I have noticed that each time you demonstrate the 38H mechanism, you neglect to show that the de-cocking lever can also be used to re-cock the internal hammer.
Dear Sir, at 1:27 the Letter "H" stays for "Hahn" (cock, meaning the hammer) and not for "Heer"(Army). This was a very innovative construction at this time and was explicit highlighted with the short "H".
The cover of the J. P. Sauer manual shows (bottom to top) SA, SS, Police, RAD (Reichsarbeitsdienst ), and Luftwaffe. Commercial pistols were sold to members of the armed forces , officials of the NSDAP and civilians in Germany and the occupied countries. (See Axis Pistols, page 323).
@@aszcz3245 SA means Sturm Abteilung, SS Schutz Staffel. The SA was directed by Ernst Röhm and existed before the SS. Wearing brown shirts, their role was to protect nazi leaders. Because the SA was more radical than the SS, Hitler ordered the Night of the Long Knives (June 30, 1934) : most of the SA were arrested and killed by the SS, including Röhm. After the purge, the SS became the principal nazi organization.
@@aszcz3245 Sturmabteilung, literally "assault unit". This was the street-brawling wing of the National Socialist Party. The SA grew out of the post-WWI freikorps that fought a brief civil war against Marxist/Leninist armed gangs that took over several German cities, especially Munich, after the abdication of William II and before the Weimar Republic established its authority. Also known as the Braunehemden ("Brownshirts") they were established by Hitler shortly after he took over the DAP (German Workers' Party) in imitation of Mussolini's "Blackshirts" in Italy. At first, they protected Hilter at speeches, attacked Communist and Spartacist meetings, sold the Nazi newspaper, and beat up people who failed to praise Hitler. Later they became the chief Nazi terror weapon against German Jews -- assaulting them, wrecking their places of business, and sometimes murdering them. Originally the SS was just a small bodyguard unit, just eight men, within the SA detailed for Hitler's personal protection. By 1929 the SS broke away from the SA and became a separate organization. Read up about the "Night of the Long Knives" to get the full story.
Maybe I missed it. When the 38h is in “regular mode” (double action), use your thumb and depress the side cocking lever as that will cock the hammer internally to single action. That will take the pistol from double action to single action. That lever is not just for decocking. I didn’t know that either for quite a while. So, the 38h is a little more advanced than I had originally thought.
Big, huge THANKS for all those SUPER-interesting videos, I am watching ALL of them and it keeps me really happy for now. I am learning & taking some notes :) Long live Legacy Collectibles! Cheers from Paris (Europe)!
Special thanks for the video. I've had this pistol for decades, but only took it to the range last year. I also have the holster that my grandfather gave me with it.
It looks like both JP Sauer and Walther contracted with the same vendor to produce their boxes or was it more the stylistic tastes of the day in Wartime Nazi Germany?
I carry a Sauer 38H when wearing a suit as my "tuxedo gun." One of the most beautiful and elegant little pistols ever made. And the fact that the decocker is also a re-cocker. That's a feature that should be included in more hammerless pistols. I also bought a Himmler Sharpshooter's presentation model a few months ago. I found it at a gun show, and took a HUGE chance buying it because they are commonly faked. It had never been fired, and still had the ammo in the box that was included from the factory. The commercial Sauers were made for sale to officers as private purchase. The majority were bought by SA and SS personell because the SS was treated as a step child, and they received hand me down equipment. So private purchase pistols were much more prevalent in the SS and SA than in the Army. My collection seems to kinda morph as I become obsessed with certain guns. For a while, I was trying to own every primary rifle from the Great War. But I've kinda progressed to WW2 Axis pistols. I thought the Imperial Japanese stuff would be difficult, but I have found that the Italian pistols of WW2 are as rare as hen's teeth. If anyone has s Glisenti 1910 that they want to part with, I am definitely in the market. I already have both Beretta models, and I found a Bodelo revolver, but it's in pretty rough shape. Thank you for putting out such amazing content. You have brought a quite a few guns to my attention that I would have walked right past if I hadn't seen your videos.
Thanks Tom for providing such great data on amazingly interesting weapons. In case your followers didn't pick up on your hint, the stamped SS on mag and cleaner is actually SuS the "u" being very inconspicuous; stands for Sauer und Sohne.
That a nice specimen. Cool to see the box never seen those. In technical terms it's a much better gun than the PPK. The double action single trigger pull is actually really good for a WW2 gun and much better trigger than the PPK. You forgot to mention that the manual decocking also can cock the gun again making the trigger go into single action for a much better trigger pull. The reset is also nice. The PPK is a prettier gun though and a bit of a fancy tart. The gun never gained civilian popularity because it was associated with the SA - and when Hitler disbanded the SA and killed most of the leadership group the gun was tainted. If you had the gun then you were SA, and since the nazi propaganda was "SA can't be trusted" the gun went out of favor.
