P38 Magazines

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)

Walther Produced Magazines (1939-1945)

markings (sn= serial number)

Issued with

Housing Left

Housing right

Spine

Floorplate

Example

1st deliv. M/39

sn

none

none

none

here

2nd deliv. M/39

none

none

none or "35"

none

here

0-series 1st variation

sn

none

E/359 bottom

none

here

0-series 2nd variation

sn

none

two stacked E/359

none

here

0-series 3rd variation

sn

none

two E/359 side by side

none

here

480 and ac-no-date

sn

none

E/359 bottom
E/359 bottom

none

here

ac40 date added 1st (sn:9950-4400a)

P.38 sn – a suffix

none

E/359 bottom
E/359 bottom

none

here

ac40 date added 2nd (sn:4400a-5400a)

P.38sn – a suffix

none

E/359 bottom
E/359 bottom

none

here

ac40 date added 3rd (sn:5400a-5900a)

P.38sn

none

E/359 bottom
E/359 bottom

none

here

ac40 standard 1st (sn:5900a-6700a)

P.38sn

none

E/359 bottom
E/359 bottom

none

here

ac40 standard 2nd (sn:6700a-7300a)

P.38

sn

E/359 bottom
E/359 bottom

none

here

ac40 standard 3rd (sn:7300a-10000b)

P.38

none

E/359 top
E/359 bottom

sn on toe

here

ac41 (NLS- b block)

P.38

none

E/359 top
E/359 bottom left

sn on toe

here

ac41 (b block – j block)

P.38

none

E/359 top
E/359 bottom center

sn on toe

here

ac42 (NLS- c block) 1st variation

P.38

none

E/359 top
E/359 bottom

sn alongside

here

ac42 d-block transition variation

P.38

none

differs

none

here

ac42 d block – ac43 b block

P.38

none

E/359

none

here

after ac42 c block<

none

none

E/359

none

here

civ. P.38 Mod. HP

P.38v

none

none

none

here

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

here

late ac45 Mod. P.38

P.38v U

none

none

none

here

ac40 spare mag

ac

none

E/359 top
E/359 bottom

none

here

ac41-ac42 c block spare mag

P.38 ac

none

E/359 top
E/359 bottom

none

here

ac42 d block – ac43 b block spare mag

P.38 ac

none

E/359

none

here

ac43 b block – ac45 spare mag

P.38v ac

none

E/359

none

here

Late ac45 spare mag

P.38v ac

none

none

none

here

Mauser Produced Magazines (1939-1945)

Issued with

Housing Left

Housing right

Spine

Floorplate

Example

byf42 very early

none

none

E/135 top
E/135 bottom

none

here

byf42 – byf43 c block

P.38

none

E/135

none

here

byf43 d block – byf44 o block

P.38v

none

E/135

none

here

byf44 p block – byf44 NLS

P.38v

none

E/WaA135

none

here

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

here

the last svw45

none

none

none

none

here

Erste Nordbohmische MetallFabrik produced Magazines

Variation : Issued with

Housing Left

Housing right

Spine

Floorplate

Example

Variation 1 : byf44 and cyq

jvd

none

none

none

here

Variation 2 : cyq

jvd

none

E/88

none

here

Variation 3 : byf44 and cyq

none

none

E/WaA706
jvd

none

here

Variation 4 : byf44 and cyq

jvd

none

E/WaA706
jvd

none

here

Variation 5 : byf44 and cyq

E/WaA706
jvd

none

E/WaA706
jvd

none

here

Variation 6 : byf44 and cyq

jvd
P38

none

E/WaA706
jvd

none

here

Variation 7 : ac44-ac45

jvd

P38

E/359

none

here

Variation 8 : ac44-ac45

P38/U

none

E/359
jvd
E/WaA706

none

here

Variation 9 : ac44-ac45

P38

none

E/359
jvd (2x)
E/WaA706 (2x)

none

here

Variation 10a : late cyq and 0 series

P38/U

none

jvd
E/WaA706

none

here

Variation 10b : late cyq and 0 series

P38/U (double U)

none

jvd
E/WaA706

none

here

Variation 11 : late cyq and 0 series

jvd
E/WaA706

P38/U

none

sn on toe

here

Variation 12 : cyq 0 and 00 series

jvd

P38/U

none

sn on toe

here

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

here

Variation 15b : early cyq

a

none

none

none

here

Variation 16a : early cyq

b

none

E/88

none

here

Variation 16b : early cyq

b

none

none

none

here

Variation 17 : cyq

none

none

E/88

none

here

Variation 18 : late cyq

P38

none

jvd
E/WaA706

none

here

Variation 19 : ac44 spare mag

none

none

none

none

here

Variation 20 : ac44-ac45

jvd

P38/U

E/359

none

here

Variation 21 : byf44-svw45

jvd

P38/U

E/WaA135

none

here

Variation 22 : ac44

P38

none

E/359
E/WaA706
jvd

none

here

Variation 23 : unknown

jvd

P38/W

none

none

here

Variation 24 : unknown

none

none

jvd (2x)
E/WaA706 (2x)

none

here

Variation 25 : unknown

P38

none

jvd (2x)
E/WaA706 (2x)

none

here

Spreewerk Magazines

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

here

Postwar re-used wartime Magazines

Re-used by

Position of postwar serial number

marking technique

Example

Czechoslovakia

on toe of floorplate

stamped

here

Czechoslovakia

encircled number 1 or 2 on toe of floorplate

stamped

here

Czechoslovakia

right side of the magazine housing

stamped or electro pencilled

here

East Germany

left side of the magazine housing

stamped

here

Czechoslovakia/Austria

spine

Electro-pencilled

here

Postwar Walther Magazines

Issued with

Housing Left

Housing right

Spine

Floorplate

Example

Variation 1:

military Walther P.38

1957-1962

Walther banner
P38 9mm

none

inspection stamp
1005-12-120-0892
Date (MM/YY)

none

here

Variation 2:

military Walther P.38

1962-1964

Walther banner
P38 9mm

none

inspection stamp
12-120-0892
Date (MM/YY)

none

here

Variation 3:

military Walther P1

1964-196?

Walther banner
P1 9mm

none

inspection stamp
1005-12-120-0892
Date (MM/YY)

none

here

Variation 4:

military Walther P1

196?-1976

Walther banner
P1 9mm

none

1005-12-120-0892
Date (MM/YY)

none

here

Variation 5:

military Walther P1

after 1976

Walther banner
P1 9mm

none

none

none

here

Variation 6:

commercial

Walther P38

Walther banner
P38 9mm

none

none

none

here

Variation 7

Walther banner
P38 9mm

none

inspection stamp
Date (MM/YY)

none

here

Variation 8

Walther banner
P38 9mm

none

4-pointed star

none

here

Postwar Produced Magazines

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

here

Austria

circle: 19 or 5 circle: kk10

none

none or "s"

none

here

Remarkables

Variation

Example

Homemade P38 magazine

here