Walther P1

[FirebirdV8]

I just picked up my only non-S&W in my pistol collection. It is a Walther P1 that has been back to the mother ship at some point in its life since 1978 to be reblued and have other work done. Either way it seems to be in good shape and will be shooting it in the next couple of days after work. Even though its not a collectors item, I got it for a good price (at least what I think is a fair deal at $300 OTD) and I think I'll have fun with it.
I also find it interesting as I know S&W borrowed some ideas for its TDA pistols from the original P38 design.

Oh yeah, is there anything that I should know about the P38/P1 series that I probably don't already know?

 

[max]

They tend to like warmer ammo than some American guns. The European 9mm always seemed a bit hotter than our stuff.

 

[FirebirdV8]

They tend to like warmer ammo than some American guns. The European 9mm always seemed a bit hotter than our stuff.

Thanks for the information, I'll bring some factory ammo along as well as my reloads, just in case.

 

[Texas1941]

Yours has the reinforcing pin behind the dismount lever, which is a good thing. Still, eyeball the frame for cracks every once in a while. Ditto the locking block. There are two recoil springs: make sure they are the same length. For reasons I've never understood, some times one will be replaced and not the other.

They are very cranky about hollowpoints, but will feed just about any sort of ball and function well. Do not stuff European machine carbine ammunition into them. Avoid ammo with Arabic markings or Middle East origin unless you know for sure how hot it is. Ditto Portugese 9mm. I've measured some of the above at 1400+ out of a BHP. It doesn't take long to crack a locking block or a frame on an alloy P-38/P1.

Get one of the repo flap holsters and you will be way cool.

Oh, and be careful with the safety, they can crack and allow a discharge when the hammer drops. Rare, but well enough documented to be kept in mind.

 

[Out West]

Nice score! Its in very nice condition. Yours has the frame cross pin - which I think Walther started using around 1974. The purpose of the cross pin was to take some stress of the frame. Yours also has the heavier slide which I believe came out around the same time as the cross pin. Prior versions, with the lighter slide were reported to have some problems with cracking.

I own a couple of these. Whenever I get a new one, I always replace the recoil springs. Wolff sells them and they are inexpensive. If you decide to change them out, read up on how to do it. If you allow the compressed spring to fly forward with the metal plunger it can peen the frame recess. If severe enough, it may prevent the recoil spring and plunger from being captured in the frame.

If you decide to change out the springs and want some tips (its not hard), shoot me a PM and I will give the skinny.

Nice pistola!

PS: If you think S&W borrowed from this design (and they did), take a look at Beretta 92. Especially the locking block and barrel. Direct from the engineers at Walther!

Out
West

 

[2152hq]

Mine always works with Rem/UMC fmj 115gr stuff. Never any problems. Works well with reloads too. Cast 125gr and a load of Clays or RedDot.
No cross pin in mine and it's held up fine. Very accurate.
Many people just automaticly put a new set of recoil springs in these surplus P1 pistols that have been coming over. Wolf sells replacements.

Also check the nylon/plastic recoil spring guides for wear at their front cap.
(Wartime mfg guides are steel)
That small edge grabbing the cutout in the frame is all that holds them in position when you TD the pistol and they and the spring(s) can launch for places unkn or into your face if you're not careful. They also prevent the spring from gauling the aluminum frame on recoil, so good condition guides are a must.

If you take the slide cover off for some reason,,and there is none unless there is a problem with the fireing pin, safety, cartridge indicator, ect.,,make doubly sure it's re-installed correctly or it takes off on it's own during recoil after a few shots. You usually lose a few other small parts with it.

Magazines are inexpensive,,at least the last time I bought some. CDNN had them for about $10/$12 each.
They may be marked P1 or P38. Doesn't matter,,either will work. Many look to be blued over a phosphate finish. Don't know if they're refinish or not (I think they are) but they work just fine. War time mags will work too, but they're worth more to a collector than to use shooting.

Great pistols I think. Have fun..

 

[LouisianaJoe]

I bought one using my C&R. It looks like yours. It has the frame cross pin and the heavier slide like yours. The way to tell is if the serrations are in front of the safety, then you have the heavier slide. The older not so heavy slide just has the serrations that go to the rear of the safety.

Here are a couple of good threads that describe the differences. The second has many detailed images.

p1 differences ? - WaltherForums

P1 VS P1 - WaltherForums

 

[FirebirdV8]

Joe those links had a lot of information. Apparently my pistol has lead an interesting life as it has a BW on the left side of the frame (German Military) and a W on the right side of the frame with a date code of 3.01 (reworked in 3 of 2001?). It also has a older SN then the threads posted refer to for the reinforcing hex bolt, but has a long serration slide made in 1978 pared with it. It also has a different SN ending stamped on the barrel and slide, which are then crossed out and then show 552 (the last three of this pistols SN) on them.

I think that all means that the parts may be older on my gun, but they were all checked and assembled together fairly recently. In any case it should be a nice pistol. I will be cleaning it tonight and shooting it tommorrow if the weather allows.

 

[cmort666]

Shotgun News is currently running a series on hobby gunsmithing these guns.

 

[2152hq]

Yours is just an older (1978 isn't old by any stretch!) pistol taken out of service and updated with the hex-bolt, what ever else they saw it needed at the time (3/01). Then re-finished and either warehoused or re-issued for service.

A great number of the older P1 pistols received this upgrade/going over.
Many were never re-issued or saw very little use after that.
Your's is a beauty. Great price too.

I've not shot my WW2 issue P38's anymore since the P1's have been around. They've just gotten more and more collectable and the thought of a cracked slide on one of those (I've seen several) is much more of a loss than a P1.

 

[LouisianaJoe]

My P1 shoots great! I also bought some additional mags at CDNN when they had a weekend shipping special. Wait until they put them on sale.

 

[FirebirdV8]

I just got back from shooting the P1 and it runs great. My reloads worked just fine (which is good because I didn't have any factory ammo to shoot with me). For my first time shooting it the pistol seems accurate enough, I just need to take some time on a weekend to see how point of aim and point of impact compare.

Thanks to everyone who offered advice and suggestions. This could be an additional addiction for me on top of my S&W semi-auto collection.