P38 magazines - opinions wanted

[P08]

I've just looked at 3 magazines for my P38. The dealer had lots and lots of P38 magazines, but most of them were really ugly.

I searched for an Eagle over 135 specimen, but couldn't find a single one.

I found 3 interesting magazines.

1. An Eagle over 359 with P. 38v stamped on the side.

2. Another E/359, but with P.38v and a "U" under it stamped on the side. The E/359 was upside down (probably a coincidence, but less attractive)?

3. A jvd with E/WaA706.

My pistol came with an E/359 magzine which is why I'm looking for an E/135. However my E/359 magazine only reads P. 38 on the side. What does the "v" mean on the other magazines? And what does the "U" under P. 38v mean?

Regarding the jvd magazine it should come from Nordböhmische Waffenfabrik. I know they only made magazines for the P38s, no small parts or barrels/slides. So are jvd magazines abundant or are they fairly rare? I guess they were used on Spreewerke pistols?

[leondes]

P.38 mag markings

Hi P08,

The "v" after P.38 means "verandert" in German, translated means "changed". The change occurred in Feb. 1943 by adding 2mm to the height of the magazine housing, I assume to improve feed characteristics.

The "U" that can be found on either left or the right side of a P.38 magazine means "ungehartet" in German, translated to "unhardened". Mags not so marked had the feed lips on the magazine hardened. To speed up production, they eliminated that step and so marked the mags.

The E/359 being stamped upside down is common.

jvd mags were used by all three manufacturers and are pretty common. I believe early on they may have been used as a replacement mag only and then used as a primary mag. jvd seems to have used most by Spreewerk, Walther next and then Mauser.

Some feel that the jvd mags that were also marked with the P.38 manufacturer Waffenamt were mags that were original to the guns and all other jvd mags were issued as spare mags. No one knows for sure.

A mix of E/359 (Walther) and E/135 (Mauser) with one gun as a rig would not be correct.

Hope this info helps you.

Regards, Leon

[Matt Weber]

The small "v" would indicate that your magazine was made after February 1943. It indicates that the magazine body was lengthened by 2mm. The "v" stands for "verlangert" or "enlarged"

The "u" on the magazine would indicate that this magazine was made after October 1944. The "u" stands for "Ungehartet", or "unhardened", which indicates that the magazine lips were no longer hardened steel.

The "jvd" marked magazine is simply a magazine made by Erste Nordbohmische, Metallwarenfabrik. This was a sheet metal company that was located in the Czech Republic, and was contracted to produce magazines for the P38. The acceptance proof, "eagle/WaA706" is correct for this maker.

These magazines aren't really that rare at all. "jvd" marked magazines are probably the most common ones found. Of your three magazines, the "U" marked one is probably the rarest, since it is a very late war production.

If you have any other questions on magazines for P38s, I would recommend getting Per Mathisens' book, "Magazine Spotters' Guide to P38 Pistols". A very good book on P38 magazines!

Matt

[P08]

Thanks for the help. Sadly these 3 magazines were the only ones in resonable condition. The rest were below average in my opinion.

Anyway the sales man was very friendly since he was also interested in WWII weapons. He showed me a K98 in very nice condition (not matching numbers) and a K43!! I didn't even know such a weapon existed I don't even know if ammunition for this weapon is still being made?

Yet another weapon I need to read about I guess

[Matt Weber]

The K43 uses the exact same 7.92X57 round as the K98. The MG34, MG42, G43, G41, G33/40, all used this same round. (among other weapons.)
The Germans were very efficient this way.

Matt

PS- One other thing I forgot to mention earlier. I did start a thread on P38 magazines some time back. I believe it was titled, "Magazine Mania". I posted some good pics of some rarer P38 magazines there, and also posted a lot of information. If you try to do a search for "P38 Magazine Mania", you should be able to find it.

[P08]

They all use the same round!? Very clever.


Thanks, I remembered a thread about magazines, but no details about it. Now I should be able to find it.

[P08]

The small "v" would indicate that your magazine was made after February 1943. It indicates that the magazine body was lengthened by 2mm. The "v" stands for "verlangert" or "enlarged"


Matt

Matt does the above count for all P38s or only the Mauser made?

I have now in my posession a magazine marked eagle over 135 (upside down, but that isn't unusual it seems?) with P38v on the side. So judging from your above comment this magazine would be correct for my byf43 which is from march 1943?

If it's correct I'll buy it (I only borrowed it for now).

[Matt Weber]

Yes, a P38 magazine with "eagle/135" would be correct for a "byf43" P38.

The small "v" marking after P38, applies to magazines made by all P38 magazine makers. The magazine body was lengthened, as a modification, and was done on all subsiquent P38 magazines by all makers.

Matt