Does anyone know anything about this p38?

[Legrasse]

I recently acquired this P38 from a friend. I've done some research and have yet to find another with the same markings.

On the right side of the weapon there are only a couple of markings; One above the handgrip, three lines and a number "359" below it, but upside down. The serial number is stamped on the slide and slightly in front of it, toward the top of the slide before the bend is an eagle proof mark. The serial number is duplicated on the frame, below the slide. Both numbers are "over and under" from one another. The bottom serial number (on the frame/body) has an eagle with an "M" below it, perpindicular to the serial number. No other markings on the left side.

The left side (side with production info) has the following markings; on the slide is the Walther flag and "Waffenfabrik, Walther, Zella Melius (Thur.) and Mad. HP below that, slightly offset. On the frame/body next to the slide catch is another eagle proof (this one the Walther Eagle) and the letters "BH". Right of the takedown lever toward the front of the body is marked a "35".

Below the barrel (as looking down the barrel) the serial number is stamped again. All numbers match on the weapon.

After prepping the weapon for pictures, I discover two more proof marks on the underside, after pulling back the slide.

Please email me for pictures of all of the markings. I am unable to post them here. My email is [email protected].

Does this sound familiar to anyone?

 

[dfariswheel]

You have a "rare" Walther HP or "Heeres Pistole" (Army Pistol).
The Walther HP was the model of pistol the German military adopted as the P-38.

In the 1930's, Walther began development of a large 9mm pistol.
The first models were "hammerless" or concealed hammer designs in which the hammer was internal and covered by the rear of the slide.
There were a variety of experimental versions of this "AP" or Armee Pistole.

The final version was the exposed hammer HP.
The German military asked for a few modifications to the HP to make it simpler to produce, and in 1938 adopted it as the P-38.
The P-38 was slightly modified with an easier to make safety system.

The HP has a firing pin safety system that retracts the firing pin into the slide.
The HP was made as a commercial model, and was sold as a military and police pistol to Sweden before and even during WWII, and as late as 1944.
Many of the later production commercial marked HP pistols were really nothing more than standard P-38's with HP markings.

Swedish Police surplus HP pistols were imported from Sweden in the late 1980's into the 1990's.
HP pistols are very valuable due to the rarity since only about 24,000 were made.
Swedish issue HP's have an "H" series serial number running from H1,001 to H2,065.
An HP in about 90% condition would be worth more than $2000.

 

[Legrasse]

Thank you. I ended up finding a site where I was able to locate a little information on my Walther.

http://www.p38guns.com/Walthercommercial.htm

Although, mine doesn't match up exactly to any one of these. The closest is the Sweden commercial model, because of the "35" marking. It's in about 85% condition. The barrel has a rather lengthy portion where the bluing has come off, exposing the metal.

Would you be interested in seeing pictures of it? I haven't been able to find any website's that allow me to input the serial number and obtain a brief history. Are you aware of any?

 

[Jim K]

Dfariswheel is correct in regard to the first HP models. But there was another HP, produced during the war.

Even in the war years, there was a need and demand for a commercial pistol like the service pistol. German officers and NCO's who weren't issued pistols wanted them and preferred a personal pistol that could be serviced by unit armorers. Another markets were police and foreign governments or organizations friendly to Germany. So Walther was given the OK to make pistols for non-military sales. Since a "P.38" was, by definition, the service pistol, Walther resurrected the old "HP" name for these guns*. They were produced on the same line as the P.38, and had the same parts as the then-current P.38, not the configuration of the old HP. (Grips were the normal P.38 horizontal groove, not the checkered plastic as on the original HP, and the firing pin was the standard round P.38 type.)

Many went to Austria and remained there after the end of the German annexation. They were subsequently issued to the Austrian Army (Bundesheer), whose marking "BH" appears on many of the pistols. Serial numbers were hidden, as in the original HP, and they had commercial proof marks. Because parts were pulled from the same bins, many parts had the German WaffenAmt mark which was not removed.

*The same distinction in the U.S. applies to the Model 1911A1 (the service pistol) and the Colt Government Model, identical to the Model 1911A1 but a commercial product.

HTH

Jim

 

[hdsoftail]

P38 Bh

Anyone tell me if the P38 with the letters "BH" is any less valuable than one with out it?

 

[Jim K]

Since all those BH pistols I have seen had been refinished, I would say that a BH HP pistol is probably less valuable than an HP without the BH mark, but more valuable than a standard P.38. Just my HO of course.

Jim