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Author's note, this project was born out of a thread on the Slickdeals.net forums about putting together a P38 pistol, assembled from parts found at various sources, extremely cheaply...$300 or as little as $150 with a little patience and legwork. I built my first one for just about $200 exactly, the one featured in this writeup. The original thread, with some information and comments, is found here: http://slickdeals.net/forums/showthread.php?t=2133706
This is my first writeup on instructables.com, it was suggested to me in the above thread, so apologies in advance for my technical and formatting errors. Also note that the throughout the build my recoil springs were put in backward. The writeup includes photos and text describing the correct procedure, but the photos throughout the build show the springs installed incorrectly, a mistake I didn't realize until the final assembly. In other words, install the recoil springs and plungers as described in the text and photo in Step 6, and ignore the recoil springs and plungers shown in subsequent photos.
DISCLAIMERS, so you (hopefully) don't sue me if something bad happens...and believe me, I'm not worth suing...I wouldn't be building a $200 gun out of parts if I could afford to put a new one on my Amex Platinum card.
I'm not trying to scare you off, just to cover my butt in our litigious society. With that in mind I'd be an idiot not to say:
1. This is for information purposes only, do NOT try this at home.
2. Regardless of which gun you may choose to build (P1 or P38), bear in mind that while these are extremely high quality gun, built by a top tier manufacturer with over 100 years of firearms experience, they ARE a 70 year old design, made with manufacturing techniques and materials developed before WW2...don't try shooting super hot rounds out of these if you want them to last...worst case scenario is a catastrophic failure causing injury or death, but a more likely scenario is accelerated wear and an eventualy stress fractures in the frame of the gun. Generic 9mm rounds will be fine, and older military surplus rounds are perfect, just don't shoot +P or +P+ loads in these guns. Any idiot can overload a gun and destroy it or himself, don't be that guy.
3. Also, unless you're a qualified gunsmith, it's worth a few dollars to have this gun looked over by someone who is before you fire it. A simple function and headspace check is cheap peace of mind. If you find a local shop with a range and gunsmith, you can probably work out a deal if you buy some ammo, accessories, or range time; they'd probably do it for free.
4. Finally, be sure to check your local firearms laws BEFORE attempting this build. This gun should be legal in most of the US, but each state (and/or city) has different requirements for going about getting the proper legal permission, permits, and registration. Call your local police department or attorney general's office for guidance, they should guide you through whatever process your local jurisdiction requires, and allow you to do this legally.
This won't be a valuable collector's piece, just a fun, high quality shooter with some interesting history for someone that would enjoy this project. It'll require a[I] little[/I] bit of mechanical aptitude, and I'd highly recommend having it gone over by a competent gunsmith before you shoot it, just to be on the safe side (a safety inspection shouldn't cost too much, just to check function and headspace). I don't think I'll even shoot mine, just add it to my collection of antique guns. The more legwork and patience you put in, the more money you'll save, but worst case scenario is about $300; greater effort could cut that almost in half.
A very brief history:
The Walther P38 was the gun that replaced the Luger P08, which was too expensive to mass produce and a bit "tempermental" when it came to functioning, as the issued sidearm for the German Army around the beginning of WW2. The P38 was issued to the German Army, and was, more or less, their version of our Colt 1911 .45. If you've seen a WW2 movie, the Nazis all carry Lugers and these guns (ok, sometimes I've seen Walther PP and PPKs as well, but less often).
Many of these guns were captured by Allied soldiers and sent home, a lot more were captured by the Russians and stored away until fairly recently, when the Iron Curtain fell and the Russians started finding their stashes and dumping them on the open market. After WW2, these have been produced continuously, issued to military units and police forces, although it's now considered a somewhat dated design and is more of a novelty than a serious issue weapon. Still, the design influence is apparent in many modern firearms, like the Beretta 92 (aka the M9), and this gun represents a significant landmark in firearms evolution.
The P1 is essentially the exact same gun as the P38. With some exceptions, the biggest difference is the P38 has a steel frame and the P1 has an alloy frame. There are advantages to each, with the steel frame being more durable and capable of a little more abuse, while the alloy frame is lighter to carry and won't rust if neglected. This build is on a P1 frame, although all the instructions would apply to a P38. The P38 tended to be built for the Military/Law Enforcement market and the P1 was built for the civilian market, although, again, this isn't an absolute rule.
As far as "street cred" goes, James Bond uses one in Goldfinger, Napoleon Solo used one in The Man from U.N.C.L.E, and all the apes in the original Planet of the Apes movies used them...that's cool enough for me, haha.
