Some P88 questions…
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Only the very early ones have a dovetailed front sight. Almost every P88 and P88C slide has an integral front sight.
If you're patient $1,000-1,200. Even my P88C was only $995.
I can't think of anything unique to the P88 to look out for. Magazines for the P88 are more common than the P88C. Grips are still available. I prefer shooting the P88C to the full size P88 myself.
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That's how I look at it.
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If you want night sights you could technically just drill the holes in the sights and insert some tritium vials, but I don't think it would be worth it.
If you want more capacity, you can modify Beretta 92, Walther PDP Full Size, or Sig P226 mags to work. Just have to be handy and steady with the Dremel.
If you plan to carry it, a custom holster seems to be your best bet.
Value of these pistols depends, but expect anywhere from $850-1600 depending on what it comes with, what year it was made, and condition of the pistol overall.
You want to look around the frame for cracks, mostly around the magazine release. It's not common but it has happened.
If you want more capacity, you can modify Beretta 92, Walther PDP Full Size, or Sig P226 mags to work. Just have to be handy and steady with the Dremel.
If you plan to carry it, a custom holster seems to be your best bet.
Value of these pistols depends, but expect anywhere from $850-1600 depending on what it comes with, what year it was made, and condition of the pistol overall.
You want to look around the frame for cracks, mostly around the magazine release. It's not common but it has happened.
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Pretty flush with the factory plastic baseplate
Shameless plug, but heres a PDP full size 18 round mag I modified for a friend. Albeit it has a +0 TF baseplate in this picture.
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Thanks much!
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My understanding was it was more common on the full sizes, but overall not so common at all. It had much more to do with high round counts from what I could tell.
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Hi, my distinguished colleges already provided many responses, I am approaching it from my perspective, I do not see it as a range toy, collectible only…..I actually carry the full size or my compact with me either in holster or a small shoulder baggy from adidas, why? Because i love the full size P88 with my small hands…and because I want to have it and can. its not for duty, its for my personal protection, I dont care about opinions on “better” Or collectible…..I carry this beautiful piece of machinery as it is accurate, excellent trigger, solid feel, absolute quality, love the decock/slide release and that I can use it for both my hands, of course only where applicable, in summers I resort to my PPK/s or TPH.
so your questions
frame cracking indeed occurs right around the mag ejection button, but is limited to serial numbers under 4000, so ensure you double check if you got your eye on one with a lower serial.
No comments on mags or front sights, I do agree with my distinguished colleagues you just want to leave it as is….or who cares do as you please, drill through the front integrated if serial above 4000 or custome fit it otherwise.
now I have found super holsters, actually ordering as we speak another set of Kramer holsters and mag pouches. I recommend 2 vendors, Kramer and Frontline:
- Kramer leather USA based, super people and service, excellent quality.
3 to 4 months but great quality and fit
- Frontline, Israeli based, IDF still use P88……super array of holsters for the P88, got myself a few nice ones, I recommend these highly and they are fast, about 4-6 weeks.
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get it, you love it, the P88 that is…then get a compact in the future, despite the “fit” its a step down from the brilliant P88……..
enjoy life!
whoops I just ordered this too…..+ 2 KNG mag holders
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Forget Night Sights they are worthless and have a hidden danger. You cannot even see night sights until it is so dark you cannot identify your target. A cop had his son come home early from college and instead of switching a light on or using a flashlight he shot and killed his own son with night sights. Also night sights only have a half life of 5 years and they are they usually to dull to use.
The P88 has an aluminum frame which is a real no, no in a handgun. In the U.S. military handgun trials two Walther P88's failed big time with cracked frames at a relatively low round count. Aluminum frames are notorious for cracking even in the 9mm caliber and in a wide variety of handgun makes. I have had frame cracking in a modern made Polish Radom P98, a Colt Commander, & several Smith M39's
Holsters? Forget carrying this gun for several very good reasons, unless you are a millionaire these guns have become very expensive collectors items and beating it up carrying it will cut the guns value by half. Besides the gun is way to big for concealed carry and its heavy because of its high capacity. There are certainly a lot better guns to carry that are lighter in weight and much smaller in size. Stick with something like the ubiquitous Glock 19 or smaller and there are a ton of micro 9mm handguns out there and at 1/3 the price of a P88.
Expect to pay at l east $1,350 with a more medium price of about $1500 and up for a mint one. Now you know why its rather ridiculous to even consider carrying a P88 that is going to get all beat up.
I recommend for serious carry a H&K P30sk or Glock 19 or Sig Sauer P239 , P229 or M11 compact just to name a few. Taurus, Smith and Ruger also make some very reasonable priced carry 9mm guns.
And the myth that these guns are fabulously accurate is a total falsehood. I have Browning High Powers that will equal the accuracy of the P88 and accuracy is not paramount in a gunfight anyway as the range is usually very short, usually only a few feet and usually only a couple of rounds are fired before one or the other person are shot or run like hell away.
If you like this gun I am not trying to tell you not to buy it but relegate it to a range toy or better yet if it is mint do not fire it and keep it as a safe queen investment.
I mean, yeah… who in their right mind would carry an ALUMINUM framed handgun?!
Besides… the U.S. military. For over 30 years.
