Question
P38
I recently aquired this weapon and am interested in ascertaining if any were mfg'd in chromium or poliched nickel plate finish. All the waffens are there, and all the stampings sn etc are in proper place according to manuals. It's action is tight and near new, condition perhaps 90%. Bakelite grips are a wee bit discoloured in two locations.
AnswerHi Michael!
I have never seen any original P38 guns in nickel, stainless steel, or hard chrome. I am not a special collector of these but my guess is that someone had it refinished to protect the condition, probably because the previous finish was well worn, but in doing so they destroyed any significant collector value it might have otherwise had. Still a great looking gun and should shoot well. If you take it to a gunsmith they can tell you for sure if it was refinished. They look for special signs such as partial filling of the stamped letters and marks.
Hope this helps. Enjoy that nice gem!
Bob
