Walther p1 p38
After that the hammer remains cocked and subsequent shots are fired in SA mode. When the hammer is forward pulling the trigger will cock the hammer, by means of a draw bar on the right side of the frame, and fire the first round much like a DA revolver. The P-38 was the first DA/SA pistol adopted by a major power. P-38 pistols were issued to officers, paratroopers, machine gunners, armored vehicle crewman and other specialty troops. After a few minor modifications to the safety system the Wehrmacht adopted the Walther in 1938 as the Pistole 38, or as it is more commonly known, the P-38. The design was suitably modified and renamed the Model HP (Heeres Pistole - Service Pistol). The Wehrmacht expressed interest with one proviso - they wanted an external hammer. Two years later they announced the 9mm Model AP (Armee Pistole), a hammerless, DA/SA pistol. You can read more about the PP and PPK HERE. In this they were correct as the PP, and soon to follow compact PPK, became the most popular police pistols in Europe, a position they were to hold well into the 1980s. In 1929 Walther took the handgun world into the next generation by introducing the first successful double action/single action (DA/SA) pistol - the Polizei Pistole, or simply PP - whose name clearly indicates the market Walther foresaw for their new product. 32-caliber single action (SA), blowback semi-auto pistols which proved quite popular with European police forces and civilians. In 1908 they introduced their first semi-auto pistol, known quite appropriately as the Model 1 and for the next twenty-one years produced a line of. (Nathan Reynolds photo)Ĭarl Walther Waffenfabrik was one of Germany's best known firearms manufacturers. In 1934 the Wehrmacht announced that it was in the market for a new service pistol - just what the Carl Walther Waffenfabrik had been waiting for! The P-38 was a modern double-action design intended to replace the P.08 Luger. These were characteristics which did not endear it to either combat soldiers or bureaucrats watching the fiscal purse strings. Slow and expensive to produce, notoriously ammunition sensitive and not overly reliable once it got dirty. While elegantly made of the finest materials, the Luger was a 19th century anachronism. But to my way of thinking, the pistol that has earned almost unanimous respect is the Walther P-38.ĭuring the 1930s, German industry began a crash program to rearm the Wehrmacht with modern weapons and it was agreed that a replacement must be found for the P.08 Luger pistol. VI Webley and FN Hi-Power, the latter category is represented by such as the Type 94 Nambu, M1895 Nagant and the Mo. While the former includes the M1911A1, Mk. The history of combat handguns is replete with examples of weapons that have earned either praise or condemnation. This is the gun that Megatron transforms into in the Generation 1 animated series.OctoBy Paul Scarlata, Historic Arms Editor Countries of Useīelow is a list of all the countries that have used the Walther P38 or a variant of it: The P38 was improved on in the 1970s and released under the name of the Walther P5. There was also a model of P1 with a shorter barrel, known as the P4. The Bundeswehr (German federal police) adopted a modified version of the P38, known as the P1 in 1957. However, the mechanics of the pistols remained well made, in particular the Mauser-built models.
#Walther p1 p38 serial#
These pistols can be identified by the '0' prefix on their serial numbers.Īs the war went on, the quality finish of the Walther P38 degraded - older P38s had a better finish.
#Walther p1 p38 series#
Walther made three series of test pistols.
![walther p1 p38 walther p1 p38](https://dygtyjqp7pi0m.cloudfront.net/i/29526/25702074_3.jpg)
However, the prototype pistols were not manufactured until late 1939. The P38 concept was accepted by the German military in 1938. Luger P08 production was meant to stop in 1942, by which stage the P38 would be the standard issue German sidearm. The P38 was intended to replace the Luger P08. The Walther P38 is a semi-automatic pistol used by the Wehrmacht forces during WWII.