I'm building mine with a gun show barrel ($50) for about $200 total, including shipping and tax.
1. You'll need to order a frame, which is the serial numbered piece and requires an FFL dealer, unless you can locate one locally (they sell for as little as $25 at gun shows, if you can find one). I found these online, from Sarco, a reputable online retailer of guns and accessories. From page 7 of their recent ad, Walther frames, P38 ($84.95-steel frame, older WW2 era) or P1 ($39.95-same frame in alloy, lighter but not as robust, produced after WW2):
http://www.sarcoinc.com/7-10%207-13.pdf
2. Next you'll need a barrel. Again, you can find these locally, in various condition (get a like new one for a shooter, or an older, shot out one for a wall hanger). I've seen them as cheap as $30 in rough condition, or about $150-175 in very good condition. Ebay is a decent source, although you'll have to be patient, as they're not always available.
Here's one, again on Sarco, for $175: http://www.sarcoinc.com/7-1-10_1-6.pdf
or $160 at Gun Parts Corp: http://www.gunpartscorp.com/catalog/Detail.aspx?pid=200750&catid=6157
3. Finally, you'll need a parts kit and a magazine. They're available from several online vendors for about $90 (+$12 for the magazine). They have everything you need but the above parts, and most come with the sub assemblies mostly put together (the slide is asembled, the frame requires assembly, which is not very hard at all, maybe a 15-20 minute job).
CDNN has them: http://www.cdnninvestments.com/wap1pakitus.html
As does Cheaper Than Dirt: http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/GNS065-1.html who also has the magazines for $12 http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/MAG805-36.html
So for the price of the frame ($40-85), the parts kit ($100 with magazine), and a barrel ($160 or less), you'll have everything you need for a complete, working gun. If you're patient and a bit lucky, you can build a $150 gun with a $25 frame, a $25 barrel, and a $100 parts kit and mag. Walther only does small, limited runs of these anymore, but I believe the MSRP of a new one is well over $1000, if you're lucky enough to find one.
Again, this is not for everyone, but with prices of non-collectable P38s (Russian captures with non-matching numbers and bad Russian refinishing jobs) starting at $400-600 (dealer cost, not retail), and original ones selling for considerably more (the sky seems to be the limit for rare variations), it's an good option for a collector on a budget.
You used to be able to pick up a post war P1 for $200-300 a few years back, but it seems that those are all dried up and these guns are becoming more scarce every day.
Some useful links
Owners manual: http://www.mauser.org/Manuals/WaltherP-38%20Manual.pdf
P38 website with lots of good information and forums: http://www.p38forum.com/index.htm
Another good website with some history and information: http://p38.50webs.com/contents.html
Wikipedia entry on P38 pistols: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walther_p38
There are videos on You Tube and quite a few links for how to assemble the pistol (if you don't want to buy a book), or if you want to see the parts coming together (i.e. if my photos or instructions aren't quite making sense!).
This is my first writeup on instructables.com, it was suggested to me in the above thread, so apologies in advance for my technical and formatting errors. Also note that the throughout the build my recoil springs were put in backward. The writeup includes photos and text describing the correct procedure, but the photos throughout the build show the springs installed incorrectly, a mistake I didn't realize until the final assembly. In other words, install the recoil springs and plungers as described in the text and photo in Step 6, and ignore the recoil springs and plungers shown in subsequent photos.
DISCLAIMERS, so you (hopefully) don't sue me if something bad happens...and believe me, I'm not worth suing...I wouldn't be building a $200 gun out of parts if I could afford to put a new one on my Amex Platinum card.
I'm not trying to scare you off, just to cover my butt in our litigious society. With that in mind I'd be an idiot not to say:
1. This is for information purposes only, do NOT try this at home.
2. Regardless of which gun you may choose to build (P1 or P38), bear in mind that while these are extremely high quality gun, built by a top tier manufacturer with over 100 years of firearms experience, they ARE a 70 year old design, made with manufacturing techniques and materials developed before WW2...don't try shooting super hot rounds out of these if you want them to last...worst case scenario is a catastrophic failure causing injury or death, but a more likely scenario is accelerated wear and an eventualy stress fractures in the frame of the gun. Generic 9mm rounds will be fine, and older military surplus rounds are perfect, just don't shoot +P or +P+ loads in these guns. Any idiot can overload a gun and destroy it or himself, don't be that guy.
