Newbie need help indentifying a august 1940 P-38

[Silvereagle]

Hi! Guys , I've been following this forum for ahwile, and seems like this is a very knowledgeable board. Anyway I'm from Norway (Now living in Montana, USA), and have always been interested in WWII militaria from all parts for the era. I got this P-38 via consignment at a local spoorting goods/gun store. A old veteran brought it home after the campaigns in Europe, he told me had never fired it after he got home in 45. And intented it for a home protection gun for his wife. But she never used it due to the grip size. He wasn't very talkative about the rest of the story how he got it, but there was a little brown paperslip in the bottom of the P08 holster it came with with a german soldier name on it.

I have later indentified this gun as a possible 0-series P-38, but since the serial # is 012883 and there is no "Walther" banner on the slide. Most people I've talked to have told me it must have been altered.

The vet that sold it to me told me it was untouched since his days. I have since fired 5 shots with it to ensure functionality (Flawless) My theory behind the missing Walther banner is, that since it is such a late serial # (Less than 13000 known produced). Maybe in the transition to the 480 (ac) coded speices, they might have started to cancel the Walther banner on the slide. Anyway, it has been since just been taken out for maintenance, it has a shiny bore. And doesn't show signs of being fired alot, and all #'s are matching slide, frame and barrel except one clip is from another 0-series 011xxx and one newer clip for later war production.

Here is a link to some pics (not 56k friendly) Thanks for all your expertise in advance.

http://home.centurytel.net/grandprix/p38/

Sincerely

Ronny E. Ingbertsen
Kalispell, Montana

[P08]

Interesting P38. I'm certainly no expert here, just a P38 fan who tries to learn more

Regarding the Walther banner I think it's correct that your's hasn't got it. It has the military markings on the slide and - as far as I can understand - the military P38s didn't bear the Walther mark. Only the first HP's had the banner. The grips look like the early type, but I don't know when they were replaced with the later type?

I can't help you on the serial. I have just recently started to study the Mauser P38s and will adress the Walthers later. It's my impression that 5 digit serials were very rare though. It may differ between the 3 manufacturers.

Matt Weber is the P38 guru. He helped me a lot when I bought my P38. I'm sure he can identify this P38

[Silvereagle]

Hi! P08, I see you're a fellow Scandinavian, whereabouts if you don't mind me asking And I'm sure give some time the Guru's will stop by to enlighten me about this twilight zone P38. What I've found so far, is that all Zero-series pistols actually had the Walther banner on the slide. So that makes most "informed" people think that this one has been re-blued......when I know for a fact it is still original.

[Matt Weber]

First off, Welcome Silvereagle to the firearms forum! Glad to have you here!

Now as for your beatiful P38: It is in fact a "zero series" P38. You are correct that only 13000 of these were made between August 1939 and April 1940. The serial number on yours, "012881", would indicate that this was one of the last ones produced. It is what is known as a Type 4 zero series. (type 4 indicates that it has a round firing pin, external extractor, and flat nose hammer).

The real question is: why is the Walther banner missing? This is puzzling? I can only assume that since it was so near the end of production of the zero series that perhaps the last few did not have the Walther banner on the slide? Mind you, I have no facts to support this theory, but I suppose it is very possible. All other markings appear to be correct and intact, and the finish looks original (and lovely by the way! ) All in all, it is definately correct to me, and you should be happy to have this baby!

Perhaps we can do a call out to others who may have a zero series pistol that is after your serial number? If so, please come forward and assist in this matter!

Matt

[Bill Grist]

Post some good picts.then more can be asertained from them.. wfg

[Bill Grist]

I have gone over the picts., and I go with the theory that it is a late production o series at the end of the run that for some reason or another it never got the banner..Great find,,,

[Silvereagle]

It is definately an very interesting peice, I'm sure this one is at least worth double the $500.00 I paid for it. I bought it mostly because I saw a P38 that was in very good shape and un-altered as far as I could tell. I started researching it further after I got it, so it was like discovering a sunken Spanish armada ship full of gold I do also have the famous book about P38's by Gene Gangarosa Jr "The 1st 50 years of the P38".

It is not very common anymore to see good speices out there in the pawn shops anymore.

I added some more pics, I tried to avoid using the flash. Making the stamps easier to read hopefully. Also the clip I have is from zero series 011304.

To answer Bill Grist's request, I added more pics in the same folder. The new pics have "take two" n their name.

http://home.centurytel.net/grandprix/p38/

[Bill Grist]

Most definately a Walther "O" series without the BANNER.. Most unique, and I stay with the theory. (late) At the "O" series end production run, and from some reason never got the banner????????????? Wed.AM on the way to SOS..wfg

[Bill Grist]

Silvereagle, thanks for the additional picts...wfg

[Ronnie Fry]

To answer Bill Grist's request, I added more pics in the same folder. The new pics have "take two" n their name.
[/QUOTE]
Silvereagle---
The second set of photos make a lot of difference.. You have got a really great find here. That is a wonderful pistol, and altho you mentioned you have shot it, if it were mine, I would not. If you break one of those small waffenampt'ed parts, you will be S.O.L. as far as replacing it is concerned. Even the magazine is correct, tho, sadly, not matching. Well, can't have everything. If you must shoot, buy one of the recent imports for much less than what you paid for this zero series. I am not detracting from your pistol at all.
How this example has survived in the wonderful shape it is in, will forever be a mystery. Oh, and the price!!!! Magnificent
All of the above to say, that it is not so much that you have the $$'s to buy a rare piece, but that you can find someone who is willing to part with it at ANY price.

Congratulations!!!



Ronnie

[Silvereagle]

I'm very greatful for all your inputs guys, I'm very proud of this piece now that I know it is a "oddball" zero-series. I better go get that other "byf44" I saw in a pawn shop here for a plinker gun They wanted $450.00 for that one, better than wrecking my "0" anyway.....since this is a very fine shooting pistol.