When I got into the hobby around 2008, I was buying up Russian Capture guns left and right. I thought the history was interesting and they were a fraction of the price. People on the forums loathed them and said they would never be worth two nickels. Time has not been kind to that viewpoint. Nice to see a video on the subject. Many saw service in east Germany which I think would be a great follow-up video.
..ajefelt the capture guns had a unique provenance about them..especially considering that they were squirreled away for a future war, then sold to buy food..
Sir, I appreciate the way you approach explaining history of weapons, especially the Russian weapons. You explain, in a professional manner without any kind of bias. As a 55-year-old American, I’ve seen a lot of my fellow Americans have bias towards anything Russian. I was born and raised not that way. I don’t have a racial bias. so I just wanted to say I like the way you approach things in a professional manner. You are also very educational. Keep up the good work. I like your channel
Excellent video Tom, I have a BYF44 p-38 that is mint, and I wondered if it was a russian dip, but it has the red and white, safety paint, no x, and no import marks, and the grips are correct and messed with. This video helped me to confirm my gun in indeed a mint original gun.
I remember when these were coming in and even the cheaper post war models. I worked with a fellow retiring and he had a P38 ac41 he gave it to me for the same price, turns out it’s an a block all matching in the holster with 44 carved in it from the GI. Story was he operated on the airborne soldier that captured it, it’s my favorite 🤩
My dad gave me his Russian captured 1938 Luger. Lots of pinpricking, messed up unmatched grips- but it still has the original finish down to the wax in the safety marking! Perfect shooter grade.
Great video, learned some new details....just a friendly request, when showing the items up close use a backlight to reflect to bring up the details as its a dark environment your in and secondedly, take a bit of time to allow the camera to focus on the small details as more often than not, you are moving the item before the detail in question is fully seen. Thank you.
Picked up one in January. Mine is an all matching ac43. It has no Russian X, is absolutely amazing condition, matching or “correct” magazine in original bluing, and is marketed “GERMANY” on the side of the receiver under the grip.
I remember seeing all these Russian refurbished (dipped) German WW2 era small arm rifles and pistols decades ago during the Golden Age of military small arms surplus, they all looked like they had been rode hard and put up ruined...reason I never purchased one even though the prices were very low back then...never knew I could have easily wiped the crappy bluing off...
fun fact: most of these guns came from Ukraine around 2014, after the revolution ppl got a hold of a lot of captured warehouses, that's when forgotten weapons made career out of reviewing captured russian guns previously stored in Ukraine, there was a lot of fg42s especially, each of these costs a fortune
It reminds me of the SKS's that were brought in from the former Soviet states. They were sold a gun shows by the crate load. You could buy them for around $69 each in the nineties. These P38’s could be had in the nineties for a mere $150 each at the gun shows that were imported.
First P38 I ever bought was an AC41 with the X on the slide. I could not find an import mark on it anywhere either. Maybe the same guy imported that one too? 😂Surprisingly it was all matching except just a 359 marked magazine. Bought it for 500 ended up selling it for 750 a few years later. Still haven’t replaced it and got another P38 in my collection.😢
Thank you for the video. I have to interest in these information videos. I have a Police Turn in P1 Aluminum frame non pin Walther. A Steal Frame 1964 Commercial P38, and an US Capture P38. Unfortunately I let my Russian Dipped P38 go and I regret it now. Thank you for the lessons.
Yes, Russians reblued everything they captured. They often disassembled and reassembled at random, creating batches of mismatch weapons, which is fine for many weapons but hand fitted weapons like Lugers...
I have one that looks like a factory gun but it's late war I found the falling block is dark and it has a very faint import mark just under the beaver tail, it however has no x's so I'm not sure what, I have. It by the way is a Spreewerk. Great information Tom.
Hello, I have a question. I have a K96 cone hummer Mauser in my collection, it is in excellent condition but it has no rifling in the barrel. The inside of the barrel shows factory finishing but no rifling. Can you tell me what this is? Sincerely, Alexander
1:48 Why do you register them? I thought that was against the whole point of the 2nd Amendment. Here in Europe you must register all modern (usually after 1890) guns, but we never had a constitutional right to own firearms. Many countries didn't have gun control until after WWI or even longer, but there was never a *right* to own a gun in the way it (supposedly) is in the US.
He's a dealer. He's not 'registering' the guns, he's recording them in his books as he's required to do by law. Every FFL dealer is required to do the same for any gun they transfer.
Tom, will using the Miracle Cloth alone (with a lot of elbow grease I imagine) work for removing the vast majority of the Russian Dip on a P38? I realize you showed it briefly but was unsure if the cloth is just to mop off what has already been done by previous removal. Thank you for this great video and education behind these great guns of the Second World War! See you in Tulsa hopefully!
