CYQ P38 'o' block
- Thread starter Scarey
- Start date
Scarey
Member
6 if I counted correctly. What do the lines mean if it's 5 or 6
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Scarey
Member
Never heard that before. Good to know!
Scarey
Member
I just went and pulled the grips for a photo. So these would be for walther or mauser. I'll have to keep any eye out for red 5 line grips.
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Tiger 2 Tank
Senior Member
Really nice cyq! I agree. This one needs a set of “5 broken line” grips. They can either be the brown type or the more orange type.
Your pistol is believed to have been manufactured around April/May 1944. Complete, correct and in good shape for its age. No dip! No Russian 'x' and assuming no import/export markings.
The grips you posted are indeed for a later war (1943-1945) Mauser or Walther. You can tell by the fact that the typical mold marking information that is usually stamped in the upper circle is missing. This started in 1943, ostensibly as a way to hide manufacturing information from the allies.
The Posselt grips you seek are not difficult to find, and expect to pay somewhere between $150-200 for them. the usual suspects are where to find them (GB, eBay or LC has them occasionally). These AEG grips are a bit more common, but should bring about $150 to someone in need of them.
The Walther/AEG grips were found on Spreewerk pistols until around the end of the a-block series of pistols (around the first 20k). Spreewerk was thought to use Posselt grips exclusively until the end of the war, however, it is not uncommon to find later Spreewerks with a variety of grips on them, since like slings, they are easily removed/replaced.
Magazine? The magazines were also widely dispersed and swapped, and a 'correct' magazine for your pistol will have 'jvd' and 'WaA706' markings on the left side/spine. The very late magazines with the 'U' stamped anywhere on them, would have been manufactured very late in 1944-45. There were a variety of 'jvd' magazines manufactured early on for Spreewerk pistols (a/b, E/88), but one manufactured during the same timeframe as yours is as described above.
Good looking pistol. BTW, the '579' stamped on the frame has nothing to do with the serial number, and is thought to be a number put there to track the frame/pistol through the production process.
The grips you posted are indeed for a later war (1943-1945) Mauser or Walther. You can tell by the fact that the typical mold marking information that is usually stamped in the upper circle is missing. This started in 1943, ostensibly as a way to hide manufacturing information from the allies.
The Posselt grips you seek are not difficult to find, and expect to pay somewhere between $150-200 for them. the usual suspects are where to find them (GB, eBay or LC has them occasionally). These AEG grips are a bit more common, but should bring about $150 to someone in need of them.
The Walther/AEG grips were found on Spreewerk pistols until around the end of the a-block series of pistols (around the first 20k). Spreewerk was thought to use Posselt grips exclusively until the end of the war, however, it is not uncommon to find later Spreewerks with a variety of grips on them, since like slings, they are easily removed/replaced.
Magazine? The magazines were also widely dispersed and swapped, and a 'correct' magazine for your pistol will have 'jvd' and 'WaA706' markings on the left side/spine. The very late magazines with the 'U' stamped anywhere on them, would have been manufactured very late in 1944-45. There were a variety of 'jvd' magazines manufactured early on for Spreewerk pistols (a/b, E/88), but one manufactured during the same timeframe as yours is as described above.
Good looking pistol. BTW, the '579' stamped on the frame has nothing to do with the serial number, and is thought to be a number put there to track the frame/pistol through the production process.
Scarey
Member
Thank you for all the information! I will have to start looking for the grips. It came with a jvd (not other markings) magazine. And there are no import markings.
That magazine is good. Outside of those I have bought from forum members, the best place to look for grips is on eBay. Bought a pair last year for $120 (with shipping/taxes). That's certainly not the norm, but it happens. People seem to be more attracted to the reddish colored grips that have the sawdust mixed in. Generally expect to pay more for those if you come across them.
Tiger 2 Tank
Senior Member
On the grips. Previously, I mistakenly stated these need to have the “5 broken lines” grips. I went back in my books to make sure I was right, wrong…or what? So, your pistol is fine with those grips that are on it. Most of these had the “5 broken line” grips on them (also known as Posselt grips). It is “collector correct” to have one like yours with the “5 broken line” grips.
Reference: “The P.38 Pistol Spreewerk Production”, by Jan Balcar and Ron Clarin. Pages 203- 206 and a color photo of P.38 cyq #1109o.
This book states:
“The hypothesis that grips from Posselt were used exclusively on the Spreewerk Grottau pistols is not entirely accurate, however. -page 204
”On the Spreewerk pistols, we can find mostly Posselt grips and, to a smaller extent, Walther grips, marked with each firm’s production identification codes.” -page 206
What mag came with her?
The photo is from that book, page 276. Used only for this little bit of educational purposes. It probably adds to more confusion to the subject, but I believe in reality these factories at this stage of the war were using all sources to fill in voids of production. Hope this helps.
Reference: “The P.38 Pistol Spreewerk Production”, by Jan Balcar and Ron Clarin. Pages 203- 206 and a color photo of P.38 cyq #1109o.
This book states:
“The hypothesis that grips from Posselt were used exclusively on the Spreewerk Grottau pistols is not entirely accurate, however. -page 204
”On the Spreewerk pistols, we can find mostly Posselt grips and, to a smaller extent, Walther grips, marked with each firm’s production identification codes.” -page 206
What mag came with her?
The photo is from that book, page 276. Used only for this little bit of educational purposes. It probably adds to more confusion to the subject, but I believe in reality these factories at this stage of the war were using all sources to fill in voids of production. Hope this helps.
Scarey
Member
Ill post the mag when I get home but it is a jvd magazine
