I purchased my Walther P-38(technically a P-1,right?) back in the mid-80s when INTERARMS was still the only(?) importer.These were labeled as "West German Police Trade-Ins" and came with the original white leather holster and extra magazine.My particular pistol has the MANURHIN marking which,I believe,means it was assembled under contract in France.
Fantastic,functional,reliable,and somewhat sinister in appearance.Very well engineered and designed sidearm.
Man I just love Historical weaponry. I like the new modern tactical stuff. But I think when I start purchasing fire arms im going to purchase the Historical weapons first. Gonna start of with a WW2 production Mosin of course. im sure I can find one easy. Hopefully I can be lucky one day and get a K98
I've often wanted a Walther sidearm. I was leaning toward the newer models for backpacking, due to several consideration, but this certainly is a beautiful piece of engineering. Thanks for the introduction and review.
Adolph Hitler made a good design with that gun. He reelly was a genius in inventing arms. I like his V2 Vergeltunkswaphe too, he was a great inventor of arms to win his war. My friend from germany says they won the war in Poland because they had the P 038 back then. Greetings from Kansas
@Em0Dudee21 look at the slide on it and imagine it going to the full length of the barrel. also notice the safety on it and the slide release looks the same, just shorter than the beretta. I seriously think beretta tweaked a couple designs based off this pistol
Very nice video, sir! I have a Walther P38 though mine is from the 60s. The gun is extremely accurate, durable & reliable. First time I shot it, it hit the target without having to adjust the rear sights. Mine came with the German-style holster & a spare magazine. Mine cost me approximately $300 at my local gun store but I'm sure an actual WWII military-issue P38 is a whole lot more expensive because of its history. It's a little weighty compared to newer composite pistols, but I love it.
when sootch says that this walther was ''found on a german officer'' probably means that his dad or grandad took it off a corpse. lol...i love sootch00's videos, they're very informative and he doesn't ramble like many gun reviewers...plus, his vids are sorta short which is good for my mid speed internet and my video ADD
hey sootch(or anyone) I see couple surplus walther p38 and p1 that are not nazi, I think they made them after the war. My question are they just as good (maybe batter since its after the war+technology) and how is the p1 different from p38. I cannot find any info about that. Thank you.
That is a damn fine weapon sir. I'm getting a 1911 for my first handgun but the p38 is definitely going to be second. What beautiful shape it's in too. Any pitting in the bore or is it still pretty solid/bright?
@GothChristianPatriot I use 124gr Remington Golden Sabre JHP in mine for carry. I use 115 gr Winchester white box for practice. Mine is a BYF 43 Mauser made. Have fun and be safe.
@GothChristianPatriot Depends upon the age, conndition & intended use of the P38 as to what grain-load you can put through it, but they're designed for the 9x19mm Parabellum Luger round (either FMJ or hollowpoint). For target shooting, stick w/the more economical, lower grain-load FMJ rounds. For home defense (if the weapon is in good condition & properly maintained) then you can go w/the more expensive, higer grain-load hollowpoint rounds. Just use common sense & safe practices no matter what.
@GothChristianPatriot I had serious jamming problems (spent shell did not eject) on my Walther 1944 P38, a gun smith told me to use 143 grain ammo, ig solved the problem completely. The heavier load forces the slide all the way back, giving the spent shell time to exit.
Awesome review. I have wanted one of these for so damn long, but I have only ever seen WWII captured one at gun shows, they are usually pretty beaten up. I finally found some surplus post-war police issue. I can't wait till it gets here.
@pangui12 HI bud, you can get a post-war p1 for 320 at J&G online. Be sure to call them and request the hex-nut and fat slide upgrades. The P1 is the same as the P38 except reasonably priced.
I also had it sometimes at army. There we used it just for guarding our homeland army barracks
"Wachdienst schieben" or serving as gate protector in endless hours of boring out of the window looks where u have time to deconstruct and construct it all the time.....
@Sniper77799 After the war they made an updated version called the P-1, it had an aluminum frame instead of steel. And they're much cheaper compared to the P-38!
One of my Neighbors was in Vietnam, His father was in WWII and picked a Luger pistol right off a Nazi. When he showed me, I was just amazed at the sight, he said his father had to sneek it into the US. He also has the original M16 Issued in Vietnam.
I just got a P38 BYF 43 marked Mauser made piece. It's not import marked. It looks like a high polished presentation gun. All numbers are matching everywhere. Does anyone know where I can find out a history of this particular P38? I thank you for your help.
Do you know when they changed the Markings on the P-38 because all the WW2 ones I've seen say P-38 on the front side of the gun and the post war ones have the Walther strip?
an authentic german p38 doesn't have the side writing on it like yours. yours has the walther symbol which mine (byf 43) doesnt. also german used p38s werent blued. either you are lying or u got jipped. btw its sum wat offensive to say these germans.
If you are looking for a Walther P38 but cant fork up the doh for the original, try the Walther P1, its pretty much the exact same gun except for an aluminum frame and a few internal mods. Its a 1950s-1960s standard german police arm at the time. I paided $350 for mine 2 mags original holster, and everything is mint just some minor holster wear on the frame and slide. Best deal on a gun hands down other than my CZ 82.
