nines come close to this weapon!
Charles Waller -I definitely would have to agree w you on that statement Sir !They the P-38's Are my kind of weopon, & they are Excellent weapons of choice!
A relative owns a 1960s version that has a .22 conversion unit. The .22 is fun to shoot and has no problem with the extractor flying away. Great presentation Sir!
Thanks for the great advice about the ammo. And it's also important to remember to replace the springs, especially the recoil springs, in the P38. Thanks for the great comments and thanks for watching my video.
I have a 1943 all matching number American bring back with paperwork and i shot it for the first time the other day and my p38 was giving me the same problem, now im gonna order new springs for it thanks for the video
I didn't mean any disrespect, especially to anyone living in Germany, with the title of my video, so I have changed the title. Thanks for watching and commenting on my video.
Late war models were often manufactured using slave labor who would quite often sabotage the weapons they were building. One of the problems with this pistol is that for many reasons internal parts would fail causing it to go on full automatic and another problem was in the safety system, which would the pistol to fire whenever the safety was applied.
YES my AC I block did just that the sear notch broke. Luckily it didn’t happen on the range. It happened when I was cleaning it. I wondered if it would have failed during use if it would have ran away.
Great little gun. I'm looking to purchase one soon. I was introduced to the P-38 as a child as the Transformers Megatron toy in the mid 80's. Very realistic looking replica that would never be able to be made today, but boy I enjoyed that thing. Thank you for the video.
Horzzo ...you're very welcome. I hope you are able to find and buy one. They really are great pistols. Thanks for the great comment and thanks for watching my video.
Yep that's the Man from U.N.C.L.E gun Remember that old series, or am I the only old guy here, bought mine back in the 60's after being addicted to the TV series, purchased for about 40 bucks, during the good old days, from an outfit called Aldens long out of business, Delivered by REA express right to my front door, and this was in a Chicago suburb, purchased with a British Enfield commando D.A.O .38 S&W short. Been an S.O.T. dealer for many years have a lot of toys, but still admirer them still in one of my safes after over 50 years ago,
Wow...a P38 for forty bucks....I'm jealous. I was pretty young but yes, I remember The Man From U.N.C.L.E. My favorites shows back then were The Rifleman, The Untouchables, and Combat! Thank you for taking the time to watch and comment on my video.
I have a 1943 model also, that my father-in-law brought back from the war. My grip panels are more worn than this one. Mine also has all matching numbers and it's a nice accurate shooter.
P-38 is a great gun. I have a Smith & Wesson model 39-2 9mm single stack. 1 in the pipe and 8 in the magazine. I found out after I had owned the S&W for a number of years that its design is almost an exact copy of the internal works of the P-38. It's a double action first shot with all follow ups single like the Walther. The saftey/decocker on the slide is the same hammer block type. Same capacity. The P-38 I did get to shoot was fantastic. Very accurate and one of those guns that kind of flow into the hand. A real pleasure to shoot.
I think people are more against the idea of a handgun that large along with holding around eight or nine rounds. But then again, the same argument falls back to the 1911, a large heavy gun that holds seven or eight, depending if you top it off after chambering.
GREAT VIDEO; I like the detail. I own a pre-war Walther P-38, built in 1940 in the Mauser plant. It was a gift from my uncle who brought it home with him from Europe. One very small criticism I have of the great, detailed video here is the statement that the P-38 is somehow outdated. It has been surpassed by modern pistols in magazine capacity, I admit, but if you look at the safety system and decocker of the Beretta P9, and all the variants in that series, you will see the EXACT same safety system, probably the best in the world. The classic Walther PP, PPK, (which predate the P-38) and more recently produced PPK/S all enjoy the same safety system, decocker, and round in the chamber indicator.
David Behrens Regardless of what year the Americans decided to join, the war started in 1939. The year the war started isn’t determined by when he U.S joined.
I bought a couple of these from a outfit in FL called AIM surplus back in late 2011 (this is not a plug to advertise). Just for a SHTF stockpile. Shot a couple hundred rounds on both and they worked fine. They were old captured German un issued pistols the Russians had. Good deal and good pistol.
A friend of mine owms a p38 his grandfather brought home that is just like this with swastikas all over it really cool to be able to see a piece of history like that
I just got one in better shape, all matching GI bring back, with a serial number that puts it in August 44'. Its a real piece to just hold in your hand.
I have a Spreewerk November 1943, all matching with Paselt grips too. Mine was a bring back to Canada. I had the same problem with it cycling but replaced the 2 recoil spring with better but similar results. Started shooting 124gr and it cleared up.