Superb video and guns, could I ask what manufacturer the dummy rounds were made by in either of those boxed guns, I have some FN boxed pistols of the early 1930's and theirs were FN stamped.
I really enjoy these German pistols, but I would like to see some other pistols from the war, perhaps from the US or Russian forces. I know you've done some great videos on the 1911 and Vis Radom, etc. I am thinking the Smith and Wesson .38s that some US Soldiers carried as a personal sidearm or perhaps there are others we don't know about. Love your videos!
This is the version that I have ( full makers name ) & no military markings, pity I dont have the box. It is without dought a very interesting pistol that was way ahead of it's time, in fact the design could still stand up to pistols of today., you didn't include the pistol can be cocked using the de cocker.
I think the 4th figure on the box is a ‘gebirgsjäger’ (Gebirgsjäger are the light infantry part of the alpine or mountain troops ) I have a non army one Early production variation 2 , 276xxx.
9:20 My take the 2nd MIGHT be also NSKK (the motorized Branch of the Party)even if the black tie and maybe the skull works against, the 4th should be the Forestry-Reichforstschutz- (also either RAD or DAF German Labour Front) and the last (maybe) not Luftwaffe but NSFK (Flyer Korps), because it seems these are PARAMILITARY organizations (+ police) not Army/airforce dedicated (there is neither navy, nor army)
Just found a commercial one (no police or military stamp) - serial number in the mid 265k range (I think that makes it a very early one.) I may have to pick it up...I rather like it. :-)
The boxed Sauer brings a premium. But the gun itself is only 600-800 bucks depending on the markings. For a Nazi WW2 pistol that is cheap. Same condition Walther PPK will cost more like 1500- 1800.
Hello! Great video, thank you for providing all of this great information on historic firearms! What would be the average value of a standard military issued version? Looking to get my hands on one :) Thanks!
The army issued ones will be marked with an eagle 37 on the left side of the trigger guard. Depending on condition and early/late variation you could pick just the pistol and mag up for around $650 - $850. If it's a rig or really early it'll be more expensive, or if you buy it from an online merchant it will likely be more expensive than the quoted price range. But everything is more expensive across the board.... Police issue ones seem to be more common than army
Great gun. I hope to get one sometime. Very cool features for it's time. It seems to me like the Sauer doesn't have nearly as nice a finish as the Walther. Is that true? This gun you are showing is basically NIB, and the bluing is nowhere near that of a PPK to me.
Another enjoyable video Tom, made me get my 38H out of the cupboard, strangely it will not engage the trigger or dry fire unless I turn the pistol side down, very odd..any ideas why?
Is it ok to shoot these collectibles every now and then (Of course, while handled carefully and not marred)? Or is the historic value more important and one should keep it oiled and protected for the future owner (none of us get to take our stuff with us when our expiration date hits). Thanks for the excellent channel!
hi jonathan, like your comment but beg to differ because personally after consultation with my confessor, i will be interred with my service pistol and two reloads. word is theres work in the hereafter and peter has a list. i just want to be useful . best to you, may we meet in better times, vty r.g.wachendorf usa being mythic with a smile
@@jonathanl2748 now theres at least two of us, any one else out there , sure well be replacements for our fathers and grandfathers...............................................r,g,w, nancy's husband
I was just going through my dad's belongings after he passed, I came upon a Sig Sauer 38H like the one you have in the video with a difference, this one has no markings, just CAL 7.65 on the slide and the serial # partly under the brown bakelite grip, and no safety on the back of the slide. also has a black leather holster with a mag pouch, any info would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
By the sounds of it you have a late variation pistol, with the simplified slide legend with only "Cal.7,65" and they lacked the safety lever on late war and on the first 3,000 of the earliest models. But due to your slide legend and lack of safety I would say it's sometime around 1944 - 45. Another potential sign you can look for is the magazine baseplate. If it has no markings and a small recess toward the end it's a late war magazine. Are there any marks on the left side of the trigger guard? If their is a little eagle with a letter next to it then it's police issue, or if it has number 37 it's an army/heer issueed 38H. Hope this helps!
@@Gunstorian Thank you for your reply, yes small indention on the base of the magazine. no markings by the left side of the trigger guard. And the holster I have with it has no flap over the top of it, like you would see in milatery or police, I did some other looking and this might be on of the few suvillans models that survived.
Could you please do a video on walther brocade dress party leader holster. I would really appreciate it......those are so rare and hard to come. I have never seen one in person just pictures. I am sure you have one in that safe of yours.....😁
Everything that this used car salesman offers looks too good to be true, 80 years old and looking like it left the factory yesterday. With some appropriate 'wear' marks of course. Murrican buyers believing stuff that they like to think is legit LOL.