@holmestad My first pistol was a P-08 Luger and I loved it. The P-38 is a classic design and wonderful pistol. I don;t see why it wouldn't be a good first gun. Thanks~
i vould love to have a P-08 but in my cuntry its hard to colekt sadly, most of it is are from the frome 20-40 so the are often to expensive and more sadly in a rily bad shape cose some dum ass dont nowe that a gun is more than just some fansy trofy but a P-38 isent bad at all :) (im frome sweden so thats is my exuse fore losy speling) Thanks agine
This may sound totally wierd of a question, probubly extremly stupid, BUT! does this gun or any other model with the design and siloette of the walther p38 have a higher capacity magizince? such as making use of a wouble stack liek design?
Walther began manufacturing the P-1 in the late 1950's and they used an aluminum alloy frame .. to make the weapon lighter. Other than that, everything is the same as the P-38. All the parts are interchangeable, and the gun manuals are the same.
Nice tribute to the P-38, I really love vet bring back trophy rigs. This pistol being taken off of an officer is certainly plausible however, machine gun teams wore pistols, tank crews, SNCOs and artillery men. I don't buy stories from gun dealers/gun show sellers but when it comes from the vet themselves with no real gain for the info, I personnally have faith in that.
@AWSMFOX Infamous Defined: "causing or bringing infamy" I think we'll all agree the Weapons used by Hilter's Germany are, although incredible designs, were used to cause "Infamy". Do you know of a diferent meaning? Please share... I could be wrong.
Not to be a lameo "extremely bad reputation, public reproach, or strong condemnation as the result of a shameful, criminal, or outrageous act." Considering the extreme circumstances of WWII, I'd say yes. That's no shame to the gun, or the design; its excellent
@sootch00 I`ve never heard of anybody caring if it is hitler germany or not , the p38 was used for many years after the war by the german army/police, most guns on the european market are post war production, most people know it as a bundeswehr pistol. ww2 ones are highly searched among collectors. the p38 became however infamous because on most of the pistols the slide cracket right behind the locking lugs after about 3000 rounds,except this issue reliability has always been praised good vid
@AWSMFOX The p-08 and p-38 have probably been in the hands of more murderous thugs and assisted in the murdering of more innocent people than any other pistols in history. Not to mention the companies who made them helped to financially support Hitler's rise to power. Infamy is the perfect word.
Considering they mostly used rifles to execute jews and other victims, I don't think that statement is correct. It was also used by the German police force well into the 60's, and even later in the form of the P1. If anything, early colt revolvers or Russian Makarov variants would account for more innocent deaths in the course of history than the P38.
My original comment is misguided as I thought the context was in terms of the pistols quality or reliability.
@AWSMFOX Then you don't understand the word infamy. Infamy deals less with fact than public imagination. It has nothing to do with statistics, but rather, the "notoriety gained from a negative incident or reputation." This means that semantically, a weapon can be correctly termed infamous if it's linked with just one notable killing i.e. Kennedy assassination. Images of SS officers shooting Jews at random with p-08/p-38 pistols is sufficiently strong in the public mind to warrant the term.
@gracer99 You could still disagree on how strong the negative images of the p-08/p-38 are in the collective consciousness, but that would be purely subjective. Infamy is quite subjective.
Sweet looking P38. I have 2 my dad brought back from the war ( he was with the 103rd Inf Div - The Cactus Division ), an AC-43 and a CYQ model. He also brought back a Nazi Tyrolean Walthers PP serial#398262p - I have a short vid clip about it posted.
if that was taken off a german officer sucks that that officer didnt have the p08 luger or by its proper name the parrabelum cause those were the real prizes for amerian GIs
@luftwaffles1000 My Great Uncle's word is worth much more than a damn piece of paper. This is a review of the P-38 and not this particular pistol. If I were selling it, then you could ask it see my papers : )
That looks more like to be a Walther HP ( Heerese Pistole ) rather a genuine P.38. Not very different, it's just the previous version with a slightly different ( and better ) decocking/safety sistem. The name P.38 was just a code given from the Heeres Waffenamt ( Military weapons office ) to the slithly modified HP. However that's a great gun of yours.
Bad idea, that's a more than 70 years old gun, just use 115/124 grains round nose ( soft point should work well ) bullets. Try european ammo, it's more powerful than the american one without being as dangerous as the +P.
@psifactor12 Actually my P38 jammed when I used anything other than 147gr. The slide was not going back as far as it should have. Once the gunsmith told me to use the heavier load I had no problem.
What maker is that one? Mine is a AC41. All I see is the Walther Banner which makes me think it wasnt ww2... I really cant tell from the video though. Most have a maker mark of AC, BYF, CYQ followed by the year.
On steel parts it is a phosphate finish which is superior to bluing for protection. It isn't shiny.
The frame is aluminum, and cannot be blued. (Bluing involves the creation of Fe3O4, which you don't get from aluminum.) I believe it is anodized. There isn't much you can do for the frame, aside from trying something like GUn-Kote. It will probably not look too great, though.
