[Rtop01]

Guys, would really appreciate your thoughts on how original this gun is. Sear certainly is a replacement. Barrel looks weird too, no bore diameter stamp. Also slide is looking too good to have original blueing. Maybe RC with reblued slide? Otherwise Waffenamt stamps on all small parts and matching. What are your thoughts?

 

[nomadr]

You have a second variation ac41. I think the slide finish looks correct for this variation from your photos. High gloss. P38s did not have a barrel bore like the P08. You pistol looks correct, but the grips at this point of production could be Waffenamt marked but not serial numbered? The sear is proofed as it should be for the experimental "horseshoe sears" that you see on many ac41s.
Looks correct to me!

This info is from the top of my head. If i missed something I'm sure someone will correct me.

Bob

 

[Rtop01]

You have a second variation ac41. I think the slide finish looks correct for this variation from your photos. High gloss. P38s did not have a barrel bore like the P08. You pistol looks correct, but the grips at this point of production could be Waffenamt marked but not serial numbered? The sear is proofed as it should be for the experimental "horseshoe sears" that you see on many ac41s.
Looks correct to me!

This info is from the top of my head. If i missed something I'm sure someone will correct me.

Bob

My concern with the sear that stamp isn’t made with a die, but seems electropensiled. Regarding the barrel - I thought that on all P-38s and P-08s up to 1942 Germans stamped the bore diameter - on the left side near the locking block for P-38 and under serial for P-08s, but I might be wrong. Also is the darkening on the locking block side of the locking pin a mark of blueing that shouldn’t be there?
I might be asking stupid questions, but I am no expert 😊
Also adding some bore pictures. I really appreciate and need you opinion!

 

[nomadr]

The electropenciled sear is 100% correct!

Bob

 

[mrerick]

The grips have a different serial number on them. That alone is not matching. Should be "333" if marked and matching. Has "597" marked on them.

Sear markng looks engraved.

Locking block and pin should be in the white, but the end of the pin might be normal oxidation.

 

[nomadr]

Yes. The grips are not matching. Like I started, the Waffenamt without a number would be seen with that serial number range.

Bob

 

[Rtop01]

The electropenciled sear is 100% correct!

Bob

Gotcha, thanks!

 

[mouser]

Locking block pin and the recoil spring guides look blued. Sure sign of a Russian dip gun.

 

[Rtop01]

Also, one more thing I noticed - the internal part of the sear looks blued as well... shall it be like that on original gun? I really appreciate your opinion folks, coz I know very little in German guns and only getting into them. I mostly collected Russian guns, where Russian dip is a good sign

 

[Rtop01]

Locking block pin and the recoil spring guides look blued. Sure sign of a Russian dip gun.

Isn’t locking block usually blued together with the barrel? Or it could have been “un-dipped”?

 

[MAUSER888]

The locking block should be in the white.

 

[nomadr]

Looks to be dipped and cleaned with that last photo. As long as there is no import markings your good. The dipping is not a death sentence as long as it was removed properly.

Bob

 

[Rtop01]

The locking block should be in the white.

Yeah, I was referring to dip blueing.

 

[Rtop01]

Looks to be dipped and cleaned with that last photo. As long as there is no import markings your good. The dipping is not a death sentence as long as it was removed properly.

Bob

Sure, it’s only a pricing question

 

[P264]

... Regarding the barrel - I thought that on all P-38s and P-08s up to 1942 Germans stamped the bore diameter - on the left side near the locking block for P-38 and under serial for P-08s, but I might be wrong. ...

You are correct. The bore diameter was stamped on the left side of the barrel until about the end of the ac42 no suffix block.

Your barrel is also missing some markings on its right side. However, its serial number marking looks correct to me. I do not know if your barrel has been replaced with a later war version or whether it is of correct vintage and simply missing some markings.

For comparisons, here is a link to photos of ac41 9791h on the P38 forum: Another one from Collection, AC41 #9791H - P 38 & PP-PPK Collector Forum (p38forum.com) . Pistol ac41 9791h has the normally expected markings, including on its barrel, sear and grips. The number on the right side of barrel will vary as can be seen in the photos of ac41 548h in posts #17 & #18 in this link: ac41 finish questions? - Page 2 - P 38 & PP-PPK Collector Forum (p38forum.com) .

Marc

 

[Rtop01]

You are correct. The bore diameter was stamped on the left side of the barrel until about the end of the ac42 no suffix block.

Your barrel is also missing some markings on its right side. However, its serial number marking looks correct to me. I do not know if your barrel has been replaced with a later war version or whether it is of correct vintage and simply missing some markings.

For comparisons, here is a link to photos of ac41 9791h on the P38 forum: Another one from Collection, AC41 #9791H - P 38 & PP-PPK Collector Forum (p38forum.com) . Pistol ac41 9791h has the normally expected markings, including on its barrel, sear and grips. The number on the right side of barrel will vary as can be seen in the photos of ac41 548h in posts #17 & #18 in this link: ac41 finish questions? - Page 2 - P 38 & PP-PPK Collector Forum (p38forum.com) .

Marc

Yeah, it seems to have barrel replaced but serial seems correct, so having the same dilemma 🤷‍♂️

 

[Doubs]

This is the left side of the barrel on my AC42 Walther P.38 serial number 681. The bore diameter is clearly marked.

 

[dmgc38]

Its a cleaned up russian dipped gun (no biggie as long as you didn't pay too much) that's why the grips don't match, The Rusky's didn't take the time to keep the correct original grips with the gun, and the sear is not a horseshoe type its a std. sear and the sear waffenamt is most likely acid electro etched and under high power vis shows as little dots sometimes mimicking electro penciled. the blue dip was not completely removed from the locking block pin end and the trigger spring is still dipped blue too, The gold hue residue on the frame is another indicator of Rusky dipped ones as frames this early had nice blueing, the left grip may have been on an ac 41 with a horsehoe sear as its milled out for one, all else appears OK , should be an semi accurate shooter as the bore is not great, if you use rounds like winchester white box 115gr or similar light load as the ac 41's still had tight matching tolerances and are very accurate.
Hope this helps

 

[dmgc38]

PS should say "had tight machining tolerances" not matching tolerances"-" darn word predictor" but I was not able to figure out how to edit my post with this new format

 

[Rtop01]

Its a cleaned up russian dipped gun (no biggie as long as you didn't pay too much) that's why the grips don't match, The Rusky's didn't take the time to keep the correct original grips with the gun, and the sear is not a horseshoe type its a std. sear and the sear waffenamt is most likely acid electro etched and under high power vis shows as little dots sometimes mimicking electro penciled. the blue dip was not completely removed from the locking block pin end and the trigger spring is still dipped blue too, The gold hue residue on the frame is another indicator of Rusky dipped ones as frames this early had nice blueing, the left grip may have been on an ac 41 with a horsehoe sear as its milled out for one, all else appears OK , should be an semi accurate shooter as the bore is not great, if you use rounds like winchester white box 115gr or similar light load as the ac 41's still had tight matching tolerances and are very accurate.
Hope this helps

Yeah, I totally agree with your evaluation. The only thing that is still a mystery for me is what happened to the barrel? It has no bore diameter stamp and finish is weird (most likely result of dipping), but number is matching do you have an explanation or guesses?