Still a fantastic handgun to this day.In fact the M9 or Beretta 92FS takes on it's feature like the breech block,hammer drop safety,and double action mechanism.The old P-38s from WWII and it's replacement the P-1 have better breech blocks than the Beretta reason is because it's semi captured by a leaf spring so there is no side to side movement during firing when it is locking and unlocking.Berettas have a bad tendency of breaking breech blocks around 5000 to 10,000 rounds during it's normal life cycle.This part has to remain lubricated with heavy oil or grease because the violent action takes place in this region of this pistol by design.
And they have, "Recoil Spring Paks" Recoil Spring Paks contain 2 factory standard (6 Lb.) or extra power (8 Lb) recoil springs to restore factory functioning and specifications to pistol.
Sounds just like mine, and it is my favorite pistol after I got over the initial intimidation of owning a military weapon. It does shoot great, and it accurate enough for my purposes. I can hit what I aim at, and don't worry about 1" groups.
A version of this gun, the P1, is still in use in the german army. its a great gun but it has a very limited magazine capacity. thats why it gets replaced by the P8 (H&K USP).
Ironically a German Recruitment Officer I once talked to used to joke about this gun, saying you have 8 warning shots and one lethal throw to stop an enemy.
Chris....I did point it twice at my face....but as seen in the video I made absolutely sure the gun and magazine were empty. When I clean my guns I always look down the barrel of my pistols and rifles, but again, I make sure that the guns are empty. Common sense must always be used when handling firearms and safety is always my number one priority, especially when looking down the bore. Thanks for watching my video.
silkcity....thanks for the great comment. The P-38 was and still is an excellent design. Any chance you might do a video on your P-38. I would love see it.
Tyler....hopefully you have had a chance to shoot that P-38. That would be an experience you wouldn't forget. Thanks for a great comment and thanks for watching my video.
I know for a fact that this gun was brought back right after World War II by a US serviceman andt the gun is authentic, including any and all markings stamped on it. Also my research on the gun has shown it was properly marked, including the 88, when it was manufactured in 1943.
Thanks for the interesting video. The Spreewerk inspection stamp consisted of an eagle above the number 88. CYQ was the secret code for Spreewerk. My father brought one back after WW2. It was made by Mauser in 44. It has a '4' on the left side of the front sight and in addition to P38 on the magazine a 'jvd' stamp above it. I have know idea what those are about. It has a holster but nothing like the ones shown for a P38 on the internet.
Years dont wear a gun , rounds do . And modern Walther p99 and ppqs can shoot 50,000 plus and keep chugging . Also they shoot plus P, something I definity would not try with a P38
Spreewerk was formed in September 1935 in Spandau Germany as a subsidiary of Deutschen Industrie-Werke A.G. Spreewerk was involved in weapons production from its formation until April 1945 at the Spandau complex; and from June 1942 to April 1945 at the Grottau, Czechoslovakia factory named Werk Grottau. So your gun was actually made in Czechoslovakia. I have a 1945 copy.
I used to explore the old three kids mine about 35 years ago with a buddy of mine :) The German military inspectors office for Spreewerke used the Waffenampt stamp (or proof mark) of E/88 or 88 under the Nazi eagle.
I had a few. But the rarest one was a squirt gun made in China. About 3/4 size of the real one. Found at a yard sale. Why I am writing this. The manufacturer was so precise that the copy had all of the lettering and although not perfect you could see the waffen stamp on the receiver. By the way it also was somewhat accurate to about eight feet. When showing my collection every one liked it the most.
I have a 'date' with one of these tomorrow ( Oct. 15/15 ) to see if I like these guns. The only one's easily still available here in Canada are the P1's, although these have the alloy frame they do have the hex bolt or pin to make sure they don't break apart. I'm told they are practically the same gun , the P38 and P1 with difference being the metals they are made with. Thanks for leaving this video up.
+Paul Watkins I had to put the P-38 /P1 purchase on temporary hold this month, untill December month. I have to buy a reloading kit and get started in re-loading. Also I found a dealer with a P38 and I am in contact with them now to see what shipping cost etc. will amount to before I go ahead with this one. I am still looking forward to owning one soon. My day at the range was with a German Military P38 and it handled and fired like a dream, as far as I'm concerned. The chap who owns this one is a gunsmith, and he tells me that the P1 is very similar except a little bit lighter weight, due to the aluminum construction. But basically shoot/fire the same ;" you You won't notice much difference, unless you are a 'purist'. " he said.
+Tom Smith Not exactly. P1 was the version of the P38 introduced in the Bundeswehr, produced by Walther from the mid 1950´s on.. They are nearly exactly the same but the frame, that is made of an aluminium alloy. If shot thousands of rounds repeatedly, go for the steel frame, so go for a P38. If shot only occasionally, the P1 is a very good weapon, being a bit lighter as well. During my time with German Air Force I shot the P1 regularly, no problems at all, never heard of a broken frame, though the (older) most used ones showed signs of wear. So look carefully for the fit.
