Late 30's P-38

[armedbutnotdangerous]

Hey y'all.

Not a lot to go on. An acquaintance has what he believes to be a late 30's Walther P-38.

Haven't seen it so I'm going on what he's told me.

Ser #1708A, has swastika and Luftwaffe markings.

This is all I've got.

Any info would be appreciated. He's also interested in a value on it.

Thanks.
Steve.


*edited for spelling*

 

[James K]

Try to get more info, especially the slide markings, and also whether it is a P.38 or some other gun.

Jim

 

[armedbutnotdangerous]

Jim;
It is a p.38. Will try to get pix or rubbings of slide markings so I can lookat them and give better description.

Thanks.
Steve

 

[James K]

The reason I asked is that no P.38's had dates earlier than 1940. The "zero series" guns, some of which were made in late 1939, had no dates and did not use the four digit and suffix serial number system. In other words, no P.38 would be dated 1938 or 1939 and a pistol made in 1939 would not have that serial number. I think more info is needed. (Some commercial HP model pistols were sold to Sweden in 1939, but these were not marked P.38.)

(In spite of the assigned 1938 date, the P.38 was not formally adopted until April 26, 1940, when the code "480" was assigned to Walther. This was changed to "ac" later in the year.

Jim

 

[armedbutnotdangerous]

Thanks Jim.

Waiting for more info from him. He's not a gun guy, so I don't think he knows what to look for. I asked him for a rubbing of the slide, but he hasn't gotten it to me yet.

Steve.