Took The P-38 Plunge...
 

Well, it took me more than a year to decide I wanted one of those ugly P-38's...this one I will shoot and have fun with. (Wish I had the same self-control around lugers...!!!)

Gun is an AC-44 from Bob Adams. The holster was on e-Bay...also dated 1944. The source of the holster is a nice couple from Eastern Europe that lives almost under-foot...I will keep this source a little secret for now until I get a chance to see their inventory in person...(sorry...)

Could anyone advise me as to what a "correct" 2nd. magazine for an AC-44 would be...? http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfuploa...know_copy2.gif

http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/pete_p38_ac44.jpg

http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfuploa..._holster_1.jpg

http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfuploa..._holster_2.jpg

http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfuploa..._holster_3.jpg

Regards,

Pete... http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/beer_drinking.gif

Hello Pete,

I am afraid you are hooked. You want be able to stop with the ac44, but hey we only live once and as Tom A says you can always get more money but not more time. It looks like a real nice pistol, are you sure you want to shoot it much? You may need to get a shooter and put that one in a safe place!

Enjoy

Pete,
Great peice ,glad you have one , they are great shooters . My CYQ is very ugly but very relieable
hope you enjoy yours as much as i have enjoyed mine.
Nick

Nice gun and holster Pete, I also have an AC44, I'll send a PM later so we can compare details.

rk

Pete, now you've done it!!! Looks like you are hooked!! Actually P.38s are pretty interesting. It looks like the suffix is a "b". That being the case, your second magazine should be marked on the side with P.38v and should have a E/359 Waffenamt Mark on the spine. Glad to see you have expanded your interest to another group!! Nice holster!!

:)

Hi Pete I did the same thing 3 years ago.Thought
I would get "ONE" to go with my lugers .But that
nasty little bug grabed me and I had to have MORE
MORE MORE . Up to about 15 now and cant STOP
I fear that you to will be DOOMED
Best The Gunman

Pete, be aware this will promote the addiction!
John Dunkle's P.38 Forum-Watch out for ORV LOL
Having a guy like Orv on the P.38 is a real blessing, he eats, sleeps, dreams P.38s I think.
Now you gotta find a Zero Series or a Minty Dual Tone or a Gray Ghost!
I always thought it would be neat to have a byf 42 Luger AND a byf 42 P.38(those were ONLY made in December of 1942 so there are not too many of them laying around <img border="0" alt="[blabla]" title="" src="graemlins/a_smil17.gif" /> ENJOOoooooy!!

Ted,

That is easy...you need to find both a '42 byf P-08 and a '42 byf P-38 BOTH with the same serial number...if you do that, I will truly be awe inspired...!!! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" />

Frank,

Thanks so much for the info on the right type of 2nd. magazine...the gun does have a "b' suffix...

Regards,

Pete... <img border="0" alt="[typing]" title="" src="graemlins/yltype.gif" />

Pete, Very nice rig. I like the holster a lot. I did the same thing about a month ago, guy walked up to my yard sale and offered me a minty P-38 byf 44 with a mint hardshell holster for $500.00. I jumped on it. Never really liked them compared to Lugers but wanted one for my collection. Heck, the holster is worth $150.00 to $200.00. Couldn't go wrong at that price. Jerry Burney

Hey Jerry, I'll bet you just happen to have the $500 burning a hole in your pocket. My first P.38 was an ac44. Then I thought I would like to have a byf 44 and a cyq made in 1944 to complete the group. Well that was a bunch of P.38s ago. I guess you know the rest of the story!!

<img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" />

Pete, that's a very nice P-38 and I know you're going to end up with more. You have been warned! :D

Having lurked on the P-38 board for some time, I can second what Thor says about Orv.... an absolute wealth of information about P-38's and willing to share.

My one P-38 is a post-war pistol in .30 Luger in the original box from Inter-Arms. It's 100% with extra mag, manual etc.

I also have a post-war P-1 that is like-new. It has no markings or indications of having been reworked and I think it's simply an un-issued military pistol that was sold with the rest of the guns.

I'd like to find one in .22LR now.

Being vintage 1943 myself, I've often thought it would be nice to have one P-38 from each manufacturer from 1943. A 1911A1 from that year would be nice too.

Too many guns....... too little money! <img border="0" alt="[crying]" title="" src="graemlins/crying.gif" />

Pete, as you may know, our own GT (the magazine and wood bottom wizard) is a great P.38 collector. Seeing his collection of P.38s at some of the get togethers is pretty stunning. They all have some nuance of difference in markings, COLOR and finish, adding to the allure! They are simply awesome!

Hi Ted! Thanks for the nice comments! I miss the annual gatherings! Show & tell was always a real treat for me!... I really enjoyed hosting the Friday night ice breaker!! Hopefully between us & some of the senior forum members, we can revitalize the annual that you and Marvin started, how many years ago??!! BTW, If you don't go to the P.38 forum and see the recent acqusition of Per's... "Zero series # 028" your missing a real treat! great find in the P.38 collecting field! Best to all! til...lat'r....GT

In the movie "The Heroes of Telemark", There is a scene where Kurt Douglas shoots a German Agent that is holding a Luger. He shoots him with a P.38. This occurs on ship traveling to England. Later, in another scene, one of the saliors fires a pistol with a board stock attached at several floating mines blowing them up. I previously thought it was an Artillery Luger with board stock but it turned out to be a normal length barreled P.38. Interesting.
<a href="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/6304331053.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg" target="_fullview"><img src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/6304331053.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg" width="400" alt="Click for fullsize image" /></a>

Ah, P-38s...The preferred guns of my youth. Cheap, available, reliable and having panache.

