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Walther P38 Walther P38

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CF~ p-38
9MM Au+o R’b+oR

OWEIt’S
MANUAL
1
1

CARL WALTHER. WORKS FOR SPORTS-AND HUNTING WEAPONS. ULM DONAU . GERMANY

The WALTHER Police Pistol Models PP and PPK hove, by virtue of their unique construction, proved themselves to be the World’s safest and most dependable handguns.
The absolute faith in these two products induced specialists both at home and abroad to
demand a pistol of a similarly recognized and approved construction which would retain
the principle of a veq light weight and at the same time flro the more powerful cartridge
Cal. 9 mm ?ambellum.
lho outcome of the appropriate considerations was the new WALTHER Model P 38 Cal.
9 mm Parbollum, which combines a phantastically low weight of only a liilo over 27
ounces with all the drimblo advantages of a modern handgun - absolute safety, instantaneous readiness, and easy handling - and which allows the use of a considerably
more potent cartridge. This pistol stands without rival.
All the component parts are interchangeable. They are mado by means of the most up-todate production methods involving the use of modern machinery under strictest rupervision. As in the manufacture of any other of the sevoral WALTHER products, only the
very best materials are used in the production of the Model P 38.
The pages of this little brochure will give a most detailed and therefore very useful
description of the various data relating to the pistol Model P 38.

@@@

Auto Pistol Model P 38 Cal. 9 mm Parabellum

General Data:
Overall
Length
Height

Total

Length
of

Barrel

of

Pistol

Weight

. . .
. . . . .
. .

214
125 mm = 415/16*
136 mm = S/S”

. . . 7809 = 27% 01s
. . 8 Cartridges
h . . set block (matted).

Magazine

capacity .

S t a n d a r d

F i n i s

The pistol can be supplied, Up Ion r
lished and blued finish.
A spare magazine, a cleaning rod,
are supplied with every pistol. The complete equipment also includes a technica II description and is
delivered in a stout carton.

The pistol P 38 has an external hammer. The combination of o perfect action design, mode evident in the WALTHER self-

loading pistols havin an external hammer, and the constant readiness of a revolver makes the enormous odvantages of
these weaoons obun 3antlv manifest.
The P 38 ii o double-actidn, locked-breech, semi-automatic pistol. It is fitted with on external hammer which is connected
to a tension triaaer and which has a distinctive pressure point. The P 38, like the models PP and PPK, Imay be fired by
merely pulling yhi trigger. It may, moreover, readily be co’rried loaded on’d uncocked.
Cartridges with faulty primer cops can be fired by pulling the trigger repeatedly.
A bulge in the borrel - caused by some irregular agency - will not impede the functioning of the P 38, since the barrel is
mounted in on open and unencumbered manner. The pistol is thus alwoys ready for instant use.
n

L

An entirely new method has been adopted in the con-

Un-cocking of the hammer by means of applying the so-

struction of the safety device’of the P 38.

fety catch, preceded by the locking of the firing pin and
the connection with the tension trigger, make the P 38 a

As may be well known, there is always a certain amount

truly ideal service pistol.

of danger inherent in any loaded and cocked firearm,

Since the pistol is thus always uncocked but nevertheless

even though the latter may be rendered ‘safe’ by means

always ready for immediate use, the hammer spring is

of the safety lever. Any sudden mechonicol shod or a

therefore not subject to fatigue and weakening.

fracture of on action component con cause on accidental
discharge.

In the P 38, this basic evil has been remedied: the rotary
safely catch does not make the action mechanism safe in
the cocked stage. Instead, - application of the safety catch
causes the hammer to become uncocked, - and that without any danger to the user. When the safety catch is mov-

3

The P 38 can be dismantled within a few seconds and
without using any tools. Component parts connot drop out.
Any unnecessary operating of the trigger mechanism
should be duly avoided, and the hammer should not be
allowed to drop while the chamber is empty. In any instance of ‘dry’ shooting practice, a dummy cartridge
should be introduced into the chamber first.

ed to the ‘Safe’ position, the firing pin becomes lodted

It is an essential rule for every shooter that despite the

first. Immediately following this, the action mechanism is

fully guaranteed safety of the weapon, the pistol should

automatically blodted and the hammer drops harmlessly

always be held so that the muzzle points downwards while

- and the pistol is completely uncocked.

the weapon is not being actually used.

