Walther P5 ?

J

juliet charley

New member
Dropped in at one my local gun emporiums today and found a Walther P5. It's in its original box, with manual, and two magazines (one evidently unused). I'd say it's in an easy 98% condition. They're asking $610 for it (or my nearly new P229, .40 and $25).

Is this a good deal, just a deal or a rip-off?

I'm not familiar with the P5, but it I really liked what I saw--it felt good and a good trigger pull (both DA and SA). I had been looking for a concealed carry gun as the P229 has proven to be a bit thick (primarily) and little heavy. The only will drawback I could see is that it's a 9 mm (no slur on the 9 mm, I just prefer 10 mm +).

Is good, bad or indifferent as carry gun? Run back and trade-in my Sig, or run the other way, fast?

Thanks
 
Snap it up!!!

The walther P5 is the refinement of the P38. It shares the same lockwork, and takedown. It was designed for a compitition posted by the W.German police commission after the 1972 Olympic massacre. Three pistols were chosen: The Walther P5, the HK-P7, and the Sig 225, or P6. The P5 is the best of the lot IMHO!!!! :) It is a fine accurate pistol. Mine shoots better than I am capable of right now, only because it is new, and the trigger is still a bit stiff. I carry mine in a Bianchi Shadow II.

This is a good price, snap it up!!!!:D
 
That's not a bad price at all. You might find though, that the slide is as thick or thicker on the P5 as the P229. Lockwork is definitely smoother. Grip feels better than any pistol I've ever held including the P99.

Unlike the P.38, the barrel is supported at both the front and rear and is extremely accurate. Wood looks great on them too.
 
You will love the P-5 as I do. This is one of my favorite guns of all. I traded one in many years ago and kicked my butt for it. I bought another one and would not trade it, this gun it would be the last gun I would trade away. Best grip feel of any handgun I ever shot it fits my hand perfect. $ 610.00 is about right for perfect condition P-5 used. The new guns are running about $650.00 so your in the ball park, buy it you will love it.;)
 
P-5, what a champ! Accurate, sturdy, and a dream for a right hander to clear. Magazines are a little on the pricey side though. Also beware of P-38 mags that will fit but not function in your P-5.
 
They fit, but they will not latch. They lack the slot on the bottom of the mag spine that the P5 uses. The engagement height is slightly too high as well.
 
P5-P-38 Mags?

It was said that they'd fit, but not function. Can they be made to function with some modifications?
 
No. The magazine bodies are not quite of the same dimensions.

The P.38 magazine is slightly taller. I suppose you could cut the slot in the appropriate position. I don't think I would want the extra mag hanging out the bottom of my P5.

If you can afford a P5, you should be able to afford an extra mag.
 
I am currently in the process of learning to shoot my P5. Saturday, I took it to the range, and practiced DA shots. This are my difficulty: hitting the target with the first DA shot.(Those of you who have it, know what I mean. ;) ) After about 50 times of de-cock/fire, the finger was getting a little tired, but I did start hitting the target.:) Gee, I'm glad I didn't have this confustacation with my P99!!!! Juliet, definitely get the P5. The DA trigger gets a little getting used to, that's all!!!:D
 
Hello Denfoote
Before I get you hoping mad at me I will state that I love my Walther P5 dearly. But I see you have discovered for yourself the great drawback of any double action , single action pistol of any brand or make. When I get serious I always carry a locked and cocked single action pistol. It enables me to hit what I am aiming at with the first shot. Under stress there are very few people that can hit anything with a double action first shot except at a range of literally 5 or 6 feet. I have witnessed this many times by observing people at our range in draw and shoot senarios.
The Walther was decended from the P38 but do not let anyone call your P5 a P38. That would be an insult. The P5 is very different in a lot of ways in the internals of the gun. Accuracy is much better than the P38 because of the huge lug on the front of the barrel. The extractor is completely redesigned to eliminate the blowing out of the extrator that often happens on P38's (I am speaking from much experience not hot air). The passive firing pin safety is much different and much more durable. Although the accuracy of the P5 is much improved I have found it is in no way a match for Walthers later model P88 (origninal full size P88 not the compact P88 which is a different gun) or the Walther P99 that is quite accurate for an out of the box pistol.
The Walther P5 is a much more pleasant gun to shoot than the Walther P99. You do not have the recoil or vibration of a light weight plastic pistol. Both have their advantages. Light weight and very good accuracy with the P99. Pleasant recoil and extreme reliablity with the P5. (I have had no reliability problems with the P99 also).
Because I am old fashioned if I had to sell one I would probably keep the P5 even though it is a bit less accurate. The P99 is a very consistant gun when it comes to group size. I hate to admit it but the P99' s trigger is also much better. My P5's trigger ,due to the unique tilting firing pin can never be as smooth as the P99's.
I like the looks and feel of the Walther P5. It has the sexy look of a thorough bred handgun. Its left side ejection makes people stop and stare and its simple do everything side lever control is a simple as they get. Thank God it did not have the dual levers of the Sig-Sauer line of pistols. I like the Walther P5 very much, it has proved far more durable and reliable than the many P38's both old and modern that I have owned. W.R.
 
