The is the first Sauer Mod. 38 I have. This is not a 38H because it has no safety lever. According to Jim Cate who wrote the book on the Sauer guns, this Sauer Mod. 38 Eagle F was made in February or March 1945. He also added, "These were the last guns to be on the production line when the American Army captured the Sauer plant on April 1st, 1945."
Here are the pictures.
The left side,
(https://preview.ibb.co/d2XENJ/5_BA2_Sauer_model_38_495739_EF_Left_resized.jpg) (https://ibb.co/iKuiGd)
The right side,
(https://preview.ibb.co/hyt4NJ/5b_A7_Sauer_38_505627_E37_right_resized.jpg) (https://ibb.co/hqA7bd)
Beautiful pistol! thumb1 Were these made without the safety/decocker lever as a late war expedient version? I assume production numbers of these versus the 38H were quite small.
Quote from: Phosphorus32 on November 20, 2016, 07:44:15 AM
Beautiful pistol! thumb1 Were these made without the safety/decocker lever as a late war expedient version? I assume production numbers of these versus the 38H were quite small.
P32 actually the Mod 38 predates (1938) the 38H (1939 to 1940) and were produced concurrently. The 38H had the safety (Sicherheit) therefore the H suffix. The eagle F variation of the Sauer Mod. 38 was the last of pistols produced pre April 1945. For some reason certain Police units preferred the Modell 38 as opposed to the 38H.
Thanks Don. I always learn something new when you post one of your acquisitions thumb1
Even though this was made sometime in the last two months of production at Sauer, it appears well made. Perhaps the exterior finishing was smoother earlier in production?
Quote from: Phosphorus32 on November 20, 2016, 10:19:56 PM
Even though this was made sometime in the last two months of production at Sauer, it appears well made. Perhaps the exterior finishing was smoother earlier in production?
True, that was the case with Spreewerk and Walther as well as Sauer, only Mauser kept a reasonably good finish on their P.38's and HSc's to the end. In the last months of the war there wasn't time to put a smooth finish an each gun as each of the NAZI agencies were demanding more fire arms in less time and the infrastructure was also heavily damaged by allied bombing making the production, shipping and receiving raw materials was becoming harder to get by the day.
Excellent Don!!
You sure find some interesting and beautiful specimens. thumb1
Beautiful police pistol!