Unfortunately, the American officer placed in charge of the Mauser factories after Germany surrendered decided to have many of the company's records destroyed - making it hard to definitively date some Mauser weapons. Luckily, Walther - though barred from making firearms for a number of years - was not entrusted to the stewardship of a bigot and we can produce a chronological list of P38-related ID marks which reveal the times and places of production for most items. |
Please Note: Monetary valuations are approximated.
Mark |
Maker |
Serial Range |
Notes |
Value at 90% |
0xxxxxx |
Walther |
Zero Code series were the first military P-38s, they also have a Walther banner. |
||
|
01-01000 | 1st Issue, high polish, black checkered grips, no suffix on serial number. |
$5,000 | |
| 02005-03478 | 2nd Issue, thin slide, external extractor, square firing pin. |
$4,500 | ||
| 03520-013714 | 3rd Issue, round firing pin, after ser #1000, have brown military grips. |
$2,200 | ||
| 480/40 | Walther |
I-7374 | No Walther banner, replaced with 480 and year of 40. April 1940. |
$4,200 |
| AC40 | Walther |
I-7374 | AC code for Walther, followed by year of 40, October 1940. |
$4,200 |
| AC | Walther |
7384-9912 | AC no date, "AC" also on left triggerguard, very scarce. |
$4,600 |
| AC40 | Walther | 9988-5942a | 40 under AC, high polish, hand-stamped. | $2,500 |
| AC40 | Walther | 5942a-9965b | New German Alpha-Numerical serial number system used for remainder of the war. |
$1,600 |
| AC41 | Walther | 1-4527i | 1st and 2nd issue, last high polish P38s produced. | $1,000 |
| AC41 | Walther | 5015i-9973j | 3rd issue, dull finish. |
$800 |
| AC42 | Walther |
1-9197k | Another big year with 98,600 produced. |
$675 |
| AC/43 | Walther |
1-9999n | AC is over the 43, exact transition number unknown. |
$675 |
| AC43 | Walther |
1-9999n | Changed to single line AC43, total production of both is 135,000. |
$750 |
| AC44 | Walther |
1a-9999L | No changes. | $675 |
| AC45 | Walther |
1a-? | Last of the war, 40,000 produced, last # unknown. |
$675 |
| AC45 | Walther |
025960-027659 | Late war Zero Code. |
$1,200 |
| BYF42 | Mauser |
1-4783a | Early war Mauser, dull finish. | $1,000 |
| BYF43 | Mauser |
1-6500q | No changes. | $675 |
| BYF43 | Mauser |
l-7600 | Eagle L Police Issue, Eagle can be over L,N, or F. | $1,500 |
| BYF44 | Mauser |
9000p-10000z | No changes, serial numbers unknown. |
$675 |
| BYF44 | Mauser |
l-7600 | Eagle L Police Issue, Eagle can be over L,N, or F. |
$1,500 |
| BYF45 | Mauser |
Unknown. | A few made and then code switched to SVW. | Unknown. |
| SVW45 | Mauser |
1-5000e | Code found on last ditch P38s, must be Nazi proofed. |
$1,100 |
| SVW45 | Mauser |
Unknown. | Same as above, but a post-war French assembly, no Nazi proofs. |
$400 |
| CYQ | Spreewerke |
1-9500z | Spreewerke of Spandau, Berlin. No date of manufacture. FN frame adds 100% |
$625 |
| CVQ | Spreewerke |
prefix o,a, or b. | Last ditch P-38, die broke and "Y" became a "V" assembled in Munich from parts. |
$750 |
| FN | Fabrique National | Unknown | FN marked on slide, shipped to Walther and assembled on their guns. |
|
| FNH | Boehmische | None. |
Boehmische Waffenfabrik, Strakonitz plant, Prague locking blocks and barrels. |
|
| DOV | Bruenn | None. |
Waffenwerke Bruenn, Wsetin plant, CzechoslovakiaVarious subassembly parts. |
|
| JVD | Nordbohmische | None. |
Erste Nordboehmische Metallwarenfabrik, Adolf Roessler, Sudetenland. |
|
| v | Walther | None. |
Magazine, late war Walther. |
