Information on the Cezch CZ38 Military Pistol?

[Hard Ball]

I would like some information on the last pre World War Two Czech military pistol, the CZ38. This is a DAO .380 ACP caliber automatic. I know that it was produced in 1938 and in 1939 until th German occupation.
For an article I am writing I would like to find out:
1) How many were produced
2) what was the serial number range? It is obvious that it did not start at sn 1 (I have seen three all in the 200.000 number range)
3) Was it used by the Germans as a military or police pistol in WW 2? (I have never sen any with German waffenmat acceptance marks.)
Any information would be appreciated.

 

[Hard Ball]

A little more information

A friend in Texas who collects German military pistols used in World War Two e-mailed me to say that he has seen a few CZ38s with German acceptance marks, The all have a parherized finnish rather than the standard blue. His theory is that they are pistols assembled and used by the Germans from available parts after they took over the factory

 

[don vito]

it was made good czech people know their guns but since it was dao it was hard to shoot, and a bad gun without a purpose, i don't think many were made
some rumors that it was desighned to shot special 9mm short
cartridge but never proven and works well with regular factory ammo

 

[radom]

From what I gather the CZ38 or German Pistole 38(t) though not produced after the German takeover they did appropriat the already produced guns and assembled some from parts. The Waff. code would be WaA 76 on these guns. As for numbers I really doubt anyone has a handle on this. What the Germans did with them I have no idea but they where accepted into servise hence the Pistole 38(t) designation. I do wonder about a .380 that weighs more than a luger and the same as a P-38 though,the germans must have thought the same as they produced the older CZ24 to the tune of almost a half million copys.

 

[Strayhorn]

The CZ-38 was one of a number of pistols produced in Czechoslovakia after the Germans marched in. Remember that the Germans were *always* looking for additional sources of armaments, and any factory they took over they kept running, and usually kept them making what they were making previous to the invasion so production could continue at pace.

The German were particularly envious of the Czech armaments factories - they had, and still have, a world-class reputation for service firearms. I own several CZ products and they are all dependable, robust and accurate. They may not be pretty, but they work.

The CZ38 replaced the CZ27, much to the consternation of the Czech Army. The vzor 27 (vzor = model) was well-liked, and the vzor 38 is a bit, shall we say, clumsy. Only a few pistols were made for Czechoslovakian Army, to SN 130XXX, date of production was from March 1939 until June 1941, while from this date the slide was stamped with code "fnh" for Ceska Zbrojovka A.S.Praha, in Strakonice .

I don't imagine that many CZ38s made their way to the German armed forces - "substitute standard" firearms were generally given to their client state armies, such as the Romanians. Can't help you with total numbers - I would guess that the records of the plants were part of the booty that the Russians shipped back home or destroyed after capture.

I got this information from a charming gentleman named Andrej Blazicek, who used to work for CZ-USA. Don't know if he's still there since they moved, but he was a regular fountain of knowledge for Czech firearms.

Ken Strayhorn
Hillsborough NC