I purchased this pistol in February of this year – used in virtual NIB condition for $225. The Walther is to be a practice/defense gun for the wife. She has never liked the Mark II. It’s too big for her hands, has too long a barrel, and gives her limp-wrist misfires. This is designed as a plinker, not as a target pistol.
I bought the 3.4” threaded barrel model, matt black.
The first thing you notice is the beauty of the thing. This pistol is what you would expect from West German manufacturing. I comes with a built in key-lock trigger safety, and the trigger also disconnects when the mag is out or when the ambidextrous safety is engaged. Also included in the box are a barrel wrench, trigger key, 3 different front sights (for height), inserts to change the thickness of the grip (for different size hands), a jig for reassembly, an extra mag, and a manual. The threaded barrel is protected by a cap and will accept fixtures for silencers and plastic bottles. The fixtures must be purchased depending on the thread size of the accessory. European and American accessories use different threads…I found all types of fixtures easily available for this pistol and reasonably priced.
Many accessories are available. The following figure is just a portion of the items available for the P22. I will be picking up the 5” threaded barrel soon as well as a Nickel upper slide.
The
3.4” barrel and shroud are seen in the bottom left of the case. The threaded barrel cap is below the silencer.
The threaded fixtures are above the cased mag.
This pistol has the 5’ barrel installed with target weights.
Disassembly is quick and easy into 8 parts:
Slide
Lower Frame
Barrel
Barrel Shroud
Threaded Barrel Cap
Recoil Spring
Spring Guide
Mag
The Walther does not have a free-floating barrel. The barrel is locked to the receiver bridge by use of the barrel shroud held fast by the threaded barrel cap.
Assembly takes a bit longer and required the use of a jig (looks like a dowel) to guide the recoil spring back into its recess. Spring and trigger kits are available for tweaking the action.
When I brought the gun home I first gave it a good (and unnecessary) bath. I then worked the action a few hundred times and practiced assembly and disassembly until I had it down pat.
How
it shot at Purchase:
I have fired 4 types of ammunition through this puppy.
CCI Standard Velocity 70 Rounds
Manufacture Date 2/31/03
40 grain lead nose solid 1070fps
Target/Practice
Remington High Velocity 50 Rounds
Manufacture Date N/A – new manufacture
40 grain copper coated solid 1150fps
Target/Practice
Remington Thunderbolt 50 Rounds
Manufacture Date N/A – new manufacture
40 grain lead solid 1255fps General
Purpose Rifle/Pistol
PMC Sidewinder 100 Rounds Manufacture
Date N/A – at least 15 years old
40 grain lead solid 1240fps General
Purpose Rifle/Pistol
The gun store let me try the Walther out prior to purchase. I had some of the PMC sidewinders with me…not the best ammo.
I noticed right away that the second shot in one of the mags (the extended mag) would missfeed three out of four times. I had fewer missfeeds with the normal flush-bottomed mag. I naturally assumed this was a mag/ammo problem. I had one misfire (dud) and one failure to eject with this ammo. Accuracy was about what I expected with this crap and the learning curve with a new gun. The following target is 10m and 25m. I could live with the 10m (offhand), but the 25m (at rest) was bleccch. Examination of the pistol when I got home showed the threaded barrel was loose. The rear sight is adjustable, white dot, and a bit wide for my taste. The gun comes with several replaceable front sights (for height).
So much for trying it out at purchase. I expected I could do better.
How
it Shoots with Better Ammo (and more Practice):
Groups were offhand aimed fire for 5 and 15 meters. 20-meter groups were fired from an improvised rest…an overturned 5-gallon bucket with a small sandbag on top. Each string was prefaced by a 10 rounds to see where the gun shot with each ammo and at each distance. I then stickered-out the holes in the target. I took my time and fired 5 – 10 rounds. On the longer distances, if the first 5 hit the target, I didn’t press my luck…it’s hell getting old when the eyes are the first thing to go. With my normal glasses I can focus on the sights or the target...but not both. I have to wear my contacts AND my reading glasses to get the best sight picture.
CCI @ 5m, 15m, and 20m
The CCI gave me my only failure to feed (on the same suspect mag). This was the most expensive ammo, and frankly I was not impressed although it printed OK at 20m. No missfeeds with the other mag and no duds.
Remington Hi Velocity @ 5m, 15m, and 20m
No missfeeds on either mag with this brand. I was pleased. Notice the black patches on the 20m target to the left of center for CCI and Remington. I was holding dead center to find out where the gun shot at that distance. I held a bit high and right of center to get the groups that printed on the target patch. The Walther has fairly wide, white dot, windage adjustable rear sights, but I won’t set them until I choose the ammo it likes to use. The Remington ammo had one dud.
Remington Thunderbolts @ 5m, 15m, and 20m
The Thunderbolts were amazing. I was cross-eyed with pleasure with the 15m group from a 3” barrel. I realized when I got home that the threaded barrel cap was loosened by the shooting…I’ll need to get some locktite. It was loose after the PMC also, but I had tightened it down pretty well with the enclosed wrench. It seems to loosen up after a couple of hundred rounds. No missfeeds with either mag. I liked the Thunderbolts, but I would prefer a coated slug for regular use…I’ll keep looking.
Mag
Test:
20 rounds rapid fire each mag.
PMC: Constant missfeeds on both mags.
CCI: One missfeed on the extended mag, none with the flush-bottom mag.
Rem Hi Vel: No missfeeds with either mag.
Rem Thunderbolt: No missfeeds with either mag.
Go figure. The only ammo I had a problem with is either the most expensive lowest velocity, or the highest velocity old cheap stuff.
Bottom
Line:
I love it. It is built like a brick shithouse and would be a perfect hideout gun if it had a bit more juice…even so, it’s better than a sharp stick in the eye. I can’t wait to get the 5” target barrel”.