Quote[/b] ]Ken,
You are bad!!! How could you go to Germany without stopping by? I love to have visitors which I can show around! I live 40 miles west of Munich in a 2021 year old town.
Next time when you come over please let me know.
P5 / P99
Well here comes the long answer:
Like the U.S. Germany consists of different states. Germany got 16 states.
The system of purchasing guns for the Police is different from your system. German Police departments will not buy pistols individually. If the Police buy new equipment then it is always per state. For example in Bavaria (Munich is the capital city of Bavaria) the Police carries the H&K P7.
In Baden Württemberg (where both companies H&K and Walther are) the Police used to carry the P5, but 2 or 3 years ago they changed to H&K P2000.
Basically the German states carry either SIG Sauer, H&K or Walther.
Normally once a new model is bought the Police stays with it for a long time. So right now you will still find P5, P6 (= P225) and P7. So they have been in use for more than 25 years.
If one of the states of Germany decides to by a new pistol, they can not just by any pistol on the market. The pistol needs to comply with the specifications of the German Police. These specifications are federal. All states have to follow it.
So the new gun needs to comply with the specifications and it got to be tested according to the test specs of the German Police.
So far only H&K P2000, P30 and Walther P99 AS and P99 DAO Full Size and Compact passed this test.
One state (Rheinland Pfalz) still carries the P5, and Nordrhein Westfalen just introduced the P99 DAO (40,000 pieces).
Kind regards,
Peter