P.38 vs P.08

[Stephen Stout]

OH SNAPS!!!

Which pistol is better overall the CLASSIC P.08 Luger vs. the "new" comer the Walther P.38?

I'm just wondering as a combat pistol and from the Third Reich's perspective.

[kompanie]

its much harder to accidently shoot yourself with the p38

[ChrisCook]

P.38

Obviously the P.38. If the P.08 was the better of the two the P.38 would not have replaced it. The P.38 is a more robust design, cheaper to manufacture, and also easier to field strip and keep clean out in the field. Chris..

[Lon]

As an iconic pistol you would be hard pressed to find one with more mystique than the P08. However the P38 was a much more reliable pistol in wartime and could be manufactured in greater quantities faster at less cost. The Germans had a habit of over engineering their weapons. The MP 40 was frequently tossed for the mass produced Russian PPSH 41 due to its rugged reliable design.

The average Luger is worth far more today than the P38, but in combat the 38 would be my choice.

[Rylan]

Not a lot of people are going to say the P.08 was better than the P.38... for use in combat anyways. But there's a reason why so many people still love the Luger

[Col.Klink]

As combat weapons, the P38 for sure. It field strips VERY easily, seams pretty sturdy, and is decently accurate. However, as just a shooter, I very much prefer my Luger. It sits "just right" in my hand, looks way cooler than the P38, and is a TON more accurate! I have problems hitting 6in steel plates at 25 yards with my P38 sometimes (depends on if I am firing my byf43 or AC44, because the byf is more accurate), but I can pop 20oz water bottles at 50yards nearly every shot, and gallon size water jugs at 75-100yards with it.

[Col.Klink]

Do you like trying to start fights, Maj. Konig?

[Rylan]

its much harder to accidently shoot yourself with the p38

What do you mean by this? Unless are you talking about how the upper on a Luger can fire.

[Col.Klink]

What do you mean by this? Unless are you talking about how the upper on a Luger can fire.

He might mean it is easier to see if the P38 is cocked and ready to fire, since the hammer is external. However, it is also almost as easy to see if a Luger is loaded with a round chambered, because when a round is chambered the extractor protrudes and has "Geladen" written on the side (I guess that is German for "loaded"?).

[Rylan]

Well you can have a P38 loaded with the hammer down, but I don't see what this has to do with accidently shooting yourself unless you totally ignore all basic firearm safety

[MauserKar98k]

What do you mean by this? Unless are you talking about how the upper on a Luger can fire.

He could be referring to Skip Muck from Band of Brothers accidentally shooting and killing himself with a Luger.

I personally think that the P38 is a better weapon in terms of performance and simplicity, but almost no other pistol beats the good 'ol Luger in the "pleasing-to-the-eye" department.

[Rylan]

He could be referring to Skip Muck from Band of Brothers accidentally shooting and killing himself with a Luger.

I forgot about that Maybe I took his comment too serious, missed the humor in it. Not that the scene itself was funny...

[kompanie]

He could be referring to Skip Muck from Band of Brothers accidentally shooting and killing himself with a Luger.

I personally think that the P38 is a better weapon in terms of performance and simplicity, but almost no other pistol beats the good 'ol Luger in the "pleasing-to-the-eye" department.

Bingo

[Pvt. Joker]

I'm going to have to buck the trend and go with the Luger being the better of the two, from the Third Reich perspective. Think about it a minute...

When they were issuing and still making the Luger, they were still winning the war. But then along came the P38, looked what happened next! Yeah, yeah, I know- there WERE some "mitigating circumstances" at play too. That whole second front, the American invasion and the sweep across Europe, the Russian winter and the Red Army pushing them back after Stalingrad, etc. But still, the timing WAS kind of a coincidence, as far as the two pistols are concerned.

Point is; EITHER pistol functions and does its job well. Just not well enough to save the Third Reich from its eventual doom. And that's really just as well, don't you think? But if I HAD to pick either/or, I'd go with the Luger. Matter of fact, I did just that. But a nice P38 would be a good addition to the wall and the range too, eventually. "Both" is the correct selection for the WIN, in this poll.

[Col.Klink]

A pistol doesn't make a difference in a war, one way or another (I know you were kidding, but I'm just sayin...) . The P38 was better from several perspectives, I just like the handling and accuracy of the Luger better.