Walther P38
The Walther P38 (originally written Walther P.38) is a 9 mm semi-automatic pistol that was developed by Carl Walther GmbH as the service pistol of the Wehrmacht at the beginning of World War II. It was intended to replace the comparatively complex and expensive to produce Luger P08. Moving the production lines to the more easily mass producible P38 once World War II started took longer than expected, leading to the P08 remaining in production until September 1942 and copies remained in service until the end of the war.
| Walther P38 | |
|---|---|
Spreewerk manufactured Walther P38 | |
| Type | Semi-automatic pistol |
| Place of origin | Nazi Germany |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1939–1945 (Nazi Germany) 1949–present (other countries) |
| Used by | See Users |
| Wars | |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1938 |
| Manufacturer | Carl Walther Waffenfabrik, Mauser Werke, Spreewerk |
| Unit cost | 30 ℛ︁ℳ︁ (1943) equivalent to €120 in 2021 |
| Produced | Walther P38 1939–1945 Pistole P1 1957–2000 |
| No. built | c. 1,000,000 |
| Variants | HP, P1, P38K, P38 SD, P4 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 960 g (34 oz) (empty) |
| Length | 216 mm (8.5 in) |
| Barrel length | 125 mm (4.9 in) |
| Cartridge | 9×19mm Parabellum |
| Caliber | 0.355 inches (9.0 mm) |
| Action | Short recoil, hinged locking piece assisted breechblock |
| Rate of fire | 116 rpm (semi-automatic) |
| Muzzle velocity | 1,050 ft/s (320 m/s) |
| Effective firing range | Sights set for 50 metres (55 yd) |
| Feed system | 8-round magazine |
| Sights | Rear notch and front blade post |
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