Companion WW2 Pieces for my Inland M1 Carbine.

Some know I found a Victory Model .38 like my dad carried with his Carbine on Iwo Jima, but more recently a good and dear friend gave me a bring-back WW2 German AC44 P38, with matching numbers. AWESOME little weapon. I can see why some vets would say, a Luger is a trophy, but a P38 was a pistol to carry and use. I had enjoyed collecting accouterments for the carbine, and it is nice to get a couple WW2 pistols to go with it. I am sure

Here's the P38 thread.

https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=60045&page=1

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...ubyoupj0-1.jpg

Here's the Victory and its Thread

https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=59527&page=1

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...bts9lw9y-1.jpg

Nice pair, I've been following of course. I've had them both but now have neither. I also had an original shoulder rig for the Victory and a hip holster too. Seems like a long time back though.

Both of these guys are respectable side arms. 70 years later, and they are viable choices for their intended purposes. Just like the M1 Carbine. My Inland is still my Home zDefense carbine choice, loaded with Hornady Critical Defense ammo. I have ARs and an AK, but the little carbine is still better for a close-up, house and ranch PDW.

http://www.milsurps.com/images/impor..._zpswiiu-1.jpg

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Originally Posted by imarangemaster

Just like the M1 Carbine. My Inland is still my Home Defense carbine choice

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There are thousands of guys in the ground that would agree...with it's potential.

Nice Victory, and P-38. Surely the Victory, though being on opposite sides, companion seems awfully nice for the P-38. Enemy, foe, opponent, maybe? :D

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Originally Posted by JimF4M1s

Nice Victory, and P-38. Surely the Victory, though being on opposite sides, companion seems awfully nice for the P-38. Enemy, foe, opponent, maybe? :D

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The P38 is a war trophy, as is the holster I got (though from different people). I do not have provenance for it, though I do not care. It has no import marks, and was in the family for many years, before it was given to the guy I got it from. When I was a kid, I went with my dad from Chicago to a farm in Indiana to see a war buddy of his. He had fought in North Africa, before ending up in the Pacific on Iwo with my dad. He had a transmitter and receiver from a German half track that he managed to ship home (he was Signal Core like my dad). He gave the transmitter and receiver to my dad, who was a ham. I later ended up with them, but sadly sold them in 1998 along with a lot of guns and other things when I was forced out on disability and my wife was laid off three weeks later. We had three kids in college at the time...

My dad's buddy also had a nice Luger, holster and two mags that he liberated from an enemy combatant that no longer needed them. We shot it on his farm, but it jammed a couple times. It was nice, but as a kid, I still wanted a P38. I thought they were both cooler and more practical. As an aside, he also used an M1 Carbine in the war.

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Originally Posted by imarangemaster

I still wanted a P38

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That was what I was told way back then too, same sort of thing. If you wanted a trophy get a Luger but for a combat shooter a P38.

I bought my P38 at an estate auction and it had some god awful black tarry paint all over (Russian capture?) It shot but seemed sluggish. I found a rebuild kit for a Franklin and had my gunsmith go to work on it. He bead blasted the frame and barrel replaced the slide (I still have the original parts) and reparked it. The pistol is beautiful and shoots like a dream and the so called experts tell me I ruined the collector value. I don't care my guns are all shooters not wall queens. Anyway when he called to tell me it was ready I told him I would get in the following Monday as I was in Pittsburg at the time. He said he planned on bein in Pittsburg the next day (NRA convention) We met the following day and made the exchange and he was happy to have the extra Franklin in his pocket. Anyways that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

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Originally Posted by TDH

I bought my P38 at an estate auction and it had some god awful black tarry paint all over (Russian capture?) It shot but seemed sluggish. I found a rebuild kit for a Franklin and had my gunsmith go to work on it. He bead blasted the frame and barrel replaced the slide (I still have the original parts) and reparked it. The pistol is beautiful and shoots like a dream and the so called experts tell me I ruined the collector value. I don't care my guns are all shooters not wall queens. Anyway when he called to tell me it was ready I told him I would get in the following Monday as I was in Pittsburg at the time. He said he planned on bein in Pittsburg the next day (NRA convention) We met the following day and made the exchange and he was happy to have the extra Franklin in his pocket. Anyways that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

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I agree. There are levels of collector value. An original in its original holster with matching mags and provenance (capture papers, etc.) is collectable. Mine is somewhat collectable, but I have no compunction about replacinf prings, though I would not re-park it. I have seen some though, that are not matching number, lots of pitting and rust, or even grey ghosts, that would be good re-finished shooters.

IRM,
Have you given thought to getting a S&W letter on your VP?

CH-P777

IRM can attest that in California finding any vintage handgun is difficult. The Model 39 was apparently an improved P38 pistol. They are so similar that the 39 magazines will work in the P38. I've never seen a P38 for sale here in California. I guess that it is one of those guns that are held closely because they work and work well.

On another note: when Herman Goering was surrendered to American forces there is a famous photo of him handing over a S&W .38 to his captors. He looks a bit annoyed that they'd do that to him. Victory model?

Charklie, I actually have considered getting one for it. Maybe this summer when I have some time..

Thanks

IMR

---------- Post added at 02:22 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:20 PM ----------

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Originally Posted by DaveHH

IRM can attest that in California finding any vintage handgun is difficult. The Model 39 was apparently an improved P38 pistol. They are so similar that the 39 magazines will work in the P38. I've never seen a P38 for sale here in California. I guess that it is one of those guns that are held closely because they work and work well.

On another note: when Herman Goering was surrendered to American forces there is a famous photo of him handing over a S&W .38 to his captors. He looks a bit annoyed that they'd do that to him. Victory model?

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Haha, probably. After all it was a USAF weapon, so he had access since the Luftwaffe handle US airmen prisoners. He turned the S&W over because he stashed his Luger hoping to get back to it! LOL

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Originally Posted by DaveHH

when Herman Goering was surrendered to American forces there is a famous photo of him handing over a S&W .38 to his captors. He looks a bit annoyed that they'd do that to him. Victory model?

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This is one we've never ironed out. Herman was a gun guy...always was. He was the head Jager of years and wrote laws there for hunting that still stand. He could have picked that up anywhere, we all saw him hand it over...an M&P 4" BBL. He could have ordered it before the US entered the war and I wouldn't put it past him. The theory just mentioned also holds lots of possibility. Yes, it was what you think it was.

Talking about bring backs, I think I have mentioned this before, but... When I was in my late teens, I worked as an office boy in an employment office in down town Chicago. The owner, a good Irishman I'll only say was named Pat (it really was his first name!), he was a Sgt. that landed on Normandy on D=Day, made it off the beach, and proceeded to fight his way across France. They caoptured a Chateau that was so recently vacated, the the coffee was still warm. It had been a headquarters. He was searching bedrooms, and found a wooden case in a drawer. It contained a gorgeous Luger carbine with burled walnut fore end and stock, extra magazines, etc.

He knew I was a gun nut, and brought it to show me. It was the most beautiful weapon I have every seen/ It was in a mahogany (or something like that) case, with red velvet lined, compartmented inside. It had a label presenting it to "Feldmraschall von Rumplefutz, or something. I took four years of German in High School, and my Grandparent were Austrian, so I was able to decipher the Germanic script. It was amazing. I have often wondered what happened to it?

IRM,
Here's a link to when I posted about my VP.
It has pictures of the S&W Factory letter.
I hear Roy has retired, so I'd contact S&W on who to contact about getting the research done. It takes a while to get results but is pretty neat having it.

Link: http://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=17960

Good Luck,
Charlie-Painter777