Walther p-1 (P-38) ?
I haven't worked on one of these for years, just got 1 in that dosen't all ways work on double action. If you load the chamber and lower the hammer It will not (always)work on double action. What to look for??
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There were two distinct models, even though the krauts called both the P
1. First that they had problems with, and were made during the 50's & 60's, had a unreinforced aluminum frame. After 1971 they brought out the model with the steel reinforcing bolt above the trigger and a slightly thicker frame.
The early model is known to crack and have problems with just a moderate amount of shooting, that's why they were dumped on the US surplus market. If that's the one your working on, go over it very carefully make sure the frame and internal parts are still sound.0 -
If I recall the trigger drawbar on the right side has a spring on its underside. the driving arm of the spring rides in a groove in the drawbar. It is possible that the spring is out of the groove or has lost its strength. It is also possible that, as Rufe says the frame has cracked and is allowing the drawbar to drop away from its purchase on the hammer cam. 0 -
found the problem, on the p-1's (alum. frame) the trigger drawbar spring is mounted on a pressed in stud, this stud came out. a little lock-tite and restaked and it works fine. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by rufe-snow
The early model is known to crack and have problems with just a moderate amount of shooting, that's why they were dumped on the US surplus market. If that's the one your working on, go over it very carefully make sure the frame and internal parts are still sound.
Where have you heard/read that? The added pin is an improvement, but from my understanding, one just doesn't want to shoot any particularly hot ammo through an un-reinforced frame one. I've never heard anything about them failing with just "moderate" shooting.
The Walther P1 was a well-tested -- and used -- military/police arm in Germany; I'm not aware of anyone suggesting these were "dumped" on the U.S. market because of problems.
(My understanding is that it was a transition of pistol types used by the military that led to them being sold, eventually, to the U.S. market, not any defect.)0 -
quote:Originally posted by competentone
quote:Originally posted by rufe-snow
The early model is known to crack and have problems with just a moderate amount of shooting, that's why they were dumped on the US surplus market. If that's the one your working on, go over it very carefully make sure the frame and internal parts are still sound.
Where have you heard/read that? The added pin is an improvement, but from my understanding, one just doesn't want to shoot any particularly hot ammo through an un-reinforced frame one. I've never heard anything about them failing with just "moderate" shooting.
The Walther P1 was a well-tested -- and used -- military/police arm in Germany; I'm not aware of anyone suggesting these were "dumped" on the U.S. market because of problems.
(My understanding is that it was a transition of pistol types used by the military that led to them being sold, eventually, to the U.S. market, not any defect.)
I bought (2) NIB in the early 70's, after the West German Army rejected the original unreinforced frame model. I didn't do a extensive amount of shooting with them, as I was more into collecting during that time frame. In the 1970's these early production P 1'S/P 38's were very commonly available in NIB condition on the U.S. surplus market. I specifically remember paying $75.00 for one of them and a little over $100 for the other one in the early 70's.
One guy I knew from the shooting range bought one and shot it extensively. The frame cracked and he took it back to where he bought it. They gave him another, he broke that one also, they just refunded his original purchase price, and kicked him out the door.
The reinforced frame P 1's were only sold on the U.S. surplus market after the reunification of Germany in the 1990's. This was after the new reunified German Army adopted the H & K as their standard hand gun, and sold off as surplus all their old P 1 & P 38's.0
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