Did Nazi Paratrooper have a Nickel Pistol?

[Keb]

Yesterday a man on the internet sent me two dozen photos of over-priced guns for sale. The photo quality was 42K each, and only one view each. He also showed a 90% US 1917 Colt 45 ACP.... which I hardly believe. Once again with a terrible photo, for $4500. I rejected everything as being absurdly priced.

He claimed to have a non-named Paratrooper 32 in Nickel. It did not look like a 38H.

I challenged him. I have never heard of the Wehrmacht issuing nickel.

What say you?

 

[rcmodel]

I have seen nickel, gold, and highly engraved Walther PPK's reported presented to high ranking Nazi's.

But not to run of the mill troops.

rc

 

[bikerdoc]

Unless he has irrefutable provenance, walk away.

 

[rcmodel]

Another thought.

A lot of WWII bring-backs got chrome plated after the war when some GI threw it in Bubba's Bumper and Harley muffler plating tank on a whim.

rc

 

[Jim Watson]

I think a paratrooper would have a more substantial weapon than a .32.
And if the seller did not know the make and model, he isn't much. And if you don't, you should not be tempted.

And as said, a lot of war trophy, surplus, and pilfered guns were prettied up by nickel or chrome plating or a really shiny blue job. There was a shop in my town back when such guns were cheap that specialized in two and three tone refinish jobs. They did nice work... if you like your Victory Model with a bright blue shine and the small parts gold plated, including the cylinder flutes.

 

[444]

In the circles I run in, those are called "Submarine Commanders".

In other words, some GI brought it back and then had it chrome plated after he got back. Not sure how the submarine commander name came about, I guess at one time people tried to pass these chromed guns off as having belonged to some officer or something.

Note: I am not saying it was impossible that some individual German soldiers/sailors/airmen didn't have a pistol nickeled or chromed, but I would say it certainly would be rare; and I am SURE this was never done to a military issued weapon while the guy it was issued to was still on active duty. Unless he was a VERY highly ranking officer.

I have a chromed Luger that is an all matching gun. It looks like heck and on top of the chrome (or I should say, underneath the chrome) rust is coming through. I am seriously thinking about sending it away and having it refinished. I believe that chrome can be removed with some electronic process ?

FWIW: I also have a very, very nice 1917 revolver. I don't know if it is 98% but it is very very nice.

 

[Old Fuff]

German officers often carried .32 and even .25 caliber pistols, mostly as an indicator of rank rather then serious weapons. Genuine original nickel plate however wasn't part of the picture. As has been pointed out, the nickel (or whatever) plating went on after the war, and from a collector's perspective substantually reduces the value.

 

[Keb]

photos

OK I will show what he was selling.

for $650. ( I think a 38H would be about half that )

and this 90% WWI Colt:



only $4500

 

[wrc]

Yesterday a man on the internet sent me two dozen photos of over-priced guns for sale.

This is one of the best opening lines on a post I've seen in a long time. You *know* there's going to be a good story.

If he doesn't at least scan in some documentation (real or fake), it seems like a no-brainer. "When in doubt, there is no doubt".

 

[Jim Watson]

The "paratrooper" is a Hungarian P37M, made in .32 under German control, changed from the .380 version the Hungarians used. Chrome plating and slick grips. Not $650 worth. Or half that.

 

[Keb]

WRC:


He offered 25 items in 25 separate emails, including 11 holsters. That is how I found him on a Craigslist universal search engine.

Every item was overpriced...50 years of collecting. He was from Placerville.

 

[Ron James]

From the photos that 1911 is a 1911A1, it looks to have the bevel frame and long safety tang. Even if it is a result of bad photos, for 4500 dollars he had better have proof that it was used by Sgt. York.

 

[wrc]

He offered 25 items in 25 separate emails, including 11 holsters.

Wow! Was anything what he claimed it to be, or was it all like these two examples?

 

[Pilot]

My dad was a U.S. Army officer stationed in Germany right after the war, from 1945 - 1948, and brought back a nickel plated Walther PP. I still have it, with holster, and magazine. He is no longer around, but it seems these were nickeled by G.I.'s in Germany after the war and sold as souvenirs. No, I'm not sure about that, or if it is in fact a factory nickel pistol.

 

[Jim K]

Walther did produce some matte chrome PP/PPK pistols prior to WWII, but none went to the military.

Jim

 

[rondog]

It's possible German soldiers carried personal handguns as backups, like our GI's were known to do. General Patton wore two personal revolvers.

Now that I think about it, a friend I haven't seen in years had a .32 auto that his dad had taken off a dead German soldier. I don't remember what it was, but it didn't "look" military. Pretty sure it had at least one Waffenamt on it though. He also had a P-38 his dad had liberated.

 

[Jim Watson]

Anecdote: I had a highschool teacher (in the early 1960s) who made a bit of money SILVER plating WW I vets' souvenirs. Just too young for the Army, he saw a lot of veterans in college after the war. He set up a silver plating bath and would plate a gun or other metallic trinket for $3.00. Three silver dollars in the tank would plate a pistol without defacing the markings, just a few grains of silver... gone. Which he could then spend with no operating cost once his gear was paid for. Which I suspect came out of college lab supplies anyhow.

 

[Old Fuff]

While German officers occasionally carried personal handguns, those in the lower ranks did not. It was frowned upon, and if one got caught they could be in serious trouble.

Patton's engraved, silver plated, ivory handled Colt SAA was an exception to the rule on the U.S. side. Other field grade officers sometimes carried personal handguns, but they were not noted to be show pieces.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

Steer clear of that nonsense at those prices.

 

[Jim K]

Patton was half general, half showman. His handguns were part of the "image" he projected.

There is a story that Omar Bradley was once asked by a reporter why he didn't carry a gun like Patton did. His reply is a classic: "Son, by the morning report, I have over two million men under my command. If they can't stop the Germans, I don't think one lousy pistol is going to do any good."

Jim

 

[Marlin 45 carbine]

a .32 ended ww2 in europe.
a .32 started ww1 in europe

either of those guns would be worth a bunch - the p37 shown is not.

 

[Jim K]

The Browning Model 1910 that "started WWI" was in 9mm Browning Short (.380 ACP), not .32. It was serial number 19074.

Jim