Its an outstanding pistol. Super accurate. They for sure don't make them like that anymore. This is a military pistol and I would not expect from a military pistol what this one delivers. German engineered and machined. Mine is a byf stamped Walther P-38 made by Mauser about the same time in 1943 as the one you showed. All matching proof marks or stamps and parts, holster, with spare mag, and brought back from Hanover, Germany by my Dad. I had a gunsmith years ago do a thorough job on making sure it was up to date and shootable. I rarely shoot it anymore even though I could. Thanks for sharing.
The Walter PP in .32 caliber is very popular in Europe but here in the United States the .380 is more popular. I would recommend the .380 because it produces quite a bit more velocity and energy then the .32. If you are sensitive to recoil then I would recommend the .32 because the .380 produces substantial recoil. You don't need a pair of spects...:)
I have the exact same pistol (my first) but the grips are black. Any explanation for why yours would be brown? And speaking of springs, I replaced the cartridge indicator spring with the spring from a ballpoint pen. Worked great!
Yes you're right, I the double action must be broken. I don't think that the gunsmith would repair it because in Germany are peoples who aren't in a shooting club or aren't a hunter prohibited :D
Excellent presentation as always! I'm impressed that springs were so readily available for it. Even without seeing the internals as mentioned in another comment the general design of this pistol seems a lot less complex and therefore probably more reliable than the fancier looking Luger P-08. Although having 2 recoil springs smacks of the modern day .50cal Desert Eagle design.
my dad brought one back from the war. said he got it right out of the factory that got bombed out.. has the case and extra clip...how much are they worth?
Depends on the year, manufacturer, condition. The Spreewerk ones are generally of lesser quality than the Mauser and Walther ones, so those are a little cheaper. P38s can range anywhere from 600-1300 dollars roughly.
If your dad was a US GI, then what you have is a 1945 Walther P38, code "AC45". The Americans didn't capture the Mauser or Spreewerk factories. The French captured the Mauser plant, and the Russians got the Spreewerk factory. As for value it depends on if it's a matching pistol or not? Many of the US GI AC45 guns are "factory mismatched". GI just put together these with the parts they found. The factory mismatched guns are worth less. If it's all matching, then you're looking at $850-$1k depending on condition.
I don't shoot my gun very often mainly because of wear. Shooting a well used gun won't have an impact on the value of the gun but a cracked frame or slide would destroy any collector value and render the gun useless.
I love my "modernized" P1 (version of the P38)... As of today its hard to find any on the online surplus gun stores... Even more difficult is finding a nice (or any) P38... Thanks for the video and the info...
Joey P ....I have owned several P38 pistols over the years and I have sold or traded them all. Please kick me in the ass :) Thanks for the comment and thanks for watching my video.
h02371 thanks for the compliment. I'm thinking about making another video on this pistol sometime in the near future. Thanks for watching and commenting on my video.
mixup98 I'd like to see that video should you decide to do one. I walked into the local gun store right after a guy had brought in two of these to sell. (one was actually a P38 slide marked P1). I did a quick inspection on both of them to make sure they were in good shape and matching (of the #'s I could see without totally taking them apart) and put them both on lay-away. Can't wait to get the rest of the funds together to pick them up. a P38 has been on my bucked list for a very long time. Currently the only other German pistol I own is a C96 Mauser.
So I have a p38 with matching holster and everything but what stood out to me is that yours is double action mine is single action and I have gone through it and nothing is wrong with it I don't know what to think
NOTE: My Walther P38 ac43 is a fantastic shooter and an amazing piece of history. As the child of Holocaust Survivors I have zero sympathy for Nazi's. Yet, I can't help but wonder who carried this pistol into war, and what happened to them. Hopefully, it was a Wehrmacht Officer just doing his duty.
@@mixup98 that's a shame. In the 80s U.K. we were allowed to purchase blank firing replicas, I had a P38, a 911 and a 38 special snub nose. I sold them all before the U.K. law band replicas. 😢
P 08 and P 38 are gorgeous pistols. Can't beat German engineering.
I have a 1944 (July) Walther (numbers matching). It has a plum colored frame.
At first it jammed like crazy. I replaced both recoil springs, the magazine springs, and all the other internal springs. I also discovered it liked Winchester white box.
After the improvements, it has operated flawlessly.
It is one of my favorite firearms.
I know people are going to shake their head or say wow or both,when I tell you this.In 1970 when I was in the Navy,my brother said there is this guy down the street from him who, will trade an ac42 P38 for a switchblade!! Even if it was a non firing replica it was a good deal.So I traded,and it was NOT a replica.It was missing the locking block and spring .which at the time cost me $10 .I got the parts,and have been shooting it ever since.Not bad for a $6 switchblade.
good trade man, I've always favored the WP-38 , it's a well made weapon,with all the accuracy that you need,& it is a very nice collectors piece, that has. some Historical value behind it !
