P-38's at Century

[sunset1]

Anyone get one of these?

http://www.centuryarms.biz/proddetail.asp?prod=HG701-V

Advertised as VG for $699.87.

Thanks.

 

[Brychan]

Ordered 1 on Saturday 5/25/13 waiting to hear it shipped.

Also ordered a P-1 from SOG the same day will have to see which gets here first.

 

[Alphabrew]

The price seems a little high (maybe $100 or so?). Have these gone up?

Reminder: this is why you need a C&R license. You can get this shipped right to your door. Without it, you need to do the MSP paperwork and wait forever and a day.

 

[Docster]

The price seems a little high (maybe $100 or so?). Have these gone up?

Reminder: this is why you need a C&R license. You can get this shipped right to your door. Without it, you need to do the MSP paperwork and wait forever and a day.

Make that forever and 7 days.....

 

[yellowsled]

Not sure I would pop that much for a p38 from century

 

[Bisondice]

They do have some sweet gun ice cube trays

 

[sunset1]

Decided against it.

100$ more than what were probably similar P-38 Russian captures Classic was selling.

Thanks for the input.

 

[Brychan]

Big Brown delivered yesterday evening, both the P-38 from Century & P-1 from SOG as an added bonus a 1000 rds of 22 lr from Cabelas. A quick inspection they both seem to be in really good shape. Will get them cleaned up a bit and a give them a closer inspection. If I can find the camera will post pics.

 

[Arcamm]

Good deal man! Find a camera!

Brown hasn't been to my house in two weeks!

 

[Brychan]

Ok just finished the cleaning and inspection, both are in really good shape, bores look almost new. P-38 has a very small nazi marking. I know I am not a world class photographer
P-38

P-38 trying for the nazi markings

P-1

Together

 

[sunset1]

Congrats.

Both look nice.

 

[Brychan]

Plus only a 7 day wait, ordered Saturday and delivered on Friday.

 

[yellowsled]

Take some better pics of the date and maker marks on the p38. Lotta smart guys in here that can give you more info.

 

[somd_mustangs]

Right off the bat the P.38 has the straight cut frame so probably AC / 42, looks like it has the correct E/359 proofs, etc on frame and slide. What is the letter suffix? And do the S/N's match on the frame, slide and front of barrel? That will give us a good idea of the man. date within a month or two... The P1 usually had a date stamped on it somewhere on the slide.

 

[Brychan]

P.38 slide, frame and barrel numbers match, s/n ends in a c, has ac 43 stamp, under some of the Nazi stamps has 359, on the frame near the take down lever it has WAFFSCHU DE 10

P.1 the slide and barrel match, they have the last 3 of the s/n on the slide it looks like the original 3 numbers were crossed out and the new number stamped above, under the P1 Kal 9mm it has 12/78 and what looks like a four pointed ninja throwing star. Has a couple of small square stamps but I can't make out what is inside.

 

[somd_mustangs]

P.38 slide, frame and barrel numbers match, s/n ends in a c, has ac 43 stamp,

This puts it at end of March, beginning of April 1943, manufactured by Walther (code AC), and is a "1st variation" with the straight frame at the trigger pin, vice the later extra reinforcing bulge. Kinda cool, especially to be a relatively early matched gun from an importer and with an excellent bore to boot. Score!!

under some of the Nazi stamps has 359, on the frame near the take down lever it has WAFFSCHU DE 10

Eagle/359 is military acceptance stamp for Walther, no clue as to the "WAFFSCHU DE 10" maybe a unit marking or something?

P.1 the slide and barrel match, they have the last 3 of the s/n on the slide it looks like the original 3 numbers were crossed out and the new number stamped above, under the P1 Kal 9mm it has 12/78 and what looks like a four pointed ninja throwing star. Has a couple of small square stamps but I can't make out what is inside.

"12/78" is the date code I believe (Dec 1978), at least of the slide/barrel. I'm not up on the post-war stuff and couldn't find the "ninja" markings in my references, hopefully somebody out there can help.

After all is said and done two guns that'll be a lot of fun (bet the AC43 will be more fun to shoot though ). As mentioned elsewhere take care to only use 115 gr standard loads... slides can crack. Rare but it happens.

 

[Brychan]

Thanks for the info on the markings, I had no clue what most of them were. I need to do some research in case I run across something really great and pass it up because I don't know any better. I only just read about the code use rather than putting the manufacturer name on it. Was wondering why the P1 had Wather on it but the P38 didn't when I opened the boxes. Never too old to learn.

 

[iobidder]

Not sure I would pop that much for a p38 from century

Agreed

 

[Arcamm]

Eagle/359 is military acceptance stamp for Walther, no clue as to the "WAFFSCHU DE 10" maybe a unit marking or something?

I did some google-fu and it looks like Waffschu is short for Waffen Schumacher, a German importer/exporter. www.waffenschumacher.com (nice AR)

I guess they imported Mosins from Russia. Makes we wonder if yours might be a German capture. I read in one forum that the Russians captured one of the factories, hauled the parts to Russia and assembled some P38s. Trust this info at your own risk.

 

[somd_mustangs]

The P.38 doesn't appear to have the "X" mark for a Russian capture which is typically on left side of the frame or left side of slide near the serial number(s) (possibly on the front of barrel lug over the S/N too). It may have been a battlefield capture on the Eastern Front but it's too early (spring 1943) to be captured from a factory. The Russkies dumped these in barrels of Evil Black Goo preservative at the end of the war (the infamous "Russian Dip"), which leaves a characteristic darker finish and turns all the internal parts blue/black - the barrel locking block & locating pin are normally "in the white" as are the trigger spring, recoil spring guides, and recoil springs, sear, etc. Chances are excellent that if these parts are dark it was dipped. No big deal for a shooter and may be reason it's in such great shape.

Russia captured the Spreewerke factory (CYQ or CVQ code) so many late-war CYQ guns are captures that have been dipped. Have one meeself, it's like a little time capsule.