Looking for more info. BYF 41 SN-3877

[guns3545]

Originally Posted by derf0018

guns3545:

The P.38 was standard issue in 1941
; the P.08 was substitute standard.

Fred

Fred,

Technically, maybe true. The order formally designating the P.38 as the service standard was signed on April 26, 1940 after the conclusion of the Fourth Variation Zero Series. But Formal Adoption and reality differ. In reality "what was standard" really depended on which branch and type unit.

In 1941, Walther was the only manufacturer actually delivering P.38s and had no where near the capacity to meet the Heereswaffenamt requirements given the decision to fight a multi-fronted war and the rise of Waffen SS units in addition to the Wehrmacht's, Navy's and Luftwaffe's needs, not to mention the Police. Just look at Walther's 1941 production numbers and the manufacturing shakedown that occurred in 1941.

But enough said. Too much time already spent on a subject really not at all relevant to the OP's question.

But if you want to start a discussion on service standards and their evolution, you can always start your own thread.


John