Superb review, sir! I've owned a P38 for 2 yrs now & have been extremely pleased w/its accuracy & reliability. The only jams I've had were due to poorer-quality ammo. I wish mine could have been a WWII-vintage piece like yours (mine was made in July 1962) but if it had been, I couldn't have afforded it! As it was, mine set me back about $300 for the gun, WWII-style leather holster & two magazines. Thanks for posting this vid! :)
@WulfBand If you want an actual WWII P38, be prepared to lay out some serious cash (over $1000). Mine was made in July 1962 & I bought it a couple years ago for $300 so it's not as bad if you're willing to buy a newer P38 than an older collector's piece.
@WulfBand I found mine at a local gun shop. It had been a trade-in (can't imagine a gun I'd be willing to trade the P38 for, personally, but I'm glad they did anyhow) & it came w/a 1948-vintage holster & 2 magazines. Compared to my other gun (a .32 H&R 5-shot revolver that I couldn't hit the side of a barn with even if I pressed the muzzle up against it), the P38 is extremely accurate & relatively jam-free (only jams occassionally w/poor-quality ammo) for a 47 yr-old gun. Hope you get 1 someday!
awesome P38!!! I picked one up several months ago, but it's a post-war model, i think made in 1962, but in great shape. Surplus/WW2 era firearms are some of the best!!!!! and to get one that came off a german officer is awesome!!!!
Both are battle proven designs and excellent firearms. If you thinking self defense, the 1911 design is hands down a better pistol. Seven rounds of 45acp vs 8 rds of 9mm is the key. The popularity of the 1911 design continues to grow while the P-38 design is locked into the collectors market for the most part. Again, both are great pistols. Thanks~
That little jibe at the P.38 comes from the Israeli police who were issued P.38s and were (quite understandably) not happy being issued Nazi-designed weapons. While I understand the sentiment the fact is tht the P.38 is accurate. Mine delivers 2-inch groups at 25 yards.
I had possibility to familiarise with one of this pistols. It was the "byf43" in very good condition. The fine firearms. In it there is something bewitching.
Im thinking of getting a WW2 battle rifle I have a budget (around 375 dollers) though and if all else fails I'll get a Moisan Nagant but what I would really like is a M1 garand
A Garand will run $900 & up. A Mosin Nagant runs around $100. British Lee Enfield would be about $300 + These classics keep going up in value as well.
My Dad gave me a Walther PPK in .32 that my Grand father brought back from WW2(with papers to show legal). I want to get one of these that you are showing. Really nice.
As usual, nice video Sootch. Nice pistol too. A good friend of mine has about eight of these and about nine or ten Lugers. He's a big fan of the old German technology and workmanship. It really is good stuff as you pointed out.
That particular one looks to be in excellent condition.
From the markings that looks like a post war model P38 (regardless it's a nice looking gun).
thedaringdragoon 1 day ago
did it replace the ppk or did they just make that one to fit the new 9mm for the germans?
Airsoftelite117 5 days ago
This is the best pistol ever...
tribble921 2 weeks ago
luckily for me we got my grandpas from veitnam and a holster so we did not have to pay for it
fcxcweapnslover17 4 weeks ago
@fcxcweapnslover17 vietnam?
dumbcheese123 2 weeks ago
dirty kraut bastards
1337Leva 1 month ago
the most sinister looking pistol ever
ArseneLupin2009 2 months ago 6
@ArseneLupin2009 yes, prolly killed some jews or american soldiers
1337Leva 1 month ago
I'd Neatsfoot that holdster does them a world of good!
PUG205GTX 2 months ago
I purchased my Walther P-38(technically a P-1,right?) back in the mid-80s when INTERARMS was still the only(?) importer.These were labeled as "West German Police Trade-Ins" and came with the original white leather holster and extra magazine.My particular pistol has the MANURHIN marking which,I believe,means it was assembled under contract in France.
Fantastic,functional,reliable,and somewhat sinister in appearance.Very well engineered and designed sidearm.
BigHosMan 2 months ago
Nice piece... if only it was in my price range
Josh19922991 3 months ago
Man I just love Historical weaponry. I like the new modern tactical stuff. But I think when I start purchasing fire arms im going to purchase the Historical weapons first. Gonna start of with a WW2 production Mosin of course. im sure I can find one easy. Hopefully I can be lucky one day and get a K98
Dtac25 3 months ago
A friend of mine just inherited one of these. It was made in 1944 and is in excellent condition. About what is something like that worth.
curlybobz 3 months ago
Just a few words to tell you that an interesting downloadable ebook on this model (technical and historic aspects) is available at HLebooks.com.
HLebooks 4 months ago
This gun never will obsolete.
Gangster88232 4 months ago 3
Imagine coming up to a hobo and shooting him in the leg afterwards peeing in his face :)
LEGOSandNFSW 5 months ago
I've often wanted a Walther sidearm. I was leaning toward the newer models for backpacking, due to several consideration, but this certainly is a beautiful piece of engineering. Thanks for the introduction and review.
rainbowhiker 5 months ago
Adolph Hitler made a good design with that gun. He reelly was a genius in inventing arms. I like his V2 Vergeltunkswaphe too, he was a great inventor of arms to win his war. My friend from germany says they won the war in Poland because they had the P 038 back then. Greetings from Kansas
chemiecharmeur 6 months ago
Has anyone else noticed that this gun looks really similar to a beretta m9?!
