1938 S/42 P-08 Side plate markings.

[maritz01]

The lower on the trigger guard you can see the Wehrmacht stamp. As to the upper the proof stamps are the same as all other WW2 that I've seen. As to the other magazine (typical magazine) it is aluminum with no serial number. My father was a paratrooper 501PIR/Dog Co/101st Airborne Division and picked this up off a German during the battle of Carantan. I always though it was weird with the different serial numbers. As a kid I remember seeing the paperwork for this and the Spreerwerks P-38 he also picked up, some how they disappeared.

Once field stripped the upper and lower internal parts all match to the perspective upper (except for the trigger which has 80 on it). I personally think with the difference in the serial number being only 78 (4592 lower / 4514upper) and the WW2 proof marks they were swapped out by mistake. Who knows for example maybe after qualifing and the guys were cleaning their weapons and somehow got switched out. Afterall this would make the two different serial numbers the same batch made and than shipped out to be issued to the troops.

Again the proof marks and other stamps all look like WW2 but whats up with the marking on the sideplate. I don't believe it to be a WW1 lower with that Wehrmacht stamp.

Thanks for the replies.

Mike