In 1934 Walther offered the army their Model MP (Militarische Pistole), an upsized PP chambered for the 9mm Parabellum. 380 ACP) cartridges, and the Wehrmacht wanted a pistol chambered for the regulation 9mm Patrone 08 (a.k.a. (Nathan Reynolds photo)īut they were little more then pocket pistols chambered for underpowered 7.65mm and 9x17mm (.32 and. A look at the markings on our review pistol show it was manufactured by Mauserwerke in 1944. You can read more about the PP and PPK HERE. In this they were correct as the PP, and soon to follow compact PPK, became the most popular police pistols in Europe, a position they were to hold well into the 1980s. In 1929 Walther took the handgun world into the next generation by introducing the first successful double action/single action (DA/SA) pistol - the Polizei Pistole, or simply PP - whose name clearly indicates the market Walther foresaw for their new product. 32-caliber single action (SA), blowback semi-auto pistols which proved quite popular with European police forces and civilians. In 1908 they introduced their first semi-auto pistol, known quite appropriately as the Model 1 and for the next twenty-one years produced a line of.

(Nathan Reynolds photo)Ĭarl Walther Waffenfabrik was one of Germany's best known firearms manufacturers. Take a look at the next evolution of the P38: The Walther P5 The P-38 was a modern double-action design intended to replace the P.08 Luger. In 1934 the Wehrmacht announced that it was in the market for a new service pistol - just what the Carl Walther Waffenfabrik had been waiting for! These were characteristics which did not endear it to either combat soldiers or bureaucrats watching the fiscal purse strings.

Slow and expensive to produce, notoriously ammunition sensitive and not overly reliable once it got dirty. While elegantly made of the finest materials, the Luger was a 19th century anachronism. But to my way of thinking, the pistol that has earned almost unanimous respect is the Walther P-38.ĭuring the 1930s, German industry began a crash program to rearm the Wehrmacht with modern weapons and it was agreed that a replacement must be found for the P.08 Luger pistol. VI Webley and FN Hi-Power, the latter category is represented by such as the Type 94 Nambu, M1895 Nagant and the Mo. While the former includes the M1911A1, Mk. The history of combat handguns is replete with examples of weapons that have earned either praise or condemnation.

Mauser p38 serial number guide