Now, they make knife with the look of the P38...
Deal of the century...
The german armed forces used this til the 90s when it's replaced by the "Heckler und Koch Pistole 8".
The post-war model called Pistole 1 (P1) because it was the first pistol adopted by the Bundeswehr. The P1 is the same gun but with different name.
I have a 1943 GI "take home" with two original magazines and all original parts... The holster long rotted away but the pistol shoots just fine and is the pride of my collection. It's extremely simple to break down and clean with is unique for a German design! Thanks for this video. It is the most accurate piece on the P-38 I have seen yet and the FIRST time I have heard about the mfg site code names!
That is an awesome historical gun! I'm very impressed with how an inexpensive spring kit turned it back into a reliable shooter. Good video!
I have one that was made in the 1960’s and was a West German Police trade in. Interarms imported them and I purchased it in the early 1980’s. It has an aluminum frame and came with the holster that has the officers initials inside. Fun gun to shoot!
Yes. and you can also go directly to Wolff gunsprings and order direct. "Service Pak Type I - For the P-38 contains the following springs to replace weakened or broken springs, returning the pistol to original factory condition: 2 recoil springs, hammer spring, extractor spring, auto firing pin lock spring, retainer latch plunger spring and cartridge indicator spring." $16.99 + shipping. Individual springs available. They have magazine springs also. Have purchased from them before.
Very surprised nobody makes a new version of the P-38. Beautiful guns.
+Eric W The Walther P1 is a direct evolution of the P38 with just minor changes. It was the standard side arm of the German forces until the early 2000s. I could imagine that some surplus ones are getting shipped to the US.
Beretta makes one called the 92FS…..
The W. Germans continued to produce the Walther P1, up until the mid-80's. Beretta makes a newer pistol known as the 92F, that has many P38 designs incorporated into it. The US military adopted the Beretta as it's standard side arm in 1985. Still in production, and available in commercial versions as well.
The M9
Eric W I wish someone would
I bought a "44" Mauser import and it looks next to new, I bought an extra mag from the same factory and marked the same year and bought a "44" holster, I can't wait for good weather and my next purchase of a Walther "43" P38 as well and already have a "43" holster, I plan on buying all three which will leave me a Spreewerk in my bucket list.
Good luck and please let us know if you find a '43 P38. Thank you for watching and commenting on my video.
I brought P-38 CYQ in 1978 for $130.00 in Upper Darby Gun Shop near Philadelphia. The gun has original match S/N but the slide was chrome plate and the metal on the slide has a bobble pin hole due to war time fabrication that not completely refinished. I shot this gun at he range and it was very accurate in 15 yards score 8-10 in 2" group. I was offered $180.00 4 months later from the persons at the range with $15.00 FFL transfer fee (that made a buyer from NJ very upset for transfer fee for out of state gun), I love the gun and it was sold very quick back then even it was chrome plate partially. I then brought French Manurin P-38 with hostler and spare magazine and original box in 1982 for $230.00. I also have Walther PPK 7.65 that has the same chrome plate style with Nazi proof mark with bobble mark in slide. I stll have PPK that I brought in 1980 for $299.00.
Walther manufactured most of the P.38 pistols. Their facilities used the alpha designator "AC" in a "production series beginning with 480AC , then specifying the year of mfg. e.g. AC40 , AC41 through to AC45 as the final year of war production. The only anomaly of the wartime production series was the AC43 "stack" -- that had the AC struck on the slide directly above the 43. This is the model that I own. Later in the year, Walther reverted to stamping the AC on the same line as the year.
Because of the high demand for the pistol, Walther sub-contracted mfg. to Mauser from 1942 to 1945. Their serial numbers were stamped Byf42, Byf43 etc. Spreewerke also was given a contract beginning in 1941 with the code prefix Cyq and initially, the pistol did not bear any year of manufacture. A fourth factory was used from Jan. - March '45 to stamp/assemble/test parts manufactured by Speerwerke. That was Joseph Rathgeber Muchen 54. Their code for this final war production was Cvq.
The Walther P.38 was a very good semi-automatic firearm in its day -- a bit heavy and a limited magazine capacity (8 round) but very reliable and quite accurate in good hands. There has been some claim that the pistols manufactured near the end of the war were junk. It's hard to believe that Walther, Mauser or Speerwerke would alter/modify the production design ; but perhaps, the grade of steel was inferior toward the end of the war or maybe the barrel rifling became second rate. If someone has knowledge of any specific defects in the late war production/assembly, please comment.
I found a good clean and well oiled solved my chambering issue. Many have hardly been fired and cycling the action helps. So far the original springs are working as designed. I would say the only outdated feature is ammo capacity.
I oiled mine but it only runs with steel cased ammo without failure to eject.
@@juscaws try polishing the chamber. Brass expands more and may be gripping imperfections in the chamber.