BeanDip0913 6 months ago
@BeanDip0913 no? lol
Em0Dudee21 6 months ago
@Em0Dudee21 look at the slide on it and imagine it going to the full length of the barrel. also notice the safety on it and the slide release looks the same, just shorter than the beretta. I seriously think beretta tweaked a couple designs based off this pistol
BeanDip0913 6 months ago
@BeanDip0913 well its hard to make a gun look totally practical and original without going apeshit, but i think i see what you mean
Em0Dudee21 6 months ago
BUT THEY WORTH EVERY PENNY!!!
fletcher0102 6 months ago
i saw a gun exactly like that at the gun show for 330 dollars
dfordize 6 months ago
Great review Sootch. Why did the Walther P-38 have an exposed hammer? Thank you.
SilverWolfM200LDH 7 months ago
Very nice video, sir! I have a Walther P38 though mine is from the 60s. The gun is extremely accurate, durable & reliable. First time I shot it, it hit the target without having to adjust the rear sights. Mine came with the German-style holster & a spare magazine. Mine cost me approximately $300 at my local gun store but I'm sure an actual WWII military-issue P38 is a whole lot more expensive because of its history. It's a little weighty compared to newer composite pistols, but I love it.
tchapman1977 7 months ago
u should do a vid bout the nambou type 14
darthbilly97 7 months ago
wat kind of ammo does this pistol shoot cuz i heard of it being ammo specific like the grain of the bullet this gun can handle jw?
marleystoner 8 months ago
when sootch says that this walther was ''found on a german officer'' probably means that his dad or grandad took it off a corpse. lol...i love sootch00's videos, they're very informative and he doesn't ramble like many gun reviewers...plus, his vids are sorta short which is good for my mid speed internet and my video ADD
paikmendez 8 months ago
hey sootch(or anyone) I see couple surplus walther p38 and p1 that are not nazi, I think they made them after the war. My question are they just as good (maybe batter since its after the war+technology) and how is the p1 different from p38. I cannot find any info about that. Thank you.
karn881 8 months ago
That is a damn fine weapon sir. I'm getting a 1911 for my first handgun but the p38 is definitely going to be second. What beautiful shape it's in too. Any pitting in the bore or is it still pretty solid/bright?
pleasuretrip 8 months ago
What current 9mm loads can one use in a Walther p-38 ?
GothChristianPatriot 9 months ago
@GothChristianPatriot I use 124gr Remington Golden Sabre JHP in mine for carry. I use 115 gr Winchester white box for practice. Mine is a BYF 43 Mauser made. Have fun and be safe.
ksthomas 8 months ago
@GothChristianPatriot Depends upon the age, conndition & intended use of the P38 as to what grain-load you can put through it, but they're designed for the 9x19mm Parabellum Luger round (either FMJ or hollowpoint). For target shooting, stick w/the more economical, lower grain-load FMJ rounds. For home defense (if the weapon is in good condition & properly maintained) then you can go w/the more expensive, higer grain-load hollowpoint rounds. Just use common sense & safe practices no matter what.
tchapman1977 7 months ago
@GothChristianPatriot I had serious jamming problems (spent shell did not eject) on my Walther 1944 P38, a gun smith told me to use 143 grain ammo, ig solved the problem completely. The heavier load forces the slide all the way back, giving the spent shell time to exit.
stuka52 5 months ago
Megatron!
Kaykadem 9 months ago
know a vetran who got shot 3 times with a 9mm p38 and survied. one shot from a 45 killed the german who shot him
deepwoodskentuckian 10 months ago
@deepwoodskentuckian
Well it would depend on where the bullets went through as well. If its through the brain or the heart its probably good bye Charlie.
summer20105707 10 months ago
For buying one would you know a price range?
EcoNation 11 months ago
Awesome review. I have wanted one of these for so damn long, but I have only ever seen WWII captured one at gun shows, they are usually pretty beaten up. I finally found some surplus post-war police issue. I can't wait till it gets here.
WellEnDoweded 1 year ago
And every Allied soldier that could, took a captured Luger P08, and promptly shot himself cleaning it! P38, best WW2 pistol.
The Germans favoured Webley .455, when captured, for the reliability and stopping power.
SvenTviking 1 year ago
2:12 it sorta lookslike a mini 1911 with a mini silencer, other then that beauty gun, id own one if i could
Rogue666Status 1 year ago
I HAVE THE SAME GUN, ITS VERY POWER FULL !!! THE ONLY THING IS THAT MY GUN HAS SOME GERMAN NAME ON IT!!! I EVEN HAS A NAZI SIGN ON IT!!!
ITS IN MINT CONDITION !!! HOW MUCH DO YOU THINK I CAN SELL IT FOR!!!
mdrgstankovic2 1 year ago
i want one soo bad were can i get a walther p38 for 200$ between 400$ does anyone know??
pangui12 1 year ago
@pangui12 HI bud, you can get a post-war p1 for 320 at J&G online. Be sure to call them and request the hex-nut and fat slide upgrades. The P1 is the same as the P38 except reasonably priced.
