WW2 Luftwaffe pistols?

So, I have a few pieces of gear (2nd pattern dagger/scabbard/hangars, collar tabs and shoulder boards, 20mm flak trench art) and would like to add a pistol, I'm thinking along the lines of an HSC or PPK. I would love a Luger but I'm not willing to spend $4k+ right now. Not really interested in a possible commercial purchased pistol either.

I know that there are certain serial number blocks for the HSC and I assume for the other pistols as well. How would I go about authenticating a Luftwaffe issued pistol? Were there different acceptance stamps? What suggestions as to a good choice? I'm looking at sub-$2k, preferably around $1k.

Thanks in advance.

Correction: I understand that Luftwaffe HSC's were drawn from Heer stocks, therefore would have army acceptance proofs. Does this apply for the P38 as well?

I think the Luftwaffe had many other pistols, that might be of interest. IIRC many Spanish pistols.

The FEMARU is Hungarian and although primarily issued to pilots, possibly non-flight officers?

Browning M1922

Browning M1922 was a favorite with the Luftwaffe. Has a cool holster also. Price is sub $1000, Asking price for this one was $600 just pre-pandemic. I managed to get it for $400 with some discounts and special offers they were running at the time. Cabelas purchase. It had sat with them for quite a while and they were willing to discount pretty heavily. They took washed out photos of it which made it look like all the finish was gone They had a second in slightly worse condition but who knows if it's still there, Nebraska store. Holsters can run $300. I scored this one for $150 I think. Unissued.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../G5f1LiN-1.jpg

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

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../K2qCsVE-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../8kbxlAd-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../dbDyQE2-1.jpg

Authenticating them to specific use is tough. This one is Germany marked but not military accepted. Means it was a private purchase which is common with officer pistols in all branches. Barrel is marked WaA140.

Nice...have we seen this one before? I had one in the '70s that was Nazi marked and it didn't work very well. I had no idea how to sort it out at the time so I sold it. Also had a Nazi marked Hi Power...

Yes, it has it's own thread elsewhere. I got it back in February.

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I picked this Astra 300 up a few weeks ago for about $250. It was a Luftwaffe issue and while it has no Luftwaffe/German markings, the serial number confirms it. There are several pistols from Astra in Spain and Unique Courts in France that saw service with the Luftwaffe and Wermacht. Most of those seem to be under $1,000. You can also find FEG37m pistols from Hungary on the market for less than a $1,000. If you are hoping to find a P-38 or Luger for less than a $1,000, you are going to have to be very lucky and in the right place at the right time. Even Walther P-1's (reincarnation of the P-38) are going for $800 or more and they are just a clone of the original. I just started to pay attention to the handguns and finding they are really interesting to research and hunt down. Good luck!

I believe the Sauer 38H was also popular, at least with Fallschirmjager. Haven't seen many about of late, but probably still priced well below a Luger.

Nice pistols boys...both of 'em.

Here's another FN/Browning M1922 which is UK deactivated. Notice the bakelite grips.

Didn't all of the M1922's made under the German occupation have wood grips?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Flying10uk

Didn't all of the M1922's made under the German occupation have wood grips?

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Mine did.

I don't think the one you show was made under German occupation. Not sure whose markings those are. The wood grips weren't introduced until 1942 so there are many occupation pistols with Bake light.

Somewhat of an inconvenience that the Germans had to destroy the factory records at FN before vacating Belgium.

German occupation will have Waffens or German Nitro proofs like on mine. Mine has a Waffen on the barrel where you can't see it unless disassembled. Civilian versions were only about 5% of production.

Isn't that a British proof mark from WW2 era?

I looked up British proofs and while there is an earlier one that resembles it somewhat, they have crowns, they are also 1800's

Mine's stamped Wa 140 on both frame and slide. Not sure what the (H) on the slide indicates.

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Originally Posted by Aragorn243

I looked up British proofs

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Here's what I'm going from, although I can't show you an irrefutable source of info...

It's the Uk deactivation mark which can only be issued by one of the 2 UK proof houses once they have inspected it to make sure that it has been properly deactivated. As it's an older deact it is a UK spec deactivation rather than the current EU/UK spec.

Makes sense. British but not specifically a proof mark. So deactivated in 1951?

No, the "D" and "A" at each side of the cross swords presumably stands for "Deactivated" and the "11" at the bottom, I assume, is an abbreviation for the year 2011. The cross swords I assume indicate the Birmingham Proof House who checked the deactivation in this instance, before marking the main components and issuing a deactivation certificate to prove that it has been legally deactivated and checked by a proof house. The London Proof House who also do this work have a different mark to differentiate themselves from the Birmingham Proof House.

I got the same holster , got it at a gun show for $5.00. It looked like a small P38 holster, so I got it