What would that last P38 you showed that just came would be WORTH?!!! I've got another QUESTION I purchased a BEAUTIFUL byf44 "two tone" all matching, no import mark and in PRISTINE CONDITION what would it be worth NOW?!!! I would GREATLY APPRECIATE your answer because I believe several people were trying to LOW BALL me!!!😮😢 IT was definitely COLLECTOR GRADE!!!! One dealer offered me $1200 and I thought that was way too little?!!!
"when they come to us we register them" why? you don't have to, and who are u registering them with?? You're in PA, which is USA. if your're buying them with your Type 07 thats a little different. If you're just "registering them" with local or fed databaes thats sad.
I have one that has a star stamped in the slide. Was told it was made during the occupation of Germany by the Russian’s. Can’t find any info on it. Anyone know?
Not only North Vietnam and Korea. The Russians provided large amounts of capture weapons to various Mid-east, Asian, African, and South American countries and to communist insurrection groups. American GI came across large numbers of Stg-44s in Iraq.
Fact that the post Soviet countries were selling military surplus was due to the widespread corruption, not the altruistic need to fund any kind of social programs. Yugoslavia was not part of the East Bloc, btw.
Ugly import mark? Have you seen what they put on new firearms? Paragraphs... If that last one is worth less, may as well rent it out at the range for people to get it hot.
Deberían averiguar si es legal una Luger calibre 45 que mostraron acá.. en la ciudad de Azul, Argentina, se robaron la Única que supuestamente existe en el mundo.
When these first came in they werent popular. Blueing not great,mismatched parts,not great import marks. I never bought one. You can get a non r/c for less than 1k all day if you look around. For cheap yes for 1k+ no thanks.
Yugoslavia was never behind the iron curtain. As a matter of fact it was damn near invaded by the Soviet army and their allies in 1948. It was never a member of the Warsaw Pact or any other military alliance for that matter. For someone who wants to tell history you may want to learn it first. Stick to firearms and markings and steer clear from the political background you know nothing about.
рофейные орудия после захвата «окунали» в воронку. Коллекционеры считают их немного менее желанными, но воронение можно стереть. Он также говорит о том, как отличить оружие российского импорта от сувениров американских солдат. Google translate
When I got into the hobby around 2008, I was buying up Russian Capture guns left and right. I thought the history was interesting and they were a fraction of the price. People on the forums loathed them and said they would never be worth two nickels. Time has not been kind to that viewpoint. Nice to see a video on the subject. Many saw service in east Germany which I think would be a great follow-up video.
..ajefelt the capture guns had a unique provenance about them..especially considering that they were squirreled away for a future war, then sold to buy food..
It is very I threshing but hillory banned imports
Yeah I abandoned the forums when people said Russian Captures were only good for parting out. Screw those elitist jerks
I remember that viewpoint, because of the import markd. Demand changed that
I hate her for that they should her from being with young. Woman
Sir, I appreciate the way you approach explaining history of weapons, especially the Russian weapons. You explain, in a professional manner without any kind of bias. As a 55-year-old American, I’ve seen a lot of my fellow Americans have bias towards anything Russian. I was born and raised not that way. I don’t have a racial bias. so I just wanted to say I like the way you approach things in a professional manner. You are also very educational. Keep up the good work. I like your channel
Excellent video Tom, I have a BYF44 p-38 that is mint, and I wondered if it was a russian dip, but it has the red and white, safety paint, no x, and no import marks, and the grips are correct and messed with. This video helped me to confirm my gun in indeed a mint original gun.
I remember when these were coming in and even the cheaper post war models. I worked with a fellow retiring and he had a P38 ac41 he gave it to me for the same price, turns out it’s an a block all matching in the holster with 44 carved in it from the GI. Story was he operated on the airborne soldier that captured it, it’s my favorite 🤩
1945 was 80 yrs ago so even a 20 yr old would be 100+. Veterans aren't "dying off" - they're already sadly dead.
My dad gave me his Russian captured 1938 Luger. Lots of pinpricking, messed up unmatched grips- but it still has the original finish down to the wax in the safety marking! Perfect shooter grade.
Thanks Tom. Great stream. Regards from SSW, South Africa. 🇿🇦🇺🇲
The “half cocked” photographer cutaway is right out of “Monty Python and The Holy Grail”! Hillarious.
There is one such storehouse in Ukraine which was captured by the Russians, there is footage of Crates of Lend Lease Thompson M1A1 in an old mine.
God I saw that I wanted to cry what blew my mind was the crates of maxim guns
Like the Russian capture K98ks. Obvious from across the room with the black dip finish on the metal and infamous red lacquer on the wood.