WWll was the last war GI's could bring back weapons. Avoiding import marks.
I just purchased a walther p-38 ac43 at a gun show.. all parts match .. just bought an aftermarket firing pin and wolf spring kit.. very excited about this pistol in great condition.. thanks for inspiring me to get one! :)
Hello Troy. I think you will be amazed at how well this pistol is made and I don't blame you for being excited. Have fun shooting your new Walther.
mixup98 .. thanks ! Keep on shootin :)
Question? I got the Wolff spring kit.. the recoil springs are about an inch longer then the original.. is that ok?
@@troyvermillion3649 Yes, new the springs should be longer since your old original springs are probably 75 years old and worn out. Also make sure you replace the extractor spring which should be included in the spring kit. With your new springs and a little lube on the rails your pistol should function like new.
mixup98 thanks for replying! Ok that makes sense.. I replaced the extractor spring.. along with a few others . Didn’t take that long.. thanks to youtube! :) have a great Sunday:)
I own an original which was taken off of a dead German pilot. All matching numbers and it shoots like a champ. I have the original clips and holster also. Personally, I don't think any other nines come close to this weapon!
Charles Waller -I definitely would have to agree w you on that statement Sir !They the P-38's Are my kind of weopon, & they are Excellent weapons of choice!
A relative owns a 1960s version that has a .22 conversion unit. The .22 is fun to shoot and has no problem with the extractor flying away. Great presentation Sir!
Can you imagine the stories this gun could tell if only it could talk?.........On the other hand, maybe we're glad it can't talk.
theeh94.... I had a blast making this video. Thanks for watching it.
Thanks for showing us another cool gun.
Thanks Chris 👍🤠
I inherited a walther p38 from 1943 it only shoots good with steel cased ammo but I love it. It’s my prized possession
That's awesome! Enjoy your inheritance and thank you for watching my old video 👍🤠
Thanks for the great advice about the ammo. And it's also important to remember to replace the springs, especially the recoil springs, in the P38. Thanks for the great comments and thanks for watching my video.
Just bought a 1944 and I love it, decided to make it my carry gun. Because, why not!?
Nice! Where did you find a holster?
I have a 1943 all matching number American bring back with paperwork and i shot it for the first time the other day and my p38 was giving me the same problem, now im gonna order new springs for it thanks for the video
I didn't mean any disrespect, especially to anyone living in Germany, with the title of my video, so I have changed the title. Thanks for watching and commenting on my video.
Late war models were often manufactured using slave labor who would quite often sabotage the weapons they were building. One of the problems with this pistol is that for many reasons internal parts would fail causing it to go on full automatic and another problem was in the safety system, which would the pistol to fire whenever the safety was applied.
YES my AC I block did just that the sear notch broke. Luckily it didn’t happen on the range. It happened when I was cleaning it. I wondered if it would have failed during use if it would have ran away.
Fun gun and video - thanks for making it.
I own a P38 made in 1969 - and love shooting it. too.
Great little gun. I'm looking to purchase one soon. I was introduced to the P-38 as a child as the Transformers Megatron toy in the mid 80's. Very realistic looking replica that would never be able to be made today, but boy I enjoyed that thing. Thank you for the video.
Horzzo ...you're very welcome. I hope you are able to find and buy one. They really are great pistols. Thanks for the great comment and thanks for watching my video.
Yep that's the Man from U.N.C.L.E gun Remember that old series, or am I the only old guy here, bought mine back in the 60's after being addicted to the TV series, purchased for about 40 bucks, during the good old days, from an outfit called Aldens long out of business, Delivered by REA express right to my front door, and this was in a Chicago suburb, purchased with a British Enfield commando D.A.O .38 S&W short. Been an S.O.T. dealer for many years have a lot of toys, but still admirer them still in one of my safes after over 50 years ago,
Wow...a P38 for forty bucks....I'm jealous. I was pretty young but yes, I remember The Man From U.N.C.L.E. My favorites shows back then were The Rifleman, The Untouchables, and Combat! Thank you for taking the time to watch and comment on my video.
I have a 1943 model also, that my father-in-law brought back from the war. My grip panels are more worn than this one. Mine also has all matching numbers and it's a nice accurate shooter.
Thanks....I appreciate the great comment.
I own a AC42 P-38. It's a war trophy given to me by my father. Great shooter!! My son has it now!!
Nice I recently got an AC 41 as a Christmas gift to myself
WWII stuff has always been a marvel to me! those germans came-up w/some wild stuff. fascinating gun and i bet very expensive. liked & thanks!
