Skip to main content
Help Center Community Shop

Walther P-38

woodchuckjohn
I have a Walther P-38 "Zero" series, (1st production variation / serial number in the 1200's) I believe this pistol to be one of the very earliest test pistols manufactured in the series and I judge the finish to be about 75% TO 80% The weapon is fully functional / the mag and pistol are stamped identifyiing the pistol as Walther Waffenfabrik manufactured. All of the small parts that I can see are stamped "Eagle over 359". Can anyone out there help me to determine an approximate value of the pistol?
0

Comments

6 comments

Date Votes
  • woodchuckjohn
    Hey guys my friend stumbled upon his dad's old Walther P-38, and we were kinda curious about it's history and it's possible value, the serial # is 3709a byf44. Any info would be greatly apperciated.
    0
  • p3skyking
    SOMETHING failed, but only a few prototype P.38's had full auto capability.
    The majority of full auto problems are the crystalized and broken firing pin, not a sear problem.
    0
  • gary wray
    quote:Originally posted by woodchuckjohn
    When I was in the army in Germany,my CO wanted to sell me his P-38, but I could not get approval from Battalion Hqtrs. The BC said it was a dangerous weapon in that the sear was unreliable and the pistol could go full automatic. That same thing did happen to a friend and me while shooting his P-38, it went full auto and emptied the clip scaring the hell out of us. As he recalls now he says the gun had a lever which allowed it to go full auto, I disagree. I say the sear failed. Does the P-38 have a full auto selector?




    It has a lever that operates the safety, that's it. Many semi weapons have the same problem and it usually involves, in one or another, the firing pit as p3skyking says. I have had several other weapons (like a M1 carbine) do the same thing.
    0
  • Ray Boone
    Regardless whether it's got a selector or not, if it starts shooting full-auto, if you take your finger off of the trigger, it should stop- unless it's like an M60 that I was assigned once- where when the trigger was pressed it started shooting and kept shooting even after I'd released the trigger, shooting rounds ranging from another five up to the remainder of the belt. I have a photograph somewhere of me demonstrating this to the armorer.
    0
  • tsr1965
    Most likely, as previously suggested, a broken firing pin issue. It is a fairly common issue, with that era of semi-auto firearms. When heat treated, the firing pins were hardened too much, and the grain structure became dendritic, or crystalized.

    This could cause the firing pin to break, and wedge itself in the firing pin hole, with enough protruding, to act like an open bolt, on a Thompson 1927/1928/Mi. When the bolt closes, if there is a round in front of it, it is going to fire...finger pulling the trigger or not.

    One of the most notorious recalls in history, for this issue, was the Winchester Model 100 Semi-auto sporting rifle.

    Best
    0
  • jonk
    I never had it happen to my P1, which is just the post war clone of the P-38. I have had it happen to a little .32 auto- Beretta 1934. Just as said, the firing pin got jammed forward and the recoil got it going. Turned out there was a small burr on the firing pin hole that, once trued up and oiled, solved the issue.

    Breaking sears is something I could see happening on a regular basis only with very late war production guns. I wouldn't worry about it.
    0

Please sign in to leave a comment.

Recent Activity

Didn’t find what you’re looking for?