Great video, learned some new details....just a friendly request, when showing the items up close use a backlight to reflect to bring up the details as its a dark environment your in and secondedly, take a bit of time to allow the camera to focus on the small details as more often than not, you are moving the item before the detail in question is fully seen.
Thank you.
Picked up one in January. Mine is an all matching ac43. It has no Russian X, is absolutely amazing condition, matching or “correct” magazine in original bluing, and is marketed “GERMANY” on the side of the receiver under the grip.
I remember seeing all these Russian refurbished (dipped) German WW2 era small arm rifles and pistols decades ago during the Golden Age of military small arms surplus, they all looked like they had been rode hard and put up ruined...reason I never purchased one even though the prices were very low back then...never knew I could have easily wiped the crappy bluing off...
fun fact: most of these guns came from Ukraine around 2014, after the revolution ppl got a hold of a lot of captured warehouses, that's when forgotten weapons made career out of reviewing captured russian guns previously stored in Ukraine, there was a lot of fg42s especially, each of these costs a fortune
It reminds me of the SKS's that were brought in from the former Soviet states. They were sold a gun shows by the crate load. You could buy them for around $69 each in the nineties. These P38’s could be had in the nineties for a mere $150 each at the gun shows that were imported.
I thought Russian Dip was for hors d'oeuvres.
I picked one up at pawn shop years ago cyq matching numbers.
My SA Police service pistol in 1987 was a P38
Unbelievable
Thanks for the info. Always learn something from your videos. Have a great day! 🙏🏼
First P38 I ever bought was an AC41 with the X on the slide. I could not find an import mark on it anywhere either. Maybe the same guy imported that one too? 😂Surprisingly it was all matching except just a 359 marked magazine. Bought it for 500 ended up selling it for 750 a few years later. Still haven’t replaced it and got another P38 in my collection.😢
Thank you for the video. I have to interest in these information videos. I have a Police Turn in P1 Aluminum frame non pin Walther. A Steal Frame 1964 Commercial P38, and an US Capture P38. Unfortunately I let my Russian Dipped P38 go and I regret it now. Thank you for the lessons.
Is "bluing" the same thing as "diping" and what was the reason why the Russian P38's were dipped anyway?
Yes, Russians reblued everything they captured. They often disassembled and reassembled at random, creating batches of mismatch weapons, which is fine for many weapons but hand fitted weapons like Lugers...
As always, I learned a bunch. Thanks.
..had a captured P 38..ac 42..oretty nice condition..sold it 22 years ago after my stroke in 02
Hi Tom, greetings from Australia. Would you use Miracle cloth on early high polish Colts? E.g for an early 1912 manufactured 1911? Many thanks, Mark
Nice history Tom
Thanks Tom, learned a lot from this one. 🙏🏻
Very good and informative video and presentation.
I have one that looks like a factory gun but it's late war I found the falling block is dark and it has a very faint import mark just under the beaver tail, it however has no x's so I'm not sure what, I have. It by the way is a Spreewerk. Great information Tom.
Hello, I have a question. I have a K96 cone hummer Mauser in my collection, it is in excellent condition but it has no rifling in the barrel. The inside of the barrel shows factory finishing but no rifling. Can you tell me what this is? Sincerely, Alexander
Great video. Thanks for the info
Excellent video as always. Thanks!
Great video ! Very informative!
..the most 'delicious' irony of the Post Cold War era was 'Gorby' in a commercial, shilling for Pizza Hut...
He was a cool dude all things considered
He understood the irony going into it
Great Video!
1:48 Why do you register them? I thought that was against the whole point of the 2nd Amendment. Here in Europe you must register all modern (usually after 1890) guns, but we never had a constitutional right to own firearms. Many countries didn't have gun control until after WWI or even longer, but there was never a *right* to own a gun in the way it (supposedly) is in the US.
Because Americas freedom is a myth. We have had laws restricting freedom since the colonies.
He's a dealer. He's not 'registering' the guns, he's recording them in his books as he's required to do by law. Every FFL dealer is required to do the same for any gun they transfer.
Because it’s not really free here.
Tom, will using the Miracle Cloth alone (with a lot of elbow grease I imagine) work for removing the vast majority of the Russian Dip on a P38? I realize you showed it briefly but was unsure if the cloth is just to mop off what has already been done by previous removal. Thank you for this great video and education behind these great guns of the Second World War! See you in Tulsa hopefully!
2:15 Those are rookie numbers. You gotta pump those numbers up in this racket …
So does the Miracle Cloth remove bluing?
Yugoslavia never was behind iron curtain , it was in alliance of the non-aligned
His understanding of history is sketchy at best.
