Phosphate P.38's

Had a question on another forum. The guy is asking whether or not Mauser was making phospate bi-toned P.38's in 1943. In this case the slide is phosphate and the frame blued. I have never, ever seen one that early let alone the slide phosphated. What I have seen is byf45's with phosphated frames and blue slides. It looks hinky to me. Thoughts?

KJ

Kammerjaeger said:

Had a question on another forum. The guy is asking whether or not Mauser was making phospate bi-toned P.38's in 1943. In this case the slide is phosphate and the frame blued. I have never, ever seen one that early let alone the slide phosphated. What I have seen is byf45's with phosphated frames and blue slides. It looks hinky to me. Thoughts?

KJ

Click to expand...

In 1945, Mauser began using some FN made slides marked ac43 and ac44 apparently evacuated from the factory when the Germans were forced to abandon it in September 1944. Why these slides have never shown up anywhere else is anyone's guess. Like any other '45 dated Mauser, they do show up with phosphate and dual tone finishes. That is only way I can see a 43 dated dual tone pistol.

Ryan, there are rare occurrences of ac43 and ac44 marked cyq pistols made with FN slides, but they are blued. Check out these on Mark's website : http://www.p38guns.com/CYQ0seriesFN.htm

Kammerjaeger said:

Had a question on another forum. The guy is asking whether or not Mauser was making phospate bi-toned P.38's in 1943. In this case the slide is phosphate and the frame blued. I have never, ever seen one that early let alone the slide phosphated. What I have seen is byf45's with phosphated frames and blue slides. It looks hinky to me. Thoughts?

KJ

Click to expand...

I have seen two byf43's in dual tone's. One appeared at the SOS about 5 years ago. I think there was some field experimentation going on then.

As memory serves, that was the original "grey ghost".- If you collected P38's in the 60's and 70's.
They were termed the "grey ghost" due to their finish and very rare occurance.
Then sometime in the 90's the svw45's started being called "grey ghosts". Probably for the same reasons as the byf43.

Here are the only photos provided.





KJ

I almost bought a D block ac43 dual tone..



..

Kammerjager, I would never buy a pistol that you will have to explain. You will never be able to sell it easily either. For one thing, its not too hard to take a byf43 in fair condition that is outside of collectible condition and phosphate the slide to make a "rare" version. How could you prove it's real? You can't.

Looking at those photos, I doubt it's a phosphate gun. The dual tone slides have a darker, splotcy look to them that this one lacks in those photos. My own opinion is it was enhanced, but that's me- I also don't take chances on "rare" or "experimental" items that can't be verified. I'd rather have a really nice 95% byf43, probably the same money. Now, if you could buy it for shooter price, say $500, I'd buy it.

Roger that. Thanks.

KJ