Transcription of Walther P38
1 Walther P389mm Auto PistolOwnerInstruction &Safety Manual*The Walther Police Pistol Models PP and PPK have, by virtue of their unique construction,proved themselves to be the World s safest and most dependable absolute faith in these two products induced specialists both at home and abroadto demand a pistol of a similarly recognized and approved construction which wouldretain the principle of a very light weight and at the same time fire the more powerfulcartridge Cal. 9mm outcome of the appropriate considerations was the new Walther Model P38 Parabellum, which combines a fantastically low weight of only ounces (in thealuminum frame) with all the desirable advantages of a modern handgun - absolutesafety, instantaneous readiness, and easy handling - and which allows the use of aconsiderably more potent cartridge.
2 This pistol stands without rival. It was adopted bythe German Army as the (Pistole 1938), replacing the Luger (Pistole 1908).All the component parts are interchangeable. They are made by means of the most up-to-date production methods involving the use of modern machinery under strictestsupervision. As in the manufacture of any other of the several Walther products, onlythe very best materials are used in the production of the Model pages of this little brochure will give a most detailed and therefore very usefuldescription of the various data relating to the pistol Model P38.*The text of this PDF comes from the widely distributed manual. Unfortunately the original documenthad been scanned into digital form poorly plus the OCR software used introduced countless errors.
3 Those errors havebeen largely corrected here along with minor editing, additions and deletions to clarify meaning and to reduce a 24 pagemanual to 16. Pictures and illustrations from the file also were unusable and were replaced withmuch better ones found online in Manurhin and 9/11/20112P38 General Data:Caliber: 9mm Parabellum (Luger)Action: Double-Action SemiautoOverall Length: 214mm/8-7/16 Height of Pistol: 136mm/5-3/8 Length of Barrel:125mm/4-15/16 Number of rifling grooves: 6 Rifling twist: 1 in 10 , right twistEmpty Weight:780 Weight:865 (Weights are for aluminum frame,the steel frame adds about oz.)Sights: Fixed, 7 sight radiusMagazine Type: Single column boxMagazine Capacity: 8 cartridgesStandard Finish: black (matted)I l l u s t r a t i o n 1 The Walther auto pistol Model P38 can be supplied, upon request, in a polished and blued spare magazine, a cleaning rod, and a test card are supplied with every pistol.
4 The completeequipment also includes a technical description and is delivered in a stout pistol P38 has an external hammer. The combination of a perfect action design, madeevident in the Walther self-loading pistols having an external hammer, and the constantreadiness of a revolver makes the enormous advantages of these weapons P38 is a Double-Action, locked-breech, semi-automatic pistol. It is fitted with an externalhammer which is connected to a tension trigger and which has a distinctive pressure P38, like the models PP and PPK, may be fired by merely pulling the trigger. It may,moreover, readily be carried loaded and uncocked like a with faulty primer caps can be fired by pulling the trigger bulge in thebarrel - caused by some irregular agency - will not impede the functioning of the P38, sincethe barrel is mounted in an open and unencumbered manner.
5 The pistol is thus always readyfor instant entirely new method has been adopted in the construction of the safety device of the may be well known, there is always a certain amount of danger inherent in any loadedand cocked firearm, even though the latter may be rendered Safe by means of the safetylever. Any sudden mechanical shock or a fracture of an action component can cause anaccidental the P38, this basic evil has been remedied: the rotary safety catch does not make theaction mechanism Safe in the cocked stage. Instead, application of the safety catch causesthe hammer to become uncocked - and that without any danger to the user. When the safetycatch is moved to the Safe position, the firing pin becomes locked first.
6 Immediately following3this, the action mechanism is automatically blocked and the hammer drops harmlessly -and the pistol is completely of the hammer by means of applying the safety catch, preceded by the lockingof the firing pin and the connection with the tension trigger, make the P38 a truly idealservice pistol. It can be fired just by moving the safety lever to fire and pulling the the pistol is thus always uncocked, but nevertheless always ready for immediateuse, the hammer spring is therefore not subject to fatigue and P38 can be dismantled within a few seconds and without using any tools. Componentparts cannot drop out. However, any unnecessary operating of the trigger mechanismshould be duly avoided, and the hammer should not be allowed to drop while the chamberis empty.
7 In any instance of dry" shooting practice, a dummy cartridge should beintroduced into the chamber is an essential rule for every shooter that despite the fully guaranteed safety of theweapon, the pistol should always be held so that the muzzle points downwards while theweapon is not being actually used. Never point at anything you do not intend to Illustrations 2 through 8 below, the signal-pin immediately above the hammer is clearlyvisible. It indicates that there is a cartridge in the chamber, , that the weapon is signal-pin remains visible when the safety catch is applied. In Illustration 2 the pistol isuncocked, but is nevertheless ready for action. Illustration 4 shows how the pistol is firedby merely pulling the trigger (in Double-Action shooting).
8 (Note that in Illustrations 12 and13 the signal-pin is not visible, indicating that there is no cartridge in the chamber.)A list of the P38 s individual components may be found on pages 14 and 15 of thistechnical Auto PistolCal. 9mm ParabellumIn longitudinal sectionI l l u s t r a t i o n 24 Graphic Description of FunctionI l l u s t r a t i o n 3 ( D o u b l e - A c t i o n )Above, the pistol is loaded and safety lever is Off . The pistol is thusready for instant use ( Double-Action ).Automatic SafetyThe pistol, though uncocked and loaded,may thus be fired as the safety lever (19) isin the Fire position. The weapon is, asshown in Illustration 3, entirely free firing pin (11) is blocked by the firingpin arrester/lock (12).
9 The live round in thechamber cannot be discharged if thepistol should accidentally be dropped andfall hammer first on the floor. The signal-pin (8) can both be felt and seen, andindicates that there is a cartridge in thechamber. (The pistol can be made safeagain by applying the safety lever as isdescribed in the column on the right onpage 6.)I l l u s t r a t i o n 4 ( D o u b l e - A c t i o n )Above, the pistol is loaded, safety lever Off, and cocked by pulling through thetrigger. (Double-Action trigger motion,shown here in the moment in which thetumbler is about to be released by thesear).Operating the TriggerThe trigger (43) has been pulled until thetumbler edge (40) of the hammer (39)barely rests on the sear edge of theten si oni ng/coc ki n g pi ece (2 6), a ss ho wn i n Illustration 4.
10 Until then, thefiring pin (11) is blocked by the firingpin arrester/lock (12).If the trigger (43) is now pulled back a littlefurther, the sear (40) of the hammerslides off the edge of the cocking piece(26), the firing pin arrester (12) releasesthe firing pin (11) and the hammer (39)strikes the rear end of the firing pin (11).5 Graphic DescriptioncontinuedI l l u s t r a t i o n 5 ( S i n g l e - A c t i o n )I l l u s t r a t i o n 6 ( S i n g l e - A c t i o n o r D o u b l e - A c t i o n )Operating the trigger when the hammer iscocked ( Single-Action ). The pistol is loadedand cocked. The safety lever is Off .Pulling the trigger a little further will fire thecartridge. (However, the pistol can instead bemade safe again by applying the safety leveras is described in the column on the left onpage 6.)