P-38 is a great gun. I have a Smith & Wesson model 39-2 9mm single stack. 1 in the pipe and 8 in the magazine. I found out after I had owned the S&W for a number of years that its design is almost an exact copy of the internal works of the P-38. It's a double action first shot with all follow ups single like the Walther. The saftey/decocker on the slide is the same hammer block type. Same capacity. The P-38 I did get to shoot was fantastic. Very accurate and one of those guns that kind of flow into the hand. A real pleasure to shoot.
Excellent review- thank you!
You're welcome Willem and thank you for watching my video.
Outdated? People are still using the much older m1911 to this day
P77777777 outdated certain, but both are wonderfull guns ,so is the luger !
I think people are more against the idea of a handgun that large along with holding around eight or nine rounds. But then again, the same argument falls back to the 1911, a large heavy gun that holds seven or eight, depending if you top it off after chambering.
GREAT VIDEO; I like the detail. I own a pre-war Walther P-38, built in 1940 in the Mauser plant. It was a gift from my uncle who brought it home with him from Europe. One very small criticism I have of the great, detailed video here is the statement that the P-38 is somehow outdated. It has been surpassed by modern pistols in magazine capacity, I admit, but if you look at the safety system and decocker of the Beretta P9, and all the variants in that series, you will see the EXACT same safety system, probably the best in the world. The classic Walther PP, PPK, (which predate the P-38) and more recently produced PPK/S all enjoy the same safety system, decocker, and round in the chamber indicator.
+David Behrens The war started in 1939
+William Fitch Not for America.
David Behrens Regardless of what year the Americans decided to join, the war started in 1939. The year the war started isn’t determined by when he U.S joined.
I bought a couple of these from a outfit in FL called AIM surplus back in late 2011 (this is not a plug to advertise). Just for a SHTF stockpile. Shot a couple hundred rounds on both and they worked fine. They were old captured German un issued pistols the Russians had. Good deal and good pistol.
A friend of mine owms a p38 his grandfather brought home that is just like this with swastikas all over it really cool to be able to see a piece of history like that
I just got one in better shape, all matching GI bring back, with a serial number that puts it in August 44'. Its a real piece to just hold in your hand.
You have a piece of history, congratulations from argentina
Capo de Avellaneda thanks for watching my video. Greetings from Nevada, USA.
ALSO AN EXCELLENT ACCURACY.
I have a Spreewerk November 1943, all matching with Paselt grips too. Mine was a bring back to Canada. I had the same problem with it cycling but replaced the 2 recoil spring with better but similar results. Started shooting 124gr and it cleared up.
Still a fantastic handgun to this day.In fact the M9 or Beretta 92FS takes on it's feature like the breech block,hammer drop safety,and double action mechanism.The old P-38s from WWII and it's replacement the P-1 have better breech blocks than the Beretta reason is because it's semi captured by a leaf spring so there is no side to side movement during firing when it is locking and unlocking.Berettas have a bad tendency of breaking breech blocks around 5000 to 10,000 rounds during it's normal life cycle.This part has to remain lubricated with heavy oil or grease because the violent action takes place in this region of this pistol by design.
Beautiful hand gun one of my all time favorites
And they have, "Recoil Spring Paks"
Recoil Spring Paks contain 2 factory standard (6 Lb.) or extra power (8 Lb) recoil springs to restore factory functioning and specifications to pistol.
Magazine doesn't match, nor should it for a Spreewerk P38. The magazine is actually a mid-war Mauser production.
5:48 bottle was like: Have mercy please!
Sounds just like mine, and it is my favorite pistol after I got over the initial intimidation of owning a military weapon. It does shoot great, and it accurate enough for my purposes. I can hit what I aim at, and don't worry about 1" groups.
Thanks.....and thanks for watching.
A version of this gun, the P1, is still in use in the german army. its a great gun but it has a very limited magazine capacity. thats why it gets replaced by the P8 (H&K USP).
Ironically a German Recruitment Officer I once talked to used to joke about this gun, saying you have 8 warning shots and one lethal throw to stop an enemy.
Chris....I did point it twice at my face....but as seen in the video I made absolutely sure the gun and magazine were empty. When I clean my guns I always look down the barrel of my pistols and rifles, but again, I make sure that the guns are empty. Common sense must always be used when handling firearms and safety is always my number one priority, especially when looking down the bore. Thanks for watching my video.
Beautiful sound of passing bullet on 4:31 . Oh man...
silkcity....thanks for the great comment. The P-38 was and still is an excellent design. Any chance you might do a video on your P-38. I would love see it.
Tyler....hopefully you have had a chance to shoot that P-38. That would be an experience you wouldn't forget. Thanks for a great comment and thanks for watching my video.
I know for a fact that this gun was brought back right after World War II by a US serviceman andt the gun is authentic, including any and all markings stamped on it. Also my research on the gun has shown it was properly marked, including the 88, when it was manufactured in 1943.
Thanks for the interesting video. The Spreewerk inspection stamp consisted of an eagle above the number 88.
