An external claw extractor on the left side of the slide and a pivoting blade ejector pinned to the right side of the frame extract and eject the spent case. The slide, however, continues its rearward travel, guided by rails milled into the forged steel frame. As the locking block falls into a corresponding recess in the frame, it halts the rearward movement of the barrel assembly. The barrel and slide recoil together over a short distance and remain locked together at the highest pressure point after the barrel moves rearward about 0.25 inches, the plunger at the barrel assembly’s rear pushes the locking block beneath the barrel assembly and out of its horizontal locking recesses in the forged steel slide. It uses a proven short-recoil system of operation. The Walther P.38 is an interesting mix of the old and new or, at least, what was old and new in 1938. It was an unqualified success, performing well and remaining in service with the German military and police-and worldwide-for over 50 years. In fact, well over one million Walther P.38s were made between 19. On first look, the Walther P.38 is a clear example of a manufacturer understanding its customer: the Walther P.38 had a simple, rugged design that could easily be mass-produced. Seeing an opportunity, Fritz Walther quickly developed a series of designs that ultimately lead to the world’s first double-action, semi-automatic military sidearm (and Walther’s first pistol in 9mm Luger), the Walther P.38. 380 ACP PP, the German army advised Walther that it had begun searching for a new standard 9x19mm Luger service pistol to replace its P.08 Parabellum (better known as simply “the Luger”), which had an excellent design but required substantial hand-fitting and machining. They were the first successful semi-automatics with double-action triggers.

In the dense woods and rugged hills of Thuringen, at the factory founded by his father, Carl Walther, Fritz created the legendary PP series of pistols. Fritz Walther, owner and lead designer for Walther firearms, created a number of semi-automatic pistols known for their elegant lines, compact size, reliable operation and revolutionary design.

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