My grandfather heirloomed me a pistol he had for a long time when I graduated boot camp. I took it to a gun show and I got more questions than i did answers. Can anyone tell me what precisely it is, and any ball park idea of its value. .........ok...how in the Hell do i post a picture?

First off what is it? Luger P-38 PPK....



How to post a pic

1. Take pictures

2. Host them on Photobucket or any other hosting site.

3. Copy the direct link (right click copy)

4. Click the little green and white box at the top, right of the *Reply Post:

5. Repeat for more photo's

http://s1294.photobucket.com/user/primary0311/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2013-12-26_19-53-11_387_zps5f56ba37.jpg.html?sort=3&o=2


http:// http://s1294.photobucket.com/user/primary0311/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2013-12-26_19-53-11_387_zps5f56ba37.jpg.html?sort=3&o=2 .photobucket.com/user/primary0311/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2013-12-26_19-5311_387_zps5f56ba37.jpg.html?sort=3&o=







Thank you for the Assistance! I'm pretty sure i screwed up the links but once you get to photobucket you should see the 3 pics.



Its aP.38 9mm, i had one person say it was reblued, i had another tell me it want add the first guy was trying to screw me over, but i was at a gun show and being so green i felt like everyone was trying to screw me over........soooooooooo i thought I'd post it for advice from a  party

You have a P-38 made by Walther in 1942.
During most of the war Walther used the code "ac" to conceal who actually was making weapons.
P-38 pistols were also made by Mauser who used "byf" and "SVW" and by Spreewerke who used "cyq".

Your gun was gun number 7552 in the "a" production block.  That means it was probably made in January 1942.
P-38 pistols were made in 10,000 gun "blocks.  The first block of the year had no block code.  After the first block an "a" was added for the second bloc, then "b" from the next and so on until the end of the year.
Each block ran the same 4 digit serial numbers from 0001 to 9999, then started over with a block letter.
So, with three makers all using the same four digit serial numbers you can have literally dozens of P-38 pistols all with the same serial number.
The only way to positively ID them is by the serial number, block code if any, the manufactures code, and the year it was made.
So to positively identify your P-38 it would be "ac" 1942, 7552 "a" block.
Somewhere out there is a Mauser P-38 "byf" 1942, 7552 "a" block.

In each German arms plant was a Nazi government inspectors office that inspected the guns.  These were known as "waffenampt" offices.  
Each gun was inspected then stamped with a Nazi eagle and the number of the office.  359 was the office at Walther.
I don't know what the 355 code is for.

The actual serial number would be 7552 a.
The same serial number or at least the last digits should be stamped on the slide, the frame, the front of the barrel block, and on the locking block.

It's been reblued, because you can see pitting on the right side of the slide that's been blued over.

I concur, it's been buffed and blued, but only the slide. Still that does not help it. Value would be $350-450, the grips being worth the most.









 

The value isn't in the $. It's a gift from your grandpa, which, in my opinion, means it's priceless...

What it is, is a P.38, 1942 Walther variety. Slide's been buffed and blued. In my neck of the woods, something like that is in the $450-600 range.

I did some online research and basically came to the same conclusions as you fine gentlemen, As far as it bring  a Walther and the serial numbers and the batches etc. in glad someone can definitively say about the blueing issue. All the numbers (barrel slide lower) match and the weapon is really is in good condition. The rifling in the barrel its spotless.


In regards to the heirloom aspect of it......I've sat up many nights pondering it. And at this point i would rather leave my son or daughter with something they can use to defend their family, than a conversation piece. I'm not sure where the world its heading, but i don't see the horizon any brighter for my generation. And if i teach my children the skills to survive like my grandpa taught me, that's the real heirloom, and if the monitary value of a piece of history can buy a weapon applicable to tomorrows battle field, well in my opinion them i purchased my off spring an advantage.......but that's just my opinion.


Thank you all for your assistance and time and information.



Do you recommend a reliable and fair platform to sell it IF that's the decision i make???

For future reference, here is my untouched AC43.

That is beautiful, and you can definitely tell the difference in the finish.......

You sure you don't want another one fir your collection :)

Your P.38 was made in walther plant at Zella-Methis Thuringia in February 1942. The grips should be AEG grips.  This can be determined by the info on the inside of the grips.  You gun should also have serialized magazines unless the original mags have been replaced.  Walther mags were serialized to the gun up to the c block of 1942. The Heer acceptance stamp that looks like E/355 is actually E/359 that has been affected by the buffing and the reblue.  Which as you well know has killed any collector interest in the gun. I would say it worth 400-500 dollars.