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Small armsIn service

Walther P38

Name: Walther P38 specifications
Creator: ForceTally

Semi-automatic pistol

Walther P38 is a semi-automatic pistol originating in Nazi Germany. It was built by Carl Walther Waffenfabrik , Mauser Werke , Spreewerk , Manurhin. Reported operators include Algeria, Chad, Chile, Iraq, North Macedonia, Mozambique, South Africa, Thailand, Uruguay.

Origin: Nazi Germany
Manufacturer: Carl Walther Waffenfabrik , Mauser Werke , Spreewerk , Manurhin

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Image credit

Walther P38

Askild Antonsen · CC BY 2.0 · Resized · CC BY 2.0 · Source ↗ · Modified

Length: 216mm
Barrel: 125mm
Mass: 0.96kgEmpty
Rate of fire: 116rpmsemi-automatic
Muzzle velocity: 320m/s
Range: 0.1kmSights set for

Technical data

Specifications

27 fields · 1 source · retrieved 28 Sept 2026

Dimensions & mass

Mass: 960 g (34 oz) (empty)¹
Length: 216 mm (8.5 in)¹

True scale

Size in context

Length: 216 mm
Height: 140 mm
Person: 1.75 m

Sourced dimensions beside a 1.75 m human reference.

Measurement history Earlier and superseded figures

Evidence over time

Points represent sourced observations, including revisions. Revisions on the same effective date are not separate inventory events. Ranges appear in the table and are not plotted as exact points.

Observation / report period	Value	Source	Claim state
28 Sept 2026	0.216 m	Wikipedia contributors	superseded

Sources & original excerpts1 reference

Walther P38 · Wikipedia revision 1373616135 ↗
Type
Infobox · Type
Semi-automatic pistol
Place of origin
Infobox · Place of origin
Nazi Germany
In service
Infobox · In service
1939–1945 (Nazi Germany) 1949–present (other countries)
Used by
Infobox · Used by
See Users
Wars
Infobox · Wars
World War II First Indochina War Algerian War Portuguese Colonial War Rhodesian Bush War Vietnam War (limited) The Troubles 1958 Lebanon crisis Lebanese Civil War War in Afghanistan Iraqi Civil War (2014–2017) (P1)
Designed
Infobox · Designed
1938
Manufacturer
Infobox · Manufacturer
Carl Walther Waffenfabrik , Mauser Werke , Spreewerk , Manurhin
Unit cost
Infobox · Unit cost
30 ℛ︁ℳ︁ (1943) equivalent to €120 in 2021
Produced
Infobox · Produced
Walther P38 1939–1945 Pistole P1 1957–2000
No. built
Infobox · No. built
c. 1,000,000
Variants
Infobox · Variants
HP , P1, P38K, P38 SD, P4
Mass
Infobox · Mass
960 g (34 oz) (empty)
Length
Infobox · Length
216 mm (8.5 in)
Barrel length
Infobox · Barrel length
125 mm (4.9 in)
Width
Infobox · Width
36 mm (1.4 in)
Height
Infobox · Height
140 mm (5.5 in)
Cartridge
Infobox · Cartridge
9×19mm Parabellum
Action
Infobox · Action
Short recoil , hinged locking piece assisted breechblock
Rate of fire
Infobox · Rate of fire
116 rpm (semi-automatic)
Muzzle velocity
Infobox · Muzzle velocity
1,050 ft/s (320 m/s)
Effective firing range
Infobox · Effective firing range
Sights set for 50 metres (55 yd)
Feed system
Infobox · Feed system
8-round magazine
Sights
Infobox · Sights
Rear notch and front blade post
Reported operator · Algeria
Users · Users
Algeria
Reported operator · Chad
Users · Users
Chad
Reported operator · Chile
Users · Users
Chile
Reported operator · Iraq
Users · Users
Iraq
Reported operator · North Macedonia
Users · Users
North Macedonia
Reported operator · Mozambique
Users · Users
Mozambique
Reported operator · South Africa
Users · Users
South Africa
Reported operator · Thailand
Users · Users
Thailand
Reported operator · Uruguay
Users · Users
Uruguay

Reference text from Wikipedia contributors, used under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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Walther P38

Specifications

Dimensions & mass

Size in context

Evidence over time

Performance

Systems & armament

Programme

Operator countries

Compare related systems