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02-14-2012, 12:20 AM
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#1 |
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Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 5
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New p38 conundrum!
Howdy all,
I'm brand new here, and look forward to getting some valued advice. I recently picked up a bringback p38 byf43 number 71XXP. VERY rough condition. The barrel is badly eroded, and even though there is a good deal of the original blueing left, the rust pretty much negates it. I've disassembled the weapon, and have it soaking in a kerosene/WD40 mixture, and it seems to be coming along fairly well. Here's the question. Being a certified armorer on several weapons systems, (The P38 is a whole new experience for me) I have several oprions here. (1) Gently remove as much rust as I can, and leave the gun in it's "as found" condition, and preserve it's history. (2) buy a parts kit, and replacement barrel. Parkerize the entire gun to match, and destroy any and all collector value (3) blast with media, and apply baking lacquer ala HK 91 (again destroying any and all collector value. The story behind this gun is amazing, and I hate to really do anything to it. But rust will eventually prevail. Any leads on a good "shooter quality" cheap barrel would be welcomed, and much appreciated. |
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02-14-2012, 05:21 AM
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#2 |
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: North of Boston
Posts: 176
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Post some pics. If it is all matching it still has SOME collector value in all original form. Once you mess with it, it is now of the shooter variety. Thats all I can say until I saw some pics of it.
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02-14-2012, 08:16 AM
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#4 | |
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Not particularly gun friendly Massachusetts
Posts: 287
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Quote:
I personally want to gather the parts and put one together as part of a father/son project with my 12-year old, sans pimping of course... Frame... Gun Parts, Kits & Accessories, Gun Stocks & Barrels, Military Gun: SARCO, Inc. $84.95 Parts kit: Walther P38/P1 Parts Kit USED $89.99 Magazine: Walther P1 Magazine, Walther P38 Magazine, Walther P4 Magazine, RTG Gun Parts $11.95 Total cost before "pimping:" $186.89 |
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02-14-2012, 08:46 AM
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#5 |
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Super Moderator
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Central Ohio
Posts: 2,407
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I would remove the rust that you can and then neutralize what's left. PM me for instructions. The process sounds too scary to post...
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Milspec |
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02-14-2012, 09:29 AM
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#6 |
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Super Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Oregon
Posts: 11,409
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And don't forget to post up the photos. This should help:
Tips for shooting, and posting, great photos |
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02-14-2012, 01:26 PM
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#7 |
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Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 5
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It's been in the bath now for 3 days. I've been attending to it every evening. The barrel, and the front of the frame forward of the grip is the worst. Here's the story of the weapon.
I purchased it from the son of the G.I. who brought the pistol home. As the story goes: His father shot and killed the german who happened to be carrying this pistol. After taking the weapon, he applied for, and was granted permission by the DOD to bring the weapon home. (however that worked) He said he knew of paperwork in his fathers possesions verifying this, and is trying to locate it for me. His mother hated firearms of any kind, so the pistol stayed pretty much hidden until his death. After he was laid to rest, his family went through his belongings, and missed the pistol. His wife found it a year or so after, and THREW IT IN THE GARBAGE CAN next to his small shop outside. Where it stayed (6 months or so) until his son went to empty the trash can, finding the weapon inside....I'm really getting into this restoration. I can almost see him somewhere in France perhaps? Doing what he had to do to stay alive, only to have his only momento of the life an death struggle he fought, thrown into the trash like molded bread.... I'll be reassembling the pistol in the next couple of days. I'll post some high rez pics of it then. Looking back, I should have done "before" and "after" but was excited to get started... |
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02-14-2012, 03:56 PM
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#8 |
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Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 5
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Her she is for your consideration:
Fresh out of the bath. I think a little more soaking is in order. The bluing actually has held up quite nice despite the rust.. the frame: http://blackjackridge.com/p38/frameright.jpg http://blackjackridge.com/p38/frameleft.jpg the slide: http://blackjackridge.com/p38/slide2.jpg http://blackjackridge.com/p38/slide3.jpg the barrel: http://blackjackridge.com/p38/barrel1.jpg http://blackjackridge.com/p38/barrel2.jpg http://blackjackridge.com/p38/barrel3.jpg |
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02-14-2012, 05:04 PM
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#9 |
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Not particularly gun friendly Massachusetts
Posts: 287
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Looks like it's coming along... How does the bore look?
As much as the rust and subsequent pitting bothers you, and it should to some extent, it's still part of the overall history of this particular P38. Once back together, it will, and should, show the scars of its existence, and you can recite the tale, from battlefield, to gun hating wife, to a six month stint in the bottom of a garbage can, and ultimately your restoration... for years to come. Well done... Last edited by AoxoMoxoA; 02-14-2012 at 05:07 PM. |
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02-14-2012, 05:15 PM
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#10 |
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Supporting Member
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Backwoods Virginia
Posts: 3,854
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My thought exactly.
I wouldn't do a thing to it, except dismount the extractor and clean out its channel, then put the gun all back together again. It's a relic, not a shooter. M |
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