P 38 Auto Pistol
Cal. 9mm Parabellum
in longitudinal section
In this Illustration, the signal pin immediately above
the hammer is clearly visible. It indicates that there
is CI ccrtridge in the chamber. i. e., that the weapo;l
is loaded. The signal pin remains visible when the
;cfety catch is applied. The pistol is uncocked, but
IS nevertheless ready for action. Illustration 4 shows
how the pistol is fired by merely pulling the trigger
(in ‘Double-action’ shooting).
A list of the individuol component parts moy be
found on pages 17 and 18 of this technical description.

Graphic Description

Illus1mli0n 3

The pistol is loaded and uncocked. The safety lever is ‘off.
The pistol is thus ready for instont use (‘Double-Action’).
Automatic Safety
The pistol, though uncocked and loaded, moy thus be
fired. The safety lever (19 is in the ‘Fire’ position. The
weopon is, OS shown in II 1ustration 3, entirely free from
tensron.
The firing pin (11) is blodced by the firing
The live round in the chamber cannot be
pistol should occidentally be dropped
first on the floor. The signal pin (8) can both be felt and
seen, and indicates that there is a cartridge in the
&amber (Illustration 3).
5

Illustration

4

The pistol is loaded, safety lever ‘off’, and codted by
‘pulling through’ (Double-Action trig er motion, shown
here in the moment in which the turn % ler IS
. about to be
released by the sear).
Operating the Trigger
The trig er (43) has been pulled back until the tumbler
edge (403 of the hammer (39) barely rests on the sear
edge of the tensioning piece (26),. as shown in Illustration 4. Until then, the firing pin (11) IS blocked by the firing
in arrester 92).
Pf the trigger (43) is now pulled back a little further, the
sear (40) of the hammer slides off the edge of the cocking piece (26), the firing pin arrester 12) releases the firing in (ll!, and the hammer (39) stri I, es the rear end of
the P.
rrmg pm (11).

Illustration

Illustrtiion 6

5

Pistol loaded and cocked, safety lever ‘Off
Operating the trigger when the hammer is coded (‘SingleAction’).
Upon pulling the trigger (43), the cocked hammer (39) is
releosed from its rearward position by the lifting motion
of the cocking piece (26) and strikes the unlocked firing
pin (11).

Pistol at the moment of firing
Process of firing
The hammer (39) strikes the unlocked firing pin (ll), ond
jhe tip of the latter detonates the primer by hitting and
indenting the primer cap, thus igniting the powder charge
and thereby causing the resultant pressure gases to drive
the bullet out of the cartridge case.

6

lllusfrafion 7

illustration 8

Pistol loaded, safety lever ‘Off

Pistol loaded, safety lever ‘Off

Operating the safety lever when the hammer is cocked.
The hammer (39) has been drawn back, and the arm is
thus ready. The protruding signal pin (8) indicates that
there is a cartridge in the chamber.
If for some reason it is not intended to fire the round, the
safety lever (19) should in such case be moved downwards
until the letter 5” becomes clearly exposed. This application of the safety lever (19) causes the firing pin (11) to
be blocked (see arrows). Moreover, during the last third
of the lever travel the hammer (39) becomes disengaged
by the lifting of the cocking iece (26) and drops forward.
(See also: page 10, - ‘Hand Ping’ . . ., and Illustration 14.)
The trigger moves backwards and remains in the rearmost limit of its travel.

Operating the safety lever when the hammer is uncodced.
The firing pin (11) remains blocked by the automatic safety
effect of the firing pin arrester (12) when the hammer is in
an uncocked state. By movin the safety lever (19) downwards, thereby exposing the Petter ‘5” fully, an additional
lock is applied to the firing pin (ll), as shown by the orrows in Illustration 8. The trigger remains in its normal
forward position.

Directions for the Use and Handling of the Pistol P 38

Illustration 9

lllurtration 10

loading

Filling the magazine

Hold the pistol with the right hand and render it safe by
turning the safety lever downwords to the fullest extent
of its travel, thus fully exposing the letter 5’. Remove
the mogozine b releasin the ma azine catch with the
left thumb. The r eft index7. anger wtt
4draws the magazine
from the grip, as shown in the above Illustration 9.

