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P-38 expert advise is needed
Posted: Sun May 21, 2017 10:08 pm
by Beiruty
I bought a very rare P-38 Mark-2, it has the reinforced slide, hardened breech lock lug and disconnector rod.
Today, I dragged it to the steel matches and I was shooting very low.
After the match I noticed the front sight is too high compared to the tiny rear v notch.
I could not hit straight till I made half of the front sight above the rear notch and upper half is covering the intended target.
This is not the way most modern sights are designed.
Also, I noticed there is round punched dot with no white coloring at all. Maybe it should have been filled with white paint. And, most likely the dot should be above the v-notch in the sight picture.
What say you? Fill it with some red-paint? And try to shoot it again?
At the range, an old gentleman flipped the pistol upside down on table and let it stand on its sights, I can clearly see the front sight is taller than the rear and the barrel is not parallel to the table.

Re: P-38 expert advise is needed
Posted: Sun May 21, 2017 10:17 pm
by Pawpaw
Check out
http://www.waltherforums.com/forum/
The front sight blades were made in varying heights. You probably need to change yours out for a shorter one. If you sign up and ask your question there, you will have your answer in a day or two.
Information on the P-1 will apply to your pistol too. They're both the same gun, for your purposes.
Re: P-38 expert advise is needed
Posted: Sun May 21, 2017 10:38 pm
by Beiruty
Done!
Re: P-38 expert advise is needed
Posted: Sun May 21, 2017 11:06 pm
by puma guy
Beiruty wrote:Done!
There are a lot of nice folks on that forum. Helped me with my PPK.
Re: P-38 expert advise is needed
Posted: Sun May 21, 2017 11:45 pm
by Pawpaw
Found on the Walther forum:
Front Sight, #5, w/ White Dot, .210" High
Front Sight, #4, w/ White Dot, .225" High
Front Sight, #3, w/ White Dot, .240" High
Front Sight, #2, w/ White Dot, .255" High
Front Sight, #1, w/ White Dot, .270" High
These are for the later model P-1/P-38, which yours obviously is. That hex pin in your frame tells me it is an aluminum frame. That hex pin was added to the aluminum frame to prevent cracking.
From your picture, it looks like you have a #2 front sight. My P-1 (manufactured 2/80) has a #3 and shoots to point of aim.
Edit: Replacement sight blades here:
https://www.gunpartscorp.com/Manufactur ... htm?page=5
Re: P-38 expert advise is needed
Posted: Mon May 22, 2017 12:49 am
by Beiruty
Pawpaw wrote:Found on the Walther forum:
Front Sight, #5, w/ White Dot, .210" High
Front Sight, #4, w/ White Dot, .225" High
Front Sight, #3, w/ White Dot, .240" High
Front Sight, #2, w/ White Dot, .255" High
Front Sight, #1, w/ White Dot, .270" High
These are for the later model P-1/P-38, which yours obviously is. That hex pin in your frame tells me it is an aluminum frame. That hex pin was added to the aluminum frame to prevent cracking.
From your picture, it looks like you have a #2 front sight. My P-1 (manufactured 2/80) has a #3 and shoots to point of aim.
Edit: Replacement sight blades here:
https://www.gunpartscorp.com/Manufactur ... htm?page=5
Paw, Paw:
Great info. I filled up the dot with Green marker paint for front sights (mix, Lumi and Green). I will order #3 too.
https://goo.gl/photos/ph19ZFqTnusv6N799
Re: P-38 expert advise is needed
Posted: Mon May 22, 2017 1:27 am
by Beiruty
Ordered:
1453570 Front Sight, .240 Blade Height, #3 w/White Dot $15.25
1
$15.25
200800 Walther P38 Owners Manual $4.75
1
$4.75
953880C Cleaning Kit, Post WWII, RG34 $9.50
1
$9.50
541100 Grips, Walnut, Laser Cut-Checkered w/ Grip Screw & Escutcheon, Reproduction $58.30
1
$58.30
Re: P-38 expert advise is needed
Posted: Mon May 22, 2017 1:32 am
by Pawpaw
I didn't know you needed an owner's manual. Here ya go:
http://stevespages.com/pdf/walther_p38.pdf
There's lots of good manuals & parts breakdowns located at
http://stevespages.com/page7.htm
Re: P-38 expert advise is needed
Posted: Mon May 22, 2017 6:58 am
by Beiruty
I needed the paper one. I hope it is an original and not a print out of the pdf.
Re: P-38 expert advise is needed
Posted: Mon May 22, 2017 8:22 am
by Beiruty
Re: P-38 expert advise is needed
Posted: Mon May 22, 2017 7:27 pm
by cheezit
puma guy wrote:Beiruty wrote:Done!
There are a lot of nice folks on that forum. Helped me with my PPK.
Same, I went looking for info on usa made ppk in .32acp that I have.
Re: P-38 expert advise is needed
Posted: Mon May 22, 2017 7:56 pm
by puma guy
cheezit wrote:puma guy wrote:Beiruty wrote:Done!
There are a lot of nice folks on that forum. Helped me with my PPK.
Same, I went looking for info on usa made ppk in .32acp that I have.
That's what I have, mine is was made under S&W. Had to send it in for the hammer block fix.
Re: P-38 expert advise is needed
Posted: Mon May 22, 2017 9:08 pm
by cheezit
puma guy wrote:cheezit wrote:puma guy wrote:Beiruty wrote:Done!
There are a lot of nice folks on that forum. Helped me with my PPK.
Same, I went looking for info on usa made ppk in .32acp that I have.
That's what I have, mine is was made under S&W. Had to send it in for the hammer block fix.
What I have is a stainless ppk (not a ppk/s) made by ranger American with an interarms stamp. They were made in 1998 only.
They made 3 guns in .32 acp that year, the pp, ppk/s and the ppk. Total count on those 3 guns was 5000 units.
Re: P-38 expert advise is needed
Posted: Mon May 22, 2017 9:42 pm
by puma guy
cheezit wrote:puma guy wrote:cheezit wrote:puma guy wrote:Beiruty wrote:Done!
There are a lot of nice folks on that forum. Helped me with my PPK.
Same, I went looking for info on usa made ppk in .32acp that I have.
That's what I have, mine is was made under S&W. Had to send it in for the hammer block fix.
What I have is a stainless ppk (not a ppk/s) made by ranger American with an interarms stamp. They were made in 1998 only.
They made 3 guns in .32 acp that year, the pp, ppk/s and the ppk. Total count on those 3 guns was 5000 units.
Mine is stainless as well, PPK/S. I wasn't looking for one, but when I go to a garage sale I always ask if they have any guns or knives and a woman said her husband had a pistol and I should come back. We dickered on the price for a while because I knew I'd have to send it in for the hammer block fix. I bought my truck shotgun at a garage sale the same way. When I asked about guns the lady said there was a gun on a table in the garage her husband was selling. It was a JC Higgins Model 20 pump (High Standard Flite King) with the barrel cut to 20" and painted black. I picked it up and it had a shell in the chamber and the mag full as well. I emptied it as she made a phone call. He wanted 100 bucks and I offered 60 which he took. It shoots as good as my Win 1300 Defender.