Draft of a future article - as usual, comments welcome.

John



The German Sauer 38H pistol was one relic of World War II that I had only vaguely heard about for quite a number of years, so, curious, I began investigating it more thoroughly. I found enough about it to become fascinated, and sought to find one to examine. Just recently I discovered a very nice example of the gun to see what they were all about.

Reactions of many upon seeing the pistol are amusing. Here’s a representative one: “So,” a friend said. “Whatcha got there, a Walther PPK?” “No.” I replied. “Is it a Mauser HSc??” “Nope.” He looked at it with more interest. “Aha!” he exclaimed. “It’s a Sauer 38H! I’ve never actually seen one!”

Most folks are like my friend – either not knowing or only vaguely knowing about this pistol that was prolifically used by the German military and police during World War II. At the end of the European part of the war, production ground to a halt, with the Sauer plant finding itself in the partitioned East German State. Unlike the PPK and the HSc, the 38H was never resurrected into further production. That was unfortunate, because it was quite technologically advanced, perhaps even more so than its contemporary Teutonic “pocket pistol” competitors. Still, a number of its then-innovative features were adopted in the postwar years by other pistols in varying ways.

The gun was a product of J.P. Sauer & Sohn, founded in 1751, of Suhl, Germany. The “38H” name referred to its 1938 year of introduction, and the fact that although it looked like a hammerless design, it actually had an internal hammer, or hahn, in German. Because it had no external hammer, a mechanism was needed that could both cock the internal hammer and lower it safely. Therefore, a cocker/de-cocker lever was incorporated on the left side of the gun, usually operated by the thumb of a right-hander. If the gun’s hammer was cocked and the trigger back for single action fire, pressing the lever down de-cocked the hammer safely. This also made the trigger go forward to the double action mode. Amazingly and uniquely, if the hammer was down and the trigger was forward, pressing the same lever down all the way would cock the hammer and draw the trigger back! This general arrangement was passed on to many of the SIG-Sauer pistols of today; a similar side lever will de-cock their external hammers in a safe manner. Also, the Heckler & Koch P9S pistol emulated the 38H by using a side lever that could both cock and de-cock its internal hammer.

Another feature, unique in those days, was that the breechblock was a separate unit from the bulk of the slide, using a higher grade of steel which was kept “in the white.” It was pinned into the rear of the slide. This arrangement is mimicked today by the highly regarded SIG Sauer P220 – the slide has a similar pinned-in breechblock. The 38H’s 8-round .32 ACP / 7.65mm magazine drops freely with a push of a button located to the rear of the trigger. When the magazine is removed, the trigger is inactivated, a safety feature that was relatively uncommon in those days. That magazine safety in no way interfered with the trigger pull, either double action or single action. With the internal hammer down, the first shot could be fired double action, and successive rounds were then triggered in the single action mode. Repeat strikes on a tough primer were possible. When the slide-mounted safety lever was down, exposing a red dot, the gun could be fired in either mode. When the lever was up, it disconnected the trigger when the gun was in single action mode. When the piece was set for double action mode, the engaged safety blocked the trigger and also locked the slide from moving. A pin at the rear of the slide was a loaded-chamber indicator, protruding slightly where it was easily seen or felt if the chamber had a round in it. The trigger had a round hole through it which was concealed when the hammer was cocked for single action fire, making the trigger and hammer’s status easily discernible.

Takedown of the pistol for cleaning purposes is very easy. After removing the magazine and clearing the chamber, notice that there is an “eared” block in front of the trigger that can be pulled straight down. Then the slide can be brought all the way back, the rear end lifted, and it can be slid off the fixed and pinned barrel in a forward direction. The recoil spring is wrapped around the barrel, and can be easily removed. Taking off the grips will expose the action parts. By the way, the grips were made of Bakelite plastic – an early synthetic that was new in those days. It now has a habit of decomposing, cracking or crumbling with age. Finding one of these pistols with the grips intact is unusual now, because they are so fragile. The left grip is marked with the intertwined “S u S” Sauer logo, standing for Sauer und Sohn (Sauer and Son). The magazines were usually marked “CAL. 7,65”, and sometimes also with the Sauer logo on the base plate.

Although the 38H was devised in 1938, full production did not start until 1939. It continued to be made through the war years (1939 – 1945) until the Russians overran the plant in Suhl in April, 1945. It then faded into history. The machinery that was used to make the pistol was taken apart and moved East by the Soviets. Also removed from the plant was its manager, a Sauer descendant. He was never heard from again.