Hold the magazine with the left hand and push the cartridges - base first - under the ma ozine lips by carefully
depressing the feeder platform wtt
3 the cartridge rim. The
magazine holds 8 cartridges. When emptying the mogozine, push the cartridges gent1 forward until they are
finally expelled by the upwor J thrust of the magazine
spring. The 7 holes in the side of the magazine serve to
facilitate chedcing the contents of the magazine.
Any forceful jamming-in or tearing-out during either of
these two respective operations would cause damo e to
the magazine and consequently lead to functiona B disorders of the pistol.
8

IllurWation 11

Illustrdion 12

Introducing the first cartridge into the chamber

‘Single-Action’ shooting

After inserting the full ma azine into the pistol grip, hold
the pistol with the right 3, and. The pistol must still be
‘safe’. Next, grip the slide by the ribbed rear end with the
left hand and pull fully backwards - then let go. This
operation causes the first cartridge to slip into the chamber. The hammer, however, does not become cocked by
this process, as the safety lever is still ap lied and the hammer of the P 3 therefore cannot be co cl?ed either by hand
or else be pulling the trigger through. To make the pistol
ready for immediate use, push the safety lever upwards to
cover the letter “‘5” completely and the letter ‘F” (‘Fire’)
becomes visible. The weapon will still remain uncocked,
since the firing pin is still blocked. The pistol is nevertheless ready for firing.

In tar et shooting, it is recommended to cock the hammer
with t9, e right thumb as shown in Illustration 12. With a
little practice, this operation should become fairly eas
It offers the advantage of having only a comparafive Y’
y
slight amount of resistance (trigger pressure) to overcome.
This in its turn increases the accuracy in shooting quite
considerably.

9

Illustration 13

lllurtmtion 14

‘Double-Action’ shooting

Operating the safety lever

Firing fhe first shot by means of the ‘single-action’ method
is, of course, chiefly enacted in practice and competition
shooting at targets, while ‘double-action’ shooting occurs
mainly under active service conditions. In the latter event,
the hammer is cocked by simply pulling the trigger through
its entire length of travel for the first shot.
Should for reasons of faulty ammunition the pistol fail to
fire in such exceptional cases, the trigger should be pulled
again. A second impact of the firing pin on the primer cap
will as a rule cause even a defective round to detonate.

Hold the weapon with the right hand, and place the right
index finger along the side of the trigger guard. The right
thumb grips the hammer, while the left thumb pushes the
safety lever downwards. The hammer can now slowly
return to its resting position, as shown in illustration 14.
Care should be taken that the muzzle of the pistol paints
downwards.

10

Illustration

Illustration 16

15

The emptied magazine

Unlooding

When the last round in the magazine has been fired, the
slide stays open. If shooting is to be continued, remove
the empty magazine and insert the next full magazine.
Pull the slide bade lightly and then let it glide forwards.
This process will cause the first round to be introduced
into the chamber.
This cartridge may also be fed into the chamber without
using the left hand: by simply depressing the catch lever
with the right thumb. If it is not intended to continue
shooting, apply the safety lever (see page 10, Illustration 14).

If the pistol P 38 is to be unloaded after a live round has
been lodged in the chamber, put the safety lever into the
Safe’ position (see page 10, Illustration 14), withdraw the
magazine, and remove the cartridges from the latter. Now
pull the slide fully back (as shown in Illustration 16). The
cartridge will be extracted from the chamber by this operation and drop out.

11

Illustration 17

lllustmtion 18

Dismantling

Dismantling

insert an empty magazine. Hold the pistol with the right
hand and move the safety lever to ‘Safe’ (see page 10,
Illustration 14). Next, pull the slide back until it stays open,
and remove the magozine. Then turn the barrel catch lever
downwards with the left thumb until it engages with an
audible ‘click’.

The barrel catch lever having been pushed down, the slide
should now be pulled bade slightly and then be allowed
to move forward so as to be separated from the frame.

If an empty magazine is not available, the retracted slide
may be made to stay open by pushing the catch lever upwards.

