Opinions needed: What happened to this P-38?

[Shadowsix]

Originally Posted by alanint

It looks like a production error, which would not be unheard of in the German's haste to turn pistols out in 1943. I say this because there are no stress marks, cracks or folds, which would surely be evident if someone had tried to bend this after the initial cooling, hardening had taken place. If may have been overheated during production then was overly bent during machining.

Thank you very much Doug, that makes total sense. Especially it making it out of the factory like that considering that time in the war.

Well then I may have found one with a little character, if only it could talk! I wonder if it ended up in the hands of some solder in disfavor but still needed? Or did it stay at the factory until after the war (if that is what this is)?