P38 questions

[patrice]

Gentlemen

I have the opportunity to buy two guns from a friend of mine. We both have no expertise or knowledge on them, we simply do not collect them.
These guns came from someone that passed away some years ago and they are being offered to us.
I would like to have any informations on it, as year of production, maker and if they are desirable.

On the first gun, I read P38 and all the numbers are matching. I do not see any maker or year of production like we do see on Lugers.

Condition wise, seem pretty perfect to me and untouched.

Thanks all

[patrice]

Last

[james m]

From the pictures you've posted it's a Walther P38(AC Code) made in 1943. The numbers I can see are matching and the pistol appears to be in very good original condition.
I'd need more detailed pictures to tell you anything more. IMO: A very nice collectible example.
Jim

[patrice]

Thanks so much James for the informations.

I do not have the gun with me but will take more pictures over the weekend.

I've noticed that there is some sort of waffen stamp on the gun with the swaz.

It aslo has the original black holster with it but with no marking as far as I can see.

What does AC means ?

[nomadr]

Looks like a nice original ac43. The "ac" was the code for the Walther factory Manufacture. The E/S was a fire proof. the E/359 was the Walther acceptance stamp.

Bob

[Joe N]

Nice looking P38! Look for the last 3 digits of the serial number on the locking block and the full serial on the barrel (just under it on the front). Magazines at this stage with Walther (AC) were unserialed but should be WaA marked on the spine.
Would love to see more pics when you can!

[Douglas Jr.]

What does AC means ?

Patrice,
Congratulations, it is a very nice P38 made by Walther Waffenfabrik in 1943.
The "ac" code it is not an abraviation but an aleatory code letter attributed to the factory by the German Government. The code was used from 1940 until 1945. In the same way, P38 pistols made by Mauser bear the codes byf (1942-1944) and svw (1945); guns made by the Spreewerk have codes cyq (no date was stamped on these).
Douglas

[patrice]

Thanks for the info Douglas

[james m]

I guess I should have been clearer that "AC" was the code assigned to Walther by the NAZIs during WW II. The pistol will have to be field stripped in order to check the internal serial number. I'd recommend you get someone familiar with P38s to do this as it possible to re-install the locking block incorrectly. You should also know that P38s were made in blocks of 9999 and after the 1st thousand numbers were used they started over again with an "A" block "B" etc. At the end of the year numbering started over again.
Jim

[bodes]

Patrice, can you post picture(s) of the holster?.....They were usually marked on the back with "P38"....manufacturer's code and year of make.....By 1943, the hard shell holsters for the P38 were starting to be phased out and replaced by the soft shell ones......You can however find the hard shell ones manufactured into 1944....These are sought after....Bodes

[bodes]

Patrice, can you post picture(s) of the holster?.....They were usually marked on the back with "P38"....manufacturer's code and year of make.....By 1943, the hard shell holsters for the P38 were starting to be phased out and replaced by the soft shell ones......You can however find the hard shell ones manufactured into 1944....These are sought after....Bodes

On rare occasions, the designaton "P38" was omitted from the holster.....Holsters made of pigskin can be difficult to make out the manufacturer's information.....Of course, always possible you have a commercial/civilian one....Bodes

[jujuy]

very nice 1943

[Barry G]

1943 no letter suffix probably made in Jan 1943.

[Lj90]

Echoing what Barry said, no letter suffix to the serial number indicates an early 1943 pistol, with correct Bakelite grips too!
The E/359 should be present on many parts of the pistol, field stripping it down should show more, and the E/swastika simply means the pistol passed the proof testing before leaving the factory.
Hope this helps.

[Wilhelm]

Looks nice. Is it live or a dewat?