There is a wide variety of magazine variations, more than P38 pistol variations.For a good overview on the production process, development and variation of magazines I recommend our book more information.
In total four manufacturers of P.38 magazines are known.The following waffenamt acceptance stamps can be found on the mags (sometimes the mags have no stamps at all!):
-Walther (E/359)
-Mauser (E/135 early) (E/WaA135 late)
-Erste NordBohmische Metallwarenfabrik (E/706 and/or jvd)
-Spreewerk (E/88)
markings (sn= serial number)
Issued with | Housing Left | Housing right | Spine | Floorplate | Example |
1st deliv. M/39 | sn | none | none | none | |
2nd deliv. M/39 | none | none | none or "35" | none | |
0-series 1st variation | sn | none | E/359 bottom | none | here |
0-series 2nd variation | sn | none | two stacked E/359 | none | |
0-series 3rd variation | sn | none | two E/359 side by side | none | here |
480 and ac-no-date | sn | none | E/359 bottom | none | |
ac40 date added 1st (sn:9950-4400a) | P.38 sn – a suffix | none | E/359 bottom | none | |
ac40 date added 2nd (sn:4400a-5400a) | P.38sn – a suffix | none | E/359 bottom | none | here |
ac40 date added 3rd (sn:5400a-5900a) | P.38sn | none | E/359 bottom | none | here |
ac40 standard 1st (sn:5900a-6700a) | P.38sn | none | E/359 bottom | none | here |
ac40 standard 2nd (sn:6700a-7300a) | P.38 | sn | E/359 bottom | none | here |
ac40 standard 3rd (sn:7300a-10000b) | P.38 | none | E/359 top | sn on toe | here |
ac41 (NLS- b block) | P.38 | none | E/359 top | sn on toe | |
ac41 (b block – j block) | P.38 | none | E/359 top | sn on toe | |
ac42 (NLS- c block) 1st variation | P.38 | none | E/359 top | sn alongside | |
ac42 d-block transition variation | P.38 | none | differs | none | |
ac42 d block – ac43 b block | P.38 | none | E/359 | none | |
after ac42 c block< | none | none | E/359 | none | |
civ. P.38 Mod. HP | P.38v | none | none | none | |
ac43 b block -ac44 k block mil. Mod. HP | P.38v | none | E/359 | none | here |
ac44 l block – ac45 mil. Mod. HP/P.38 | P.38v U | none | E/359 | none | |
late ac45 Mod. P.38 | P.38v U | none | none | none | |
ac40 spare mag | ac | none | E/359 top | none | here |
ac41-ac42 c block spare mag | P.38 ac | none | E/359 top | none | here |
ac42 d block – ac43 b block spare mag | P.38 ac | none | E/359 | none | |
ac43 b block – ac45 spare mag | P.38v ac | none | E/359 | none | |
Late ac45 spare mag | P.38v ac | none | none | none | here |
Issued with | Housing Left | Housing right | Spine | Floorplate | Example |
byf42 very early | none | none | E/135 top | none | |
byf42 – byf43 c block | P.38 | none | E/135 | none | |
byf43 d block – byf44 o block | P.38v | none | E/135 | none | here |
byf44 p block – byf44 NLS | P.38v | none | E/WaA135 | none | |
byf44 p block – byf44 NLS | P.38v | none | none | none | here |
byf44 a block – svw46 | P.38v U | none | E/WaA135 | none | here |
byf44 a block – svw46 | P.38v U | none | none | none | |
the last svw45 | none | none | none | none |
Variation : Issued with | Housing Left | Housing right | Spine | Floorplate | Example |
Variation 1 : byf44 and cyq | jvd | none | none | none | |
Variation 2 : cyq | jvd | none | E/88 | none | |
Variation 3 : byf44 and cyq | none | none | E/WaA706 | none | |
Variation 4 : byf44 and cyq | jvd | none | E/WaA706 | none | here |
Variation 5 : byf44 and cyq | E/WaA706 | none | E/WaA706 | none | here |
Variation 6 : byf44 and cyq | jvd | none | E/WaA706 | none | |
Variation 7 : ac44-ac45 | jvd | P38 | E/359 | none | here |
Variation 8 : ac44-ac45 | P38/U | none | E/359 | none | here |
Variation 9 : ac44-ac45 | P38 | none | E/359 | none | here |
Variation 10a : late cyq and 0 series | P38/U | none | jvd | none | |
Variation 10b : late cyq and 0 series | P38/U (double U) | none | jvd | none | |
Variation 11 : late cyq and 0 series | jvd | P38/U | none | sn on toe | |
Variation 12 : cyq 0 and 00 series | jvd | P38/U | none | sn on toe | |
Variation 13 : byf44 cyq till m-block | P38 | none | E/WaA706 | sn on toe | here |
Variation 14 : late cyq and 0 series | P38/U | none | E/WaA706 | sn alongside | here |
Variation 15a : early cyq | a | none | E/88 | none | |
Variation 15b : early cyq | a | none | none | none | here |
Variation 16a : early cyq | b | none | E/88 | none | |
Variation 16b : early cyq | b | none | none | none | here |
Variation 17 : cyq | none | none | E/88 | none | |
Variation 18 : late cyq | P38 | none | jvd | none | |
Variation 19 : ac44 spare mag | none | none | none | none | here |
Variation 20 : ac44-ac45 | jvd | P38/U | E/359 | none | |
Variation 21 : byf44-svw45 | jvd | P38/U | E/WaA135 | none | here |
Variation 22 : ac44 | P38 | none | E/359 | none | |
Variation 23 : unknown | jvd | P38/W | none | none | here |
Variation 24 : unknown | none | none | jvd (2x) | none | here |
Variation 25 : unknown | P38 | none | jvd (2x) | none | here |
Those magazines were not produced by spreewerk, but were only issued with spreewerk pistols. The exact manufacturer is unknown
Issued with | Housing Left | Housing right | Spine | Floorplate | Example |
all cyq variations | none | none | none | none | here |
all cyq variations | none | none | E/88 | none |
Re-used by | Position of postwar serial number | marking technique | Example |
Czechoslovakia | on toe of floorplate | stamped | |
Czechoslovakia | encircled number 1 or 2 on toe of floorplate | stamped | |
Czechoslovakia | right side of the magazine housing | stamped or electro pencilled | |
East Germany | left side of the magazine housing | stamped | |
Czechoslovakia/Austria | spine | Electro-pencilled |
Issued with | Housing Left | Housing right | Spine | Floorplate | Example |
Variation 1: military Walther P.38 1957-1962 | Walther banner | none | inspection stamp | none | |
Variation 2: military Walther P.38 1962-1964 | Walther banner | none | inspection stamp | none | |
Variation 3: military Walther P1 1964-196? | Walther banner | none | inspection stamp | none | |
Variation 4: military Walther P1 196?-1976 | Walther banner | none | 1005-12-120-0892 | none | |
Variation 5: military Walther P1 after 1976 | Walther banner | none | none | none | |
Variation 6: commercial Walther P38 | Walther banner | none | none | none | |
Variation 7 | Walther banner | none | inspection stamp | none | |
Variation 8 | Walther banner | none | 4-pointed star | none |
Producer | Housing Left | Housing right | Spine | Floorplate | Example |
East Germany | Magazines are totally unmarked; determination based on weld spots. | none | none | none | here |
Czechoslovakia | Magazines are totally unmarked; determination based on weld spots. | none | none | none | here |
Denmark | none | none | none | MADE IN DENMARK | |
Austria | circle: 19 or 5 circle: kk10 | none | none or "s" | none |
Variation | Example |
Homemade P38 magazine |