P38 Serial Numbers Spreewerke Manufacture
P.38 production at the Mauser factory began in November 1942. Second b-range serial number series, the firm started manufacturing. Spreewerke Berlin, according to Warren H. Buxton, assembled both. Grade P-38 has matching serial numbers on all of its major compo- nents. Cyq is fol- lowed by a two number designation for the year of manufacture.
Welcome to the forum! Nice old P.38 you have there. I've done some research on the war-time P.38s, having a Spreewerke myself and in the same condition as yours, maybe a year older. I'm guessing yours is a very late 1944? Cyq P.38s are about at the bottom of the food chain for collectors. There were 3 major makers during the war: Walther, Mauser and Spreewerke (Berlin). The top values run from the Walther, then the Mauser and lastly the Spreewerke.
From what I'm seeing, yours should run between $550 to $650. If you had a matching serial numbered mag it would add another $100 to $150.
This is all according to my most recent info - I have been retired for a few years and am VERY rural so I don't often get to gun shows. I like mine, but the earlier Walthers and Mausers generally have much better finishes and fewer machine marks. I've seen some really nice Walthers and Mausers - some with near civilian quality finish.
The vast majority of the Spreewerkes that I've seen are like yours and mine - rough finishes with many tool marks. JFWIW, mine has been 'retired' in favor of a Beretta 92FS.
Went through a spell of broken ejectors/ejector springs and pins. Have it repaired, but she doesn't get out much these days. Was a GREAT shooter, though.
Tough as nails and really accurate. Cs source maps download fy pool day. • The Firearms Forum is on online community for all gun enthusiasts.
Join us to discuss firearms of all kinds, gun accessories, legal issues and more. Membership is free and we welcome all types of shooters, whether you're a novice or a pro.
Come for the info, stay and make some friends. • Site Functions • • • • • Useful Links • • • • • • Support the site! We work hard to bring the best Firearms Forum has to offer!
Unlock additional features, and fewer ads while browsing. Consider upgrading your membership for less than a box of bullets!
In collecting representative wartime P.38s it's been easy to date Walther (ac) and Mauser (byf, svw) pistols because they have the year and the month of manufacture stamped right on the slide. Spreewerke just gives a serial #. I am waiting for my Ron Clarin Spreewerke book which will probably elaborate on this, but here is something to work with: Dieter Marschall's book pp62, and Buxton's book pp 183 explains that in in August 1943 Walther P.38s modified the frame to reinforce the trigger axle pin, (easily visible just above the trigger.
A bulge in the frame is made at that point to provide more 'meat' around the axle hole.) On page 65 Marschall states that this change also applies to Mauser and Spreewerke pistols. Also, pp 68 refers to Mauser, but not specifically Spreewerke. Therefor, (it seems to me) if you have a Spreewerke/cyq P.38, and it has the unmodified frame (my cyq 5456a is one of these) you should be able to assume it was manufactured before 8/43. As with most posts, I usually find that this is already well known, but I thought it was of some interest. Bakersfield, Your 'a' suffix production is March of '43.
I am a little confused regarding your statement on wartime Walthers and Mausers having the month and year stamped on the right of the slide. Postwar could have on left or right; but wartime only displayed the manufacturer code and year. The letter blocks were in 10,000 increments, such as 'a' would go to 10000a then 'b' started and went to 10000b and so on.
The exception was Spreewerk, cyq. They did not year stamp their pistols and they just started with the nls thru the alphabet then to the letter prefix. You have an early example since the nls started in June of '42 and ran into Jan. The only thing in contention, beside the slide month dating is I believe we should never stop learning or accepting the possibilities because being things made by humans causes those possibilities. The P38 Forum also has a wealth of information from new to seasoned collectors and shooters.