I was lucky enough to find and purchase two consecutive serial # P5s. I wish we had more of them in stock at the gun store where I work. It is a great handgun for left handers. No one else in he store paid much attention to them until I clued them in on the benifits of the controls. They would just say the guns were designed with a backwards ejection port and go to the next case.

I sold five of seven in two weeks and everyone that purchased one has come back to thank me.

There are several answers I would appreciate from some of the more knowledgeable owners here.

Where can I get extra magazines?

Who can make a holster like the BI PDQ?

Who has wood grips?

Where can I get parts?

I have asked all these questions from the importer and have gotten no answers.

Help would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers,

ts
 
BMGGS80,
All your questions will be answered by going to www.waltherusa.net !!! Earl's Repair Shop is a major Walther dealer, who carries, or can get anything you might need or want for your Walther pistol. He is VERY pricy, though!!!!:eek:
 
I'm relatively new here but I must say, I can never make sense of Wild Romanian's posts. People can't hit targets with DA pistols under stress? HUH? Nearly every police organization in the United States issues double action autos for just that purpose, shooting under stress. Not only are DA autos such as the Glock or Walther good for the job, they are preferred over SA 1911's by staggering margins. Please, I understand that we are all posting our opinions but they should at least be well reasoned.
 
what does walther say about +p in the p5? The usual "dont over do it" I would guess? Any restrictions?
 
to Alaska: Police departments issue double action auto's for a variety of reasons. Hitting with the first shot is not one of them. One of the reasons the glock is so popular with the police is because it is not a double action pistol at all and it enables officers to hit what they are shooting at with the first shot. By the way your statement that the glock is a double action pistol is inaccurate. I suggest you pull the trigger on a Glock and then pull the trigger on a double action pistol like the Sig 226. You will immediately see the difference in comparing trigger pulls and hit probability with the first shot.
Why do not police departments use the 1911 instead of the Glock? Public relations pure and simple. The sight of a cocked and locked pistol not only scares the public but it scares a lot of police who are, lets face it ,not firearms enthusiasts and if they have never owned or been trained on the 1911 they are apprehensive about carring it locked and cocked. The sad fact is that the 1911, old fashioned as it is, has proven to be a vastly safer gun than the newer glock which has no manuel or grip safety.
Police departmens have even chosen to put extra heavy triggers on the Glock. It is called the New York trigger. The reason. They know that under stress police may inadvertently pull the trigger on their weapon at the wrong moment resulting in an accidental shooting. Again this type of trigger has nothing to do with first round hits.
It all boils down to this. You can have a very heavy double action pull which helps to cut down on accidental shootings by the police but at the same time renders the weapon pretty useless when you are actually trying to hit anything with it. Life is a double edge sword and sometimes hard choices have to be made. No weapon is perfect and the police are issued weapons that are politically correct, not necessarily the weapon that is easiest to hit with on the first shot or even subsequent shots ( like the glock new york trigger).
Military considerations are often very different. Here, once in a great while a nation actually adopts a rugged, reliable , easy to maintain pistol that very seldom fails its user. This is why the 1911 was adopted. So far nothing better has come along in almost 100 years. The other near do well copies and clones do not eve come close when the weapons merits are considered from an overall perspective. Given the 1911's 90 year history I find it ridiculous that we are even comparing it to all the lesser pistols of the world. W.R.
 
Negatory.

The P-5 was built to fire FMJ +P ammo. It is a stout peice of equipment despite the aluminum frame.

A few years ago we had a factory sell off, less than 500 bucks, now prices seem to have spiked.

You may need to have the ramp worked on too fire some Hollowpoints.
 
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