CYQ P38

Doubs said:

What Mauser888 said. DO NOT shoot your friend's 147 grain reloads in your P.38. I also don't know where the author of the article you read came up with 1400 fps for WW2 9mm but that's an insane velocity unless it was a very light, special purpose bullet. DO NOT abuse your pistol with hot loads. If you must buy cartridges, try White Box Winchester 115 grain. They seem to be safe in Lugers and wartime P.38's.

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1. Just trying to get this into my thick head. My reduced loads, 147 Gr/950 fps. I’m guessing that y’all are disapproving of the 147 Gr bullet not the reduced speed?

2. I figured out where the 1400 fps For the German Military statement came from. Page 15(upper right)of Reese’s book Luger Tips. That still seems a bit “hot” to me. He even suggested removing 2 coils from the mainspring to improve reliability with todays ammo.

TomJ said:

1. Just trying to get this into my thick head. My reduced loads, 147 Gr/950 fps. I’m guessing that y’all are disapproving of the 147 Gr bullet not the reduced speed?

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It's not the speed but the pressures required to move a 147 grain bullet at 950 fps. You're using an 80 year old pistol built during wartime of materials that aren't as durable as those we have today. The recoil springs are likely weaker than when new. Also consider that the powder used may have a burning characteristic that could create pressures that last longer than normal and cause battering of the parts. Your pistol, your call but I would err on the side of caution.

2. I figured out where the 1400 fps For the German Military statement came from. Page 15(upper right)of Reese’s book Luger Tips. That still seems a bit “hot” to me. He even suggested removing 2 coils from the mainspring to improve reliability with todays ammo.

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I don't believe that Reese is a good source for advice on loads to use in the Luger or P.38. Over the years there were MANY 9mm loads developed for the German military using very light to very heavy bullets. The original Luger load used a 123 grain bullet fired at approximately 1090 fps. Regardless, I would not subject a wartime P.38 - without regard for the manufacturer - to any load that I thought was "hot".

If you like P.38, but not a dedicated P.38 collector, cyq is the ONLY one reasonably priced in today's market. ac and byf are expensive. And 1.. many cyq were well made too, 2.. all P.38s look pretty much same except markings. Of course, dedicated P.38 collectors have totally different vision on it.

This nice cyq looks great. Inexpensive.

Daniel76 said:

I only collect Spreewerk P38's and it really has nothing to do with the price (for me). They are the most unusual of the makers because of all the little oddities, strange marks and unusual machining finishes. I only collect the really early (no-letter-series) and really late (1945) pistols. They are quite different to be sure.

Your Spreewerk fact for the day: did you know that the first 500 pistols contained 7 or 8 parts that were marked with an Eagle/359 stamping? Because Spreewerk had not been a dedicated weapons manufacturer, Walther technicians were on hand along with Walther supplied small parts (slide lock, trigger, magazine catch, top cover, sear, magazine catch, hammer strut & grips) to aide in the production startup. Less than 30 of the first 500 have been accounted for.

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Daniel,

Very nice gun. I've had serial number 559, and it also had some Walther small parts on it still. (not 7 or 8, but a few).

These early Spreewerk pistols are highly under rated IMO. They have lovely high polish finish, and are a high quality firearm. I've only had a few of them, but I love them as well!

Bestens,
Matt