WWII Nazi Marked Wehrmacht Spreewerk cyq P.38 Semi Automatic Pistol Our Assessment: This particular specimen is a WWII-era P.38 that was made by the Spreewerk in 1944. The pistol is characteristic of mid-late war production specimens; it lacks the more thorough inspection marks seen on early production specimens. The handgun was made at Spreewerk (evidenced by the "cyq" code and Waffenamts). The Spreewerk GmbH was a German firm that produced war material for the Wehrmacht during WWII. The firm's operations were spread across the Reich starting in Spandau during the mid-1930s and expanding into Grottau, part of Czechoslovakia that fell under German control when the territory was annexed by the Third Reich. The Spreewerk began to make P.38s in 1942 and continued to produce them until the Red Army captured its facilities at the end of WWII. This handgun comes from this chaotic period, and indeed it appears to have been captured by the Soviets. The "X" marking on the left of the frame is typical of these captured pistols as is the "dip" colt blue finish found on all of the parts, including those left unfinished when the pistol was originally manufactured. This may also explain the presence of Walther grips on the pistol, as many of these pistols had some parts replaced when the Soviets refurbished them. Apart from the grips, all of the other serial marked parts are matching and don't appear to have been "force-matched" as the Soviets were also known to do. The result is a pistol which has a lot of history behind it and would make a great addition to any collection. Please see our photos and good luck!
Make: Metallwarenfabrik Spreewerk GmbH (cyq)
Model: P.38 Serial#: 8524s
Year of Manufacture: 1944
Caliber: 9mm Luger
Action Type: Single/Double-Action Semi-Automatic Pistol fed by a Detachable 8-round Magazine with a blued Locking Block
Barrel Length: 5"
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a blade dovetailed to a banded base by the muzzle. The rear sight is a "U"-notch dovetailed to the slide.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grip panels are two-piece serrated AEG panels. The interior of the panels have eagle/359 Walther waffenamts as well as "151" (see Finish Originality, Our Assessment). The grips have light handling wear with a few small marks. The serrations are well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Very Good-Fine condition.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: Refinished. The "X" marking on the left of the frame is typical of pistols capture by the Soviets and the import marking is through the finish. It is likely that the finish is original to the arsenal refurbishment typically performed by the Soviets on these captured pistols.
Bore Condition: The bore is gray with well defined rifling. There is scattered light erosion in the bore with some pitting in the grooves. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates 5 or 6 out of 10.Many military and C&R-eligible weapons have bores that will show erosion. This not only due to age but to the fact that corrosive primers were commonly used in ammunition worldwide.
Overall Condition: The pistol retains about 90% of its current metal finish. The finish is generally strong with some scattered minor surface oxidation, mostly on the slide flats. The action shows minor operational wear. The screw head is sharp. The markings are generally clear, some of the German inspection marks are poorly struck. Overall, the 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 & Accessories: The gun comes with a single 8-round post-war commercial Walther magazine.
CA LEGAL: C&R: YES, CA PPT: YES
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