Walther: The AP-serie. The ArmeePistole (army pistol) was the very first prototype/predecessor of the P38 and was already produced in 1935 by Walther in small quantities (highest serial number known is 55).This pistol had a concealed hammer and extractor. Only a handfull of those pistols were produced because the German army decided to go for the more advanced P38.

• Peter Chen ww2dbase The Walther P38 semi-automatic pistols were accepted by the German Army in 1938, thus the designation of P38, but prototype testing did not start until late 1939. Production began at the Zella-Mehlis, Thuringia, Germany plant in 1939, and deployment of the Walther P38 pistols as the new standard German Army service pistols began in mid 1940.
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MAUSER

In December of 1942 Mauser stopped production of the Luger pistol and started producing P.38's. This variation of pistols will have many parts marked e/135.

BYF 42 This gun was most likey produced in December of 1942 - 27

In January of 1943 many byf 42 slides and small e/135 stamped parts were used to complete accepted guns. The e/135 parts are harder to find for later manufactured pistols in 1943 with byf 42 slides. The general serial range with byf 42 slides is 1-4783a

Walther P38 Serial Numbers Lookup Free

BYF 42 - 795

Mauser continued to produce P.38's and did not adapt to starting serial numbers over again when the year changed. The first variation of these guns with byf 43 slides will be the same as guns with byf 42 slides but no e/135 parts. The serial number range is 4958a-2119f with 50,000 produced.

BYF 43 with GI capture papers and original holster - 7817a

BYF 43 with original holster - 7203d

BYF 43 with matched numbered mag done post war! no Mauser P.38's have numbered mags! - 8952f

In the June time frame of 1943 changes were made in the P.38 design and a 'hump' was added to reinforce the slide release and a single cut was put on the slide for the extractor. There is much overlap for this variation with left over parts used randomly until all the old parts were used up. Serial range is 5197f-1124q. 88,000 guns were made.

BYF 43 - late frame and early extractor cut - 173g

BYF 43 with original soft shell holster late frame and late extractor cut - 1523n

BYF 43 with original hard shell holster late frame and late extractor cut - 4682n

BYF 44 Two 1st variation serial number range 8563p-8190q. Limited production.

BYF 44 2nd variation serial number range 9964q-5280b. 120,000 produced

BYF 43 Serial number range 1172q-6469q. 5,000 produced with mixed WaA with holster and spare mag.

BYF 44 Serial number range 1172q-6469q. 5,000 produced with mixed WaA

BYF 44 with mixed stamps - 5456q

BYF 44 missing expection stamp on the frame, most likely a factory mistake - 2987s

BYF 44 'rig' in mint condition - 5441y

At the end of October 1944 Mauser started over with the no letter block series when the 'z' block was completed. Earlier guns will have a byf42 or byf 43 slide code.

BYF 44 with one acceptance stamp on slide - 3133c

BYF 44 3rd variation dual tone finish, several guns pictured. 30,000 produced

BYF 44 dual tone in mint condition - 9092d

Three BYF 44's with Browning FN slides

SVW45 German production slides begin in the early 'e' block and ends at 3000f with left over slides being used up in production.

BYF 44 'e' block gun with blue phosphated slide - 2616e

Walther Serial Numbers By Year

Blank FN Slide - Very rare pistol with no P.38 or manufacturer code on the slide - 3806e

P 38 Serial Number Identification

SVW 45 dual tone serial - 632f

SVW 45 All Grey vet bringback from an estate - 2050f

SVW 45 All Grey with forced matched numbers no e/s or final acceptance most likely assembled quickly near the end of the war - 2511f

SVW 45 All Blue with vet bringback story written by the vet who was a pilot in WWII - 2567f

BYF 44 All Grey in SVW 45 serial number range 2663f

SVW 45 POST WAR FRENCH PRODUCTION FROM LEFT OVER PARTS and NEW PRODUCTION METAL GRIPS serial range 1g-3488k. 30,000 produced.

SVW 45 with left over Otto Single WWII grips formaly known as Polymid 6 material in the orignal box and paperwork - 2196g

SVW 45 with matched numbered mag - 7463i

SVW 45 with 7 small parts numbered to the gun, very rare - 8302i

SVW 46 POST WAR FRENCH PRODUCTION with NEW SLIDE CODE for 1946 PRODUCTION serial range 1073k-9911k. 8,000 produced

SVW 46 Two consecutive serial numbered guns, one import marked and the other not import marked - 5367k and 5368k

SVW 46 POST WAR FRENCH LAST PRODUCTION ASSEMBLED IN FRANCE WITH NO FRENCH STAR serial range 1L-500L 500 produced

Walther P38 Cyq Serial Number Lookup

SVW 46 with Otto Single WWII grips formally classified as Polymid 6 material and Post War French Holster - 38L

Walther Serial Number Chart

SVW 46 with 7 small parts numbered to the gun, very rare - 277L

SVW 46 Last two guns ever assembled by the French 499L and 500L