Ex-West German police Walther P-38?

[1894cfan]

Picked up a Walther P-38 manufactured by Manurhin circa 1962/3 for the West German Police with a Wunderlich Berlin 1963 holster. Came in a red box with a catalog #34590. It shows very little shooting wear with a fair amount of holster wear. Anybody here know about what it's worth? TIA

[Mikey]

Probably $350-$400.  You got yourself a great pistol.  The Walther P38/P1 pistols are very good deals at current Shotgun News prices of $325 - $350 for those pistols made later on in the 60s.  European police pistols are much like US police revolvers and pistols - carried much but shot little; and a great deal when you can get one. 
 
Your P38/P1 will run best on plain jane ball ammo at NATO specs - a 115 gn fmj at 1150'/sec or a 124 gn fmj at around 1100'/sec.  +P loads put the velocities up another 50'/sec and +P+ loads bring them up another 50'/sec beyond that.  A steady diet of +P+ loads will hurt those older pistols and +P loads are not really necessary for personal/home defense.  Ball ammo works very well in the 9mm and I have never seen anyone get up and walk away from 3 rounds to the chest with 9mm ball; actually, I have never seen anyone hit in the chest with 3 rounds of 9mm ball do anything after that .....

[1894cfan]

Thanks, Mikey. Much appreciate the info. I like your last sentence! 

[S.S.]

I personally know of two instances of perps getting up after multiple hits
from a 9mm. not ball ammo, they were hollow points. One of the instances
that perp was hit by two .40 cal rounds also. the second incident was far worse
and the perp finally fell to a couple of buckshot rounds. and multiple
hits from other calibers. Not before he killed one of our guys though.
He was not doped up either, just a tough pissed off guy.

[coyotejoe]

If FMJ's were all that's needed the ammo makers would not have spent time and money developing JHP's.

[mcwoodduck]

Your gun is not a P-38.  It is a P-1.  Aluminium framed post war model.  Takes the same mag, parts all are inter changeable.
I had one for a while and liked it.  When a buddy had some dificulty I gave it to him as he had to sell everything and I wanted him to have a good handgun.  He still carries it in his truck as an emergency gun. 
If you look at it, you can see where Berretta got the ideas to build the 92. 
And I remember mine likeing either the Win Silver tips, the Winchester 147 grain sub sonic, or the Rem Golden sabers as a hollow point.  I have three WWII 9mm at the time and one liked one type each.
I had a Luftwaffa Astra 600 and a Mauser 96. 
But as others have said ball works.