Aluminum Frame Walther P.38 (HOW'S IT SHOOT?) 🇩🇪 Post War German Military Surplus P1 Pistol Review 

Mine came clean with all the parts working, so I give it a soaking with Ballistol--thanks Hickok45--and call it good. It shoots to my point of aim well enough for a military pistol and a shooter who isn't in competitions. I can get paper plates at twenty yards, for example. And it cost a lot less than a pre-war or World War II model with the added benefit that I don't feel bad about putting rounds through a museum piece.

I managed to pick one up a couple years ago for $450 if I remember correctly. The slide has a date stamp for December 1961. Not a spectacular example, the crown on mine was also beaten up a fair bit, but still chugging along. *Side note, the rear sight wiggles around a bit too, so far from the most accurate pistol in the vault. Lol

I find using mineral spirts works better than solvents

I just got one new in the box made in 1963 in West Germany. Never been shot!

To all the people complaining about the aluminum frame... It's a +50 year old pistol. Find one in good shape and don't shoot hopped up +P ammo.

Great video! I picked up one of these last year around the same time. Shoots really good but my decocker is broken like you said.

Mine is a 61, and I love it! Your videos gave me confidence to buy it

The West German military and police 9mm service load was a 130 grain FMJ. For optimal accuracy and reliability use that load or as close to it as you can get. The load was pretty stout thats the reason for the tall front sight. 115 grain target loads will shoot low with the issue sights.

I got a 1943 P38 with all matching serials for $550 just over a month ago, and every time this guy calls this P1 a P38, it makes me cringe a bit.

I was fortunate enough to come across a mint all matching manurhin made p1 with 2 matching mags and a west Berlin police holster. Didn't realize how uncommon those versions are 600 was a steal gonna hang onto it and let the value climb

If a gun fits the demands it stays in service I did my machine gun training on a rechambered 42 in .308 😂 in 1997 and I haven’t had a single jam 😂

The P1s and other aluminum frame guns had issues with frame cracking.

I have both a P-1, post ww2 & a P-4 (4" bbl) Both have aluminum frame. No evidence of any kind of frame cracking. Both shoot dead on at 25yds with 124-130gr loads.

Nooooooo not a HK hat. Us poors can't take it.

I have a 1959 P-38 imported by Simpson I picked up for $425 about four years ago. It's in good condition but I have the same accuracy problem you have. It shoots low and left with a #3 front sight. Another problem I had was after putting about 500 rounds through it the firing pin cover came off. It is a stamped steel part over the rear of the slide that is pressed in,held in by spring tension. No screws or pins to hold it in place. It holds in the rear sight,several small parts and springs. Fortunately it was an indoor range and I located all the parts. This is a known problem.

I like how you show that your walls are marked up by rifle front sights. I'm not the only one. Lol

I have a 1943 SpreeWerke Wartime p38 that shoots great. I had to replace the recoil springs and the loaded chamber indicator was gone. The gun does not like hollow points I'm not sure if that's the case for all production p38s. The later Aluminum Frame P1s also have a steel Hex Bolt above the trigger guard to prevent the cracking of the frames.

Sorry to hear about the gun's accuracy problems. I have a late war Spreewerks P-38 that I purchased circa. 1996. I only took it to the range once. It shot so well, I kept the target and even bought a cheap plastic frame for it. Still have it on display in my firearms room. I've been meaning for years to oil the pistol up for a return trip to the range.

Does anyone have these available, for sale now ? How much are they going for ?

When I was in Germany in 2005, the Bundespolizei were still using the P1.

I use lamp oil, it will take it all off. If it is a P1, they would have been well looked over before they were disposed of. If it had cracks or issues the Bundeswehr would have cut it up.

I’d like them a lot more if they shot to point of aim. One I have shot shoots TWO feet low. That is just stupid.

Interestingly there are more variations of post war P.38s than the prewar and war time versions. Yours is an earlier post war version with the non sleeved barrel. Later they went to the sleeved barrel, the stronger fat slide and the hex nut frame reinforcing piece. The commercial versions can be found in much better near pristine condition than the military/police examples.

Post a picture of the proof marks and stamps it will tell you who it was issued to.

Famed in the 80s....with children then....

The "Man from U.N.C.L.E." pistol.............

Love them Ready it goes good with my 1944 P38. Thanks Yes mine hit's really low too. Thanks for that 124 gr tip

Hesitate on picking one up and it will be like the PO8 Lugers. Remember the cheap arsenal rebuilt PO8s? These P38s will do the same thing.

I wonder if a sonic cleaner would work

I'd like to get one..

