walther p38 User Guide
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 construc-
tion, 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
the
Cal. 9 mm
a pistol of a similarly recognized and approved construction which would retain
principle of a
veq
light
weight
and at
the same time flro the more
powerful
cartridge
?ambellum.
lho outcome
9 mm
ounces with all
stantaneous readiness, and easy handling
of
the
Parbollum,
appropriate considerations was
the
new
which combines a phantastically low
the drimblo
advantages of a modern handgun - absolute safety, in-
-
and which allows the
WALTHER
weight
Model P 38 Cal.
of only a
use
liilo
of a considerably
over
more potent cartridge. This pistol stands without rival.
All
the
component parts are
date production methods involving the use of modern machinery under strictest
vision. As in the
manufacture
very best materials are used in the production of
interchangeable.
They are
of any other of the
mado
by means of
sevoral WALTHER
the
Model P
38.
the
most
up-toruper-
products, only
the
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.
27
@@@
General Data:
Auto Pistol Model P 38 Cal. 9 mm Parabellum
Overall Length
Length of Barrel
Height of Pistol
Total Weight
Magazine capacity .
Standard Finish
The pistol can be supplied, Up
lished and blued finish.
A spare magazine, a cleaning
are supplied with every pistol.
ment also includes a
delivered in a stout carton.
The pistol P 38 has an external hammer. The combination of o perfect action design, mode evident in the
loading pistols havin an external hammer, and the constant readiness of a revolver makes the enormous odvantages of
these weaoons obun3antlv 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, may be fired by
merely pulling
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.
yhi
trigger. It may, moreover, readily be co’rried loaded
. . .
. . . . .
. . .
technica
214
125 mm =
. .
136 mm =
7809
8 Cartridges
. .
. .
set block (matted).
Ion
r
rod,
The complete equip-
II
description and is
415/16*
S/S”
= 27% 01s
on’d
uncocked.
WALTHER self-
I
n
L
An entirely new method has been adopted in the construction of the safety device’of the P 38.
As may be well known, there is always a certain amount
of danger inherent in any loaded and cocked firearm,
even though the latter may be rendered ‘safe’ by means
of the safety lever. Any sudden mechonicol
fracture of on
action
component con cause on accidental
shod
or a
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 moved to the ‘Safe’ position, the firing pin becomes
lodted
first. Immediately following this, the action mechanism is
automatically
-
and the pistol is completely uncocked.
blodted
and the hammer drops harmlessly
Un-cocking of the hammer by means of applying the
so-
fety catch, preceded by the locking of the firing pin and
the connection with the tension trigger, make the P 38 a
truly ideal service pistol.
Since the pistol is thus always uncocked but nevertheless
always ready for immediate use, the hammer spring is
therefore not subject to fatigue and weakening.
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.
It is an essential rule for every shooter that despite the
fully guaranteed safety of the weapon, the pistol should
always be held so that the muzzle points downwards while
the
weapon
is not being actually used.
3
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
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
tion.
technical
weapo;l
descrip-
Graphic Description
Illus1mli0n 3
The
pistol is loaded and
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
weopon is, OS shown in II ustration
tensron.
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
pin (11) is
uncocked.
blodced
The safety lever is ‘off.
is in the ‘Fire’ position. The
1
by the firing
3, entirely free from
Illustration
The pistol is loaded, safety lever ‘off’, and
‘pulling through’ (Double-Action
here in the moment in which the
released by the sear).
Operating the Trigger
The trig er (43) has been pulled back until the tumbler
edge (40 of the hammer (39) barely rests on the sear
edge of the tensioning piece
tion 4.
P
f the trigger (43) is now pulled back a little further, the
sear (40) of the hammer slides off the edge of the cocking piece
ingP.in
the
3
Until then, the firing pin (11)
in
arrester 92).
(26),
the firing pin arrester 12) releases the fir-
(ll!,
rrmg
and the hammer (39) stri
pm (11).
4
trig er motion, shown
turn
ler IS about to be
%
.
(26),.
as shown in Illustra-
IS
blocked by the firing
I,es the rear end of
codted
by
Illustration
5
Illustrtiion
6
Pistol loaded and cocked, safety lever ‘Off
Operating the trigger when the hammer is
coded (‘Single-
Action’).
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
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
(See also: page 10, - ‘Hand ing’ .
iece
(26) and drops forward.
. .,
P
and Illustration 14.)
The trigger moves backwards and remains in the rear-
most limit of its travel.
Pistol loaded, safety lever ‘Off
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
wards, thereby exposing the etter
lock is applied to the firing pin
the safety lever (19) down-
‘5”
P
fully, an additional
(ll),
as shown by the or-
rows in Illustration 8. The trigger remains in its normal
forward position.
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