[Grunt]

No, I'm not really planning on packing my old P-38 but I've been thinking it might be fun to use it on occasion for IDPA shoots. Problem is I can't find any leather for it. Let's face the facts though in that not a lot of folks are going to pack a Walther so I can see why leather makers wouldn't really make or sell that many of them. Two I am thinking of are the Galco Yaqui slide holster or the Safariland 560 though. Both of these designs seem to be pretty flexible on what will fit in them. Anybody know if a P-38 will work in either of these holsters or what holsters (other than Uncle Mike's holsters) will work with a P-38? Nah, ain't trying to win an IDPA match, just there to have fun. :D

[Old Fuff]

Well I'll give you credit for trying, and in the real world the P-38 wasn't a bad combat pistol.

A holster may be a problem. Such holsters were made in Europe, but few were imported. Your idea of using a belt slide is a good one. I would contact some makers via e-mail and see what they say. One of the bigger problems will be to find a leather maker that has a pattern and model gun to mold the leather once the holster is made.

Last but not least - you could contact the Tandy Leather Company. With a piece of cowhide and a few rivits you could make your own holster. It might not be pretty, but it would be functional.

[Dr.Rob]

You should try finding concealable mag carriers for a Luger.

I found that sometimes a shop will let you "try out" a holster if you go easy on them... don't scratch 'em up... I'd wager that a G-slide made for a large frame SW auto would work.

[Andrew Wyatt]

what about a belt slide for a beretta 92?

[Johnny Guest]

It must be, because it was the one I was about to write when I saw your reply. It only makes sense, as the Beretta 92 locking system is a direct derivative of the P38's.

For that matter, I'd imagine that a full holster made for the shorter model of the '92 would likely carry the 38.

Back in the late 1960's, I had a very nice ac40 38 which I shot quite well with Remington 124 gr. FMJ. A couple of times, I was seized with the urge to carry it concealed. It worked okay in an old style 1911 holster, the type which partly covered the trigger guard. My usual carry for a 1911 was inside waistband, about 4 o'clock, without holster, in the "Mexicn Carry" style. This did NOT work with my P38, though - - The safety/hammer drop lever was SHARP and gouged me without mercy. Worked okay with butt forward. But then, the slide of the P38 is really thick, and not conducive to IWB carry.

Anyway, the only hollow points available back then were the Norma, with a lot of exposed lead, and they just would NOT feed in my Walther. I finally gave up on the project. In which regard, Grunt - - have you found any of the modern 9x19 JHP ammo that will work in your P38? I wonder about the Speer 124 GDHP - - It has a good profile, with no exposed lead.

Best,
Johnny

[Grunt]

No, I think most of the ammo through it has been ball ammo. Never gave any thought to using it as an actual CCW piece so I never tried any of the good HP ammo through it. I do recall though before getting my Dillon 650 and buying bullets by the 1,000 that I used to get Speer Gold Dot bullets for about the same price as FMJ bullets. I'm sure with the number of them I cranked through my old Rock Chucker that I would have fired a few through my P-38 over the years though I have no idea how many. However, I do know my old P-38 has never had any functioning problems with anything I fed through it so I'd say that if I was going to carry it, the Speed Gold Dot bullet would be the one I'd want to try through it first to see how well it worked with that bullet design.

[armoredman]

http://www.imageseek.com/hbeleather/ Ask Eric - couldn't hurt. As for ammo, the Walther was expressly designed for ball, so use the only thing that will work like ball- Federal Expanding Full Metal Jacket.

[9mmepiphany]

tears ago i had sam andrews...andrews leather, out of FL...make me a pancake style holster, with thumbsnap, for my p-38 (byf 42). i'll bet he still has the mold for the gun

[denfoote]

Fist #1 for a Beretta 92FS fits!!!
This makes sense, because the 92FS is a direct decendent of the P38!!!
I'm carrying mine!!!