3. Also, unless you're a qualified gunsmith, it's worth a few dollars to have this gun looked over by someone who is before you fire it. A simple function and headspace check is cheap peace of mind. If you find a local shop with a range and gunsmith, you can probably work out a deal if you buy some ammo, accessories, or range time; they'd probably do it for free.
4. Finally, be sure to check your local firearms laws BEFORE attempting this build. This gun should be legal in most of the US, but each state (and/or city) has different requirements for going about getting the proper legal permission, permits, and registration. Call your local police department or attorney general's office for guidance, they should guide you through whatever process your local jurisdiction requires, and allow you to do this legally.
This won't be a valuable collector's piece, just a fun, high quality shooter with some interesting history for someone that would enjoy this project. It'll require a[I] little[/I] bit of mechanical aptitude, and I'd highly recommend having it gone over by a competent gunsmith before you shoot it, just to be on the safe side (a safety inspection shouldn't cost too much, just to check function and headspace). I don't think I'll even shoot mine, just add it to my collection of antique guns. The more legwork and patience you put in, the more money you'll save, but worst case scenario is about $300; greater effort could cut that almost in half.
A very brief history:
The Walther P38 was the gun that replaced the Luger P08, which was too expensive to mass produce and a bit "tempermental" when it came to functioning, as the issued sidearm for the German Army around the beginning of WW2. The P38 was issued to the German Army, and was, more or less, their version of our Colt 1911 .45. If you've seen a WW2 movie, the Nazis all carry Lugers and these guns (ok, sometimes I've seen Walther PP and PPKs as well, but less often).
Many of these guns were captured by Allied soldiers and sent home, a lot more were captured by the Russians and stored away until fairly recently, when the Iron Curtain fell and the Russians started finding their stashes and dumping them on the open market. After WW2, these have been produced continuously, issued to military units and police forces, although it's now considered a somewhat dated design and is more of a novelty than a serious issue weapon. Still, the design influence is apparent in many modern firearms, like the Beretta 92 (aka the M9), and this gun represents a significant landmark in firearms evolution.
The P1 is essentially the exact same gun as the P38. With some exceptions, the biggest difference is the P38 has a steel frame and the P1 has an alloy frame. There are advantages to each, with the steel frame being more durable and capable of a little more abuse, while the alloy frame is lighter to carry and won't rust if neglected. This build is on a P1 frame, although all the instructions would apply to a P38. The P38 tended to be built for the Military/Law Enforcement market and the P1 was built for the civilian market, although, again, this isn't an absolute rule.
As far as "street cred" goes, James Bond uses one in Goldfinger, Napoleon Solo used one in The Man from U.N.C.L.E, and all the apes in the original Planet of the Apes movies used them...that's cool enough for me, haha.
I'm building mine with a gun show barrel ($50) for about $200 total, including shipping and tax.
1. You'll need to order a frame, which is the serial numbered piece and requires an FFL dealer, unless you can locate one locally (they sell for as little as $25 at gun shows, if you can find one). I found these online, from Sarco, a reputable online retailer of guns and accessories. From page 7 of their recent ad, Walther frames, P38 ($84.95-steel frame, older WW2 era) or P1 ($39.95-same frame in alloy, lighter but not as robust, produced after WW2):
http://www.sarcoinc.com/7-10%207-13.pdf
2. Next you'll need a barrel. Again, you can find these locally, in various condition (get a like new one for a shooter, or an older, shot out one for a wall hanger). I've seen them as cheap as $30 in rough condition, or about $150-175 in very good condition. Ebay is a decent source, although you'll have to be patient, as they're not always available.
Here's one, again on Sarco, for $175: http://www.sarcoinc.com/7-1-10_1-6.pdf
or $160 at Gun Parts Corp: http://www.gunpartscorp.com/catalog/Detail.aspx?pid=200750&catid=6157
3. Finally, you'll need a parts kit and a magazine. They're available from several online vendors for about $90 (+$12 for the magazine). They have everything you need but the above parts, and most come with the sub assemblies mostly put together (the slide is asembled, the frame requires assembly, which is not very hard at all, maybe a 15-20 minute job).
CDNN has them: http://www.cdnninvestments.com/wap1pakitus.html
As does Cheaper Than Dirt: http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/GNS065-1.html who also has the magazines for $12 http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/MAG805-36.html
So for the price of the frame ($40-85), the parts kit ($100 with magazine), and a barrel ($160 or less), you'll have everything you need for a complete, working gun. If you're patient and a bit lucky, you can build a $150 gun with a $25 frame, a $25 barrel, and a $100 parts kit and mag. Walther only does small, limited runs of these anymore, but I believe the MSRP of a new one is well over $1000, if you're lucky enough to find one.