In 1962, I got my first one from Bob Y. who is now deceased. Bob was the guy that taught me the "fundamentals" of gun collecting. Like, "see those numbers? They are there for a reason."

Got my first P-38 from him, a trade for an SS marked helmet..that stuff was as common as pig tracks in Middle Georgia, circa 1950's-60's.

Got a little older, bought my first Luger, from that point the P-38 was always "second fiddle".

Starting dating this sweet thing, she had loads of money too..and we went shooting one Saturday afternoon outside Dahlonega, Ga.

(In those days, students could have and keep firearms on campus; ammo was required to be secured)

Sez she, "Well, I like this one best!"
That would have been the P-38

"Why?"

"Well I can tell if I have a shot left. And the hammer is neat."

We had little except carnal involvement from that point and in a few short months, she disappeared from my life. Her observations were, unquestionably correct, how ever, her conclusion was dead wrong. Wonder what happened to her?

I suspect that some dummocrats will come to the same conclusion.

I have always seen that as a singular omen.

Tom A

When I turned 21 (long long ago) I bought my first handgun, a P-38. Real cheap, I think $30 (I was a poor student). It was kind of neat but pretty crude (wartime I guess). It functioned fine but the windage was very poor. Some slave laborer must have set it up to shoot 12" to the left at 50 ft. Maybe the German owner lost a fight because of this. I couldn't drift the front sight over enough to correct the sighting error. I had to remove the rear sight and alter the notch in the underside for the firing pin. Traded it for a 1911 .45 when I got a real job after college. The P-38 doesn't compare to the Luger in neeaaaatness.

A few photos of the P-38 and holster...now thay they are home :
<a href="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/petesp381.jpg.jpg" target="_fullview"><img src="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/petesp381.jpg.jpg" width="400" alt="Click for fullsize image" /></a>
<a href="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/petesp382.jpg.jpg" target="_fullview"><img src="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/petesp382.jpg.jpg" width="400" alt="Click for fullsize image" /></a>
<a href="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/petesp383.jpg.jpg" target="_fullview"><img src="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/petesp383.jpg.jpg" width="400" alt="Click for fullsize image" /></a>
<a href="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/petesp384.jpg.jpg" target="_fullview"><img src="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/petesp384.jpg.jpg" width="400" alt="Click for fullsize image" /></a>
<a href="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/petesp385.jpg.jpg" target="_fullview"><img src="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/petesp385.jpg.jpg" width="400" alt="Click for fullsize image" /></a>
<a href="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/petesp386.jpg.jpg" target="_fullview"><img src="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/petesp386.jpg.jpg" width="400" alt="Click for fullsize image" /></a>
<a href="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/petesp387.jpg.jpg" target="_fullview"><img src="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/petesp387.jpg.jpg" width="400" alt="Click for fullsize image" /></a>

Regards,

Pete... <img border="0" alt="[typing]" title="" src="graemlins/yltype.gif" />

A few more photos :

<a href="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/petesp388.jpg.jpg" target="_fullview"><img src="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/petesp388.jpg.jpg" width="400" alt="Click for fullsize image" /></a>
<a href="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/petesp389.jpg.jpg" target="_fullview"><img src="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/petesp389.jpg.jpg" width="400" alt="Click for fullsize image" /></a>
<a href="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/petesp3810.jpg.jpg" target="_fullview"><img src="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/petesp3810.jpg.jpg" width="400" alt="Click for fullsize image" /></a>
<a href="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/petesp3811.jpg.jpg" target="_fullview"><img src="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/petesp3811.jpg.jpg" width="400" alt="Click for fullsize image" /></a>
<a href="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/petesp3812.jpg.jpg" target="_fullview"><img src="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/petesp3812.jpg.jpg" width="400" alt="Click for fullsize image" /></a>
<a href="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/petesp3813.jpg.jpg" target="_fullview"><img src="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/petesp3813.jpg.jpg" width="400" alt="Click for fullsize image" /></a>
<a href="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/petesp3814.jpg.jpg" target="_fullview"><img src="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/petesp3814.jpg.jpg" width="400" alt="Click for fullsize image" /></a>

Regards,

Pete... <img border="0" alt="[typing]" title="" src="graemlins/yltype.gif" />

Pete, Nice P.38! I love them. I've got a CYQ that will out shoot most other handguns I own.
I do alot of 300 to 500 yd handgun shooting. Mostly with a 41 mag 8 3/8" MOD 57 S&W. I actually hit a 3' target at approx. 300 yds with my CYQ. Great guns!
Ron Smith

Pete,

Good move!

I started collecting P38's because the were less expensive than Lugers, but now the gap is closing on some P38 variations.

Here is a link to my collection on the web.

http://www.p38guns.com

You will find pictures of most of the variations and info on grips.

For a shooter P38 I would recommend calling FGS for a "dipped" gun, the AC 44 you have is too nice to put a thousand rounds through.

Mark