Walther P1 a good buy?

[IMshooter]

I've got a little bit of money burning a hole in my pocket and just ran across what looks like a great deal on a Walther P1.  These are surplus German police pistols in very good condition for just $195 at www.simpsonltd.com  What is even more amazing, there is a Gander Mountain store in MN that just closed out their Walther P1s at $150 each and included a spare mag. and holster!

So who here has some experience with the Walther P1?  Should I order one up?

[Smilin' Jack]

Definitely. The Walther P1 is a post-war version of the legendary German Wehrmacht Walther P38 pistol which was the very first locked-breech type pistol to utilize a double action trigger, and also incorperates a decocking lever. The only difference being that the Model P1's receiver is constructed of an aluminum alloy as opposed to steel.

 There has been a glut of surplus P1's exported to the U.S. in the last few years ... eventually this market will dry up.

I regard the Walther P1 as a very unique, desirable, dependable somewhat historic, and accurate service pistol.

There is also a shorter barreled version of the P1, the P4- and lastly a modernized version of the P38 manufactured in the 80's, the Walther P5, and P5-C (Compact) which are quite expensive and regarded as high quality service pistols. I have a P1 and a P5.

I did once hear a comment, as regards the Walther P1 however, refered to as:

~ ~ ~ "Eight warning shots and an aimed throw." ~ ~ ~

[Mikey]

The P-1/P-38s or any of the Walther Pistol Models in 9mm are a good buy and depending on the price, may be a great buy.

"8 warning shots and an aimed throw" - you can blame that on the Walther trigger, which you have to master. 

I have owned and shot numerous P-38/P-1s and they are a hoot.  Don't let anyone kid you about their accuracy - once you master the trigger, which is long and torturous in double action, you can have a ball with the P-1/38.  Even in signle action the trigger needs practice as it comes complete with about a mile of travel after let-off.  It really isn't that bad at all.

If someone showed me a decent looking P-1 or P-4 I would most likely buy the gun. If you decide to purchase the gun I would recommend you work on the trigger pull.  The 'pull' isn't bad, it is the trigger travel after let-off that throws many shooters.  The way to improve this is to do exactly what the 1911 shooters do to improve trigger pull or shorten after travel - put in a adjustment screw.  we used to do this with Lugers, too. When you get the pistol take it to your gunsmith and have him install a small hex-head set screw into the trigger that would adjust to butt up against the rear of the trigger guard and shorten the rear-ward travel of the trigger after let-off.  It makes a world of difference in those Walthers and might cost you all of $25.  You can probably do this yourself.  HTH.  Mikey.

[coyotejoe]

The P38 was a fine military handgun, very reliable and easy to handle. They are not target guns and cannot be made into target guns but they shoot more accurately than anyone shoots while being shot at.  Of course, that's true of about any handgun.

[His lordship.]

I had a P-1 for about 2 years, very reliable and accurate at normal handgun ranges in warm weather.  However, if you run oil and grease to keep them lubricated in colder weather there can be problems.  I oil and grease my guns well, but not to excess, I shot my P-1 when it was 48 degrees at 50 yards and the gun jammed frequently (stove pipe jambs), I could not hit any of the targets at 50 yards during that shooting session, traded it for a Browning Buck mark.

My other hand guns will hit a target at 50 and 100 yards, and will function in 25 degree weather.  I guess the Walthers were made to be run without lube in colder weather.

[Mikey]

It might be that the walther pistols are designed to run more on the dry side than on the heavily lubed side, like the P-08 Lugers.  If you lube a Luger the way you lube a 1911 you are quite liable to jam up the pistol with even small amounts of dirt and crud. 

The Lugers were made to very close tolerances and instructions provided for a very light lubrication.  The Walther was made to replace the P-08 with a more functional and reliable field piece but if tolerances are close then I would lube on the light side.

But, since I have a P-38 and it is 9 degrees onna outside today, I may load the darn thing up and leave it out in the cold and see what happens.  Mikey.