Original Item: Only One Available. Just purchased from a private collector, this is a very nice WWII issue Black Hardshell holster for the standard issue Walther P38 pistol, complete with correct period markings.

The back of the holster is marked on the right side with the correct P.38 stamping, which are often very faint. To the far left over the belt loop is the three letter code jwa, indicating manufacture by Moritz Stecher of Freiberg in Saxony, a known producer of leather holsters for the P.08, P.38, and other pistols during the war. To the left of this marking is a very nice Waffenamt WaA300 inspection stamp, and over the other belt loop is a 42 date. A very nice fully marked example!

The holster is mostly complete and in very good condition, showing the expected wear from moderate service. The black exterior finish is still mostly intact, and the stitching all looks to be intact and all original, with no repairs or popped seams, though the original white color has faded to brown from dirt and grease. The metal hardware shows minimal oxidation. The leather is a bit stiff, and there is some cracking on the belt loops, with the loop closest to the magazine pocket nearly torn through at the top seam. The end of the securing strap in the front has also cracked off.

This is a very nice WWII marked example of a P.38 holster, and would make the perfect accessory for a P.38 pistol that no longer has its holster. Ready to display!

The Walther Pistole 38 (P.38) pistol was first introduced in 1938 as a replacement for the P.08. The P.38 was a more cost-efficient and more reliable in war conditions such as mud and rain. The P.08 was a typical prewar German gun, over engineered to perfection, with a sensitive toggle breech system that would malfunction when dirt was involved. The P.38 was a workhorse that did just what it was meant to do. It could handle most harsh battlefield conditions and as such the closed hardshell holster was discontinued later in the war and replaced for a partially open softshell holster. During the War close around 900,000 were produced, so the holsters were also produced in large quantities.