Real or Replica?

[rhuff]

Originally Posted by John Sabato

mastermo

Just to say again. Your P.38 and it's accuracy are an anomaly in my shooting experience of almost 55 years.

My eyes aren't what they used to be, cause I am 64 years old now, but in the 1970's, I was an accomplished pistol competitor, amateur machinist and gunsmith...

Keeping the several p.38 pistols to which I had access at that time on a piece of standard typing paper at 50 yards was a real accomplishment.

With standard Army issue .45 1911 pistols, I could easily group 2 to 4 inches at the same distance... on a bad day. I was on a combat pistol team for almost 8 months... at 50 yards in competition, I could drop to the prone position, and push a .45 caliber hole into the center of a sillouette's Head... every time.

Man I wish I could still shoot like that!

I have always like the P.38 design, and the way it fits my hand. I carried one concealed for a long time... but only intended for a serious confrontation at typical gunfight distances of 10 yards or less. Any Luger I have ever used would shoot rings around a P.38... but I wouldn't carry a P.08 Luger for defense unless the only other thing I had to defend myself was a rock.

Since 1976, my "carry gun" has been a Colt steel-framed Combat Commander (similar to the one shown below), that was modified to true double action by L.W. Seecamp... It has never failed to hit what I aimed at...

John,

My experience with my P-38 seems to go hand and glove with yours. Like the "lightening thing!!".

Seeing your Commander rings a bell. I own (since 1973) a Colt Mark IV Government that Austin Behlert shortened the slide/barrel, shortened the grip, S&W rear sights, etc. He also converted it to a double action trigger pull that looks exactly like the one in the picture. What a masterpiece he built!! The USA lost a real pistolsmith when he passed.