It’s estimated that roughly 250,000 of the 38H were made in total, with available production records being ruefully incomplete. A 6-digit serial number can be found on either side of the pistol, on the frame just under the rear of the slide. The last 3 digits of the serial number should be stamped inside the slide and at the rear of the breech block. All numbers should match if original. Military serial numbers reportedly run from 271456 to 506527.

Markings vary from full identification stamps to none except for the caliber marking, which was uniformly stamped on the left of the slide as “ CAL. 7,65”. The Sauer logo remained on the left grip throughout all production. Almost all of these pistols were chambered for .32 ACP, although it’s believed that a few were made in .380 ACP and .22 LR. Quality of fit and finish diminished over the years of the war, with tooling marks and weak bluing becoming common as time wore on. Due to heavy demand for faster production, towards the end of the war the safety lever and/or the cocker/de-cocker lever were omitted. Fit and finish became spotty, and quite a number of examples from the final year do not have matching parts numbers or even a caliber marking on the slide. Still, these “last ditch guns” remained serviceable and deadly. The pistol illustrated here is believed to have been made mid-war, probably in 1943. It carries German “eagle over N” proof marks on the right side of the slide and frame. The military waffenamt acceptance stamp, which for armed services pistols was an “eagle over 37,” is stamped on the left side of the trigger guard. It’s known, although no specific allocation records now exist, that 38H pistols were issued to the Wehrmacht, the Luftwaffe, the Polizei and the Fallschirmjagers (Army, Air Force, Police and Paratroopers). Some also went to the Nazi party. It’s believed that few or none went to the Kriegsmarine (Navy). Police guns usually had a special waffenamt stamp of “eagle over C or F” on the trigger guard. These are considered more desirable by collectors. A number of pistols were produced for the commercial market and these will not have waffenamt stamps.

The overall length of the pistol was 6.73 inches, with the barrel measuring 3.3 inches. It weighed 1 pound and nine ounces. A very few were made experimentally with alloy frames. The action was straight blowback; the slide movement was resisted only by the strength of the recoil spring, the resistance of the internal hammer and the weight of the slide. The front sight was fixed, while the rear sight could be drifted laterally for proper sighting. The top of the slide had a longitudinal strip between the sights that was serrated to prevent glare. The slide did not remain open after the last shot, as there was no slide stop device. Some guns with deluxe features such as engraving, gold inlay, and ivory grips were presented to various Nazi officials. A presentation 38H that once belonged to Sepp Dietrich (1892-1966), former chauffer and bodyguard to Adolf Hitler and later an SS panzer general, sold at auction for over $43,000 in 2004!

This “ghost gun” of World War II has come alive for me, as I’m pleased to have finally discovered one in decent shape. It was ground-breaking during its time in history, and its legacy lives on with many similar features in the modern SIG Sauer pistols. The surviving 38H pistols have become great collectibles now. Values are dependent on the quality of the finish, matching serialed parts, presence or absence of markings, safety levers, cocker/de-cocker levers and original intact Bakelite plastic grips.

(c) 2019 JLM

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

Good job. IMO, one of your finest articles. I have a soft spot in my heart for these 'tween wars and earlier .25 and .32 automatics (I know, they're semi-autos). In those I have handled, superb craftsmanship seems to be the norm, as with this Sauer.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

Great article (as usual)! Those are neat guns, and I regret not having bought the one I was yearning for when I worked in a gun store in '89.

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Now go make God proud...

I own serial number 464168 and it is in great shape. The finish is virtually intact as are the grips. They are marked as you described and I have wondered if they might be reproductions due to their condition.

Slide finish is very nice but machine marks are easily seen on the frame. The accuracy of the pistol surprised me when I shot it with some of the other .32s in my modest collection. I shot it along side Colt .32 1903 pocket hammerless, a couple Savage .32 pocket pistols, and a modern Beretta Tomcat.

I never intended to develop a taste for .32s, but the Colt's history and heritage pulled me in, followed by the Savages. The history of the round makes it irresistible to me.

Your article was outstanding and filled in a lot for me as to the history of the 38H. Thank you for your scholarship and easy to read writing style.

I have one only because I wanted a handgun in .32acp. I never really looked it over or fired it. Now I will retrieve it and look it over. (forgot it until I read this article.

Like practically everything else made by Sauer the 38H is superbly designed and crafted. I have owned one for quite some time and it is a reliable and accurate shooter. If anyone has a chance to acquire one of these grab it.
Jim

Exelente tu informe.
Muchas gracias por compartirlo.

