Walther PP help

B

bama1157

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I just bought an old Walther PP in .32 auto the marks are Eagle over N the serial number is 202xxxp Can anyone tell me when this was made I think it may be pre war but don't know any help would be great.


Bama
 
The "Nazi eagle over N (for nitro)" proof mark replaced the prewar "crown over N" proofmark in 1942.

I would presume there were no more Nazi-proofed Walthers made after 1945 - since the Nazis were either dead, in prison, or in SA by that time or shortly thereafter.

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The Eagle over the N ( from 1940 on )is the standard German proof, has nothing to do with Nazi, the proof is still being used, in fact my 1980 PP has the Eagle over N proof.:) Are there any other markings on your PP? The serial number seems to be 1941, however Walther serial numbers can be confusing.
 
A bit more discussion on the eagle proof mark. The spread wing eagle actually was the Nazi symbol and it was used in the proof mark from 1940 to the end of the Nazi era in 1945. A new style eagle, with downward pointing wing feathers (the "Federal Eagle") was adopted by West Germany when firearms production resumed in 1952. East Germany adopted a somewhat different style of eagle, very much like that used prior to 1940 even to use of the old crown, when they resumed arms production in 1950.

Jim
 
The book I'm using for reference is " Walther Pistols, Models 1 through P99. by Dieter H. Marschall. Serial number from 322500K to 235800P, Mattel finish. 11/41. Your serial number, 202XXXP, falls with in that serial number range{ 1941}.
 
If it was issued to a gov't agency, they sometimes had other markings on them, engraved, usually initials of the agency. But without firsthand knowledge of where it was picked up, you might have little hope of it's usage history.
 
The Eagle N (Nazi style) was, as RJay says, the regular commercial Nitro proof; it does not indicate military or government ownership. Many "bringback" guns were taken from civilians, not from government officials or German military personnel.

When the Allies invaded Germany, they placed an immediate ban on civilian possession of firearms. While enforcement was spotty, many Germans simply turned their privately-owned guns over to Allied soldiers. When the Allies did enforce the rules, they usually destroyed the guns by laying them on the street and running a tank over them. Many fine hunting rifles, shotguns and multi-barrel sporting arms were destroyed that way.

We should bear that kind of thing in mind when a politician says he doesn't want to confiscate and destroy "sporting" guns, only "evil" military-type guns. (Note: All bolt action rifles are "military type" guns, and even lever actions have been used by armies. So that category of "war weapons that have no place in civilian life" may be a lot broader than the politicians want us to think.)

Jim

Jim
 
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