I've joined this forum to get a little help on a few pistols I recently purchased. Basically they were various kinds of P.38 pistols. Among them were two which are tough to find information upon.
One of these guns is a P38-K pistol in "9 PARA" (9x19mm) caliber which comes with an additional "7.65 PARA" (.30 Luger/7.65x21mm Luger) barrel; both barrels carrying the Walther flag and German firing proofs on them. The main source of information I was able to find was on the P38.nl Website which identified my pistol to be in the correct serial range. However, the checkering on the grips of my pistol seems to be different, as well as the firing proof being in a different position. Also my pistol has circle with a dot stamped both on the slide as well as on the 7.65 caliber barrel in front.
The "CAT 2401" marking on the slide I would had identified as an Italian designation; at least I know of similar markings which once were required in Italy. This made me question the 9x19mm caliber since it is prohibited in Italy. Checking of the 9mm barrel though confirmed it indeed is 9x19mm and not the Italian 9x21mm. So either it was supposed to go to Italy, what it then didn't, or it went to Italy with the 7.65 barrel and when coming back got the factory 9x19mm barrel.
Anyway, I would appreciate if the local members could confirm the pistol being an original P38-K pistol. I yet need to give it a proper cleaning, only thing I so far did was to fill the markings with a crayon for taking the pictures.
One of these guns is a P38-K pistol in "9 PARA" (9x19mm) caliber which comes with an additional "7.65 PARA" (.30 Luger/7.65x21mm Luger) barrel; both barrels carrying the Walther flag and German firing proofs on them. The main source of information I was able to find was on the P38.nl Website which identified my pistol to be in the correct serial range. However, the checkering on the grips of my pistol seems to be different, as well as the firing proof being in a different position. Also my pistol has circle with a dot stamped both on the slide as well as on the 7.65 caliber barrel in front.
The "CAT 2401" marking on the slide I would had identified as an Italian designation; at least I know of similar markings which once were required in Italy. This made me question the 9x19mm caliber since it is prohibited in Italy. Checking of the 9mm barrel though confirmed it indeed is 9x19mm and not the Italian 9x21mm. So either it was supposed to go to Italy, what it then didn't, or it went to Italy with the 7.65 barrel and when coming back got the factory 9x19mm barrel.
Anyway, I would appreciate if the local members could confirm the pistol being an original P38-K pistol. I yet need to give it a proper cleaning, only thing I so far did was to fill the markings with a crayon for taking the pictures.