Walther P1?

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NeonKnight

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Looking to buy my first pistol and I'm leaning towards a surplus P1, now with the UN engraving about to take place I think its the time to buy. Was wondering how people like them and what I should look for when buying one. Thanks in advance!
 
Should be just about all you need to know about them , just copy and paste then close the gap between the ht tp

ht tp://www.vffwts.de/en/articles/57-artikel/160-die-pistole-p-1-der-bundeswehr-teil-1.html

ht tp://greyarsenal.com/walther-p38-p1-compare-field-strip/

ht tp://gunscoffee.########.ca/2011/03/walther-p1.html

ht tp://www.tactical-life.com/firearms/post-war-p-1-walthers/#walther-p1-ms-2015-apart

ht tp://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?3175-Walther-P1

ht tp://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2015/04/16/look-inside-walther-p38/

ht tp://www.p38forum.com/anime7.swf

ht tp://www.waltherforums.com/forum/faq-classics/20702-p-1-questions-fat-slides-hex-pins.html
 
Nothing wrong with the P1, it was the first hand gun I ever owned then sold it and regretted doing so till I picked one up on the EE. Ex-Bundeswehr, refurbed by Walther, came with spare mags and flecktarn holster. And I found the P1 (and no doubt the P38 are also) was a tack driver. So that said if you find one at a good price go for it..........and a P38 in time.
 
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They are anything but cheap these days, for a surplus pistol. An M&P might be a better first pistol choice for the same sort of money.
 
Buy HP, great shooter, easy to find, not collectible at all. Jokes aside, P1 is good choice, but I would go for P38 for a reasons mentioned above.
 
I bought one because I wanted a cheap pistol for Firearm Safety instructing, got one with the hex pin. Of COURSE, I HAD TO TRY IT before removing the firing pin (which I carefully put away). It shot quite low, so if yours was the same you might end up filing the front sight. If you want a collector piece, pay more and get the P38. If you want a cheaper shooter, the P1 will do. Advanced pistol design for the day, the P-38 was the first to introduce decocker safety and loaded chamber indicator. Only missed out having double stack magazine.
 
bushwhacker said:
I bought one because I wanted a cheap pistol for Firearm Safety instructing, got one with the hex pin. Of COURSE, I HAD TO TRY IT before removing the firing pin (which I carefully put away). It shot quite low, so if yours was the same you might end up filing the front sight. If you want a collector piece, pay more and get the P38. If you want a cheaper shooter, the P1 will do. Advanced pistol design for the day, the P-38 was the first to introduce decocker safety and loaded chamber indicator. Only missed out having double stack magazine.
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Say what ?? You do know you adjust the sights by replacing one with a different height correct right, leave the angle head grinder in the garage not the range.
 
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Thanks for all the great replies! I'd love to get a P-38 if possible, but I'd be a bit reluctant to shoot it due to its historical nature. For the time being I'm looking for something I can shoot often, however I will keep a P-38 in mind. Thanks Greenhorse for all of the resources, only quickly glanced over them but they're definitely rich with info, cant thank you enough for providing these.
 
NeonKnight said:
Thanks for all the great replies! I'd love to get a P-38 if possible, but I'd be a bit reluctant to shoot it due to its historical nature. For the time being I'm looking for something I can shoot often, however I will keep a P-38 in mind. Thanks Greenhorse for all of the resources, only quickly glanced over them but they're definitely rich with info, cant thank you enough for providing these.
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These guns were built to be used. Letting them rot in a display case is a fate worse than death for them, as far as I'm concerned.

Quick video I made after I got mine a year and a half ago (time flies when you're lobbing lead):

 
NeonKnight said:
Looking to buy my first pistol and I'm leaning towards a surplus P1, now with the UN engraving about to take place I think its the time to buy. Was wondering how people like them and what I should look for when buying one. Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

I've had a Walther P1 for some time. I purchased it for measly $453+shipping+tax from Durham Outdoors (see pics). It's a 1977 production, I bought it brand new, all numbers matching, Bundeswehr surplus. Unfortunately, they are long gone. Mine came with a mag and black leather holster. I already had 2 P1 mags so I have 3 mags now. My P1 has already 1,000 round through it without even one hiccup. I shot PMC Bronze, Blazer Brass, Sellier&Bellot, WASP reloads, FOC low recoil, PPU (Privi Partizan), IMI (Israeli Military Industries) in 115 and 124gr, without a problem whatsoever. Superbly reliable pistol. Is it a tack driver?. No. May be at 5-10 feet but that's all. IMHO its accuracy is average. Not bad but nothing to write home about. I also have a modern Walther PPX and it's much more accurate than the P1. The prices of the P1's I've seen recently are over $500. For that price I'd personally recommend to buy a modern pistol e.g. striker fired to learn how to shoot a handgun. Having said that I don't want to part with my P1 since I feel some sort of sentimental attachment to it.
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jpNenZ1.jpg
 
^ Trip down memory lane time with that holster. Same type that came with my commercial P1 bought from a fellow Dragoon in the early 1980s in Lahr, good times hanging out at the Lahr Rod and Gun and tramping about the airfield with your shotgun on "pest control" (with DND supplied 12Ga ammo).
 
Much like you I was looking for a P38/P1 and ended up getting a 1943 P38. Took it to the range a couple times but then noticed that the slide was starting to crack (the known weak spot of a P38) and put her away while it was still in one piece. I bought a P1 to replace it as a shooter and I still use it even though it's a non-hex pin model.

My advice? Collect P38s, shoot P1s.
 
Better modern guns to go plinking with. I got mine for $299 and I think that's about all they are worth. The aluminum frames are pretty low grade compared to what we see today... on the softer side, lots of itty bitty parts which is never ideal for longevity. There are surplus SIG226's around now for $600 which would be a better buy.
 
Hitzy;13797891 The aluminum frames are pretty low grade compared to what we see today... on the softer side said:
For those who think the P1's aluminum frame is "low grade" I have an article from the March 1973 issue of "Shooting Times" by George C. Nonte entitled 'M39 and P-38 Autos Square Off in 11,000-Round Torture Test". If anyone is interested send me a PM with your email address and I will send you a pdf file of the article. The hex pin fixed the wear problem on the frame from the locking block.
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