Lots of folks own Walthers, but a P88?

[maineiac]

I own Walther stuff too, the P38, the PPK/S and the PPS, but I still think that the P88 is the best! What are your thoughts? This is a quiet page. Speak up!














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[Gmountain]

I think you need large hands to really enjoy the P88.

[Sonny Boy]

I have the P88 and the P88C and for me the P88C is great for hand size. However I do not like the decocker safety control on the Compact. The system on the P88 is much, much better.

[TLock762X51]

I agree. I have 2 P-88s, and they're fantastic pistols, with superb trigger pulls. I have handled, but never fired, several P-88Cs, and I just don't care for them...no offense intended to those who own and like them.

For me, the decocker/safety on the P-88C just doesn't make sense. The decocker on the P-88 is excellent, in my opinion...and I just don't understand why Walther moved away from it when they built the P-88C. If my hand was such that the P-88 was too large, I'd probably opt for the P-5 over the P-88C.

I don't see me ever owning one of the Compacts, unless I stumbled upon one for a ridiculously low price...and even then, I'd probably just flip it. Again...no offense intended to those who are fans of the P-88C.

Tim

[maineiac]

Glad for the responses. Actually, mine is a P88C. It fits my hand well, and shoots well too. Question: how does the safety differ from the P88 non-C? Seems to me that my P88C safety works like my PPK/S - no? The P88C is ambidextrous, but when the hammer is cocked (obviously with the safety off), putting the safety on decocks the piece. Is there something wrong with that?

[TLock762X51]

Well, "wrong" is rather subjective. But, IMO the safety on the P-88C, as with the PP series, P-38, most S&W semi-autos, Ruger P-series, Beretta 92s, etc...move in the wrong direction, and are slide-mounted rather than frame-mounted. That is to say, to disengage the safety one has to push the safety lever away from you with your thumb, which is a rather awkward and unnatural motion.

On the other hand, pistols such as the 1911, Browning Hi-Power, CZ-75, Makarov and others use a natural downward sweeping motion with the thumb to disengage the safety, which are generally frame-mounted. This can be accomplished with very little effort without having to shift your grip at all.

Now, the P-88 is slightly different, in that it doesn't really have a manual safety, per se. It only has a frame-mounted decocking lever, which safely lowers the hammer, but still allows the pistol to be fired through the longer DA trigger pull. This same decocking lever does double duty as the slide release.

Any of the above pistols whose safeties move in the "wrong" direction could have that disadvantage nullified by simply using the safety to lower the hammer, and then immediately disengaging the safety so that the pistol is able to fire instantly by a simple DA trigger pull. The only consideration here is if the pistol in question is completely safe to carry in that manner. The S&Ws, Beretta 92, and Rugers probably are...not so sure about the PP series.

Another consideration is that historically many pistols with slide-mounted decockers, such as the P-38 and I believe the PP series and some Rugers, have had breakage issues when allowing the hammer to fall freely by using the decocker. I know that there have been plenty of examples of P-38s that have broken, and will fire if the hammer is allowed to fall at full speed on a live round while using the decocker. With my P-38 and PP series or any designs that allow the hammer to freefall during decocking, I always use my thumb to gently lower the hammer while using the decocking lever. But with designs such as the P-88, P-5, and Sigs one can control the speed which the hammer drops by slowly releasing pressure on the decocking lever, which allows the hammer to drop much more slowly. While the design itself may be robust enough that this is not necessary...it is somewhat comforting to be able to do it.

Sorry for the "wordiness" of this explanation. I hope that it was at least somewhat informative.

Tim

[maineiac]

Great explanation. You explained it perfectly, and now I believe I understand it. Although my PPS doesn't have a hammer so of course doesn't have a decocker, it also is DAO without a safety except the one on the trigger.

[majette]

will add to this thread soon...

[majette]

here is mine, details and more pics in a new thread...

[parabellum]

I own a stone mint P88 and it sits in one of my safe deposit boxes, and exists for me simply as an objet d'art. On the other hand, I have a P88C that would make a decent defensive pistol.