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Make: Spreewerke
Model: P38 cyq Series, 1st Alphabet Run
Serial Number: 8180l
Year of Manufacture: February 1944
Caliber: 9mm Parabellum
Action Type: Single or Double Action Semi-Auto with Removable Magazine. This pistol has a de-cocker lever.
Barrel Length: 5”
Sights / Optics: The pistol is mounted with a flat topped “U”-notched rear sight dovetailed into the slide and a blade front sight dovetailed into a band on the front of the barrel.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are dark serrated Julius Posselt production panels. The grips have light handling wear with some scattered scuffs and small marks. The serrations are well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Very Good Plus Condition.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Original, the serialized parts are matching. There is no import mark.
Bore Condition: The bore is semi-bright with sharp rifling. There is scattered light erosion and some minor pitting in the bore, mostly on the lands. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates 6+ out of 10.
Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 80% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at all edges. The most notable finish wear is in the grip areas and at the muzzle. There is other scattered more minor wear. There are scattered nicks, scuffs, and scratches. The action shows operational wear. The screw head is tool marked with a strong slot. The markings are clear, most have been filled in white. Overall, this pistol is in Very Good Condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this pistol. As with all previously owned firearms, thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This pistol comes with a period original German WW2 pebbled black leather “soft shell” flap-holster marked “P38” at the upper right back, and stamped with its maker and date code, “CXB / 4”, at the upper middle back, denoting manufacture by Moll Lederwarenfabrik in Goch, Rheinland, Germany in 1944. Also included are two period original German WW2 blued 8-round magazines, both stamped “P.38v” at the lower left body; one mag is marked with an eagle over “359” waffenamt, denoting manufacture by Walther, while the other is marked with an eagle over “WaA135” waffenamt, denoting manufacture by Mauser.
Our Assessment: Walther's P38 occupies a significant place in history, as it was the first locked breech pistol to have a single action/double action trigger. After the outbreak of WW2, Walther could not keep pace with the production required, and manufacture finally began at Mauser and Spreewerke in 1942. During the war, the German code for Spreewerke appeared to change from cyq to cvq, and this has sparked much discussion as to whether there was actually a code change or if the stamp was just worn out, and the tail of the “y” no longer present.
This German WW2 Military Spreewerke P-38 Pistol was made in February 1944 and is in Very Good Condition. It features a 5” barrel, 80% of its original blued finish, matching serialized parts, an original 1944 dated pebbled black leather “soft shell” flap-holster, two wartime blued 8-round mags, one by Walther and the other by Mauser, strong mechanics, a semi-bright bore with sharp rifling (there’s scattered light erosion and some minor pitting, mostly on the lands), and even the proper Julius Posselt production dark grips. This pistol shows some signs of the relaxed standards for both markings and polishing as the war progressed. By early 1944, the walls were just starting to close in on the Third Reich, from the West with an Allied landing on the French coast known to be in the advanced stages of planning, and from the East with the Red Army on the offensive ever since Stalingrad. Some corners began to be cut in the production process of these P-38 pistols, with rougher finish and less care given to the depth or orientation of inspection marks. This complete rig is a splendid find for the P38 collector, and would make a fine addition to any German WW2 small arms collection.