question on buying a p38

[Jon Coppenbarger]

I have been thinking of buying a p38 I saw for sale locally. Went and looked at it again today. I can get it for $600.

It is a 1945 german pistol marked AC 45 in like 95% to 98% and not a import. all numbers match and it has the correct mag and all proofs are correct on the pistol. It has no letter prefix in the serial number so I am guesing it is a early 1945.

I have a original 1942 p38 holster so I was thinking about buying the pistol and having a nice p38 with holster to put away.

Do you think the price is to high and would you buy it or not.
thanks jon

 

[buttrap]

Sounds like a fair price to me if it really is original. Try P38forum.com as they have a lot of good info on whats up with the things.

 

[Eightball]

It seems like a high price to me, but I generally only look at "shooter" grades. For a collector piece.....sounds roughly okay, but I'm no expert.

 

[Old Fuff]

As a collectable the price is reasonable, but be aware that by early 1945 the quality of these pistols was suspect. Factories were being bombed on a daily basis, and they were using slave labor in some cases that risk their lives (and sometimes lost them) to make sure that components would fail. For that reason I wouldn't shoot it.

 

[1KPerDay]

Price seems good to me... I have a non-import-marked, matching (but for the mag) AC41 that was said to be worth $400-$600 a couple of years ago. Shoots great. Probably one of my most accurate handguns.

 

[Jim K]

FWIW, I don't think Walther or Mauser was ever bombed. The Allies just didn't care much about small arms production; they were after bigger game like aircraft, tank and oil production.

(The Walther factory in Zella-Mehlis was later looted and blown up by the Russian occupiers.)

Jim

 

[Robert L Johnson]

Walther

Your walther is a nice one if it is in the shape you say
Frame look plum (two-tone)
$600 is a very good price if your not interested let me know.
I'd take it

Bob

 

[Old Fuff]

A lot of the parts that went into Walther P-38's were made in other factories, including Fabrique National (FN). They got the (beep) bombed out of them.

During the last days of German P-38 manufacture at Oberndorf, an unsusally high number of pistols failed their final inspection and were never released to the troops. Because of the sense of urgency that hung over German production in the final days , these defective pistols were either cannibalized for usable parts or set aside until such time as they could be repaired and put into working order.

P-38 Automatic Pistol: The First 50 Years, by Gene Gangarosa Jr.

When Allied trrops captured various arms factories they were looted, and many small arms of all kinds brought back home when they returned. Some surplus 9mm Parablem ammunition is loaded to very high pressure levels. If someone wants to take chances that's their business, but I continue to advise that German arms made during early 1945 not be fired.

 

[Eightball]

If someone wants to take chances that's their business, but I continue to advise that German arms made during early 1945 not be fired.

So, pre-45 should be fine? And at what year would they become fine again?