TasuLife 1 year ago
He said: "beautyful work of art"
I also had it sometimes at army. There we used it just for guarding our homeland army barracks
"Wachdienst schieben" or serving as gate protector in endless hours of boring out of the window looks where u have time to deconstruct and construct it all the time.....
Greetings from Munich ;)
AntoniusMUC 1 year ago
@AntoniusMUC
I forgot to say thats now designatet as P1, soon out of german army service.
AntoniusMUC 1 year ago
haha americans and their guns :P
LegoRyoma7 1 year ago
and this video is in black and white because?....
MrSean1997 1 year ago
Fantastic looking piece, how's the single action mode Sootch007? How's it compared to semi-custom 1911 do you think?
TheFirearmEnthusiast 1 year ago
Hopefully picking one of these up at a gunshow this saturday
Stefano5441 1 year ago
what do you mean by double action?
basskillaz 1 year ago
Why,hello Dixie! nice gun you got!
ahmerpot 1 year ago
the p38 is very simulair to the berettas if u cut the barrel of
is´ni it?? or is just me??
rammsteinlover1337 1 year ago
A bit confused by your gun handling in 2:04.
1. You racked the slide back.
2. You engaged the decocker/safety
3. You undid the safety
4. You thumbcocked the hammer.
Were you doing a function check or were you just nervous about showing a cocked pistol on video?
nmende00 1 year ago
My family has a Walther P .38. I cant wait to inherit it from my dad
SchutzStaffel441 1 year ago
do they still make these or are they rare?
Handheldbulletdevice 1 year ago
very nice guns
iisslo 1 year ago
holy Energon! it's Megatron!
aquelescaraaaaaaaaaa 1 year ago
can the P38 be safely dry fired without fear of damage??
GrizzlyGunsmith99 1 year ago
do you know where i could pick one up and if not how much do you think it would cost
colemcgill13 1 year ago
Did they still make these after WWII or rthey all from the war?
Sniper77799 1 year ago
@Sniper77799 After the war they made an updated version called the P-1, it had an aluminum frame instead of steel. And they're much cheaper compared to the P-38!
SavageArms357 1 year ago
That is a really nice gun, and a valuable piece of history.
whatnot987 1 year ago
i really want this gun...to bad i'm 15.
MyOwnWorldMegan 1 year ago
i had one of these sold it for 100pound over in england nice gun couldnt get the bullets for it thou :(
franbot09 1 year ago
One of my Neighbors was in Vietnam, His father was in WWII and picked a Luger pistol right off a Nazi. When he showed me, I was just amazed at the sight, he said his father had to sneek it into the US. He also has the original M16 Issued in Vietnam.
sasquatchhunter200 1 year ago
oh... i didnt know it was double action....cool i guess you learn something new every day
rocknrolla12992 1 year ago
lol even when the nazis had good weapons they couldent even win XD
jonasldg 1 year ago
OMFG IT'S MEGATRON!
aquelescaraaaaaaaaaa 1 year ago
I just got a P38 BYF 43 marked Mauser made piece. It's not import marked. It looks like a high polished presentation gun. All numbers are matching everywhere. Does anyone know where I can find out a history of this particular P38? I thank you for your help.
ksthomas 1 year ago
The P-38 ("P1") was my duty gun in army, but has later been replaced by the Hk usp 9mm ("P8")
Geomanb 1 year ago
@Geomanb Which gun do you prefer?
SavageArms357 1 year ago
@SavageArms357 I like the USP more. It weighs less, takes more ammunition and is easier to handle.
Geomanb 1 year ago
Could you please make a video on your Colt M1911A1 that you compared with the Ballester Molina? That gun was so cool!
JohnnyMurata 1 year ago
how much das it cost?
y4juhty 1 year ago
Do you know when they changed the Markings on the P-38 because all the WW2 ones I've seen say P-38 on the front side of the gun and the post war ones have the Walther strip?
deathwing98 1 year ago
A very good review. Clear voice, good graphics...
mrcannotfindaname 1 year ago
an authentic german p38 doesn't have the side writing on it like yours. yours has the walther symbol which mine (byf 43) doesnt. also german used p38s werent blued. either you are lying or u got jipped. btw its sum wat offensive to say these germans.
4004084 1 year ago
Is that a post war P-38 because the slide has different markings
deathwing98 1 year ago
the transformer toy Megatron transforms from robot to this gun
Bwah2012 1 year ago
Sir, I salute you, you just made me want that piece of art more than before!
i'll try to get my hands into one of those ASAP!
Really nice video, you showed all the important details.
Thumbs up and added to FAVORITES!
TheM3etalWolf 1 year ago
If you are looking for a Walther P38 but cant fork up the doh for the original, try the Walther P1, its pretty much the exact same gun except for an aluminum frame and a few internal mods. Its a 1950s-1960s standard german police arm at the time. I paided $350 for mine 2 mags original holster, and everything is mint just some minor holster wear on the frame and slide. Best deal on a gun hands down other than my CZ 82.
