Walther P88

2

2kiddad

New member
Next to the Springfield 1911A1 9mm I saw the other day was a Walther P88. I'd never seen one before. Another sweet pistola! But, like I mentioned in the SA 1911 thread, I can't afford another gun, (much less two!).

Talk to me about the P88. What's its reputation? Reliability? If I'm not mistaken, they aren't produced anymore, are they? This one is a German model, imported by Interarms. Rather expensive, but...maybe layaway???
 
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The P88 is one of the highest qulaity centerfire gun in my collection. The very tight fit and finish are top notch. A little too tight as I have had occasional jams using rounds with fatter, less sleek bullets with my gun like hollwpoints. It feeds 115gr ball 100% though. I'm sure the more I shoot it it'll loosen up a bit but I've got other guns for serious use. Otherwise, a beautiful, well made pistol. I like everything about it except that the grip is a bit wide towards the top rear for my hand. It has the smoothest and lightest DA trigger. The ambi controls are a big plus. Other than the grip, it's actually rather slim.

They are out of production. It should come with 2 mags, a cleaning tool, manual and test target all in a rather cheap looking brown box. Paid $900 NIB OTD in the early '90s for mine. Some consider the external action bar (like the Beretta's) a potential negative, but not me.

Less expensive knock-offs and derivatives of the P88 design include the Bersa Thunder9, Mini FireStorm9 (produced by Bersa), and the TZ99 (similar ambi controls). The Bersas are very close to the design of the P88 other than the ambi decocking safety instead of a slidestop/decocker and no adjustable trigger stop.
 
p88wood.jpg


Discontinued in 1996. The earlier examples had a dovetailed front sight. Later ones had the front sight machined into the slide. 15 round standard capacity magazines were sold with the P88. Don't let a dealer screw you on this. I've heard stories of dealers swapping out the mags for 10 rounders.

Probably the finest production 9mm ever produced with accuracy second to none.
 
Sweetness!!

This gun is my favorite in my collection. It is extremely accurate. Mine has worked well with everything fed to it. For a 9mm handgun, it is the Mercedes! Only the P210 can compete with it.

P99
 
Herr Walther, where does one find 10 round magazines for a Walther P88? Why? That is enough capacity for range work and I find the 15 rounders too expensive ($100-125) for this. Also, very nice grips. Where did they come from? Thanks and regards, Richard
 
For a 9mm handgun, it is the Mercedes! Only the P210 can compete with it.....


I'm quite sure a number of HK P7 fans would argue with that statement. :D Out of the these three ( P7, 210, P88) the only one I am currently lacking is the P88. I did see one at the Indy 1500 show yesterday LNIB for $700 and was chopping at the bit for...Oh well maybe another time. This will probably be on my look-for list in the future.
 
My mistake. it is the P88C that the mags are frequently exchanged out for 10 rounders instead of the current 14 round mags.

The grips are from Germany. They are manufactured on CNC equipment by a firm that provides grips for Walther as well as Sig-Sauer. Probably other European handguns as well. Not very well known in the States.

Very $$$$$.
 
I suppose that some one (and particularly HK owners) would argue about anything but this Pistol is the real deal. A P7 requires getting used to the squeeze grip (not an easy task for some). The squeeze gip saftymodels by HK are least likely o\in their line to compete with anything. Yes, they have their outspoken dedicated followers but nobody that I ever met was luke warm on them and many (MYself included) found them totally unsatisfactory.

Now the Walther P88 is not my favorite pistol. As mentioned above, I felt the grip a little too fat but, even so, it was not totally objectionable like a squeeze grip safty is. OTOH, nobody can faulty the quality materials and workmanship. Reliability is not an issue, accuracy has already be attested, fit and finish was top notch.

The P88 had a fairly big write-up in Gun Digest in the year it was introduced (afraid to say about which year...someone will correct me). The slide machined from solid block of stock, etc, etc, etc, and on and on about the quality.

It retailed for $1500.00 when it was introduced. It wound up being heavily discounted in order to sell it in the recession of the day. I paid $850.00 the second year of production. Walther finally stopped shipping these expensive pistols to the US market but it is my understanding that they continued in Europe (and may continue yet).

If you like Wonder Nines Grab one while you can.

PigPen
 
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