Got my P1 from bud's today

[chrislehr]

I think I might have scored pretty good, as this seems to be a serial number matching P38 that also has the hex pin that was supposedly added way later.

Any one who wants to tell me more about what I have here, I am all ears.

The box:


3/98 is likely when this gun was reworked, or imported.


Initial pic (before cleaning up)


serial is the first 6 digits, which is followed by W381, then the circle dot and BW

3/81 might be a rework date, I am not sure of that or the W. Circle dot means it passed government/military inspection. Don't know the BW meaning either.


Opposite side shows the 7/58 build date


The only scuff on the trigger guard, and showing the LSI (Legacy Sports Inc) stamping (reno, NV)


Other markings I have not yet figured out (left hand of slide)


Im pretty psyched to get this to the range this weekend

[Milspec]

Sweet...an early military P-38...

The 1005-12-120-6186 on the slide is the NATO National Stock Number. The NSN was deleted on later slide versions. The droop Eagle 165 is a combination military proof and acceptance stamp by the Materials Testing Agency, Federal Defense Ministry. The four point star/L mark next to it is a Walther factory inspection stamp. The BW is a Bundeswehr (military) property stamp. The W.3.81 stamp is a rework date. It was reworked/inspected and placed in depot storage on 3/98. The label has the NSN, model, and "Only for Armory" in German.

[searcher451]

At the risk of shilling for the author, Dieter Marschall's "Walther Pistols Models 1 Through P99" provides a nice section on the postwar P38s and P1 models and also provides chapter and verse on the various stamps and markings that you're likely to find on these firearms. The book is well worth owning, and it's relatively inexpensive. Earl's Repair sells them for $25 currently.

[Birdmann]

Is she cleaned up? Let's see!

[Fremmer]

What does the circled dot mean?

[huffy49]

searcher451:
Do you have a url for the Dieter Marschall's "Walther Pistols Models 1 Through P99" at Earl's Repair?
thanks,
John

[searcher451]

Here you go, Huffy:

Walther Books

[WA9BYR]

Buds current "used surplus" P1 pistols are still listed. Does anyone have recent experience with them?

[COgunner]

Originally Posted by WA9BYR

Buds current "used surplus" P1 pistols are still listed. Does anyone have recent experience with them?

Picked mine up at my FFL yesterday. I very pleased with it. Put about 100 rounds through it and it worked perfectly with WWB ball. Didn't want to feed Gold Dots, though.


The phosphate finish was very "textured" and had a few scuffs, but I buffed it lightly with OOOO steel wool and oil and it smoothed up really well.

[Milspec]

Originally Posted by Fremmer

What does the circled dot mean?

Circle/dot is the Walther factory stamp for pistols inspected to military/police standards. The Circle alone means it was inspected to commercial standards. There's no difference in how the guns are manufactured or perform.