Single stack nines: Walther P5

[American1776]

I was recently lucky enough to find a Walther P5 that was in my price range and came with original box, manual, two mags, cleaning rod.

I've always wanted one of these, and from what I've observed over the years, their prices have gone up and up significantly. Walther has ceased production, and prices will only continue to rise as years go by.

Left-side ejection, duel recoil springs, locking block, alloy frame. Slide-release and de-cocker are the same lever. Looks like a PPK on 'roids. The single stack grip fits the hand perfectly.

I think that this pistol and the H&K P7 will only become rarer and more expensive as time goes by. I'm now looking to get the P7 soon before prices go into the stratosphere.

[harold63]

Would you also look in to getting an HK USP Elite .45....before the price of it goes in to the stratosphere. I know where you can get one.



I do like those James Bond pistols.

[American1776]

Would you also look in to getting an HK USP Elite .45....before the price of it goes in to the stratosphere. I know where you can get one.



I do like those James Bond pistols.

At the moment, just the P7. Thanks for the heads up though.

[Noah_Zark]

Left-side ejection, duel recoil springs, locking block, alloy frame. Slide-release and de-cocker are the same lever. Looks like a PPK on 'roids. The single stack grip fits the hand perfectly.

It's closer to a P38 / P1 than a PPk.

I had one about 10-12 yrs ago, and it had a horrible trigger pull that affected accuracy. My P225s / P6s shot rings around the P5, so the P5 went to a new home.

Cool looking pistol, and is what can be considered the "final" evolution of the venerable P38.

Congrats!

Noah

[American1776]

It's closer to a P38 / P1 than a PPk.

I had one about 10-12 yrs ago, and it had a horrible trigger pull that affected accuracy. My P225s / P6s shot rings around the P5, so the P5 went to a new home.

Cool looking pistol, and is what can be considered the "final" evolution of the venerable P38.

Congrats!

Noah

Thanks! I've been considering Sig P225 as well, since the P5, P6, P7 were the three German pistols that made the German trials in the 70s. How does the Sig p6 compare to the HK P7? Is it a gun worth getting for the price?

[wanneroo]

Thanks! I've been considering Sig P225 as well, since the P5, P6, P7 were the three German pistols that made the German trials in the 70s. How does the Sig p6 compare to the HK P7? Is it a gun worth getting for the price?

I love the P6, very accurate and fun to shoot. I've shot it plenty of times in IDPA as well. There are a few threads on them here with more info. Mine is still doing fine but probably within a few years to keep it going well into the future it will need all the springs replaced and the slide and frame refinished. The P225 is essentially the same gun with a few very minor detail differences. I've seen 2 very nice ones in recent times and prices run $400-$450.

The P7 for what it is I think is getting too pricey.

[Noah_Zark]

Thanks! I've been considering Sig P225 as well, since the P5, P6, P7 were the three German pistols that made the German trials in the 70s. How does the Sig p6 compare to the HK P7? Is it a gun worth getting for the price?

IMO, the P7 is a animal of a completely different type, given the squeeze-cock action for the striker thing. Personally, it's an alien concept and I hate it, and have never considered purchase of one. It is fairly compact, but that's about all it has going for it, again IMO.

That said, I think it's cool to have representative samples of the P5, P6, and P7 German Police Pistols in a collection and that was a goal of mine until the P5 I bought had a horrible trigger and lousy accuracy, and the one time I handled and fired a friend's P7 (100 rds) soured me on the completely different squeeze mechanism.

The P5, P6, and P7:



The Walther P5 and the SIG P6 are more comparable than either with the P7; locked breech, DA/SA, exposed hammer, decocking feature, etc.

I'll admit I'm a SIG fan, mostly because I've always been able to pick up a "historic" P-series pistol (P220, P225.P6, P226, P228, P229) and fire it well and accurately. The latter being very important, because to paraphrase Townsend Whelen, "Only accurate (firearms) are interesting."

Noah

[BionicMan]

Thanks! I've been considering Sig P225 as well, since the P5, P6, P7 were the three German pistols that made the German trials in the 70s. How does the Sig p6 compare to the HK P7? Is it a gun worth getting for the price?

Absolutely. To be perfectly honest, it's my favorite pistol, and I've owned over 30 Sig's, Walther's, Kimber's, Ruger's, Smith's, etc.

[Noah_Zark]

Absolutely. To be perfectly honest, it's my favorite pistol, and I've owned over 30 Sig's, Walther's, Kimber's, Ruger's, Smith's, etc.

Hard to argue with that target.

This is what I meant by "I've always been able to pick up a "historic" P-series pistol and fire it well and accurately" in my post above.

I never get tired of seeing BM's photo . . .

Noah

[GonzoGeezer]

I have been trying to collect pistols that either were polizeipistolen or models that were used. So far I have examples of the P1, P3, P4, P5, and P6, as well as an FN1910 and Star Model B. Original P7s of any variation have gone out of my price range, as had the P5 after I bought mine. There are still a lot more "P" pistols to go.

The P5 ended up being more popular with the Dutch police than German police or commercial users. The P6 was very widely used because it was the cheapest of the three.

The P6, like most SIGs, is a great shooter. For me the P5 is better in SA than DA. The action of that cam raising the firing pin into position takes some getting used to. The P4 has the same feature.