Walther P5 Review: A Leaner, Sharper, German-er Beretta 92

A few mags through a Beretta 92, and I come away convinced it’s the best-shooting handgun in the universe. The ergos are great for such a big gun. The SA trigger is snap-tastically crisp. The recoil impulse is wonderfully composed and exceptionally communicative.

Then I shoot my Walther P5.

*My 1984 P5, chillin’ in sleek industrial chic*

And I realize that the things I love about the Beretta—those intangible elements that engage, inform and elevate your sense of connection to every shot—also exist in the P5. But with a racier, edgier, sport-tuned-suspension-ier flair. And, inevitably, I find myself wanting an E36 BMW M3 coupe. But being a gun hipster is expensive enough. So, let’s stick to the P5.

What makes the Walther P5 hipster worthy?

The Walther P5 replicates the uniquely engaging shooting characteristics of the Beretta 92, but with a more visceral edge—thanks to sharper inputs, a lower bore axis and a more refined overall feel.

So many car metaphors come to mind.

But since I have zero experience with Italian automobiles, we’ll stay within the BMW ecosystem for the purposes of this analogy: The Beretta 92 is a 7-Series, balancing smooth comfort with intuitive handling, while the Walther P5 is a 3-series, zipping around corners with bracing dexterity. And, different as they are, you realize they have the same soul. A soul that lends itself to instinctive handling predicated on feel and intuition. In the case of Walther and Beretta, that soul resides in a jiggly piece of wedge-shaped metal dangling from the bottom of the barrel. Pun not intended.

That’s the locking block—AKA, the “falling block” mechanism.

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Rockin’ the Block

If you’ve ever wondered why the slide action on a Beretta 92 feels so silky-smooth, you can thank the falling block. Long story short: it locks the barrel to the slide without requiring the barrel to tilt downward when cycling (like a Browning-style action). Said another way, the block cams down so the barrel doesn’t have to. And, because the barrel moves straight back and forth, there’s less jerkiness and less friction from locking-lugs disengaging, barrel camming, etc., etc.

*The Beretta 92’s locking block (top) is more or less a “cover performance” of Walther’s design (bottom).*

I’m no engineer, but I tend to believe that’s a big reason that falling-block guns—like the Beretta 92—feel so engaging and communicative from shot to shot. Thanks to the smoother action, the whole recoil cycle seems less abrupt and less jarring—and, requisitely less distracting. So, it keeps you more in the moment. It keeps you more in tune with where, when and how your shot is hitting.

The Beretta 92 excels in delivering this uniquely engaging experience.

But here’s the thing: I think the Walther P5 might do it even better. And, to be fair, Walther was rockin’ the block almost 40 years before Beretta did.

Credit Where Credit is Due

Walther pioneered the falling-block system way back in the 1930s when they designed the P38—which became the Wehrmacht’s standard-issue sidearm in… ahem… 1938. The P38 performed well in combat, proving durable and reliable in tough conditions. And, as Beretta tooled-up to build a locked-breech 9mm pistol of their own, well, they probably had lots of P38s laying around.

Because… Mussolini.

So, the Beretta M1951 was born in (you guessed it) 1951, using a scaled-down, simplified version of Walther’s falling-block system. As the M1951 evolved into the Beretta 92 during the 1970s, it brought the falling-block design with it.

Meanwhile, in Ulm, Walther was busy modernizing its original P38 design, incorporating new features like lightweight alloy frames, passive safety systems, better ergonomics and improved durability. Those efforts culminated in 1977, with the P5—which competed against the Sig Sauer P6 and the Heckler & Koch P7 for German police contracts. Interestingly, however, the Dutch National Police became the most prolific users of the P5, adopting around half of all ~100,000 P5s ever made.

And then the bastards shredded each-and-every one of them when they switched to the P99Q. It is, perhaps, the preeminent gun-hipster crime of the 21st century.

A moment of silence, please.

My video comparing the P38 to the P5!

Looks Can be Deceiving

And while the P5 looks kinda like a giant PPK, it is, assuredly, a heavily modified P38—the biggest difference being that its slide (almost) fully enshrouds the barrel, which presumably provides better support/lockup near the muzzle. Additionally, Walther moved the slide-mounted decocker down to a more “Sig Sauer-esque” position and smartly recontoured the grip profile with a more steeply angled backstrap.