8lindf1ght 1 year ago
sorry i ment P1
holmestad 1 year ago
is it a god gun fore newbeginers?
i have get an offer of a Walther p4 but i never fierd one
holmestad 1 year ago
@holmestad My first pistol was a P-08 Luger and I loved it. The P-38 is a classic design and wonderful pistol. I don;t see why it wouldn't be a good first gun. Thanks~
sootch00 1 year ago 9
@sootch00
Thanks sootch00
i vould love to have a P-08 but in my cuntry its hard to colekt sadly, most of it is are from the frome 20-40 so the are often to expensive and more sadly in a rily bad shape cose some dum ass dont nowe that a gun is more than just some fansy trofy but a P-38 isent bad at all :) (im frome sweden so thats is my exuse fore losy speling) Thanks agine
holmestad 1 year ago
@sootch00 Could you make a video about the Luger?
deathwing98 1 year ago
@sootch00 Where and for how much did you purchase your Luger P08 Sootch. I've always desired that pistol. Thanks in advance.
Dresden1065 1 year ago
@sootch00 infamous luger? are you a zionist?
mullahomar007 1 year ago
@sootch00 Your first pistol was a luger wts how did you get that was your dads?
airsoftloverusp 1 year ago
... Up the Republic, love!:-)
I enjoyed yer tutoring - yer P38 is awesome. The blueing on mine has suffered a bit, but is still okay.
I'm gonna do the field-strip next time at the range.
Mibe was made in 1940 - but the grips don't seem to be bakelite. They have a 'plastic' feel to them. :-/
sainterosette 1 year ago
I have one. My Dad brought it home from the war.
doginstine 1 year ago
This may sound totally wierd of a question, probubly extremly stupid, BUT! does this gun or any other model with the design and siloette of the walther p38 have a higher capacity magizince? such as making use of a wouble stack liek design?
LiftedElephant 1 year ago
... what's the difference netween a P1 and a P38? :-) I think they look identical.
sainterosette 1 year ago
Walther began manufacturing the P-1 in the late 1950's and they used an aluminum alloy frame .. to make the weapon lighter. Other than that, everything is the same as the P-38. All the parts are interchangeable, and the gun manuals are the same.
thecrooner4jc 1 year ago
@thecrooner4jc : Thank you for the info! :-) I'd like to get one - I have a P-88. A vintage P-38 would be great.
sainterosette 1 year ago
why it was forbidden??
alexhack4ever 1 year ago
Wow, I had never really taken a close look at the P-38 before this video. They are incredibly well made, I am impressed.
Great collectible; but I'm also glad you shoot and appreciate it, instead of keeping it locked up in a vault.
classof77 1 year ago
Nice tribute to the P-38, I really love vet bring back trophy rigs. This pistol being taken off of an officer is certainly plausible however, machine gun teams wore pistols, tank crews, SNCOs and artillery men. I don't buy stories from gun dealers/gun show sellers but when it comes from the vet themselves with no real gain for the info, I personnally have faith in that.
billb89 1 year ago
I really don't think you know what "infamous" means.
AWSMFOX 1 year ago
@AWSMFOX Infamous Defined: "causing or bringing infamy" I think we'll all agree the Weapons used by Hilter's Germany are, although incredible designs, were used to cause "Infamy". Do you know of a diferent meaning? Please share... I could be wrong.
sootch00 1 year ago 12
Not to be a lameo "extremely bad reputation, public reproach, or strong condemnation as the result of a shameful, criminal, or outrageous act." Considering the extreme circumstances of WWII, I'd say yes. That's no shame to the gun, or the design; its excellent
herrcobblermachen 1 year ago
@sootch00 I`ve never heard of anybody caring if it is hitler germany or not , the p38 was used for many years after the war by the german army/police, most guns on the european market are post war production, most people know it as a bundeswehr pistol. ww2 ones are highly searched among collectors. the p38 became however infamous because on most of the pistols the slide cracket right behind the locking lugs after about 3000 rounds,except this issue reliability has always been praised good vid
georgewashington92 5 months ago
Comment removed
gracer99 5 months ago
@AWSMFOX The p-08 and p-38 have probably been in the hands of more murderous thugs and assisted in the murdering of more innocent people than any other pistols in history. Not to mention the companies who made them helped to financially support Hitler's rise to power. Infamy is the perfect word.
gracer99 5 months ago
@gracer99
Considering they mostly used rifles to execute jews and other victims, I don't think that statement is correct. It was also used by the German police force well into the 60's, and even later in the form of the P1. If anything, early colt revolvers or Russian Makarov variants would account for more innocent deaths in the course of history than the P38.
My original comment is misguided as I thought the context was in terms of the pistols quality or reliability.
AWSMFOX 5 months ago
@AWSMFOX Then you don't understand the word infamy. Infamy deals less with fact than public imagination. It has nothing to do with statistics, but rather, the "notoriety gained from a negative incident or reputation." This means that semantically, a weapon can be correctly termed infamous if it's linked with just one notable killing i.e. Kennedy assassination. Images of SS officers shooting Jews at random with p-08/p-38 pistols is sufficiently strong in the public mind to warrant the term.
gracer99 5 months ago
@gracer99 You could still disagree on how strong the negative images of the p-08/p-38 are in the collective consciousness, but that would be purely subjective. Infamy is quite subjective.
gracer99 5 months ago
You said this is a surplus gun in the video?