Alternatively, the slide may be drawn back with the left
hand while the right thumb depresses the breech catch
lever. Following this, the slide may be allowed to glide
forward and off the frame unit.

12

lllurtration 19

Illustration

20

Separating the barrel from the slide

Cleaning the component parts

Hold the slide upside-down in the left hand as shown in
lilustration ;9. Press the small internal locking bolt towards the muzzle end with your right index finger. The
barrel can then be readily taken out of the slide unit.

The pistol has now been partly stripped and split up into
its four main units: barrel, slide, frame (grip), and magazine, as shown in Illustration M. These components can
now be cleaned and oiled.
The barrel, the grooves of the slide, and the grip unit
should be lubricated with a good, acid-free, and nonresinous oil, and the barrel should then be wiped dry
again.
Any further dismantling should be carried out only if there
is an uncommonly great amount of dirt present in these
parts. Any such work, however, should be entrusted to
skilled craftsmen.

13

Illustration

21

Illustration 22

Assembling
The re-assembling of the wea on is a propriately carried
out in the opposite order to tl?at of to&down. In order
to avoid damage during this process, it IS important that
the following explanations and Illustrations be observed:
It is particularly important to realize that re-assembling
can be carried out only while the pistol is in a ‘safe’ state,
i. e., the hammer must be ‘down’. First, re-fit the barrel to
the slide. When attochin this re-assembled unit to the
grip unit, ensure that the Ioclcing bolt below the chamber
IS pressed upwards with the left thumb in the manner
shown in Illustration 21. The slide unit can now be freely
pushed back over the frame to without any fear of damage to the recoil springs, the s1!rde, or the frame.

The three protruding parts - ejector, release lever, and
trip lever’ - must be ushed downwards so as to permit
P back over the top of the frame
the slide to run freey
(the three components in question are indicated by arrows in lliustration 22).

14

lllurtrotion

23

Assembling
Insert the empty magazine into the grip, then pull the slide
bock until the latter engages and stays open. Now push
the barrel catch lever bath into its normal locking position
with the left thumb, as shown in Illustration 23.

Finally, push the breech locking lever downwards with the
right thumb and at the same time pull the slide back with
the left hand, then let the slide move forward.
The P 38 is now once again in its complete original state, safe, and ready for further service.

15

Test Target with test group of the WALTHER Self-loading
Pistol P 38, Cal. 9 mm Parabellum.
Ranges and Performance:
Sighting

range

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Range of shot, approximately
Depth of penetration:
r
Material

Loose soil
Sand
Pine wood
Sheet iron, 2 mm (0.0787”)
thick, hit at an angle
of 90 degrees

50 m = 54.681 yds.

.

v

. . 1,600 m = 1,750yds.

Range

50 m
200m
25 m
17.34 yds 5 i4.68 yds. 18.72 yds.
36 cm
14 ins.
26 cm
101/h ins.
23 cm
9 ins.
cut
clean
through

35 cm
13V4 ins.

31 cm
12 ins.

25 cm
9’/1 ins.

21 cm
8’14 ins.

23 cm
9 ins.

6% ins.

cut
clean
through

cut
clean
through

17cm

Ammunition

The ammunition for the P 38 is the pistol cartridge
Calibre 9 mm Parabellum.

16

6

10
14

18
17

54

6
Illustration 2 6

The Components of the Walther Pistol P 38
UNIT I: Barrel
Barrel
Front sight
Locking-piece

