More P-38 questions...

[PaulR]

Hello,

I have a cyq P38 with a phosphate finish and reddish bakelite grips. The question I have is that the serial number is four digits followed by the letter "o" on the slide. The o is seperate from the serial number by about 1/2 of an inch. What is this. I have not been able to find an answer to this on the internet. One person told me that the O meant that it was of Browning Manufactor. Is this true?

Thanks
Paul

[Garrett M]

Paul, I am guessing your pistol is fine. Spreewerke made more pistols in a shorter time frame than Walter and Mauser combined. This meant crude finishes, missed and out of place stampings were the norm. I have seen pictures of Spreewerkes with stampings as you discribe.
Post a picture when you can.
Browning(FN) did make some parts for the three makers of P-38's.

[Matt Weber]

Paul,

The letter "o" is simply the letter suffix at the end of your serial number. This letter is actually part of the serial number since numbers were repeated over and over. They simply just went through the alphabet and changed the letter suffix. Once Spreewerke made it to the serial number 9999z, then they started over with the "0" series, and after that they stared with a letter prefix rather than a suffix, like this-"0987" "a6249", and "b1567".

If you gun is an all matching Spreewerke (cyq), then it should not have a phosphate finish! To my knowledge, all Spreewerke P38s were blued. I have not seen one, nor seen any evidence that shows the contrary. It is possible that your guns' finish is very thin, and looks almost "in the white" or has a nice "patinia" finish to it?

FYI- Browning did make some parts for P38s, including frames, slides, and locking blocks. These can be spotted by two different way. For the frames and locking blocks look for the Browning proof marking "Eagle/140". On the slides you can either look for the "eagle/140" proof marking, or you can spot these by looking at the "AC43" or "AC44" markings. Walther used a very small "AC" marking on thier pistols. Browning marked thier slides either "AC43" stack or "AC44" stack, and it will be larger than Walthers' markings. Also by 1944 Walther no longer used the stack markings, and used the in-line marking "AC44". So if you see an "AC44" stack, then it is definately a Browning slide!

Matt

[Jan Balcar]

I can only confirm Matt: In Spreewerk factory in Grottau was not parkerizing bath. All the pistols were blued. Postwar assemblies for Russian soldiers are partially in white.
Spreewerke is not right! It was a Spreewerk. Who wants to see factory ID card and time card with Spreewerk inscript, let me know! hoba@volny.cz

[PaulR]

Thank for the helpful replies

I want to thank all of you for your replies. I believe that the finish from the P38 has more than likey been worn away. It is times like this that I wish that I were back home so that I could take photos of my stuff to share with the rest of you .

Paul