More Gratuitous Gun Pr0n

The Walther P-38 is the grandaddy of double-action semi-auto police/military pistols. A great improvement over the P-08 Luger (no matter how elegant Lugerphiles might think it), it was the working officer's pistol. I bought my first P-38 (1943 make) from my best friend who was heading overseas. At the range, it hit the extreme bottom of the target or not at all. Oh well, it joined my museum pieces I never intended to fire again.

A few years later, a coworker had a '61 P-38 he was trying to sell after a divorce. He horned in on me, being the office gun nut, but his asking price was too high. I already had a P-38 and I wouldn't pay more for another, even though I got best-friend pricing on it. He was desparate (I think) enough to meet my price and I paid it. Range report: it hit the extreme bottom of the target or not at all. Grrrr.

For some reason, I brought the '61 out to a range shoot and a friend shot it very well. What gives?...I'd been aiming at the top of the target to get shots into the black. At some time after I got my first USAF pistol instruction(on the Berretta M-9, another double-action), I started printing hits in the 10 ring! When my friend and I watched a stranger cuss out his own P-38, I offered to check it out. I kept the soda can moving until it was out of site, then offered the advice I got from the Air Force staff sergeant who cured my Walther Block.

When I brought the '43 Walther out the next time...in the 10 ring! They're great shooters! In the funny little niche a single-stack 9mm fills nowadays, go Walther! Heck, somebody showed interest in buying my sadly ignored-but-not-neglected 9mm Firestar a few weeks ago....