What vintage is a slide that’s stamped “P1/P38” ?

Cool pistola

I bought a m37 just last year cleaned it did cycle well with lighter grain bullets. They are easy to take apart and pit back together. Mine needs two of the main springs I am pretty sure but it still shoots fine. The ww2 heavier steel pistol has less recoil. My brother had two of the ww2 p38"s so tried his than mine. A bit of a difference

I have a postwar P-1 which is identified by its markings and serial number as having been issued to the West Berlin police during the Cold War. Compared to a modern pistol, it's just "okay" as a combat arm, but that's not really the point of a pistol like this. It's mostly about the cool and fun factors.

I got one around the time you got yours i think it was like 500 after all the shipping and transfer and it turned out to be a 1957 made one I have shot about 150 rounds of 124 S&B fmj it shoots fine no problems mine did not have as much cosmolean on it i also have a miss match ww2 p38 i paid 450 for at a gunshow in 2018 I got my post war from Atlantic firearms and used the layaway I have been using all the sights with layaway to get some cool Stuff just pay 100$ a paycheck and don’t have to hurt so bad

The P 38/1 is precise ? In my time in the German Armed Forces, they said 8 shots and one well-aimed throw ;-) . Greetings from Germany

Immediately post war, some were produced in France who took the tooling home as reparations. That brilliant locking system worked so well that it is seen in the Beretta 92. For noobs, never expect a military side arm to be a tack-driver, they were designed for reliability and ease of use.

Heat gun would get all that cosmoline off in less than a minute. And they’re pretty cheap. Like $30

Love your channel, but why not just dip the gun parts in mineral spirits? I used that stuff all the time for cosmoline and surplus firearms gunk. It works great.

My 1943 P38 works like a Swiss watch. Mine is quite accurate

I got mine from Atlantic. It's a 1960 date. It works great but shoots at least a foot low. I was using 124 NATO

Got mine from Atlantic Firearms when they posted em for $500 i got it quick but it was ROUGH. kinda thought i wasted my money. completely put it apart and gave it a really good deep clean actually ened up being a solid shooter. got it end of march have maybe 200 rds thru it. its got a lot of wear but i dig it. swapped out the grips mine were toast.

Great video and lots of information I did not know. I picked up one from Centerfire about three months ago. It was manufactured in 3/60 like yours. It was in great shape when I got it only ware it had was around the bottom trigger guard. Few scratches a little bitty dings, but that was about it. Have not had a chance to take it to the Range yet. Hopefully soon. Thanks again for the video and information.

From the factory there were various front sights with different heights available. Also rear sights that are offset to the right or left, they are stamped R or L . You can still find them .Be aware that there are older style sights with a slim frontsight and slim cut out in the rearsight like your gun seems to have and the newer style sights are with a wider front sight with white dots. They all fit the guns but need to match. Install the proper sights accordingly to the gun and you are fine. Easy way for xou just file the front sight down. Standart bullet for the Bundeswehr 9mm round was 124 grain fmj - nothing else. Greetings from Germany.

What’s the concern with placing an aluminum frame in an ultrasonic cleaner? Have done so for decades on all mine with zero issues.

I don't recall where I heard it , a Bundeswehr instructor said the P1 was 8 warning shots and a well aimed throw, it was more a commented on the difficulty of training conscripts then about the pistol itself.

My local Toy Store recently got an Interarms P-38. Handled it and didn't much care for the grip. Picked up an Astra A-75 and Smith and Wesson 39 instead.

My 1960 has the tall sight also. I put paint on the top of front sight down about 1/16" from top and sight that as top of sight. That is where sight needs to get filed down to when i get around to it.

Got an hk hat on but buying surplus he knows laughs when it comes down to it I bet he gets hk stuff

I have a size 4 front sight on my WW2 version and it hits incredibly straight.

If you ever get a P4 wear fire retardant clothing

Simple green in an ultrasonic and my frame is good to go

I always thought you should only run 115 gr through the aluminum frames? Didn't know you could run 124. I heard that the other weak spot on these guns is the falling block so be sure to give that part a good lookover

It’s actually a p01 not a p38

It’s good enough.

Awesome video RR

My dad left me one of these but I never used it its in an oddball caliber I wish mine was a 9mm lol

The accuracy problem is probably because of the aluminum frame

$450-$550 for a less than accurate Bulky, ugly, possibly unsafe handgun. I'll stick with 1911's, or my Hi Power, if I want to shoot 9mm then I can shoot +P. I'd opt for a Tokarev M57 in 9mm.