[Lloyd in Vegas]

I was fiddling around with a few of these and noticed I have three different kinds or models in terms of cocking/decocking and safety controls. These pistols were certainly on the "cutting edge" with regard to small arms (pistol) technology at the time. In fact, it probably was not until the 1980s that pistol technology again caught up with these forerunners of modern design. In the picture you will notice two with two levers (manual thumbsafety and cocking/decocking lever) one with one lever (decocking/cocking lever only) and a very late model double action only with NO levers at all. By the way, the pistol (Model 36 & 38) was originally designed by Sauer without the manual thumbsafety and only the decocking/cocking lever. It was the German Army (The Heer) that demanded the added thumbsafety lever before they would accept it into service. The pictured late model no lever pistol (serial 511,000) is not marked in any way (other than serial number) with any poof marks, acceptance marks and no markings disclosing caliber. Anybody seen one of these pistols with any other fire control system arrangement or design?

Download Attachment: Sauer 38H Left Side.jpg
93.37KB
Top right late no lever pistol, bottom right two lever single marked E/37, bottom left two lever Police E/C marked and top left single lever (decocking/cocking) Police E/F marked.

Download Attachment: Sauer 38H Right Side.jpg
94.82KBwith any poof marks or acceptance marks and no marking disclosing caliber.

 

[Dgiz]

Lloyd,
Hi, nice 38h's!! The one with no levers is very interesting. Jan shows the highest variation 4 at serial number 506527, yours is well beyond that. Keep that one up front your safe, I would to peek at that one in January.
Dean

 

[Olefogey]

Lloyd,
Very nice grouping. Before I liquidated all but one of my 38h's, I had a no lever version in the white!!! From my recollection, the serial number was close to yours but a few hundred higher. Probably should have kept that one!!

Dave

 

[r_t_darc]

Here are a few (poor) photos of my example, S/N 512,821.



Download Attachment: Sauer38H.one.jpg
19.05 KB

Updated on 06/09/2004 with a much better photograph:


Download Attachment: SauerRigLate.JPG
194.39KB



I got this gun a few years back, and it has an unusual
finish. It resembles a badly done case hardened finish.
My pistol is also unmarked other than the serial number.
It is unusual for being backwards from the normal late-
war versions: It has the thumb safety, but no decocker.




Download Attachment: Sauer38H.two.jpg
21.58 KB


Here is a view with the grip removed, showing the remains

 

[r_t_darc]

(Sorry we got interrupted in mid-sentence!)
Now, here is the photo showing the remains of the
neatly milled off decocking lever:



Download Attachment: Sauer38H.three.jpg
21.81 KB


The gun doesn't appear to have been handled very much.
These GI souvenir assembled pistols can come in quite
a variety of configurations. I looked at another one
the other weekend, S/N 512,108 that was In-the White.
That one was interesting also, as it had hand stamped
markings on the slide and frame of 3 letters (I think
it was N.R.M.) over 7.65 for the caliber designation.
I have the dealers phone number if someone here would
like to check if it is still available...
I believe that it had a decocker, but no safety lever.
The price was reasonable, but I had another, and found
a nice nonimport TT33 with two matching mags & holster
at the same show.

Incidentally, I also thought my pistol was the highest
numbered around, but I later saw another in for repair
at a local gunshop that I recall as being higher still.
I've misplaced my jotted note, but believe that it was
over the 513,000 mark. That gun was nicely blued, but
I don't remember the safety/decocker arrangement on it.
I would have liked to buy it, if it had been offered.
[Got to see it again later- It is #513123 and featured
both levers, and was well polished before assembly...]
I'm sure that someone out there can top this serial #
as well. Just what is the highest known S/N produced?

 

[Lloyd in Vegas]

r.t.,

Thanks for some good information and pictures on your late 38H. I have not seen one with just a thumbsafety. That is very interesting. I would like to find one with just the thumbsafety. In the Cate and Van Gijn book "A Historical study of Sauer Automatic Pistols" on pages 364 and 365 they list serial number 512812--"With thumbsafety, no slide logo, matching, blued". He lists two serial numbers over 513000. 513010 and 513349. 513349 he describes as follows: "Postwar, no proofs, no safety, "Suhl, Germany 1945" engraved on right side of slide, No other slide markings mentioned".