The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > The North Corral > Curios and Relics

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old September 10, 2015, 08:50 AM   #1
lrutt
Junior Member
 
Join Date: September 10, 2015
Posts: 3
Trying to Date and assess value on a couple old pistols

My Mom's companion of 38 years has terminal cancer and is trying to get things resolved with his estate. He has a couple old guns he received from his father some 40 years ago. Any help you can provide on date, make, model, and value would be appreciated and I'll feed this back to him.

From what I can tell, it appears the one is a Walther P38, CYQ, SN 5114X. I think this is a 4th variation run from Spreewerke. It looks to be in good condition but I don't know how the % rating is derived. It has a holster but not one with the big flap and I didn't take a picture of it. I also doesn't have a mag and it appears that is kind of confusing as to just what will and won't work. Ideally I think I need a JVD M/88 mag from Spreewerke but not sure if any mag will work just to use the gun.





I think the other gun is a Mauser C96. I think from the SN it is fairly early, possibly 1905 or so. I assume this from the fact it it a 'large ring hammer' gun. It has the wooden stock attachment but no leather holster. The one thing that confuses me is that I believe none came chrome or nickle plated. I think this one is nickle plated but the stamping is so crisp and clear on it it seems hard to believe it could have been applied after the fact.















Thanks in advance for your help.
lrutt is offline  
Old September 10, 2015, 10:42 AM   #2
mapsjanhere
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 6, 2009
Location: Albuquerque
Posts: 2,832
I think the flat side Mauser C96 date even earlier, before 1902 or so. Not sure it's plated, I think someone just removed the finish and did same attempt at polishing.
__________________
I used to love being able to hit hard at 1000 yards. As I get older I find hitting a mini ram at 200 yards with the 22 oddly more satisfying.
mapsjanhere is offline  
Old September 10, 2015, 11:27 AM   #3
Jim Watson
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 25, 2001
Location: Alabama
Posts: 18,486
If you are going to shoot the P38, one magazine should do as well as another. If you want to scrounge a "correct" magazine for show, that is a different matter.

The Mauser "flatside" is a pretty uncommon gun.
Unfortunately it appears to have been plated as was often done to dress up a war capture or surplus gun. It MIGHT be worth restoration, nickel strip and rust blue. But that is $550 at one shop.
Jim Watson is online now  
Old September 10, 2015, 12:01 PM   #4
lrutt
Junior Member
 
Join Date: September 10, 2015
Posts: 3
Not really concerned about show as it's only a CYQ but I would like to fire it. Was just confused if the mags were really interchangeable or not.

As for the Mauser, these both were brought back from Germany by the father. And nothing was done to it or ever fired. The impression is that that's the way it came from Germany. It certainly is an interesting gun and apparently pretty early. I'd guess a person would not even try to fire a gun such as this. I assume rounds are hard to come by.

As for the P38, do those take std 9mm rounds? Anything to be concerned with on those?
lrutt is offline  
Old September 10, 2015, 03:39 PM   #5
kilimanjaro
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 23, 2009
Posts: 3,963
.30 Mauser ammo isn't tough to find, try SGAmmo.com for a start, presuming your Mauser wasn't converted to 9mm at some time.

Some GI bringbacks may have been doctored to put the firing pin through the shooter's eye. Have 'em looked over by a smith.

Ordinary 9mm Luger ammo will be fine in the P38.

For value, P38's run $450 and up, nice C96's, not bolos, $4,000 with the wooden holster/case. The nickel plating is going to affect the value, can't say how much, but more than a little.
kilimanjaro is offline  
Old September 10, 2015, 04:40 PM   #6
Bill DeShivs
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 7, 2006
Posts: 10,966
The Mauser has been aftermarket nickel plated, and the hammer was gold plated. Many GI bring-back guns were done this way.
__________________
Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler
www.billdeshivs.com
Bill DeShivs is offline  
Old September 10, 2015, 05:13 PM   #7
lrutt
Junior Member
 
Join Date: September 10, 2015
Posts: 3
Thanks a lot guys. I'll be talking with him tonight and let him know what I've found out so far.

He's a real history buff so this should be very interesting to him.
lrutt is offline  
Old September 11, 2015, 10:10 PM   #8
James K
Member In Memoriam
 
Join Date: March 17, 1999
Posts: 24,383
The Mauser is what collectors call the "late flatside", and date to 1900 or just after. Many were imported into the U.S. by Von Lengerke and Detmold around that time, but that one evidently remained in Germany.

In better condition, it would be a fairly valuable gun, but it does not appear to be in very good shape, so I would hesitate to set any kind of price.

The stock is unlike any Mauser holster stock I have seen; either it is after market or possibly from a Spanish copy. Perhaps someone else can offer some ideas.

Jim
James K is offline  
Old September 12, 2015, 11:44 AM   #9
highpower3006
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 30, 2011
Location: Savannah TN
Posts: 1,217
The P38 is a Russian capture, note the "X" near the serial number. Without a proper WWII magazine, it is probably worth no more than $500. They do make dandy shooters though and is kind of unique to watch the empties eject to the left.
highpower3006 is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 01:18 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.06385 seconds with 10 queries