Need Help Authenticating this P38

[deltaspecialforce]

Hello everyone. I'm interested in purchasing this P38. I've never owned one and I think he's asking a fair price ($550). I just wanted someone with more experience to offer up an opinion whether this looks real or fake. All numbers match and it still shoots. Thank you!

[SteveR]

It is a good one although a busted grip is not desireable.

[Martin Bull]

It was made by Spreewerke and the rather rough finish is typical of this manufacturer. If you decide to purchase for shotting purposes, it may be advisable to have it thoroughly checked by a gunsmith as I have read of some 'cyq' owners experiencing wear and breakage problems due to late-war deterioration in manufacturing quality.

[deltaspecialforce]

Thanks everyone. I've learned that the cyq pieces are less desirable, therefore less valuable. Still, for an original, I may go for it if I can buy it for less than $500. I will have it checked out before I will shoot it.

[guns ltd]

I have a CYQ. They are the most out there for sale in my area. Any import marks on it???
You should be ok if you can get it for under 500.00.
John

[octavian]

Hi,

This is a late war P-38. I can tell this by the machining and milling of the pistol. Heavy cross hatching is happening. This is due to the rush to get pistols to the troops. So, the feed rates (milling especially) were sped up. This specific P-38 was made in Czech. It was the lowest quality of the P-38 runs, but all numbers match. This is a good thing. If it does not have an import stamp, 500 bucks is a good deal. If it does have an import stamp i would offer 425 and see where that gets you. Hope that helps.

[Doppelgänger]

How do you make a fake P38?

All kidding aside, it's hard to tell all that much about it with pics like these. Other than all the other info already posted, you need to take it apart and make sure all the pieces are matching, as well as that one piece under the barrel. Don't remember what it is exactly but it is important. Also, I think the gun can be reassembled with that piece missing and it will blow up when you try to fire it.

Besides numbers matching, how is the bore? A crap bore ruins the value of a gun.

Extra mag and holster?

Is the one mag serial numbered to the gun?

Is it even a correct WWII mag, or a post war mag?

Personally, I'd save my $500, look around and spend $700 or more on a BYF (Mauser), a little bit more or an AC40-AC42 (Walther), with a holster and second mag. To find another mag and holster can easily set you back $250, so there's that. You're already up to $750 for a raggly CYQ. If it's import stamped I wouldn't even look at it, but that's me.


PS Look round Gunbroker, people aren't really buying these all that much. There ARE good deals out there.

[deltaspecialforce]

Thanks for the replies gentlemen. What am I looking for in regard to the import stamp? Wouldn't it be on the slide? If I can't shoot it, I wouldn't buy it no matter how cheap it is. We are now discussing trade as I have quite a bit of NSDAP items that he's interested in (armband, flag, belt buckle, etc). It looks like I would wind up trading about $450 worth of items, which cost me about $150 out of pocket at an estate sale. Anyway, I will also try to get better pics. Thanks

[octavian]

From what i am seeing i dont see missing parts... Looks pretty straight forward to me.

[Doppelgänger]

Sounds like a good trade? Import stamps are usually under the barrel, someplace out of VT or similar. Make sure the mag seems right. and look at the all the internal pieces to make sure they match. This looks like a great page on the wartime P38;

P-38 Pistol