CYQ was the secret code for Spreewerk. My father brought one back after WW2.
It was made by Mauser in 44. It has a '4' on the left side of the front sight and in addition to P38 on the magazine a 'jvd' stamp above it. I have know idea what those are about. It has a holster but nothing like the ones shown for a P38 on the internet.
+Foomba I know on a p-1 pistol , it 's meaning is what grade of accuracy the barrel of the gun is rated, on ww2 p38's it may mean something different.
If it was made by Mauser, the wartime code would have been “Byf”.
Craftsmanship!. Wonder if any of those newfangled plastic frame guns live to be 75 yrs. old and still shoot like that.
Years dont wear a gun , rounds do . And modern Walther p99 and ppqs can shoot 50,000 plus and keep chugging . Also they shoot plus P, something I definity would not try with a P38
@@RedEyePergo yea because this gun was designed for plus p ammunition
Spreewerk was formed in September 1935 in Spandau Germany as a subsidiary of Deutschen Industrie-Werke A.G. Spreewerk was involved in weapons production from its formation until April 1945 at the Spandau complex; and from June 1942 to April 1945 at the Grottau, Czechoslovakia factory named Werk Grottau. So your gun was actually made in Czechoslovakia. I have a 1945 copy.
Thank you for the info Darryl.....much appreciated.
Awesome gun!!
Yes it is Raymond and I thank you for being a five year subscriber.
I used to explore the old three kids mine about 35 years ago with a buddy of mine :)
The German military inspectors office for Spreewerke used the Waffenampt stamp (or proof mark) of E/88 or 88 under the Nazi eagle.
Good introduction to a great pistol. Late-war CYQ pistols are reasonably affordable too.
I had a few. But the rarest one was a squirt gun made in China. About 3/4 size of the real one. Found at a yard sale. Why I am writing this. The manufacturer was so precise that the copy had all of the lettering and although not perfect you could see the waffen stamp on the receiver. By the way it also was somewhat accurate to about eight feet. When showing my collection every one liked it the most.
Great job. I love my German WW2 P38 and Luger.
I have a 'date' with one of these tomorrow ( Oct. 15/15 ) to see if I like these guns. The only one's easily still available here in Canada are the P1's, although these have the alloy frame they do have the hex bolt or pin to make sure they don't break apart.
I'm told they are practically the same gun , the P38 and P1 with difference being the metals they are made with.
Thanks for leaving this video up.
+Reg Sparkes If I recall correctly , the P1 was the civilian version made postwar, and used by German police for a time.
+Reg Sparkes I've just bought a P38/P1 and they are to all intents and purposes identical did you get one?.
+Paul Watkins
I had to put the P-38 /P1 purchase on temporary hold this month, untill December month. I have to buy a reloading kit and get started in re-loading. Also I found a dealer with a P38 and I am in contact with them now to see what shipping cost etc. will amount to before I go ahead with this one.
I am still looking forward to owning one soon.
My day at the range was with a German Military P38 and it handled and fired like a dream, as far as I'm concerned. The chap who owns this one is a gunsmith, and he tells me that the P1 is very similar except a little bit lighter weight, due to the aluminum construction. But basically shoot/fire the same ;" you You won't notice much difference, unless you are a 'purist'. " he said.
+Tom Smith Not exactly. P1 was the version of the P38 introduced in the Bundeswehr, produced by Walther from the mid 1950´s on.. They are nearly exactly the same but the frame, that is made of an aluminium alloy. If shot thousands of rounds repeatedly, go for the steel frame, so go for a P38. If shot only occasionally, the P1 is a very good weapon, being a bit lighter as well. During my time with German Air Force I shot the P1 regularly, no problems at all, never heard of a broken frame, though the (older) most used ones showed signs of wear. So look carefully for the fit.
Its an outstanding pistol. Super accurate. They for sure don't make them like that anymore. This is a military pistol and I would not expect from a military pistol what this one delivers. German engineered and machined. Mine is a byf stamped Walther P-38 made by Mauser about the same time in 1943 as the one you showed. All matching proof marks or stamps and parts, holster, with spare mag, and brought back from Hanover, Germany by my Dad. I had a gunsmith years ago do a thorough job on making sure it was up to date and shootable. I rarely shoot it anymore even though I could. Thanks for sharing.
I just love that pistol. You are a very lucky man indeed.
GREAT VIDEO AND INFORMATION. THANKS.
You are welcome my friend and thank you for watching my video.
The Walter PP in .32 caliber is very popular in Europe but here in the United States the .380 is more popular. I would recommend the .380 because it produces quite a bit more velocity and energy then the .32. If you are sensitive to recoil then I would recommend the .32 because the .380 produces substantial recoil. You don't need a pair of spects...:)
I have the exact same pistol (my first) but the grips are black. Any explanation for why yours would be brown? And speaking of springs, I replaced the cartridge indicator spring with the spring from a ballpoint pen. Worked great!
steve....thanks for the info on the Eagle/88. You certainly know the P38. Thanks for watching my video.
