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 a crisp correct P.38 stamping, which are often very faint. It is nicely maker marked and dated on the back with ewx / 1944 between the belt loops. This indicates 1944 production by Franz & Karl Voegels of Köln (Cologne), a known holster producer during the war according to GERMAN MILITARY LETTER CODES 1939-1945 by John Walter. Under this is a Waffenamt WaA195 inspection stamp, the correct inspector for this maker. 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 heavy white stitching all looks to be intact and all original, with no repairs or popped seams, though the original white color has faded a bit in areas. The metal hardware shows minimal oxidation. The leather is a bit stiff, and there is some cracking on the securing strap finish. The pistol ejection strap is still present and looks to be functional.

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.