SS Walther P38

alanint · 02-19-2012, 09:16 AM

The French started P38 production on Walther's equipment right after the war, (if I recall , the original Walther factory was going to end up in the Soviet zone in territory we had to turn back over to them as per the Potsdam conference. They were super pissed to find that we had stripped every significant German industry of its files/records and machinery prior to turning over the physical establishment). The French started initial production using parts from German wartime manufacture, that's why you find a German acceptance stamp on this gun. This would also explain the finish; German last-ditch P38 pistols had a phosphate finish. Collectors call them "Grey Ghosts". They also had phosphated pressed steel grips.
I'm also not sure I would have made the trade, but if you are happy, that's all that matters.

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02-19-2012, 09:16 AM	#1
alanint User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Marco Island, Florida Posts: 4,867 Thanks: 1,685 Thanked 1,917 Times in 1,193 Posts	The French started P38 production on Walther's equipment right after the war, (if I recall , the original Walther factory was going to end up in the Soviet zone in territory we had to turn back over to them as per the Potsdam conference. They were super pissed to find that we had stripped every significant German industry of its files/records and machinery prior to turning over the physical establishment). The French started initial production using parts from German wartime manufacture, that's why you find a German acceptance stamp on this gun. This would also explain the finish; German last-ditch P38 pistols had a phosphate finish. Collectors call them "Grey Ghosts". They also had phosphated pressed steel grips. I'm also not sure I would have made the trade, but if you are happy, that's all that matters.