Real or Replica?

[alvin]

My #1 problem with old gun shooting was on sights. Guns like Luger and C96 have tiny sights which are hard to see clearly under dim light condition, and in long distance, what filled my eyes are almost all vignetting scene. The #2 problem is trigger pull, the trigger pull on above mentioned two types of single action guns are not horrible, but not sweet either, it's hard to control hand shaking when pulling the trigger, with stock attached helps a lot on #2.

[mastermo]

Hi Alvin,
Here's a suggestion you might try.

1. Clean the front and rear sights with polish remover, let dry, then get some white finger nail polish and with a tooth pick touch or mark a small dot/spot on the front sight (high point not top). And for the rear sight, mark a dot/spot on each side of the V or U groove near the top also. This will tell you when you have the top front sight even with the rear tops and it may be more visible in your aiming.

For #2,
That's the other main reason for using the left thumb to pull the hammer, as mentioned previously. This changes the action from 'double action to single action.'

[mastermo]

Nukem, Alvin, rhuff, and anyone,
I believe I have to clarify something regarding target patterns. This is how I view my shots. And of course I could be all wet. These are just examples to illustrate and communicate the idea(s).

If I hit all of my shots in the 2" circle I call it a 2" pattern. This is because all the shots are 2" or less to the bulls-eye (B-E). I understand many would call it a 4" pattern because they measure from one side to the other or farthest equaling 4", 2+2.

If I shot a 4" pattern (2+2) 10" from the B-E, I wouldn't call it a 4" pattern or a 10" pattern. One would have to describe it as a 4" (average) group 10" from the B-E. I would then use the 10" average for adjustment, because I would be shooting way, way off. lol. So, pattern by itself is not accurately describing the precision of it all, i.e., accuracy of the weapon and level of shooting ability.

So, as I said previously in the my 'results' I used the 'hit/impact' to the B-E. And I know it is not with the consensus of the majority. I just didn't think to describe it the other way, sorry.

M

[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...

[mastermo]

John,
WOW!, what a similarity of our past with the exception that I wasn't in the military. And I do believe in your shooting expertise, Great! There was nothing going on when I was 18 and was married and had a child, and not even the Draft asked me, .

When I was a young boy around ten yrs. old, I used to shoot for hours on end with a BB rifle for a couple of years. I would shoot ants, flies, and any bug around our home. I used a cardboard box as a back-stop, when I could, to catch my BB's so that I could use them again and again, etc. And believe me, I used to love to see, the little critters vanish when I picked them off.

Then in my 20's and up I was using a German Mauser 7.65 sporterized. One time shooting at this common area in the mountains I was shooting around 150 yds. at little brown jugs (empty beer bottles), and this guy was there with his rifle scoped. And I hit 3 out of 5 bottles and he came over and asked me if I was in the military or something because he couldn't believe of how I was shooting w/ no scope and hitting the bottles. Heck, he said you shoot better than me and I have a scope.

That Mauser was one heck of rifle too bad I had to give it to a guy in lieu of a debt. But, a few months ago, I just bought another one, not sporterized. Had it drilled and tapped and mounted a scope. It shoots great but not the same as my original. I just started shooting again a couple of years ago, one to two times a week.

You say: "Man I wish I could still shoot like that! "

I certainly understand about the eyes, I'm 71. And this is what I use:
1. ---300 magnification for reading and doing close work;
2. ---250 mag. for using at the computer and shooting sometimes to 10 yds. I think maybe a 225 would work better but I figure my eyes will only get worse so I left it at 250 and I'll fit right into them, ;
3. ---1.75 mag. from 25 yds. to 300 yds. --This one works great for me!
When I was experimenting the magnification, I had up to six pairs of glasses (from Walmart. I had several guys and rangers ask me 'if I had enough glasses, and I would answer 'not yet', lol. And finally I settled with the three I mentioned above. With the 1.75 the sights sometimes get real fuzzy, so, what I do is move off the target to some other background so that I have a better contrast then smoothly come back to the target.

Oh, try this. At the store pick something, an item that might be 10 yds. away and try glasses that you feel comfortable with to that distance. ---50yds to the same, then find a pair for across the store to something on wall or roof. Then take them to the range and see what happens, Good Luck.
Manuel
PS.--Great gun, nice choice!

[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.

[Ron Wood]

Don't recall the quote exactly, but I seem to recall one individual's description of the most effective employment of the P.38 as being "seven warning shots followed by one well aimed throw".

[alvin]

Manuel,

Thanks for the suggestion. I think white finger nail polish on front sight will be helpful. The change is not permanent and that's good.

Some owners made permanent changes on sights, I have a few instances passed though my hands. The following one was done in an interesting way -- owner filed a small piece of blue off from the front sight, and drilled a small dot on white metal, then blued the dot. The job was well done, and it's not very annoying. The overall shape of the gun is too good for me to shoot it, so I cannot take advantage of this "improvement", but it's part of this gun's history.

[mastermo]

---You're welcome,
Did you try the grip suggestion?

Originally Posted by alvin

Manuel,

Thanks for the suggestion. I think white finger nail polish on front sight will be helpful. The change is not permanent and that's good.

Some owners made permanent changes on sights, I have a few instances passed though my hands. The following one was done in an interesting way -- owner filed a small piece of blue off from the front sight, and drilled a small dot on white metal, then blued the dot. The job was well done, and it's not very annoying. The overall shape of the gun is too good for me to shoot it, so I cannot take advantage of this "improvement", but it's part of this gun's history.

[alvin]

I ran out of .32ACP ammo. Will buy a few boxes over this weekend. I will give it a try soon!