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  1. #1
    Legacy Member BVZ24's Avatar
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    My first P38

    Recently got my first P38. It is a Frenchicon/Mauser SVW 45. I was after a P1, but the steel frame was more appealing.
    I don't know a whole lot about P38s, but it appears that it has original finish, and, although I haven't taken it completely down, some parts have Germanicon proof marks, and all easy to remove serialed parts are matching.

    I only have one concern, and that is the bowed dust cover seen in the picture. I remember at some point, someone telling me something along the lines of "If you shoot anything but mild target loads in a P38 the [some part] will bend" That was years ago and I don't remember what part.

    Some compared pictures show German P38s have less of, or no bend in the dust cover. However the P1 replacement dust covers seem to have curvature made in them, but based on what I can find, they are not a direct replacement for the WW2 P38s. It sounds like these covers are difficult to put back if they are removed, so I am hesitant to remove the cover to check. It seems reasonable to me that the French police would have updated older pistols in line with the Manurhin P1s. Anyone know anything?

    I'll provide some more pictures later, if wanted.

    https://ibb.co/P5B4qPR
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    Contributing Member Aragorn243's Avatar
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    Yeah, I wouldn't be concerned with normal ammo. Don't use +P or +P+. Standard weight bullets also. Mine was finicky with some brands of ammo so that takes some experimenting. I checked mine and it also has a slight bend to it.

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    Legacy Member oldfoneguy's Avatar
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    The 9mm parabellum round original loading is 124gr fmj at roughly 1150fps. Try and keep the ammo you use within those limits. I've found my BYF 44 P38 likes 124gr the best from a feeding aspect. It will feed 115gr fine until dirty then give a misfeed here and there.
    Remember that you have an antique and it should never be pushed. Avoid very heavy bullets as they are abusive to the recoil operation. Never load it with any +P as has been said also avoid NATO headstamp ammo which is loaded to +P+ spec.
    Weak points are the slide bridge foward of the ejection port they crack where it joins the main body of the slide ruining your numbers matching pistol. Also the toggle block a numbered part can crack especially with heavy bullets or over pressure rounds. At the very least get yourself a new spring set from Wolff guns springs and install it immediately.
    I really enjoy shooting mine so in order to do so without clenched cheeks I assembled a complete P1 slide a P1 toggle block and a set of P1 grips. It shoots like it was born that way with no worries about damaging original numbers matching parts. They are fun and accurate with a natural point of aim enjoy it.

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