AllfatherGuideUs 1 year ago
@AllfatherGuideUs I guess I should say it's a war trophy :)
sootch00 1 year ago 8
@shinpodippy LOL
AllfatherGuideUs 1 year ago
Sweet looking P38. I have 2 my dad brought back from the war ( he was with the 103rd Inf Div - The Cactus Division ), an AC-43 and a CYQ model. He also brought back a Nazi Tyrolean Walthers PP serial#398262p - I have a short vid clip about it posted.
scrumm21 1 year ago
if that was taken off a german officer sucks that that officer didnt have the p08 luger or by its proper name the parrabelum cause those were the real prizes for amerian GIs
YUSTALKINME 1 year ago
Did you take it off the officer? Cause there's an old saying about buying the gun and not the story. Unless you have papers....
luftwaffles1000 1 year ago
@luftwaffles1000 My Great Uncle's word is worth much more than a damn piece of paper. This is a review of the P-38 and not this particular pistol. If I were selling it, then you could ask it see my papers : )
sootch00 1 year ago
this gun is visibly re-finished.
sabbathmusic 1 year ago
@sabbathmusic The gun has not been refinished and is a Pre-War commercail Walther that was taken from a German Officer during WWII.
sootch00 1 year ago
That is a pre war HP??
sabbathmusic 1 year ago
Cool gun. Has a scary past though. Thousands of concentration camp victims looked down that barrel.
shinpodippy 1 year ago
Looks like a post war fake, IMO.
schumacher500 1 year ago
@schumacher500 No, it was taken off of a German Officer during the war.
sootch00 1 year ago
Great video .. and so informative. Thanks for posting !!
thecrooner4jc 1 year ago
when he fires the walther hes tottaly in the zone
joelgallagher12 1 year ago
That looks more like to be a Walther HP ( Heerese Pistole ) rather a genuine P.38. Not very different, it's just the previous version with a slightly different ( and better ) decocking/safety sistem. The name P.38 was just a code given from the Heeres Waffenamt ( Military weapons office ) to the slithly modified HP. However that's a great gun of yours.
santalfiostreet 1 year ago 7
+1 to you. Looking at one on gunbroker now. :)
HiCapacity 1 year ago
can we fire heaver grain bullets like 147gr +p rounds with it?
psifactor12 1 year ago
Bad idea, that's a more than 70 years old gun, just use 115/124 grains round nose ( soft point should work well ) bullets. Try european ammo, it's more powerful than the american one without being as dangerous as the +P.
santalfiostreet 1 year ago
@psifactor12 Actually my P38 jammed when I used anything other than 147gr. The slide was not going back as far as it should have. Once the gunsmith told me to use the heavier load I had no problem.
stuka52 1 year ago
Comment removed
kakashi1578 2 years ago
What maker is that one? Mine is a AC41. All I see is the Walther Banner which makes me think it wasnt ww2... I really cant tell from the video though. Most have a maker mark of AC, BYF, CYQ followed by the year.
pocat6 2 years ago
I have a post war p38 its a great pistol.. The finising on it isnt to nice, how can I get the bleu'ing back to the nice shine..??
giolom 2 years ago
.... It isn't blued, if it is factory original.
On steel parts it is a phosphate finish which is superior to bluing for protection. It isn't shiny.
The frame is aluminum, and cannot be blued. (Bluing involves the creation of Fe3O4, which you don't get from aluminum.) I believe it is anodized. There isn't much you can do for the frame, aside from trying something like GUn-Kote. It will probably not look too great, though.
Best just to accept it as a good shooting pistol.
lamarbrog 2 years ago
Thanks for sharing that..Yea ill keep as is.
giolom 2 years ago
lov that pistol.what a beauty
theARMORYchannel 2 years ago
Superb review, sir! I've owned a P38 for 2 yrs now & have been extremely pleased w/its accuracy & reliability. The only jams I've had were due to poorer-quality ammo. I wish mine could have been a WWII-vintage piece like yours (mine was made in July 1962) but if it had been, I couldn't have afforded it! As it was, mine set me back about $300 for the gun, WWII-style leather holster & two magazines. Thanks for posting this vid! :)
tchapman1977 2 years ago
If im not mistaken that's the Walther HP P38?
My P-38(and is marked as such) was made after WW2, right before they decided to change the name to P1 :P.
- Rev
TeHGoodReverend 2 years ago
SWEET :)
I want one but I can't afford it :(
Someday :)
WulfBand 2 years ago
@WulfBand If you want an actual WWII P38, be prepared to lay out some serious cash (over $1000). Mine was made in July 1962 & I bought it a couple years ago for $300 so it's not as bad if you're willing to buy a newer P38 than an older collector's piece.
tchapman1977 2 years ago
@tchapman1977, Actually I found one on line for $499 3 weeks ago but I can't even afford that :(
WulfBand 2 years ago
@WulfBand I found mine at a local gun shop. It had been a trade-in (can't imagine a gun I'd be willing to trade the P38 for, personally, but I'm glad they did anyhow) & it came w/a 1948-vintage holster & 2 magazines. Compared to my other gun (a .32 H&R 5-shot revolver that I couldn't hit the side of a barn with even if I pressed the muzzle up against it), the P38 is extremely accurate & relatively jam-free (only jams occassionally w/poor-quality ammo) for a 47 yr-old gun. Hope you get 1 someday!
tchapman1977 2 years ago
did your father find this?
deathwing98 2 years ago
A family Friend's Grandfather.
sootch00 2 years ago
@sootch00 was he in the airborne?
deathwing98 2 years ago
ITS MEGATRON
7sancer 2 years ago
I prefer Optimus
sootch00 2 years ago
My dad has one of these. I am trying to get him to let me borrow it for a few days...lol
kbj76 2 years ago
awesome P38!!! I picked one up several months ago, but it's a post-war model, i think made in 1962, but in great shape. Surplus/WW2 era firearms are some of the best!!!!! and to get one that came off a german officer is awesome!!!!
jesusarturop 2 years ago
How much did it run you?
