This is a highly significant and extreme rarity in the field of P.38 Pistol Collecting. In 94% factory original condition, we have a Walther 2nd Variation (rectangular firing pin & visible extractor) ZERO series P.38 Pistol with the extremely rare (less than 50) Factory Altered Slide Marking. It is estimated that there were only around 1500 of the second Variation produced, and according to Buxton, only approx 50 have this unusual feature of a milled out area on the slide. I normally like to say that a gun is a textbook example but in this is a pistol that was built before there ever was a textbook, this is a test pistol in every sense. What I can say is that it is 100% Walther factory original and completely matching (except for the magazine which is proper). The main upgrade of this model over the first variation was the development and use of a simpler and much more durable extractor, in fact this is the model that perfected that aspect of the P.38.
The most noticeable aspect of this pistol is the small milled out area on the left side of the slide. According to Buxton it is thought that either “40” for 1940 or “480” for The military production code was milled out of the slide. Whatever the marking was it was removed with some skill at the factory during production. If you are a serious and advanced P.38 collector this pistol represents a very important step in the perfection of the design and it is an important and extreme rarity that only an handful will ever have in their collection.