Yes you're right, I the double action must be broken.
I don't think that the gunsmith would repair it because in Germany are peoples who aren't in a shooting club or aren't a hunter prohibited :D
Thanks for the upload!
0:35 I know it's an older video but I would argue that the Browning hi power was a more modern capable handgun at the time.
Excellent presentation as always! I'm impressed that springs were so readily available for it. Even without seeing the internals as mentioned in another comment the general design of this pistol seems a lot less complex and therefore probably more reliable than the fancier looking Luger P-08. Although having 2 recoil springs smacks of the modern day .50cal Desert Eagle design.
Beautiful piece.
I'm sure you'll love it. It's a great pistol and a great design. Enjoy.
Great Video! BTW - What's the rationale in design for the P38 to eject shells to the left instead of the right?
Mine ejects to the right.
my dad brought one back from the war. said he got it right out of the factory that got bombed out.. has the case and extra clip...how much are they worth?
Depends on the year, manufacturer, condition. The Spreewerk ones are generally of lesser quality than the Mauser and Walther ones, so those are a little cheaper. P38s can range anywhere from 600-1300 dollars roughly.
If your dad was a US GI, then what you have is a 1945 Walther P38, code "AC45". The Americans didn't capture the Mauser or Spreewerk factories. The French captured the Mauser plant, and the Russians got the Spreewerk factory.
As for value it depends on if it's a matching pistol or not? Many of the US GI AC45 guns are "factory mismatched". GI just put together these with the parts they found. The factory mismatched guns are worth less. If it's all matching, then you're looking at $850-$1k depending on condition.
great vid keep up the good work
Nice shooting, and nice pistol!
Megatron. With a grip snap-on stock, scope and extended barrel. Get 'em young.
I have two 1944 BYF P 38's. They are the most reliable guns ever made!
Nice vid. I have one same year and factory. very nice. love your vids
Great job!
04:11 the shooting starts
Excellent video.
mr grandfather has one he bought it off a german officer when he was stationed at Ramstein, Germany in the 60s
there it is the real Megatron Walther p38
I don't shoot my gun very often mainly because of wear. Shooting a well used gun won't have an impact on the value of the gun but a cracked frame or slide would destroy any collector value and render the gun useless.
I love my "modernized" P1 (version of the P38)... As of today its hard to find any on the online surplus gun stores... Even more difficult is finding a nice (or any) P38... Thanks for the video and the info...
Joey P ....I have owned several P38 pistols over the years and I have sold or traded them all. Please kick me in the ass :) Thanks for the comment and thanks for watching my video.
LOL If I only knew then what I know now - words of my life...
Great review. Mine is a 1944 BYF all matching no import marks as well.
h02371 thanks for the compliment. I'm thinking about making another video on this pistol sometime in the near future. Thanks for watching and commenting on my video.
mixup98 I'd like to see that video should you decide to do one. I walked into the local gun store right after a guy had brought in two of these to sell. (one was actually a P38 slide marked P1). I did a quick inspection on both of them to make sure they were in good shape and matching (of the #'s I could see without totally taking them apart) and put them both on lay-away. Can't wait to get the rest of the funds together to pick them up. a P38 has been on my bucked list for a very long time. Currently the only other German pistol I own is a C96 Mauser.
So I have a p38 with matching holster and everything but what stood out to me is that yours is double action mine is single action and I have gone through it and nothing is wrong with it I don't know what to think
Check with someone more familiar with the Walther P38 or a gunsmith. I don't believe this pistol was ever made in a single action mode.
+Vince Moss I've never heard of a s/a only model either.
NOTE: My Walther P38 ac43 is a fantastic shooter and an amazing piece of history. As the child of Holocaust Survivors I have zero sympathy for Nazi's. Yet, I can't help but wonder who carried this pistol into war, and what happened to them. Hopefully, it was a Wehrmacht Officer just doing his duty.
Indeed.
in my army time i shot 3 times gold at 25m with my P1 (P38 with aluminium handgrip). Problem was always the first shot using double action ;-)
Do you know how to tell what month k98k was made?
My Grandpa used this pistol as a french Police Officer in the 50ts.Saarland a part of germany was still "ocupied-autonom" part of france after war!
Note that the P1 of the Bundeswehr is the same gun and it was used till early 2000s
Great vid!
Have you still got it?
Unfortunately I no longer have this P38 pistol 😢😓
@@mixup98 that's a shame. In the 80s U.K. we were allowed to purchase blank firing replicas, I had a P38, a 911 and a 38 special snub nose. I sold them all before the U.K. law band replicas. 😢
Lovely P38 , I like the echo on the back ground......