DeadBodyJuggalo18 2 years ago
what's better m1911 or Walther P-38? Im sure they have their positives and negatives, but i want to hear what you think and why?
Acornoa 2 years ago
Both are battle proven designs and excellent firearms. If you thinking self defense, the 1911 design is hands down a better pistol. Seven rounds of 45acp vs 8 rds of 9mm is the key. The popularity of the 1911 design continues to grow while the P-38 design is locked into the collectors market for the most part. Again, both are great pistols. Thanks~
sootch00 2 years ago
GOD BLESS!
Great job, I have P 38 also and I love it too.
Thnaks
Luis
tigerwithballs 2 years ago
Does that gun have the waffenampt markings on every part?
silver760 2 years ago
What an awesome pistol!
That locking mechanism reminds me of a rifle bolt & carrier assembly...
Great video sootch, I didn't know that these pistols have been used so extensively and for so many years.
coolstuffaddict 2 years ago
Megatron!
Utamivz808 2 years ago
I was thinking Optimus! LOL!
sootch00 2 years ago
I almost picked one of those up a couple years back. The guy at the gun store bashed it as "8 warning shots and one well aimed throw"
Guess he didn't want to sell a pistol.
blastergas 2 years ago
That little jibe at the P.38 comes from the Israeli police who were issued P.38s and were (quite understandably) not happy being issued Nazi-designed weapons. While I understand the sentiment the fact is tht the P.38 is accurate. Mine delivers 2-inch groups at 25 yards.
badflamenco 2 years ago
Cool, thanks. I think the next words out of his mouth were "now these glocks on the other hand..."
blastergas 2 years ago
like it; freedom liberty justice. i enjoy the reviews; thank you.
mrbellweather 2 years ago
I shot one of those, very nice pistol :) Enjoy it !
pukkepop 2 years ago
Don Great Vidio Sir do another, do'nt let up. Comon Man
bulltit100 2 years ago
Great review. Nice idea to look at a classic. Did you get that at the gun show?
lovemybenchmade 2 years ago
Thanks~ No, it was a captured WWII battle field souvenir from a German Officer. It's one of the best I've seen,
sootch00 2 years ago
I had possibility to familiarise with one of this pistols. It was the "byf43" in very good condition. The fine firearms. In it there is something bewitching.
Vlad357russiangunner 2 years ago
That is a slick little pistol.
Great vid.
madeinamerica650 2 years ago
Im thinking of getting a WW2 battle rifle I have a budget (around 375 dollers) though and if all else fails I'll get a Moisan Nagant but what I would really like is a M1 garand
Last1Left2324 2 years ago
A Garand will run $900 & up. A Mosin Nagant runs around $100. British Lee Enfield would be about $300 + These classics keep going up in value as well.
Good Luck~
sootch00 2 years ago
Is there a place were you can get one in really bad condition for cheap beacause i can sand a stain the stock
Last1Left2324 2 years ago
Gun Shows are a good place. A friend of mine found one at a Flea Market for around $400 in excellent condition.
sootch00 2 years ago
thats good because ive been saving up and my dad might half it with me
Last1Left2324 2 years ago
My Dad gave me a Walther PPK in .32 that my Grand father brought back from WW2(with papers to show legal). I want to get one of these that you are showing. Really nice.
tripmatt1 2 years ago
Nice piece. I love the old WWII sidearms. It shoots good too, nice groups.
nelsonboy707 2 years ago
he ysup can u tel me about a trench gun
Whatsurname12341 2 years ago
Great shooting, and what a cool gun. Thanks.
tellmeitsnottaken 2 years ago
As usual, nice video Sootch. Nice pistol too. A good friend of mine has about eight of these and about nine or ten Lugers. He's a big fan of the old German technology and workmanship. It really is good stuff as you pointed out.
That particular one looks to be in excellent condition.
Well done Sootch.
LoboNegroGrande 2 years ago
Nice video. Like kiwi I also blew to top off mine.
multicam2000 2 years ago
Thanks Don, beautiful complete video with the shooting, shooting results and fieldstrip and everything. I love it. Fun gun review for sure.
LongRangeRifle 2 years ago
beautiful. id love to get my grubby hands
on one of these, but im in my grandfathers will to receive his colt, from ww2; but, not until im 21...
5* great video as always!
keep em coming.
Selax 2 years ago
Guns are probably a better investment, long-term, than the stock market will ever be. Good vid!
veritasfiles 2 years ago