P38 Shell Extractor Left Side of Slide

[War Medals]

Merry Christmas to all !

I feel as most collectors do the P38 was well ahead of its time. One thing that I noticed is that the casing extractor is on the left side of the slide. This ejects the empty shell casing basically to the left. (Ok if one is left handed) . On modern Berettas extractor on right. Has anyone ever questioned why this was done. Are Germans mostly left handed ?


John

[Rescue190]

Never thought about it before. Just how they were built at the time. There were no more left handed people then than now IMHO.
John

[thecyclist64]

There are definately NOT more left handed Germans about. In the 1970's, on a family visit to Germany, my brother who is left-handed, was viewed with amazement by them for being left-handed. Apparantly, at the time, it was corrected in German schools, so anybody who used their left hand was something of a rareity.

[toot]

when I was in the first grade in 1949 I was left handed and was made / taught to use my right hand. and now I am ambidextrous.

[Watchdog]

Merry Christmas to all !

I feel as most collectors do the P38 was well ahead of its time. One thing that I noticed is that the casing extractor is on the left side of the slide. This ejects the empty shell casing basically to the left. (Ok if one is left handed) . On modern Berettas extractor on right. Has anyone ever questioned why this was done. Are Germans mostly left handed ? John

I have never considered it an issue as the cases are ejected at a steep upward angle.

I am left handed and like most semi-auto pistols the Browing Hi-Power (which I used for 24 years on a regular basis, every ten days on average, during my army service) ejects to the right but this was never the slightest problem to me or any other left hander I served with. The safety catch however was a different matter but the retro fitting of a double or right side safety was simple and could be authorised at formation level for left handers.

Regards

Mark

[Gwar]

All I can add..