Vet pick up on P-38 Info Please!!

[S. McKibben]

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[S. McKibben]

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[r.blue]

You've got a nice and one and you're in it right.
That's the way to do it.
R.Bue

[Cra]

the original ammo is the icing on the cake!

[S. McKibben]

Sad story about the ammo.The guy went and shot them this weekend to make sure it would fire.He didnt want to sell me a gun that would not fire. and then he left the casings and didnt keep them either.I couldnt believe it.
Shawn

[Josh Beckett]

Sounds like the guy was a hillbilly. But at least you got the gun.

[Douglas Jr.]

Congratulations!
You really won the day (or the whole year) with this nice early P.38!! I really enjoyed it! Its conditions is simply outstanding as you should remember that this pistol saw 5 years of continuous war!

I know it sounds obvious but be sure that the seller cleaned the gun after shot it...

Douglas.

[S. McKibben]

Thanks for the kind comments.Yes this pistol was captured in 1944 and brought home in 1945,where it stayed untill just a couple weeks ago.I have the full story on the gun comming.He was going to write up all the info,Vets unit,where he was,and how it was captured and email it all to me.

Now that everyone has seen it,what is the true value of this piece.I see by the posts that this is a hard to find pistol,must not be alot of them out there.

Thanks everyone.

[Josh Beckett]

The least I would expect is about 3000 dollars for that one, the most would be about 5000, so, never get rid of it. God must really love you.

[S. McKibben]

Another Question I have.If this is a third issue why is the serial # 01
wouldnt it be 03 if it was a 3rd issue.From the book i looked at 1st issue serial # starts with 01 2nd issue starts 02,and 3rd starts with 03.Am I right on this or just not understanding?
Thanks,Shawn

[r.blue]

Shawn,
There were not 1st, 2nd, 3rd, issues. These are variations that collectors have come up with to classify certain aspects of the pistol's evolution.
By the time your pistol was made, Walther had changed some aspects of manufacture. The first 0 series that were made had a concealed extractor and a rectangle firing pin (1st variation) then they got rid of the concealed extractor (2nd variation) and then they started making them with a round firing pin and marking the side of the slide "P.38"...this is the (3rd variaiton)...your variation. It is the most common. The ribbed style grips started showing up around your serial number range also.
So...in order to better understand what we are all talking about and to put some type of order to this madness that we suffer from, collectors break things down by variation to distinguish manufacturing differences.

Shawn...Josh is a little high on his estimate of the pistol. I'm not saying that someone wouldn't pay $3000 for it. It is possible. But a more realistic figure would be...with all matching #s to include the mag...$2200 to $2500. If it had two matching mags and the correct holster then you would probably go over the $3000 mark.
Hope this helps and again....nice find.
R.Blue

[Josh Beckett]

Yep, I was kinda high, I took a peek at a value tracker for P38s. I would S--t myself if this was offered to me for 600 dollars.

[r.blue]

Josh,
All things come to he who waits....you'll have your share of good finds.
R.B.

[Josh Beckett]

I have had a few good finds but not guns, a Heim ins reich pin which runs about 80 bucks, I got at a local antique store for 7 bucks. But that is my dream gun up there.

[S. McKibben]

Josh check the e-stand firearms and edged weapons.
Shawn