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Walther P38
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  Caption P38 code AC44 A WW2 Nazi Germany P38 made in 1944 by Walther
  Name Walther P38
  Type semi-automatic pistol
  Nation Germany
  Era World War II
  Date 1935
  Prod Date 1938-1945, 1958
  Serv Date 1938-1945
  Operators Nazi Germany </br> West Germany
  Wars WW2
  Spec Type Pistol
  Calibre 9 mm
  Barrel 125 mm
  Ammo 9 Mm Parabellum
  Mag 8rd detachable magazine
  Action Double Action
  Weight 08 kg (unloaded)
  Length 216 mm
  Num Built About 960,000


The Walther P.38 is a 9 Mm pistol that was issued to NCO s and officers of the Wehrmacht near the end of World War II . It replaced the costly Luger P08 . The P38 was introduced in 1938, and was produced until nearly the end of the War. Production of the Pistol continued in West Germany under the name "Pistol 1" in 1958 for Western German Police and the Bundeswehr . The P.38 was the first locked-breech pistol to use a double-action trigger. This allowed the shooter to carry the weapon loaded with the hammer down and then pull the trigger to fire the first shot, a feature found in many modern day Handguns .

There were three major manufacturers of the P.38 pistol: Walther (code ac), Mauser (code byf) and Spreewerk (code cyq). There are several variations to the codes, but the manufacturers remained the same.


WALTHER P38 IN FICTION


  • The TV series The Man From U.N.C.L.E. featured a Walther P.38 modified with a stock, silencer, and scope. This was released as a toy, and the design formed the basis of the popular Transformers character Megatron (see below). A latera, silver '' Microman '' toy edition was branded the MC-13 U.N.C.L.E., likely a reference to the show.


  • The Transformers character Megatron 's first toy form is based on the Walther P38. Although the Megatron toy is very accurately shaped like a Walther P.38, it is only about 85%-90% of the size of a real Walther P.38, and obviously much lighter, considering the lack of bullets or a firing mechanism. The mold was taken from Takara's Japanese ''Microman'' line, released both the same as Megatron (without Decepticon emblems) and in black and brown without the attachments. These attachments include a scope, stock, and silencer. The ''Microman'' versions, as well as all recent Japanese reissues, include an internal firing mechanism which "fires" plastic bullets(the Hasbro versions excluded the firing pin), as well as a sword accessory. Another key visual difference between the toy and the gun is the slot behind the barrel to load these bullets.


  • The Walther P38 is the preferred weapon of Lupin III .


  • The game No One Lives Forever features a suppressed P.38 manufactured by the fictional Shepherd Arms company.





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