Thanks for a very informative article. Now I have another gun to look for.

Guns and Ammo (I think) had a nice article on these several years ago dealing with the history and use by the Luftwaffe.

Gunsmith-author J.B. Wood profiled several German .32's from WW II. I think he was impressed with the 38H, but think the cocking bar often broke. He wrote this in the 1960's or 70's, so they'd be even more likely now to have aged and become fragile. Better buy a spare.

I like the design, but prefer the exposed hammer of the Walther equivalent.

In the '60's, there was a former CIA officer who wrote spy stories. I'd recall the name if I saw it. He armed his hero in one book with a Sauer 38H, which he acquired at a seaport in India. This was quite plausible, former Axis pistols having reached there. Gandhi, after all, was killed with a Beretta, either a .32 or .380. Someone here probably knows the right model. I'm thinking a M-34 .380. ??

John, your article meets Mark Twain's definition of the perfect speech: long enough to cover the subject , and short enough to be interesting.

De nada.

John

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

Another great write-up. I like all of your writing but I really liked this one.

I got my 38H almost 30 years ago. It was dusty and dirty sitting in the back of a display case in a Juneau Alaska gun shop. I actually flew back in again the next day to buy it. The round trip plane ride was $160.00 which was more than what I paid for the pistol. Still no regrets though.

It’s obviously a later one but has everything still. The grips are replacements as the original right side one is cracked.

Jim

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Yet another great article, John....I have your book....are you planning another volume in the future? Seems you have added quite a few potential entries for one. I'll bet many of us here would love to see a Volume II.

Best Regards, Les

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SWCA 3084, SWHF 495, PGCA 3064

Prices on GB are rather high.
Nice write up.

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Only difference Fool/Mule-ears

Germany's oldest firearms manufacturer they were renowned for their quality. Their K98ks are considered some of the best by collectors, lucky me I have two pre-war. In 1938 they became the last arms manufacturer to put Swastikas on their military firearms.

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LIVE FROM THE DAWGHOUSE

Les, by rough estimate I have written about 60 articles for the Blue Press since the book was published. However, there are no plans for a sequel. Best bet is just to archive the Blue Press issues as they come out. I know many who do exactly that.

Perhaps when I am dead and gone, Dillon will publish a memorial issue of the book which will include more recent articles. I plan to be surprised if they do, however!

John

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

i have one of these, brand new. some years ago an older man was moving to a gun not friendly state and turned in two of them to a lgs that i was friends with. They called me. one had been fired, the other not so. He was in germany at the end of wwII, and a box car was sitting on the rails by a village he was in, full of arms. Commanding officer okay'd taking the pistols as keepsakes. I have never fired it, and it's in its original condition, me just oiling it now and then. I kind of like german hjandguns and have collected a number of them. An artillery luger i obtained a number of years ago is serial numbered to the bayerische division of wwI. The commander of that artillery unit i later found out has my last name and most likely a relative. That luger found it's way home. Never shot it either.

Could that have been Donald Hamilton and his Matt Helm series?

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

Nice article on a gun that I never heard of. If you are not careful, you learn stuff on this forum.

Fine article.
My late uncle Henry had one of those, but I don’t know anything about it, other than it had a swastika stamped on it. He was in European Theatre. No idea what came of it, but when I saw it as a kid, it was in very nice condition. Henry took good care of his firearms.

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Halfway and one more step

Interesting article about an intriguing pistol. It looks like one I would love to own.

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Oh well, what the hell.

Great read.
I'm pretty sure one of these has been sitting at my local shop for a month or two now. They want $499 for it, but it has a matte silver finish, so I'm assuming someone had it hard chromed or another like finish. Possibly another "ruined" war trophy. Otherwise, I may have picked it up by now.

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Watch & Pray

I had one in very good shape with original holster and two mags. Sold it two years ago for 650. Should have never sold it!

No. I recall Hamilton's name well and read all of his books, Helm and others.

He was a Naval officer in WWII, but doubt he was in Intelligence and no later CIA affiliation known.

I think this other author was named David or his character was. I'd know the name, if seen.

Did you know that Hamilton was born in Sweden? Immigrated here with his parents when quite young. I think he returned to Sweden in old age and died there about 2006.

I've seen two of these pistols in my day and passed on both of them, though I really would like to get one some day. The first one had been refinished in nickel and most of the markings were gone. The other was a late production one that was very beat up and didn't have the cocking/de-cocking lever. If I end up getting one I would like it to have that feature. Someday one will come my way.