P38 Walther Serial Numbers
Walther P38 Type Place of origin Service history In service 1938–present Used by See Wars Production history Designed 1938 Manufacturer, Produced Walther P38 1939-1945 Pistole P1 1957-2000 No. built 1,000,000 Variants, P1, P38K, P38 SD, P4 Specifications Weight 800 g (1 lb 12 oz) Length 216 mm (8.5 in) length 125 mm (4.9 in), locked breech 365 m/s (1,200 ft/s) Effective firing range Sights set for 50 (55 ) Feed system 8-round detachable single-stack Sights The Walther P38 (originally written Walther P.38) is a that was developed by as the of the at the beginning of. It was intended to replace the costly, the production of which was scheduled to end in 1942.
Interarms Walther P38 Serial Numbers
Contents. Development The first designs submitted to the German Army featured a locked breech and a hidden hammer, but the Heer requested that it be redesigned with an external hammer. The P38 concept was accepted by the German military in 1938 but production of actual prototype ('Test') pistols did not begin until late 1939. Walther began manufacture at their plant in and produced three series of 'Test' pistols, designated by a '0' prefix to the serial number. The third series pistols satisfactorily solved the previous problems for the Heer and mass production began in mid-1940, using Walther's military production identification code '480'. After a few thousand pistols the Heer changed all codes from numbers to letters and Walther was given the 'ac' code.
Several experimental versions were later created in, and, but these were never mass-produced. In addition to the 9×19mm Parabellum version, some and some versions were also manufactured and sold. Design details From an engineering perspective the P38 was a semi-automatic pistol design that introduced technical features that are found in other semi-automatic pistols like the and its sub-variant adopted by the United States military. The P38 was the first locked-breech pistol to use a (the earlier double-action was an unlocked design, but the more powerful round used in the P38 mandated a locked breech design). The shooter could chamber a round, use the safety- lever to safely lower the hammer without firing the round, and carry the weapon loaded. This lever can stay down, keeping the pistol 'on safe' or be immediately returned to the straight position, keeping the weapon safely 'ready' with a double-action trigger pull for the first shot. Pulling the trigger cocks the hammer before firing the first shot with double-action operation.
The firing mechanism extracts and ejects the first spent round, cocks the hammer, and chambers a fresh round for single-action operation with each subsequent shot – all features found in many modern day. Besides a DA/SA trigger design similar to that of the earlier the P38 featured a visible and tactile in the form of a metal rod that protrudes out of the top rear end of the slide when a round is present in the chamber. D16 sigmund keygen. P38 made by, coded 'byf 44' with matching and leather holster The moving-barrel design mechanism operates by use of a wedge-shaped falling locking block underneath the breech. When the pistol is fired both the barrel and slide recoil for a short distance together, where the locking block drives down, disengaging the slide and arresting further rearward movement of the barrel. The slide however continues its rearward movement on the frame, ejecting the spent case and cocking the hammer before reaching the end of travel. Two return springs located on either side of the frame and below the slide, having been compressed by the slide's rearward movement, drive the slide forward, stripping a new round from the magazine, driving it into the breech and, in the process, re-engaging the barrel; ending its return travel with a fresh round chambered, hammer cocked and ready to repeat the process. The falling locking block design provides good accuracy due to the in-line travel of the barrel and slide.
Initial production P38 pistols were fitted with walnut grips, but these were later supplanted by grips. Variants. The P1 used by the Bundeswehr The Walther P38 was in production from 1938 to 1945. After the war from 1945-1946, a limited number of pistols were assembled for the French forces in the French Occupation Zone (frequently dubbed 'grey ghosts' because of parkerized finish and grey sheet metal grips). Only after 1957, the P38 was again produced for the German military.
Slowly over time, West Germany desired to rebuild its military so that it could shoulder some of the burden for its own defense. Walther retooled for new P38 production since no military firearms production had occurred in West Germany since the end of the war, knowing that the military would again seek Walther firearms. When the announced it wanted the P38 for its official service pistol, Walther readily resumed P38 production within just two years, using wartime pistols as models and new engineering drawings and machine tools.
The first of the new P38s were delivered to the West German military in June 1957, some 17 years and two months after the pistol had initially seen action in World War II, and from 1957 to 1963 the P38 was again the standard sidearm. In late 1963 the postwar military model P1 was adopted for use by the German military, identifiable by the P1 stamping on the slide. The postwar pistols, whether marked as P38 or P1, have an frame rather than the steel frame of the original design. Starting in June 1975, the aluminum frame was reinforced with a hex bolt above the trigger guard. During the 1990s the German military started replacing the P1 with the and finally phased out the P1 in 2004.
An improved version of the P38, the Walther P4, was developed in the late 1970s and was adopted by the police forces of South Africa, and. Users. (trial purposes).: P1 variant.: Finnish, P1 variant.: Replaced by the mid-1950s.: P1 variant.: P1 variant. Replaced by the in 1985.:Used by and. In small numbers purchased from.:.: Standard sidearm of SA Police. at least up to 2007 were used as service pistol in private security companies References.
Walther P38 Hp Serial Numbers
This video looks at the different markings that can be found on the Luger and P38 pistol series with examples at hand. I tried to make it as straight forward as possible. It is a little lengthy, but there is good visual information pertaining to these guns. Questions, comments etc. You guys know what to do. If there is anyone with any mark or stamp questions, it may be best to PM and we can send pics, or post a video response and include some macro setting pics or something of the like. I'd be more than happy to check any info out in either of the books if someone else doesn't have access.
1918/1920 DWM double stamp Luger, and the 1918 Erfurt/S/42 Luger, P-08 models as well as the byf 43 P-39. All three pistols are chambered in 9mm Luger (9 x 19mm).