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Make: Mauser (byf)
Model: P.38
Serial#: 5141l
Year of Manufacture: 1943
Caliber: 9mm Luger
Action Type: Single/Double-Action Semi-Automatic Pistol fed by a Detachable Magazine
Barrel Length: 5"
Sights/ Optics: The front sight is a blade dovetailed to a boss at the front of the barrel. The rear sight is a "U"-notch dovetailed to the rear of the slide.
Stock Configuration & Condition/ Grip: The grips are two-piece serrated AEG brown synthetic panels. The grips have a few light nicks and minor handling wear. The serrations are well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Fine condition.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: Most remaining finish is Original, there is cold blue touch-up on the right slide flat. Numbered parts match.
Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright with sharp rifling. There is scattered minor erosion and scattered stubborn fouling in the bore. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates 7/10.
Overall Condition: The pistol retains about 75% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at all edges. Most of the balance is handling wear in the grip areas and wear along the top of the right slide flat. The worn area on the slide shows some minor surface erosion and has been touched-up with cold blue. There is infrequent other minor wear. There are some light nicks and scratches. There are scattered spots of minor surface oxidation. The action shows operational wear. The screw head is sharp. The markings are clear. Overall, this pistol is in Very Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We have not fired this pistol. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.
Box Paperwork and Accessories: The gun comes with a single 8-round Walther magazine with e/359 waffenamt on the spine.
Our Assessment: The Luger was showing its age by the early 1930s and the German Army began to seek out a new handgun. The design which most impressed the German Army was Armee Pistole or Military Pistol designed by Walther, but the gun’s concealed hammer design was considered inefficient and the gun was reworked to accommodate an external hammer. The resulting handgun was named the Heerespistole or Army Pistol and it featured an external hammer that allowed the gun to function as both a single or double-action. This improved design impressed the German Army which opted to adopt the handgun as its new standard issue sidearm in 1938. There are only a few minor dimensional changes between the P.38 and HP, they were done to facilitate mass production. The gun would remain the standard issue sidearm of the Heer until its ultimate defeat at the end of WWII. The stalwart design remains in service with a number of military and police formations to this day.
This particular specimen is a WWII-era P.38 that was made by Mauser in 1943. Mauser had taken over the production of Luger P.08 semi-automatic handguns in the 1930s and produced the gun until mid-1941, the firm then took up production of the P.38 with mass production of the more modern handgun beginning in 1942 and continuing until the end of WWII. This specimen retains serial matching parts and the majority of its original finish. The gun retains a decent bore and strong mechanics. Given its age and service, it's a neat piece for any collection. Please see our photos and good luck!