Make: Walther

Model: HP, Commercial

Serial Number: 15737

Year of Manufacture: Ca. 1941-1943

Caliber: 9mm Parabellum

Action Type: Single or Double Action Semi-Auto with Removable Magazine. This pistol has a de-cocker safety.

Barrel Length: 5”

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a blade dovetailed to a boss at the front of the barrel. The rear sight is a "U"-notch dovetailed to the rear of the slide.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece AEG serrated panels with e/359 waffenamts on the inside. The grips show light handling wear with some scattered nicks and scuffs. The serrations are well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Very Good condition.

Type of Finish: Blued

Finish Originality: Original, numbered parts are matching. There is an import mark on the left of the frame under the grip panel.

Bore Condition: The bore is semi-bright with sharp rifling. There is scattered light erosion in the bore and a little in the chamber. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates about 7 out of 10.

Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 90% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at some edges. There is some scattered minor surface oxidation that has been mostly cleaned off. There are some light nicks and small scratches. The action shows minor operational wear. The screw head is lightly tool marked with a strong slot. The markings are clear. Overall, this pistol is in Very Good-plus condition.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this pistol. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This pistol comes with a single 8-round unmarked magazine.

Our Assessment: The P38 occupies a significant place in history. It was the first locked breech pistol to have a single action/double action trigger. After the start of WWII, Walther could not keep up with the production required, and production was ordered to commence at both Mauser and Spreewerke in 1940. By the end of the war, Walther had only produced about 580,000 of the 1.2 million produced. The P38 is the German military designation for the model, however there was pre-war commercial production with Walther's model designation HP, the Heeres Pistole or Army Pistol.

While wartime production of commercial HP models was limited, there were military purchases of the HPs for the Wehrmacht, mostly in 1943 and 1944. This is one such example, commercially marked but with the eagle/359 waffenamt indicating purchase and inspection by the Wehrmacth. The pistol is in Very Good-plus condition with some light marks and minor oxidation, but little sign of actual use. It retains a decent bore and strong mechanics. The serial-numbered parts are all matching and there is a discreet import mark under the left grip. With so many variations of the P38, this Wehrmacht purchase HP is one of the less common and will make a great addition to a collection. It will also make for a fun shooter. Please see our photos and good luck!