*The angled “chin” without the visible hole for the recoil spring evokes some PPK vibes—but it has nothing in common with the PPK*

The 3 Polizei-keteers

The development of the P5, P6 and P7 was kind of a watershed moment in semiautomatic handgun design. All three pistols performed well and earned their share of contracts. But with its simpler, less-costly design, the Sig P6 (aka, P225) became the most widely adopted of all three guns. And, the success of the P6 helped paved the way for the ascendency—and expansion—of Sig Sauer’s P22X line which continues to this day. The more unique mechanics of the P5’s falling-block system and the P7’s infamous gas-delayed blowback system ultimately became evolutionary dead ends (unless you count the Beretta 92) in handgun posterity.

*My P5 and P6—2 of the 3 Polizei pistols from the 1970s*

I own a Sig P6, so I can tell you that it’s an excellent gun with a tough, no-BS, get-the-job-done kind of a feel. As are all classic German-made Sigs.

But I can also tell you this:

It’s no P5.

Hooked on a Feeling

The P5 is a purebred shooter.

Compared to my P6, it’s more engaging, more exciting, more communicative and just more shootable. And that’s not to say the P6 shoots poorly. Not at all. But, for me, the P5 has a more dialed-in feel that translates to more intuitive, more effortless accuracy. When I’m pounding through rounds, I’m not sure there’s any other gun that speaks to me like the P5.

Only the Beretta 92 comes close.

But the P5 gets leaner, meaner and more to the point. The bore axis is low. The trigger reach is bizarrely short for a duty gun. And the svelte proportions of the single-stack grip let you get in closer and get up higher… so you can feel every nuance of the shot as you’re taking it.

BANG!

Light. Crisp. Clean. The break feels incredibly close and connected. The grip’s gentle contours offer more than enough feedback on what just happened—and what should happen next. The gun stays unbelievably flat as the slide cycles. And then, before, you know it…

BANG! BANG!

*The P5 offers an incredibly short trigger reach that’s ideal for even the tiniest T-rex hands*

The shots come quick. You don’t have to think. You barely have to aim. Because the muzzle stays down, and your grip stays tight. The firm, predictable recoil impulse communicates through every facet of the gun. You feel exactly what the slide’s doing. You feel exactly when to break the next shot. It’s fast. It’s intuitive. It begs you push it harder.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Every hole is cloverleafed in a tight pattern. Even when you’re shooting fast, the P5 gives up little in terms of accuracy.

And… you?

Well, you just want more P5.

A Firmer Suspension

If it’s not obvious, I love the visceral shooting experience you get with the P5. That said—while never punishing—it isn’t quite as “easy-going” as what you find in a larger gun. While a Beretta 92 may not feel as sharp and racy as a P5, it’s also more stable, more planted and more mild in terms of its shooting characteristics… and it still gives you the feedback you need to shoot well.

I can shoot a Beretta 92. All. _ucking. Day. And I can shoot it well. All. _ucking. Day.

I guess it’s a bit of a tradeoff: to get that racier edge, you feel a bit more of the recoil with the P5. Especially since the bore axis is quite low.

To that point…

A low bore axis doesn’t actually reduce recoil… it redirects it… straight back into your hand, instead of flipping the muzzle up. And that’s one reason the P5 is such a joy to shoot fast. Combined with its inherently smooth falling-block action, the P5’s low-slung feel makes it an extraordinarily flat shooter, even when you’re pushing the gun hard. But… in that… it’s not quite as plush, soft and smooth as its block-rocking cousin, the Beretta 92.

But I don’t think anyone asked it to be. Or wants it to be.

And while I don’t necessarily shoot the P5 more accurately than I do a Beretta 92 I don’t think any gun feels as awesome when I’m carving out the center of a silhouette. Honestly, I think if I were to focus on running the P5 as my primary defensive/carry handgun, I suspect it would quickly become my best-shooting gun overall. It really does seem to complement my style of shooting and the particulars of my hands and grip.

*The P5 never lets me down at the range—50 rounds @ 10 yards, in the center (I was aiming for the 7s separately)*

I will say the DA pull on the P5 is… adequate. It’s smooth up to a certain point, but stacks heavily right before the hammer falls. And while this would normally present a major barrier to shootability in DA, Walther (thankfully) included an overtravel stop. This keeps the trigger from skipping all the way to the backstop (i.e., the rearward extent of its travel) when hammer falls. So, you get less of a jerk, less of a wobble and less of an effect on accuracy. It works well enough.

