One of my favorite pistols in the whole wide world is the Walter P38. Although I have never shot one, I've always been enamored of it's look and feel. I've been looking at P1s ( the postwar version of the P38) but I was wondering if any company built a modern version.

 

Any insights?

Modern Version of the P-38? Walther made them up until recently, as well as the P1,P4 and P5(different variations of the P38). I bought a brand new P5 (which is essentially a shortened P38) that was imported by Interarms around 1999-2000.At that time the P38 was also produced/imported as well.  I am sure you could find a later production model of a P38 or one of it's variants for sale on Gunbroker without much difficulty.

I'm not familiar with modern renditions.  But if you choose an older one, other than its collect-ability and its historical value it doesn't appeal to me.   It might have some descent  engineering in it, but there are so many better modern pistols.  It was a "budget" gun to replace the Luger which was expensive to produce.  I would rather have a Browning Hi-Power if you want a historical firearm.   If  you plan on shooting the P38, you might have to stick with ball ammo.  The modern rendition of the P38 is the Beretta 92.

You are better off with a WW2 version of the P38 as the alloy frame versions have a very limited lifespan.

Later versions of the P1/P38 had a hex bolt that was supposed to strengthen the alloy frame. Not sure what year they started this. I have a P1 made in 1988 that has it. The hex bolt apparently fixed problem as production continued until 2000 I believe. My P1 feeds anything you give it. This is not the usual case as was mentioned.

 

The pistol gained some notoriety when they used customized short barrel versions on the TV show "The Man from U.N.C.L.E.".

SARCO had the actual guns used in the series for sale back in the 70s. While it didnt create the shortage that "Dirty Harry" did for S&W Model 29s for years, Walther did make a P38K short barrel like the "U.N.C.L.E" gun for a few years.

 

I got my P1 6 or 7 years ago with 3 mags, a military holster, cleaning kit, and manual all brand new in a bag for $299. Haven't seen them for sale like that since.

 

There is one caution if you buy a late war gun. I've read that the safeties weren't properly heat treated (or something like that) and the gun can discharge when you put the safety on and drop the hammer. I don't know how common this is but its something to keep in mind.

Thanks for your input everyone, I truly appreciate it. I'm really not interested in the shorter barrel, and although I would love to have a 1940-1945 collectible, I would still want to take it to the range. That's one of the reasons I was also looking at the more recent production P1.

 

As for the modern equivalent, I already have two Beretta 92s. One's a vertec (love it) and the other is a 92fs frame, in excellent condition, that I've never fired.

Get a Russian capture P38 for a shooter then. They are cheap and historical. I shoot my rc and the bring backs are safe queens