I have one that is all numbers matching but there three x's over the original serial number and then the same number was etched in. ?
Now days, Russian DIP usually refers to:
Deceptive Imagery Persuasion...
But this is nicer!
ATF is been noted to make there own rules
"Their"
that was very good to know about the x I have a luger with that and dident know so now I do thanks so much
02:57...Isn't it past your bedtime?
Thank you for such an informative video.
What would that last P38 you showed that just came would be WORTH?!!! I've got another QUESTION I purchased a BEAUTIFUL byf44 "two tone" all matching, no import mark and in PRISTINE CONDITION what would it be worth NOW?!!! I would GREATLY APPRECIATE your answer because I believe several people were trying to LOW BALL me!!!😮😢 IT was definitely COLLECTOR GRADE!!!! One dealer offered me $1200 and I thought that was way too little?!!!
Register, with the State of Massachusetts?
"when they come to us we register them" why? you don't have to, and who are u registering them with?? You're in PA, which is USA. if your're buying them with your Type 07 thats a little different. If you're just "registering them" with local or fed databaes thats sad.
from what i've been told the Russian dip is hot cosmolene and their formula for cosmolene is apparently yak shit and axle grease mixed together!!!
You should also note that the swastika has been peened on your example. I assume that affects the value to a degree.
My Class3 dealer isn't a Reagan fan
It was a deal. They closed the book on new full auto but opened the market to imports.
I have one that has a star stamped in the slide. Was told it was made during the occupation of Germany by the Russian’s. Can’t find any info on it. Anyone know?
Vietnam and North Korea received a metric ton of these
Not only North Vietnam and Korea. The Russians provided large amounts of capture weapons to various Mid-east, Asian, African, and South American countries and to communist insurrection groups. American GI came across large numbers of Stg-44s in Iraq.
I assumed Russian Dip was like the soviet equivalent of The Dip from Who Framed Roger Rabbit (which sounds pretty awful).
wait, a million guns got in the US? But there were only about 1 mill. of P38 ever made... no? Or do you mean guns generally?
Have numbers match Spree no dip no import marks no marks on the mag...why???
T hanks for the lesson Tom....
Old F-4 Shoe🇺🇸
It's amazing how many firearms Russia manufacturers yet they will not allow civilians to have one.
Summer 23 Ukraina old salt mine ,gun’s from USA Lend and Lease
Ever used.
Fact that the post Soviet countries were selling military surplus was due to the widespread corruption, not the altruistic need to fund any kind of social programs.
Yugoslavia was not part of the East Bloc, btw.
If they had warehouses full of those pistols why didn’t they issue it to their soldiers same goes for the American army??
Logistics.
Good grief man. Gorbachev "kindler and gentler"? HE WAS FORCED BY REAGAN to tear it down.
The Soviet economy collapsed. There was no force involved.
Russian dipped sounds like a salad dressing.
Ugly import mark?
Have you seen what they put on new firearms?
Paragraphs...
If that last one is worth less, may as well rent it out at the range for people to get it hot.
Now I want to put in a fat lip of Russian Dipped. Does indeed sound exotic
Magic cloths are ABRASIVE...its not just the coconut oil
The Bill Belichick of guns
Deberían averiguar si es legal una Luger calibre 45 que mostraron acá.. en la ciudad de Azul, Argentina, se robaron la Única que supuestamente existe en el mundo.
People will collect anything and call it special
When these first came in they werent popular. Blueing not great,mismatched parts,not great import marks. I never bought one. You can get a non r/c for less than 1k all day if you look around. For cheap yes for 1k+ no thanks.
Bolo tie
These were sold by mail order … I have an add for those . Did not like them at the time.
Curious about my 42 and 63 now
💯🪖👂🏼🫡🇷🇺
Yugoslavia was never behind the 'Iron Curtain'. You don't know what you're talking about.
Yugoslavia was never behind the iron curtain. As a matter of fact it was damn near invaded by the Soviet army and their allies in 1948. It was never a member of the Warsaw Pact or any other military alliance for that matter. For someone who wants to tell history you may want to learn it first. Stick to firearms and markings and steer clear from the political background you know nothing about.
Awww. Don't be mean to Bruce.
you register them? for legal reasons? lmfao. Never understood how that isn't unconstitutional but maybe yall are from california.
Massachusetts is as bad.
не знаю, что он говорит, но он врёт, рядом с немецким вальтером Р - 38 только и слышно : рашен рашен рашен. И морда его мне тоже не нравится.
рофейные орудия после захвата «окунали» в воронку. Коллекционеры считают их немного менее желанными, но воронение можно стереть. Он также говорит о том, как отличить оружие российского импорта от сувениров американских солдат. Google translate