It remained in Walther production, in several revised iterations, until the early 1990s. Production of the P38 resumed at a new Walther factory in Ulm, West Germany under the name Pistole 1 (P1) in 1958 for West German Police and the Bundeswehr. Total German production is estimated at more than 1,200,000 pistols. These are identifiable by the presence of a five-pointed star stamped on the slide. The French manufactured P38 pistols from captured parts at the Mauser factory from May or June of 1945 until 1946. Three firms made components for P38 production:įabrique Nationale- slides, frames and locking blocks (M or M1)Ĭeska Zbrojovka, CZ (Böhmische Waffenfabrik)- barrels (fnh)Įrste Nordböhmische Metallwarenfabrik - magazines (jvd) As the pressures of war required increased production the exterior finish declined but the operating components of the P38 remained remarkably well-made throughout the war, especially at Mauser. The early Walthers, until late 1941, were made to almost commercial standards of fit and polish. Production continued until the end of the war and into the post war period. All production was performed at the Walther plant until mid- to late 1942 when additional production began at the Mauser plant in Oberndorf (code "byf" until early 1945, then "svw") and at the Spreewerk plant in Hradek and Nisou, Czechoslovakia ("cyq"). After a few thousand pistols the Heer changed all codes from numbers to letters and Walther was given the "ac" code. The third series satisfied the previous problems and production for the Heer (German Army) began in mid-1940, using Walther's military production identification code "480". 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 P38 concept was accepted by the military in 1938 but production of actual prototype ("Test") pistols did not start until late 1939. I think they go "BANG" or something like that.
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