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Information, photos, references, and trivia on the WW2 Walther P.38 and post-war P38 pistol. If you wish to link to this page, please link only to the main page, not sub-pages or documents. Please do not rip off my PDF files or pictures for your own site. Thanks.
Updated 20 Feb 2014 17:33 -0800
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Most Recent updates:
Two more "BTH12" pistols have been reported. See "BTH12" under "Pistols"
Added "When was my post-war pistol made?" to "Information"
Added another late date AC frame pistol to "Pistols"
Added some late war pistols to "Pistols"
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Post-war volume I Post-war parts gun, two guns in .30 Luger, and a high-polish gun. |
Late date AC frame variation. Warren Buxton calls these the '"oddballs of oddballs." Who made these - and when? |
byf44 FN slide. |
Post-war volume II P38 surplus, P1 surplus, P38 commercial, and P4 surplus guns. |
| Consecutive serial number SVW-45s. | Consecutive serial number SVW-46s. | Post-war P38 in 7.65mm Parabellum. | East German P.38s. Reworked wartime ac40, ac44, and an East German manufactured gun. |
| Steel frame P38 from Earl's Repair Service. |
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Post-war
P.38 in 5.6mm
(.22 LR). Â |
A Zero series and "a" prefix Spreewerk reworked for use in post-war East Germany. |
| The Czechoslovakian Vz46. |
byf44 police issue
with British markings. Â |
Commemorative "100 Jahre" P38 marking the 100th year anniversary of Walther. | Unknown BTH12 marking on several P.38s. |
| Norwegian military surplus P38. | Mixmaster P.38 with WW2 German, East German, Czech, and British markings. | The ultra-rare "ac no-date" - and how to spot a fake. |
Some things you can
do to a P.38. Please don't! WARNING: disturbing! |
| French Mausers 1945 to 1946. | Gotterdammerung - some pistols from the last months of the war. | Another version of the late date AC frame pistol. | Â |
Pistol Information
An excellent article by Peter Kokalis on the wartime P.38 pistol can be found here, and another article on the post-war P38 here.
My post-war pistol has no date or date code - about when was it manufactured? You can get a rough estimate based upon these observed pistols.
Need to replace a broken WW2 slide part with a post-war part, and don't know if the new part will fit? Read the slide part compatibility guide. Note: this information is intended as a guide only. I am not a gunsmith. If you do not have working knowledge of the P.38 pistol, consult a competent gunsmith before attempting to effect repairs to your P.38.
Over the long term, will oil cause bakelite grips to deteriorate? An attempt to find out starts here. And continues after one year... and finally ends at three plus years.
Atarian's quick reference magazine guide. Helps to identify which magazine is correct for your pistol.
Atarian's post-war reproduction and aftermarket grip guide. Some of the currently available non-World War II grips for the P.38.
Can a "dipped" pistol be "un-dipped?" The answer is yes, and quite successfully. Take a look at zero series cyq serial number 030.
What's that 13 digit number on my pistol and/or magazine?
Drawings and Manuals
P38 Owner's Manual  (multilingual - 4.8 MB). P38 Owner's Manual v2 (multilingual - 6.2 MB). P38 Operating Instructions (multilingual - 1.2 MB, source: Walther Germany). P38 Owner's Manual (1 MB, source: Interarms(?)). P38 Owner's Manual (edited for clarity - Thanks to Quentin for providing this).
German military drawings of the 9mm Patrone: page 1, page 2, page 3, and page 4.
P.38 manual from 1940 (German) - Thanks to Johan and Ron Clarin for providing this.
P.38 illustrated parts breakdown (German - 95KB, source: Walther Germany).
Explanation of the markings on a post-war P38/P1 (source: Federal Foreign Office – Division 241, Germany).
Time Wasters
Test your P.38 knowledge with the P.38 quiz!
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four (new!) |
Auction Antics - Fantastic stories and overpriced pistols:
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Most expensive P.38 ever listed (this was a typo...) |
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Second most expensive P.38 (...that this genius later referenced!) |
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Best story/crappiest p.38 ever? |
Articles and Advertisements
Information on the P.38 from the 2008 Walther catalog.
The Defense Intelligence Agency's Small Caliber Ammunition Identification Guide. German ammunition section (213kb) or the entire document (10.1Mb).
Small arms section of the Handbook on German Military Forces.
1964 Luger parts list and prices.
1964 P38 parts list and prices.
Pricing of Stoeger's Mod HPs and Lugers (1948).
1970 Interarms P38 advertisement.
Stoeger's guide to World War II pistols circa 1948 (page 1, page 2).
