Russian Capture P38 BYF 44 Question

[J.G.C.]

I have a chance to pick up a 44 date BYF P38 in a trade. My question is that I've been told it is a Russian Capture marked gun. Its all matching with black grips, there are 2 clips that have W stamped on the back and P-38 stamped on the side. The finish is almost perfect, but I've heard that most of these guns have been reblued. I was hoping that someone might give me an idea of value on a gun like this, and how would the value compare to the same gun if it weren't a Russian Capture. Thanks Jon

[leondes]

Hi Jon,

Strangely enough, the Russian capture pistols seem to bring a good price if they are decent. I would say $550 for a nice example. A comparable original gun will bring $750. That's not much difference but that seems to be the situation. I, personally, wouldn't give $550 for a common Russian capture but they do sell for that.

The Russian capture pistols were dipped in some sort of dark, crude blue solution just to protect the metal and they were dipped right over the original finish, what was left of it.

Regards, Leon

[phild]

I pretty much agree except that a number of the Russian captures seem to have been mint unfired guns at the time of capture..probably from supply stocks at or near the end of the war.

I have seen these guns with no signs of cleaning or dip blue removal with all of the parts that were orginally in the white still in the white...which begs the qestion 'we all of them actually dipped"?

Depending on how and where they are import marked and if they bear the Russian X marking, and of course the condition, blue originality and rarity of the code/year, I have seen some sell at well over 1k.

Like all imports of the last 25 years ( and the pre68 ones as well) these will get much harder to find in the out years.

[J.G.C.]

Thanks for the information. Jon