Petrol & Powder
Well-Known Member
Years ago, I developed an interest in the late 1970’s police pistols of (then) West Germany. These pistols became known as the P5, P6 & P7 models (Walther, SIG and H&K respectively). I studied every scrap of information I could find on those designs.
No need to cover old ground. I wrote about it here: SIG P6 | The Art & Science of Bullet Casting (artfulbullet.com)
Recently I was looking at a Walther P5 and it reminded me of the great engineering that went into that pistol.
Compared to pistols in the current environment, the P5 is rather old school. An aluminum alloy frame (not polymer), DA/SA action (not striker fired), no rails for lights/lasers/optics and a single stack, 8-round magazine. It doesn’t even have a button type magazine release or a drop free magazine.
In today’s world a Walther P5 is about as pedestrian as a yellow #2 pencil but in the mid 1970’s, its design was far from typical.
The P5 had a passive firing pin safety but unlike the firing pin block commonly seen today, the P5 had a unique tilting firing pin safety. In fact, Walther received a U.S. patent for that passive safety. When the trigger is forward, the hammer cannot reach the firing pin; like Ruger’s transfer bar system on their GP-100 and other DA revolvers. Not only is Walther’s tilting firing pin system safe, but it is also very strong. You could beat on the hammer and all the force will be transmitted to the slide. You might bend the hammer, but the gun will not fire.
Other guns, such as SIGs, utilized de-cocking levers to render the pistol safe but the de-cocking lever on a P5 also acts as the slide release. It not only reduces the number of controls on the pistol, but its operation is also smooth and intuitive.
Although semi-auto pistols with DA triggers were not rare by the mid 1970’s, the single action types still held a huge portion of the playing field. The standard pistols of NATO were still guns such as the 1911 and the Hi-Power. The requirements for the new West German police pistols specified that the gun must be capable of instant one-handed operation. The H&K P7 met that requirement with a unique squeeze-cocking action while SIG and Walther used a more conventional DA/SA arrangement. What makes the P5 stand out is the amazing quality of the DA action. The P5 has one of the best DA triggers you’ll find in a service pistol. And they did that circa 1976!
In 1980 the P5 was a mid-size, (maybe even compact) 9mm pistol. In today’s world the P5 is rather large and heavy for its capacity. The recessed, heel type mag release would be a negative to any Mall Ninja (but it works beautifully and securely retains the magazine). The left side ejection port occasionally generates some sneers (although it is good for a laugh on the firing line). And then there’s the price tag. When it comes to economics – It is a cold, harsh, pragmatic world.
The P5’s lineage of the P-38/P1 is undeniable, and in a lot of ways, Walther didn’t stray far from their comfort zone. But the innovations they did incorporate were outstanding. Sometimes there are little nuggets in history that we forget about.
No need to cover old ground. I wrote about it here: SIG P6 | The Art & Science of Bullet Casting (artfulbullet.com)
Recently I was looking at a Walther P5 and it reminded me of the great engineering that went into that pistol.
Compared to pistols in the current environment, the P5 is rather old school. An aluminum alloy frame (not polymer), DA/SA action (not striker fired), no rails for lights/lasers/optics and a single stack, 8-round magazine. It doesn’t even have a button type magazine release or a drop free magazine.
In today’s world a Walther P5 is about as pedestrian as a yellow #2 pencil but in the mid 1970’s, its design was far from typical.
The P5 had a passive firing pin safety but unlike the firing pin block commonly seen today, the P5 had a unique tilting firing pin safety. In fact, Walther received a U.S. patent for that passive safety. When the trigger is forward, the hammer cannot reach the firing pin; like Ruger’s transfer bar system on their GP-100 and other DA revolvers. Not only is Walther’s tilting firing pin system safe, but it is also very strong. You could beat on the hammer and all the force will be transmitted to the slide. You might bend the hammer, but the gun will not fire.
Other guns, such as SIGs, utilized de-cocking levers to render the pistol safe but the de-cocking lever on a P5 also acts as the slide release. It not only reduces the number of controls on the pistol, but its operation is also smooth and intuitive.
Although semi-auto pistols with DA triggers were not rare by the mid 1970’s, the single action types still held a huge portion of the playing field. The standard pistols of NATO were still guns such as the 1911 and the Hi-Power. The requirements for the new West German police pistols specified that the gun must be capable of instant one-handed operation. The H&K P7 met that requirement with a unique squeeze-cocking action while SIG and Walther used a more conventional DA/SA arrangement. What makes the P5 stand out is the amazing quality of the DA action. The P5 has one of the best DA triggers you’ll find in a service pistol. And they did that circa 1976!
In 1980 the P5 was a mid-size, (maybe even compact) 9mm pistol. In today’s world the P5 is rather large and heavy for its capacity. The recessed, heel type mag release would be a negative to any Mall Ninja (but it works beautifully and securely retains the magazine). The left side ejection port occasionally generates some sneers (although it is good for a laugh on the firing line). And then there’s the price tag. When it comes to economics – It is a cold, harsh, pragmatic world.
The P5’s lineage of the P-38/P1 is undeniable, and in a lot of ways, Walther didn’t stray far from their comfort zone. But the innovations they did incorporate were outstanding. Sometimes there are little nuggets in history that we forget about.
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