Miscellaneous
A baker's dozen of Walther post-war slide legend variations (this is far from all-inclusive).
Here's what a P.38 frame looks like before the machining process begins.
Is Walther still making the P.38?
Information Exchange Pursuant to the OSCE Document on Small Arms and Light Weapons 2003, 2008, 2010. Note in 2002 the United States was by far the largest importer of German "Revolvers and Self-Loading Pistols" with 1,040,985 imported (of 1,082,797 - the balance of 41,812 or about 4% going to 20 other countries), while the Germans destroyed only 5,666 "surplus" pistols. In 2009 the US imported none and 17,520 surplus pistols were destroyed (none were exported to any country). See Annexes 2 and 3.
Patent Information
Fritz Walther's "automatic pistol," patent number 2135992 dated November 8, 1938 (English).
Fritz Walther's "automatic firearm," patent number 2145328 dated January 31, 1939 (English).
Walther pistol patents 1926 to 1942 (German).
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Patent | Date |
Page Number |
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| 433937 | Sept. 1926 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 664926 | Sept. 1938 | 1 | 2 | 3 | Â | Â | |
| 677094 | June 1939 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 678067 | July 1939 | 1 | 2 | 3 | Â | Â | |
| 706038 | May 1941 | 1 | 2 | 3 | Â | Â | |
| 715176 | Dec. 1941 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 721702 | June 1942 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 722332 | July 1942 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 726501 | Oct. 1942 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
Interarms was a long-time importer of products from Walther and many other manufacturers. Browse some of their catalogs here.
The success of any dub hinges entirely on its lead performances. The Hindi version of Toy Story succeeded because its voice actors matched—and in some instances, arguably surpassed—the emotional range of the original Hollywood cast. Woody (The Desi Cowboy)
These musical adaptations allow Hindi-speaking audiences to enjoy the same quality and emotional resonance in the songs as fans of the original English version.
Indian cinema is fundamentally built on a foundation of heightened emotionality and melodrama. When Western films restrain their emotions, Indian audiences often crave a more visceral connection. The Hindi dub of Toy Story leaned heavily into this cultural preference, enhancing the emotional stakes of the narrative.
The heart of Toy Story lies in the friction and eventual brotherhood between Sheriff Woody and Buzz Lightyear. While Tom Hanks and Tim Allen delivered iconic performances, the Hindi voice actors brought a unique theatrical energy that elevated the dialogue. Woody's Desi Frustration
For many 90s kids in India, the Hindi version was their first introduction to Pixar. Nostalgia: toy story 1995 hindi dubbed better
The Hindi dubbed version of "Toy Story" is available on various platforms, including:
This is the most controversial point, but hear me out. Randy Newman’s original song is a jazz standard. The Hindi cover, titled "Tu Mera Dost Hai" (You are my friend), simplifies the melody into a catchy, repetitive tune that is easier for children to sing.
If you are feeling nostalgic, go back and watch the 1995 Toy Story in Hindi. You will realize that while the animation might be 1995, the emotions and the voice acting are timeless. It reminds us that no matter the language, the bond between a toy and its owner is universal.
Toy Story (1995) proved that great stories cross borders. But it was the Hindi dubbing industry that proved a great dub can sometimes catch lightning in a bottle twice. By blending flawless voice acting with culturally rich translation, the 1995 Hindi dubbed version didn't just mimic a Hollywood masterpiece—it created one of its own. The success of any dub hinges entirely on
First, a quick note on the original: Toy Story is a landmark in animation. As Pixar’s first feature film, it set new standards for storytelling, character development, and CGI. The story of Woody, a pull-string cowboy doll, feeling threatened by the arrival of Buzz Lightyear, a space ranger action figure, is timeless. It’s funny, emotional, and smart.
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Indian pop culture thrives on expressive, high-energy comedy. The Hindi dubbing artists elevated the comedic timing of the original film to match this preference.
Toy Story | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Indian cinema is fundamentally built on a foundation
While the English version is musically superior, the Hindi version is functionally superior for emotional connection. The lyrics are direct: "Tu mera dost hai, main tera dost hoon / Na koi doori hai, na koi cast hai" (You are my friend, I am your friend / There is no distance, no caste). In the Indian context, adding "cast" (caste) to a children's song about toys was a brilliant, subtle move that dismantled social barriers without the child even realizing it.
You can stream Toy Story in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and English, offering flexibility.
The 1995 Hindi dubbed version of is often considered "better" or more impactful by fans because it pioneered high-quality localization for international animation in India. The Hindi dub famously localized humor and character traits to resonate more deeply with Indian audiences. Key Hindi Voice Cast