Sofety lever unit

19

Cocking piece spring

38

Rest pin

20

Hammer

39

Rest pin spring

21

Hammer trap

40

Pins to Nos.39 & 40

41

Hammer trap spring

42

UNIT Ill: G r i p

Locking pin
V-spring
UNIT II: Slide

Frame

22

Trigger

43

Rest pin

23

Sleeve

44

Rest pin spring

24

Trigger spring

45

Slide body

6

Trigger connector

25

Magazine holder

46

Cover

7

Cocking-piece

26

Catch lever

47

Signal-pin

8

Barrel catch lever

27

Grip plate, right

48

Rear sight

9

Striker rod

28

Grip plate, left
Grip plate screw

Extractor

10

Relief piece

29

Firing pin

11

Release lever

30

Firing pin lode

12

Ejector

31

Spring to No. 12

13

Recoil spring guide pins

32

,

49
50

UNIT IV: Magazine

Extractor pin

14

Hammer pin

33

Magazine casing

51

Limit stop pin

15

Cocking piece pin

34

Feeder platform

52

Firing pin spring

16

Recoil springs

35

Magazine bottom lock

53

Signal pin spring

17

Striker rod spring

36

Magazine bottom

54

18

Trigger rod spring

37

Feeder spring

55

Extractor spring

18

Conversion Unit Cal. 4 mm (M 20)
for the Pistol P 38
with Steel Adaptor Cortridger
comprising:
Insertion barrel (liner) with spring washer and
locking nut
3 steel adaptor cartidges
Ejector tool
Cleaning rod

Illustration

27

Additional steel adaptor cartridges supplied upon request
and against payment of extra
cost.

Conversion Unit Cal. 4 mm (M 20),
with loading tool, for the Pistol P 38
comprising:
Insertion barrel (liner) with spring washer and
lock nut
Loading Tool
Ejector Tool
Cleaning Rod
lllustrotion 28

19

Instructions for the use of the Conversion Units
(as shown in Illustrations 27 and 28)
Conversion units, developed for the world-renowned Walther pistol models PP and PPK
and having proved a great success, are now also available for the pistol model P 38.
These conversion units make it possible to use the small Cal. 4 mm (M 20) cartridges for all
indoor practice shooting.
Fitting
Remove the slide in the usual manner (see page 12). Insert the conversion barrel (liner)
into the barrel of the P 38, apply the spring washer and the lock nut, and tighten up with
the aid of the ejector tool by applying the latter to the groove.
Shooting practice by using the steel cartridge adaptors
Insert a Cal. 4 mm cartridge into each steel adaptor, then feed the latter into the magazine in the normal manner, and insert the magazine into the grip of the P 38. Next, feed
a round into the chamber as demonstrated in illustrations 10 and 11. The pistol is now
ready for use. After firing the shot, pull the slide back with the left hand, thereby ejecting the steel adaptor containing the empty case from the chamber. The next ‘live’ adaptor
may now be brought into the chamber by letting the slide move forward, thus closing the
breech.
Shooting practice with the aid of the loading tool
Remove the magazine from the P 38, pull the slide fully back, and push the barrel catch
lever (breech lock) upwards. The slide will now stay open. Now insert a 4 mm cartridge
into the chamber by using the loading tool, and release the slide by pulling the latter
slightly back. Let the slide move forward and close the breech. The shot may now be fired.
After discharging the round, open the breech and push the empty case out of the chamber
by means of the ejector tool. The empty case will readily drop out through the magazine
shaft.

20

er.- _.,._._.. _:

,,

-_,-“~‘-e_“->.

Holster for the Pistol P 38
Cal. 9 mm Parabellum
Made of harness leather,
dull black finish outside and
smooth

inside.

External

magazine pocket. Two loops
for attachment to a belt.

Illurtration 30

Poge

Page

Illustration

IllurtmtkA

General reference:

1

1

Introducing the first cartridge

9

11

Description of pistol

2&3

1

‘Single Action’ shooting

9

12

Sectional view of pistol

4

2

‘Double Action’ shooting

10

13

Rendering the P 38 safe

10

14

3

The emptied magazine

11

15

4

Un-loading

11

16

5

Dismantling

12

17h18

Detaching the barrel

13

19

Cleaning

13

2tl

Assembling

14b15

21-24

Test target and performance

16

25

Description of components

17618

26

Conversion Units Cal. 4 mm

19&20

P&28

De Luxe case

21

29

Holster

21

30

Graphic Descriptions:
Automatic Safety mechanism
‘Double Action’ shooting
‘Single Action’ shooting
Process of firing

5
5
6
6

6

Operating the safety lever:
a) when the hammer is codred
b) when the hammer is not
codced

7
7

Directions for the use and handling:
Loading
8
Filling the magazine

8

7
8
9
10

A tradition of over 250 years
of practtcal experience
in the manufacture of precision-built
hunRng , sports and defence weapons
is intktety askiated
with this name.



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