Walther P38
Overview
The Walther P38 is a 9 mm semi-automatic pistol developed by Walther as the service pistol of the Wehrmacht at the beginning of World War II. It was intended to replace the costly Luger P08, whose production was scheduled to end in 1942.
Specifications
| Weight | 800 g (1 lb 12 oz) |
|---|---|
| Length | 216 mm (8.5 in) |
| Barrel length | 125 mm (4.9 in) |
| Cartridge | 9x19mm Parabellum |
| Action | Short recoil, locked breech |
| Muzzle velocity | 365 m/s (1200 ft/s) |
| Effective range | Sights set for 25 m (82 ft) |
| Maximum range | 50 m (164 ft) effective range |
| Feed system | 8-round detachable single-stack magazine |
| Sights | Rear notch and front blade post |
Development
The P38 concept was accepted by the German military in 1938, but production of actual prototype ("Test") pistols did not begin until late 1939. Walther began manufacture at their plant in Zella-Mehlis and produced three series of "Test" pistols, designated by a "0" prefix to the serial number. The third series satisfied previous problems, and production for the Heer (German Army) began in mid-1940, using Walther's military production identification code "480". After a few thousand pistols, the Heer changed all codes from numbers to letters, and Walther was given the "ac" code.
Three firms made components for P38 production:
- Fabrique Nationale: slides, frames and locking blocks (M or M1)
- Ceska Zbrojovka, CZ: barrels (fnh)
- Erste Nordböhmische Metallwarenfabrik: magazines (jvd)
Design Details
The P38 uses a double-action trigger design similar to that of the earlier Walther PPKs. It was the first locked-breech pistol to use a double-action trigger. The shooter could load a round into the chamber, use the de-cocking lever to safely lower the hammer without firing the round, and carry the weapon loaded with the hammer down. A pull of the trigger would fire the first shot, and the pistol's operation would eject the fired round and reload a fresh round into the chamber.
The first designs submitted to the German Army featured a locked breech and a hidden hammer, but the German Army requested an external hammer. This led to the subsequent adoption of the P38 in 1940. Experimental versions were later created in .45 ACP and .38 Super, but these were never mass-produced. In addition to the 9 mm Parabellum version, some 7.65x22mm Parabellum and .22 Long Rifle versions were also manufactured and sold.
The fixed-barrel design mechanism operates by use of a wedge-shaped locking block underneath the breech. When the pistol is fired, both the barrel and slide recoil for a short distance. The slide continues its rearward movement on the frame, ejecting the spent case and cocking the hammer. Two return springs drive the slide forward, stripping a new round from the magazine and driving it into the breech, re-engaging the barrel.
Initial production P38 pistols were fitted with walnut grips, later succeeded by Bakelite grips.
Variants
A slightly modified version of the P38, the P1, was adopted by the Bundeswehr in 1957 and remained in service until the early 1990s. The P1 featured a receiver made of aluminum alloy, instead of steel, to reduce weight. There was also a short-barreled version of the P1 called the P4.
An improved version of the P38, the Walther P5, was developed in the late 1970s and was adopted by the police forces of Rhineland-Palatinate and Baden-Württemberg.
Users
The Walther P38 and its variants have been used by armed forces and police in various countries:
- ?? Austria
- ?? Chad: P1 variant
- ?? Chile: Chilean Army
- ?? Finland: Finnish UN peacekeeping forces, P1 variant
- ?? Germany: P1 variant
- ?? Lebanon
- ?? Macedonia: P1 variant
- ?? Mozambique
- Nazi Germany
- ?? Norway: Norwegian Armed Forces
- ?? Pakistan
- ?? Portugal: Portuguese Army
- ?? West Germany