And many, many, many other militaries. Police departments. Special forces units. And… me.
But I accept my fate. Proudly wielding my P88c. Its hopelessly brittle aluminum frame perpetually in the clutches of imminent failure. Its woeful inaccuracy poignantly validating the tragic beauty of my flawed existence. And as I go defiantly into the night—my P88c crumbling to dust in my very hands—know that my final thought was “hey, at least it ain’t a Glock.”
Just kidding.
The P88c is fantastic handgun (and I honestly have nothing against Glocks). It’s accurate, reliable and has good dimensions for comfortable concealment. With the understanding that it’s an expensive, out-of-production gun—and the caveats that come along with that—I see no reason not to carry one. I love mine.
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That's not a hidden danger. That's a complacency in equipment and training. Nights sights are not a replacement for a weapon light, and yes the light washes out the dots anyway. What I've been trained to do is get the night sights up and aligned, then PID a target. AND night sights have a half life of 12 years, not 5.
Says the US Military with the Beretta 92 and the US Navy with Sig P226s. Oh lets not forget the German military with the P38 while we're at it. If aluminum is such a poor choice in a fighting pistol, explain to us why they have been in continuous use for decades.
You carry the pistol you are proficient with. If by some reason the OP wants to carry a SV Infinity (which is by and large a very expensive pistol) or a Janz Revolver, he could. Yeah the value will drop, and yeah he'll have to get a custom holster. Rare pistols? Probably. "Very Expensive"? Not even close. If he shoots the P88 and trains with it well, you can find a holster for it if he's willing to commission a holster maker.
You can find some carry worthy P88s and compacts for $700 for trade ins up to $1800 for commercial variants mint in box.
But, but.....the Sigs are aluminum?! Different guns fullfill different carry requirements for different people with different body types. You do realize the Glock 19 and Sig P229 are nearly the same size as a P88C?
OR you have Browning Hi-Powers that are exceptionally accurante that they keep up with a Sig P210 and P88 full size. Accuracy isn't paramount in a gun fight huh? Say that to the guy who made 8 out of 10 hits on a dude at 40 yards in a mall. You're suggesting "usually" along with all the other statements you made above are actually "absolute" advice?
Again, his money his choice. Would we be having this conversation back in 1995 when the P88C was released? It was sold as a defensive weapon, so he wants to carry it, how is this any different from someone carrying an old USGI 1911? He never suggested it was a collectable and if he did he wouldn't be here asking us about holsters and the lot. You seem very invested in downplaying his choice to carry what he wants. Before you do that, maybe it's best you give objective advice versus conjecture based on your small sample size of experience.
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I love your strong, no extremely strong opinion on this matter, especially as you approach it from a very conservative perspective regarding costs. This forum thrives on opinions so we can all learn from each other and grow our knowledge. I respect that and I hope your next response is to encourage the OP with the facts vs opinions.
Fact 1: The OP shows interest in a “old” collectible (if mint and complete) or “old” shooter or something in between. His/her reason must be the awareness of this exceptional weapon, the last and perhaps the best all steel frame (till PPG SF came out) and the OP must be aware of the history of the superb accuracy close to the P210 (also “older” model)……please research and I am sure in a competition with one of us here the high power does not even come close. Superb trigger can not be compared.
Carrying this, well yes the P88 full size (by the way thats what I have been talking about) is a tat big but so is the compact…..but so is the sig, the 92FS and your high power. Their are superb holsters for it, I pointed this out as they are still today the full size P88 that is carried by the IDF. So they failed a test, so what, so under serial number 4000 there where issues with only a handfull, read handfull cases with over 10.000 rounds……which was fixed after serial number 4000, and as you hopefully know, no you must know because you are so convinced the P88 is worse than a pencil filler, the mechanics are over engineered resulting in a competition level performance for a duty designed weapon, hence the extreme high price in the 80’s/90’s for it which was also a reason for not being selected…..by USA only!!
Finally both the P88 and compact version are beautifully designed.
Oh and most of us P88 lovers have both collection and shooter versions of these……..because we can and it has nothing to do with being a millionaire…….its a hobby……I dont drink nor smoke (gave up a few years ago)…….limit other hobbies, and look for deals…..
please read the post on this forum, spend a few hours and learn……..then come back and if you still are convinced it is a piece of crap that is fine but show some respect to others.
Not starting a fight, this is not who knows more or is the best, this is about some of us loving the P88 series and having studied and used and enjoyed it for many years.
cheers, and please continue to comment and add, healthy debates are great!
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The biggest question I have is what is your handgun zero'd at? 3 ft? 30 ft?
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Re Night Sights - my P88 has integral sights. ToolTech machined it to take Trijicon night sights, and installed them, front and rear, for just over $300. Big improvement in visibility
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Nice upgrade! Can we see some pics? What holster are you using?
Haha. I mean... why bother zeroing it? It'll never be as accurate as bhp9's Hi Powers...The biggest question I have is what is your handgun zero'd at? 3 ft? 30 ft?
Also...
Thank you for legitimate insight on the frame crack anomaly. And to @ameridap. I figured it was probably an early production anomaly. Good know the serial number range to look out for, too.
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That's not a common pistol. What are your thoughts on it?
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