Tell tale signs of re-bluing.

Nice pistols are not truly all that uncommon, especially the later dates of 1941 and 1942 and especially with later date P.38s. Officers and non-coms on the Western Front basically saw very little combat and many Lugers never left their holster until they were surrendered to a GI. Figure it, 2 or 3 year old brand new pistols that were carried sometimes very little became trophy's that then sat in a drawer for 50 years. There has been more attrition through careless ownership than there probably was during Western theater operations.


I used to know a fellow that was part of the Normandy breakout in the Falaise Pocket area. He used to tell a story about how he and his men came across an freight train with a shot out steam engine that was loaded with weapons. Several boxcars were full of brand new P.38s, of which they promptly liberated as many as they could carry.

He says that later when they were in their rest area, one of the guys shot himself with a P.38 when the hammer drop safety failed. This caused the CO to order all of the pistols to be turned in right now.


So really, there are a lot of mint pistols out there.

But, take the advice that others have given you and be wary of pistols that are just "too nice".


Mike