1942 Walther P38 - What's it Worth?

[IMR-4320]

1942 or later Walther P38. cyq stamping indicates Spreewerke factory in Berlin. These are the least common of the mass-produced war-era P38s, but also the roughest as they were cranking them out as fast as the parts could be fed through the milling machines. All visible numbers match. Barrel is slightly pitted (corrosive primers in WWII) but shoots reliably if not target-pistol accurately. Finish appears to be completely original. Includes period-correct holster and spare magazine. Holster could use some minor repair by a qualified restorer. This has been in climate-controlled storage for at least 40 years, likely twice that. Time to part out my collection, interested in getting a fair price. I've looked online and am finding values all over the place, hoping that someone can provide an accurate assessment. Thanks for looking!

 

[Mil-Dot]

Buy the bluebook for guns. They just released the 2025 edition..$30 online

 

[saki302]

Bluebook is pretty useless besides as a dealer to lowball other sellers.

Check gunbroker completed auctions, average it out, subtract 10%, and that's a fair private party price.

 

[USMC06RET]

1942 or later Walther P38. cyq stamping indicates Spreewerke factory in Berlin. These are the least common of the mass-produced war-era P38s, but also the roughest as they were cranking them out as fast as the parts could be fed through the milling machines. All visible numbers match. Barrel is slightly pitted (corrosive primers in WWII) but shoots reliably if not target-pistol accurately. Finish appears to be completely original. Includes period-correct holster and spare magazine. Holster could use some minor repair by a qualified restorer. This has been in climate-controlled storage for at least 40 years, likely twice that. Time to part out my collection, interested in getting a fair price. I've looked online and am finding values all over the place, hoping that someone can provide an accurate assessment. Thanks for looking!

Looks like this was a war trophy. Do you have any provenance aside from the stampings? How about letters or documentation on how it was captured and from who?

You can get a rough idea of value from this page. https://www.gunbroker.com/All/search?Keywords=Walther P38

My best guess is that it is somewhere in the range of $1450 - $1700, if you are selling to a knowledgeable buyer. A less than knowledgeable buyer might pay you over $2k for it.

 

[Number9]

1942 or later Walther P38. cyq stamping indicates Spreewerke factory in Berlin. These are the least common of the mass-produced war-era P38s, but also the roughest as they were cranking them out as fast as the parts could be fed through the milling machines. All visible numbers match. Barrel is slightly pitted (corrosive primers in WWII) but shoots reliably if not target-pistol accurately. Finish appears to be completely original. Includes period-correct holster and spare magazine. Holster could use some minor repair by a qualified restorer. This has been in climate-controlled storage for at least 40 years, likely twice that. Time to part out my collection, interested in getting a fair price. I've looked online and am finding values all over the place, hoping that someone can provide an accurate assessment. Thanks for looking!

Very nice, I have a 1960s era one myself. Bought at least three of the cheap ProMag magazines for indoor range use and ended up never using them.

 

[Radman64]

Here is what I know as it was one of my favorite pistols.
If the numbers match including the mag that's a very hard thing to find, if the holster is WW2 German marked it's a gem.
Brown leather holsters where issued to the Army or other combat forces, Black to the police forces just like the Lugers.

 

[Ron Swanson]

I know this is an older topic but, does anyone know what it means when there are no markings on the right side of a p38? It’s on a Mauser byf43, Eagle/135.