Forums
New posts
Search forums
What's new
New posts
New media
New media comments
Latest activity
Classifieds
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Log in
Register
What's New?
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
New posts
Search forums
Menu
Log in
Register
Navigation
Install the app
Install
More Options
Advertise with us
Contact Us
Close Menu
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Forums
The Range
Military Surplus
The deals. They are out there.
Search titles only
By:
Reply to Thread
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Message
<blockquote data-quote="MP43" data-source="post: 2683755" data-attributes="member: 1631"><p>So, one of the guns that's been on my list for a long time has been a Berlin Police P1. </p><p>After the West German Federal police were re-constituted following WWII, they chose the Walther P1 (post-war version of the venerable P38), as their official sidearm. It served in that capacity for several decades, but initially there was a problem. The treaty that allowed the western Allies to retain a large portion of Berlin, despite it lying in the Soviet sector of Germany, forbid Germans from carrying German weapons there. Which meant police officers stationed in Berlin would have to be trained in and supplied with an alternative sidearm. This didn't sit well with the German authorities, so to get around the restriction, they had the Walther factory manufacture a batch of unmarked P1 parts. These were sent to the Manurhin Machinery Company in France, where the parts were assembled and the guns were stamped with Manurhin logos, "Pistolet P1" and "Made in France." A sunburst logo on the triggerguard indicates Berlin Police property. </p><p>More about the "French" P1s here: </p><p><a href="http://milpas.cc/rifles/ZFiles/French%20Rifles/Pistols/manurhinP1_us/manurhinP1_us.html" target="_blank">http://milpas.cc/rifles/ZFiles/French Rifles/Pistols/manurhinP1_us/manurhinP1_us.html</a></p><p></p><p>Interarms imported a batch of these back in the '90s, but I missed out on one then, and the few I've encountered since have generally had a premium price over a regular P1, reflecting their relative scarcity and interesting Cold War history. Anyhow, I was at the local pawnshop on Saturday, looking for some cheap tools to throw in a motorcycle saddlebag. But of course I had to wander over and check out the guns, even though there's rarely anything interesting. I was a little surprised to see what appeared to be a P38 there amongst the Taurus and Jennings pistols, I was much more surprised to realize it was a Manurhin P1 wearing P38 grips, and flat out shocked when I saw the price. The pawnshop guys had no idea what it was, but figured that, being French, it couldn't be any good, and just wanted to get rid of it. Which I was happy to help them with. </p><p></p><p><img src="https://www.okshooters.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/i182.photobucket.com_albums_x192_cj750_Gewehrs_Pistols_20Dec_202014_xGuns22814003_zpsebd63396.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p><img src="https://www.okshooters.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/i182.photobucket.com_albums_x192_cj750_Gewehrs_Pistols_20Dec_202014_xGuns22814007_zps9eccad30.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p>It badly needs cleaning, and the wartime grips, though cool, aren't correct so far as I can determine. Fortunately, P1 grips are readily available and inexpensive. I haven't shot it yet, but the bore is strong and everything functions at 100% on the bench. </p><p></p><p><img src="https://www.okshooters.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/i182.photobucket.com_albums_x192_cj750_Gewehrs_Pistols_20Dec_202014_xGuns22814011_zps01345bd9.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p>And oh yeah, the price: </p><p></p><p><img src="https://www.okshooters.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/i182.photobucket.com_albums_x192_cj750_Gewehrs_Pistols_20Dec_202014_xGuns22814004_zps3d468c64.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="MP43, post: 2683755, member: 1631"] So, one of the guns that's been on my list for a long time has been a Berlin Police P1. After the West German Federal police were re-constituted following WWII, they chose the Walther P1 (post-war version of the venerable P38), as their official sidearm. It served in that capacity for several decades, but initially there was a problem. The treaty that allowed the western Allies to retain a large portion of Berlin, despite it lying in the Soviet sector of Germany, forbid Germans from carrying German weapons there. Which meant police officers stationed in Berlin would have to be trained in and supplied with an alternative sidearm. This didn't sit well with the German authorities, so to get around the restriction, they had the Walther factory manufacture a batch of unmarked P1 parts. These were sent to the Manurhin Machinery Company in France, where the parts were assembled and the guns were stamped with Manurhin logos, "Pistolet P1" and "Made in France." A sunburst logo on the triggerguard indicates Berlin Police property. More about the "French" P1s here: [url]http://milpas.cc/rifles/ZFiles/French%20Rifles/Pistols/manurhinP1_us/manurhinP1_us.html[/url] Interarms imported a batch of these back in the '90s, but I missed out on one then, and the few I've encountered since have generally had a premium price over a regular P1, reflecting their relative scarcity and interesting Cold War history. Anyhow, I was at the local pawnshop on Saturday, looking for some cheap tools to throw in a motorcycle saddlebag. But of course I had to wander over and check out the guns, even though there's rarely anything interesting. I was a little surprised to see what appeared to be a P38 there amongst the Taurus and Jennings pistols, I was much more surprised to realize it was a Manurhin P1 wearing P38 grips, and flat out shocked when I saw the price. The pawnshop guys had no idea what it was, but figured that, being French, it couldn't be any good, and just wanted to get rid of it. Which I was happy to help them with. [IMG]https://www.okshooters.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/i182.photobucket.com_albums_x192_cj750_Gewehrs_Pistols_20Dec_202014_xGuns22814003_zpsebd63396.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]https://www.okshooters.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/i182.photobucket.com_albums_x192_cj750_Gewehrs_Pistols_20Dec_202014_xGuns22814007_zps9eccad30.jpg[/IMG] It badly needs cleaning, and the wartime grips, though cool, aren't correct so far as I can determine. Fortunately, P1 grips are readily available and inexpensive. I haven't shot it yet, but the bore is strong and everything functions at 100% on the bench. [IMG]https://www.okshooters.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/i182.photobucket.com_albums_x192_cj750_Gewehrs_Pistols_20Dec_202014_xGuns22814011_zps01345bd9.jpg[/IMG] And oh yeah, the price: [IMG]https://www.okshooters.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/i182.photobucket.com_albums_x192_cj750_Gewehrs_Pistols_20Dec_202014_xGuns22814004_zps3d468c64.jpg[/IMG] [/QUOTE]
Insert Quotes…
Verification
Post Reply
Forums
The Range
Military Surplus
The deals. They are out there.
Search titles only
By:
Top
Bottom