Again, this is not for everyone, but with prices of non-collectable P38s (Russian captures with non-matching numbers and bad Russian refinishing jobs) starting at $400-600 (dealer cost, not retail), and original ones selling for considerably more (the sky seems to be the limit for rare variations), it's an good option for a collector on a budget.
You used to be able to pick up a post war P1 for $200-300 a few years back, but it seems that those are all dried up and these guns are becoming more scarce every day.
Some useful links
Owners manual: http://www.mauser.org/Manuals/WaltherP-38%20Manual.pdf
P38 website with lots of good information and forums: http://www.p38forum.com/index.htm
Another good website with some history and information: http://p38.50webs.com/contents.html
Wikipedia entry on P38 pistols: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walther_p38
There are videos on You Tube and quite a few links for how to assemble the pistol (if you don't want to buy a book), or if you want to see the parts coming together (i.e. if my photos or instructions aren't quite making sense!).
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Signing UpStep 1Parts Schematic Checklist
Parts Schematics, so you can see where everything goes. I'd recommend printing a hard copy of this page, and checking off your parts before assembly as you order and receive the parts, so you'll know you have everything you need.
The key below refers to the first schematic. Another schematic is included from the Walther P38 Factory Manual, which gives a slightly different view.
A Slide
AA Hammer Lever
B Firing Pin Spring
BB Hammer Spring
C Firing Pin & Indicator Cover
CC Magazine Catch
D Rear Sight
DD & FF Grips (one of each, left and right)
E Automatic Firing Pin Lock Spring
EE Magazine Assembly
G Firing Pin Retainer Pin
H Cartridge Indicator Pin
HH Hammer Pin
I Cartridge Indicator Spring
II Sear/Slide Catch Spring AKA Slide Stop Return Spring
J Firing Pin
JJ Trigger
K Extractor
KK Slide Catch AKA Slide Stop
L Extractor Plunger
LL Trigger Bushing
M Extractor Plunger Spring
N Safety Catch
NN Trigger Spring
O Ejector
OO Takedown Latch AKA Barrel Retaining Latch
P Firing Pin Lock AKA Firing Pin Lock Lifter
PP Takedown Latch (AKA Retainer Latch) Plunger Spring
Q Hammer Drop Lever AKA Safety Hammer Lowering Lever
QQ Takedown Latch (AKA Retainer Latch) Plunger
R Trigger Bar Spring
RR Recoil Spring (2 required)
S Trigger Bar
SS Plunger, AKA Recoil Spring Guide (2 required)
T Sear
TT Locking Block Operating Pin
U Sear Pin
UU Locking Block
V Hammer Strut
VV Locking Block (Retainer) Spring
W Hammer Assembly
WW Barrel
X Hammer Lever Spring
XX Front Sight
Y Strut Axle Pin
Z Hammer Lever Pin
The key below refers to the first schematic. Another schematic is included from the Walther P38 Factory Manual, which gives a slightly different view.
A Slide
AA Hammer Lever
B Firing Pin Spring
BB Hammer Spring
C Firing Pin & Indicator Cover
CC Magazine Catch
D Rear Sight
DD & FF Grips (one of each, left and right)
E Automatic Firing Pin Lock Spring
EE Magazine Assembly
G Firing Pin Retainer Pin
H Cartridge Indicator Pin
HH Hammer Pin
I Cartridge Indicator Spring
II Sear/Slide Catch Spring AKA Slide Stop Return Spring
J Firing Pin
JJ Trigger
K Extractor
KK Slide Catch AKA Slide Stop
L Extractor Plunger
LL Trigger Bushing
M Extractor Plunger Spring
N Safety Catch
NN Trigger Spring
O Ejector
OO Takedown Latch AKA Barrel Retaining Latch
P Firing Pin Lock AKA Firing Pin Lock Lifter
PP Takedown Latch (AKA Retainer Latch) Plunger Spring
Q Hammer Drop Lever AKA Safety Hammer Lowering Lever
QQ Takedown Latch (AKA Retainer Latch) Plunger
R Trigger Bar Spring
RR Recoil Spring (2 required)
S Trigger Bar
SS Plunger, AKA Recoil Spring Guide (2 required)
T Sear
TT Locking Block Operating Pin
U Sear Pin
UU Locking Block
V Hammer Strut
VV Locking Block (Retainer) Spring
W Hammer Assembly
WW Barrel
X Hammer Lever Spring
XX Front Sight
Y Strut Axle Pin
Z Hammer Lever Pin
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