It was intended to replace the costly Luger P08, the production of which was scheduled to end in 1942. Walther P38 Serial Numbers Lookup The Walther P38 (originally written Walther P.38) is a 9 mmsemi-automatic pistol that was developed by Carl Walther GmbH as the service pistol of the Wehrmacht at the beginning of World War II.Those factors were: cost, reliability, and fewer parts. He also decided that the design and construction of the new pistol would have to improve upon the negative factors of the P08 Luger.

Fritz Walther knew at once that only a design in 9mm Parabellum would be successful. Fritz Walther saw an opportunity for his company and immediately began working on a series of designs that would ultimately lead to the success known today as the Walther P38. By 1931, the German army had already began their search for a new standard service pistol to replace the aging and costly P08 Parabellum, better known as the 'Luger'.