[Shakey]

I'm new to the board and hooked up with this site because there's a general lack of Walther groups here on the net. While I have a P1 and a P38 my two P5s are my favorite Walther pieces and close to being my favorite pistols hands down. I had one of the P5s at the range today and no matter how much I shoot these pistols they never cease to amaze me. For a 3.5" barrel the P5 has to be one of the most accurate and reliable semi-autos you can own. The nice thing is they are still quite reasonable. I've had a friend tell me that the P5 is too heavy to use as a carry piece, yet the same guy carries a 1911 for his CCW. Go figure. While I really like the decocker I do wish the P5 had an external safety for cocked and locked. The single action trigger is one of the best out of the box I've used. In fact I think my HK P7M8 is the only pistol I own that can beat it for SA trigger quality. While the DA is a bit heavy and long it is at least smooth. Not much else to say. I just wanted to pitch in my 2 cents worth on a truely well crafted and great shooting gun. If you don't already own one you really should consider it. I'm thinking about getting a third, maybe the compact this time around. It's either that, or a PP in .32. I do enjoy shooting the little .32s. It's just that the P5c is calling out for me to buy it. We'll see.

 

[MostlyNines]

As my ID implies, I owned a P88 full size that had to be sold to pay some medical bills. I recently came across a P5 LNIB with all paperwork, and just had to have it. It is a remarkable piece of engineering and is a great companion for my Chantilly P7M8. I have a P99c AS and it is my CC pistol -- the P5 and P7 are reserved for fondling and special days at the range. Great guns all.

 

[Jake Starr]

I was able to pick up a NIB P5 and put some Nill combat grips on it...it is one very handsome pistol. Of all the pistols that I own I put the P5 up there in the same category as my Colt SAA .45. They are both classics in their own time. Thing is I like my P5 so well it has become a ?safe queen.? They give so much pride in ownership. I am considering a P5c sometime in the future?.

 

[banddr2]

Yes, its hard to believe the P5 has gotten so many bad raps over the years. I will never forget a gun writer calling it a "re-worked P38". People are really ignorant to what an accurate and reliable firearm it is. Some fault it for its thickness, but what about Berettas and Sigs, they are every bit as thick. It is too bad that Interarms and Walther could not market it better. Another problem was it was very costly to make with all the machining required. The P5 is just an example of superior Walther engineering and workmanship. It is a great piece of history to own and one that is reliable to shoot for a long time. Enjoy!

 

[Jake Starr]

It is too bad that Interarms and Walther could not market it better.

This is the main downfall of Walther here in the USA. In Europe Walther has a great reputation and people are proud to own them and others respect them...here most people just associate Walther with Bond and see it as a gentlemen's gun, which it is... but it is also capable of going down in the dirt and banging away with the best of them...it maybe a police pistol but it would make a fine military sidearm.

 

[banddr2]

Yes, I have read accounts of where the P38 was very reliable in North Afrika service for the Wehrmacht, where there is tons of sand and dirt to gum it up. And of course the Beretta is based on that design, but I have been reading trouble with those in the dessert. We should be using the more moder P99 and Glock types in our armed forces.

 

[Shakey]

The tolerances on the Berettas seem a little tighter than on the P38. That would account for grit jamming the works more easily. The troops are getting other weapons on the front in the form of HK, Sig and 1911 designs.

 

[JonInWAP1P5]

By all accounts that I've seen, including Ayoob's excellent recent book on current Berettas (The Gun Digest Book On the Beretta), problems with Beretta 92/M9s in "the sandbox" have had everything to do with the government-spec'ed Checkmate magazines. Basically, the problem(s) had to do with a specified crackle interior finish, and possibly the springs. Problems have not existed with Beretta/MecGar/MDS magazines. I believe that Checkmate has subsequently modified their magazines as well. The gun itself performs superbly-with appropriate magazines.

Best, Jon

 

[banddr2]

Thanks for that info. I am glad to hear the problems have been with mags instead of the copied original Walther P38 design that Beretta uses.

 

[Larry]

it maybe a police pistol but it would make a fine military sidearm.

I read that the P5 was chosen by Portugal and Nigeria as their army pistol, at least. Portugal was previously using the P38.

And 3500 P5c were ordered by Great Britain as a "Personnal Defense Weapon" (PDW) for army forces in Ulster. They replaced the PP/K used previously.

L.

 

[jehzsa]

I can't speak highly enough of the P5's accuracy and reliability. The trigger is as smooth as they come and extremely adequate for a combat pistol. Elegant, good looks aside, it's a mean looking mother.

However, to me, it had two major drawbacks. Its inability to handle consistent use of +P ammo. And it was way too cumbersome to carry IWB CD.

But what a great shooter.

 

[Jake Starr]

I agree it is a great shooter. But for your mentioned reasons my has become a closet queen....now it is a matter of pride in ownership.

 

[E.T.]

I fully agree that the P5 is a very accurate combat pistol ! I love mine so much that it has become a safe queen : indeed a matter of pride of ownership - also since they're no longer manufactured - and I do not want to wear it by shooting it regularly.

Regarding government use : Last time when I was in Portugal and Spain, I noticed the cops were carrying the P99 ! Still saw a lot of old PPs in Portugal. At this very moment the Dutch government is seeking another gun to replace their 50,000 old P5s. I'm afraid they're leaning towards Glock ...

 

[Jake Starr]

also since they're no longer manufactured

I am under the impression that they are still being manufactured but in limited numbers....

 

[uncut]

I am under the impression that they are still being manufactured but in limited numbers....

+1......

However just as with H&K's we tent to say not macufactured, rather than admitting to the fact that they are just not imported to the US anymore....
Earl's still gets NIB P5's from what I hear... but they do come with a big pricetag

 

[E.T.]

I don't know where Earl is getting his P5's but major German gun shop chains like Kettner and Frankonia stopped offering the P5 in their catalogs since at least 10 years. Fortunately I can still obtain spare parts through the Belgian Walther distributor. My guess is that from time to time (shortage) Earl has them assembled from the spare parts stock at Walther, hence the high price.

 

[uncut]

No Walther still makes them... though in small runs....
this is mostly due to the fact that there is still at least one state in German, where the P5 is the standard issued sidearm for the police

 

[photohause]

A P5 parts gun? The horror!

 

[uncut]

Can't be any worse than the P7 parts gun.......
sorry I love my P7's ... but omg.... so HK came out with the last 500 that are marked under the ejection port "... of 500"
So far we have noticed that there is two different slide markings on the left side of the slide.....
one says "HK Sidearms GMBH" and the other version says "Heckler & Koch"