I can't answer your question exactly, but the following might be helpful:

There were five sizes of front sights for the P4, numbered 1-5. The height of the blade (not including the dovetail) in millimeters:

No. 1 = 6.8
No. 2 = 6.5
No. 3 = 6.1
No. 4 = 5.7
No. 5 = 5.4

Lowering the front sight will raise the point of impact , so you need a No. 3, 4, or 5.
Which one will require you to do some math.

Just a suggestion: before you go changing sights, let somebody else shoot the gun and see where they hit. And if you are using handloads or 147 gr. bullets, first try some standard 115 gr. factory ammo.

M

 

First of all, thank you very much for the information. Yes, I have had several people shoot the gun and it shoots very low. To further confirm that, I purchased a 9mm laser bore sight which also helps to show my low point of impact. I am using 115gr PMC FMJ ammo. I've got to really think about my math though. I wonder if Walther has any info on which sight is supposed to be on at a certain distance?
Thanks again,
George

 

MGMike: This is terrific information; thanks for sharing it. Do you know if the P4 sights that you reference here apply to the P1 and the post-war P38 models as well? The information would be a more than servicable Sticky, as this question comes up from time to time.

 

Two different forms of front sight were used on the P.38 and P1, the early thin blade and the late wide one with a white dot insert. The P4 uses the latter, and they are numbered the same.

There were six sizes of the early thin blades, and they do NOT follow the same numerical order or measurements of the later type. Note that the basis of designation is different. The numbers below correspond to the tenth of millimeter.

(unmarked) = 6.7 (millimeters)
0 = 7.0
2 = 6.2
4 = 6.4
5 = 6.5
9 = 5.9

This data came directly from a Walther spare parts list.

M

 

If it were me, I'd just "see" more of my front sight and be done with it.

M

 

That's great stuff, MGMike. Thanks for sharing your expertise and resources with the forum. This will no doubt help the next person who experiences something similar.

I personally prefer the both-eyes-open, big picture, point/aim method for the Walther pistols and generally pay little attention to the sights, be it with the PP, the PPK/S, the P38, the P1, the P5, the 88C, or the P99, all of which are regular range visitors. I couldn't currently tell you whether the sights on any of my pistols are on-target or off-, but I shoot well enough with all of them.

 

Well, I do use the sights. But in this case, instead of having the front and rear sights even across the top, the sight picture would show the front sight sticking up a bit higher. A little practice will demonstrate how much higher it needs to appear, and it's not hard to remember -- even for me.

M

 

G'day Y'all.

A trick I have used over the years when I have a too tall front sight is to get a roll of 1/8" Post It brand correction tape.
(I colour it orange with a highlighter but my buddy leaves it white.)
I wrap a small strip horizontally across the front sight. In essience I now have a nice orange ramp front sight.
By reapplying the tape, (it usually will only stick once or twice) I can quickly find the right point of aim.

I'd then measure the distance from the edge of the tape to the top of the original sight, of in the case of the Walther, the distance from the top edge of the tape to the bottom of the dovetail. Then you'll know what height blade you need to get, or how much to file off the one you have.

I originally tried cutting small pieces of masking tape but, for me at least, I find the Post It tape much easier to work with since you can just tear off a short strip with your fingers.

I hope this helps.

 

Thank you.

That explains my unmarked front sight.

Mine shoots about 4 inches low as well, and has the L marked rear sight which doesn't help with lateral placement either.

 

I wonder if anyone knows what the Walther factory intended for the point of impact distance to be for each different front sight, i.e., is the number three front sight supposed to be dead on at 10 meters etc?

 

Don't be lazy. Drag out your high school trig and start drawing triangles.
You can calculate it mathematically.

I can't, because I have forgotten how.

M

 

Would the bullet shape, weight, and velocity have an impact (so to speak)? Must be getting old...used to know this stuff too...

Milspec

 

Of course it does. The problem is that we don't know what load the Walther factory used in calibrating the sights to begin with.

Not that it really matters. Most people don't shoot precisely enough to tell the difference.

Especially at 7 yards. Every group looks good when you can see it with the lower part of bifocals.

M

 

Complicating all those triangles is the fact that the gun is describing an arc as it rises in recoil before the bullet exits the bore...
Better some empirical data with your own gun.

Mike, understand your point from a practicality standard, but I'm way too fond of a traditional Walther sight picture without any weirdness. I have enough trouble seeing the damn sights without altering their relationship.
There is an even better sight picture for those of us with aging eyes; the Glock 'ball in the box' really works for me.
Ray Charles could win a gunfight with Glock sights.
Moon

 

...
There is an even better sight picture for those of us with aging eyes; the Glock 'ball in the box' really works for me.
Ray Charles could win a gunfight with Glock sights.
Moon

Funny you mention Glock, Moon. I happen to think that Glock sights are the very best that any manufacturer puts on a pistol today. They make left-right sight alignment much easier for my old eyes -- so much so that I'm contemplating ordering some extra Glock rear sights to try on other guns.

A handgun that shoots high doesn't bother me at all; I just hold at 6 o-clock, and only if that's not enough to roughly center the group at 50 feet do I bother with a higher front sight. After all it's a handgun, not a sniper rifle. Holding a "short" front sight will also work but is not good, as it minimizes the part one really needs to see and focus on. On some guns it is possible to cut down (and sometimes re-notch) the rear sight, but that's the long way home. Changing out or building up the front sight is usually easier.

However, if the gun shoots low, that's a bigger problem because the gun obscures the POI and one can't see what he's trying to hit. So one either needs to substitute a higher rear sight, or file down the front. Such alterations always worry me, as a 80% of the time a low POI is the result of an undiagnosed flinch. At least if the front sight is set into a dovetail, one can always go back; not so with a file.

M

 

The WII front sight was different than the post war P-1 front sight. Here are those measurements.The first set is for Mauser and Walther

Sight number height in mm
2 -------------------- --------6.2
3 -----------------------------6.3
4 -------------------- --------6.4 standard size
5 -----------------------------6.5
6 -------------------- --------6.6

For Spreewerk
Plus (+)-------------------7.0
Non (blank)------------ 6.7
Minus (-)-----------------6.4

Source P.38 collectors forum.

 

I want to change out my sights on my P1 . I like the white dot sights better my old eyes need all the help they can get. How hard is it to take off front sight ?

 

How hard is it to take off front sight ?

Welcome to the forum.

I've replaced several front sights among my P38 collection. It isn't hard at all but the new sight might need some minor fitting with a file before installation.