Honestly, I think something like a Walther P88 is probably more mechanically accurate than a P5. But, with its sublime ergos and shooting characteristics, it’s hard to beat a P5 at the range.

Speaking of the P88…

Precise, not Perfect

Having just purchased a pristine Walther P88 Compact, I have what—arguably—epitomizes the pinnacle of German engineering in small arms. The thing is simply on another level in terms of its fit, finish and build quality. It’s not only the nicest gun I’ve ever owned, it might be the nicest thing I’ve ever owned—irrespective of category. It also seems astronomically accurate in a way that “normal” handguns just aren’t. In some ways, it feels like a target gun in the body of service pistol.

The P5 is not that. Not quite.

*1999-dated Walther P88 Compact—the most beautiful gun I’ve ever owned*

The P5 feels more functional. More mechanical and machine-y. Yet, at the same time, more visceral. What it lacks in absolute perfection it makes up for in terms of its intuitive, communicative feel. Nevertheless, it still exudes a sense of purposeful refinement that so typifies classic German engineering. It evokes memories of a time when BMWs and Benzes were simpler machines that prioritized crisp handling and sound fundamentals over luxury and status.

You’ll find heavy tooling marks on the P5’s frame, an unpolished grain on its muzzle cuts, and a comfortable degree of play in its slide-to-frame fit. But it never for a moment feels crude or unrefined. There’s a certain degree of “functional elegance” to it that you don’t often find in today’s bipolar world of $3,000 bespoke 1911s and soulless polymer-framed commodities.

No, it's not a luxury product. It’s just a really, really high-quality product. One that does what it was designed to do very, very well.

Unfortunately, for all its merits, the P5 is long out of production. And it wasn’t produced in the numbers that some other service guns are. So, it’s fairly rare (while not an oddity, per se) and it’s definitely expensive. You can thank the Dutch for basically doubling the price of the world’s remaining P5 stock.

And, unless you pay close to 2 grand for a safe queen, any P5 you find is gonna have some mileage on it. On Gunbroker, you’re still probably looking at around a grand for an example with some duty wear (if you luck out on a local deal, you can swing one for less—I did).

So, let’s talk about what you can expect as far as wear…

Ramp Stamp

If you get your hands on any reasonably well-used P38 derivative with an alloy frame (this includes most postwar P38s and all P1s, P4s and P5s), you’ll see something like this:

The feed ramp’s finish gets worn away as rounds feed—that means the bullets are skidding up a patch of bare aluminum. Initially, this looks… disconcerting. Like the gun is nearing the end of its service life… I mean, BARE aluminum?!

But, I’ll add a few points that will hopefully assuage such concerns:

1. Mine feeds perfectly fine, sans feed-ramp finish.

When I got my P5 (chance Armslist deal), there was zero finish left on the feed ramp’s glide path. Since then, I’ve put several hundred rounds through it. I’ve shot it fast. I’ve shot different types of ammo. I’ve shot remanufactured ammo that choked my Browning Hi Power and my brand-new CZ PCR. I’ve done mag dumps with crappy ammo. I’ve done mag dumps with crappy ammo AND crappy ProMags. The gun has never malfunctioned.

The guy who sold it to me said he’d never had a malfunction and that it even feeds JHPs perfectly well. I believe him. Moreover, the wear pattern on the ramp hasn’t really changed in several hundred rounds. I guess bare aluminum is bare aluminum. (Note: I have not personally tried hollowpoints in the gun).

2. I don’t really think the finish is meant to stay there.

This is conjecture, but, I suspect the engineers who designed these things never intended the finish on the ramp to stay put. Literally, every picture of every alloy-framed P38/P1/P4/P5 shows similar wear on the ramp (unless it’s some mint-condition specimen). My guess? The finish comes off the ramp pretty early into the gun’s service life.

German police tested these guns in excess of 10,000 rounds and the Bundeswehr used fairly hot NATO ammo in their alloy-framed P1s. So, I’m gonna go ahead and guess bare-alloy feed ramps were seeing plenty of action through all of that, with no ill effects. Which leads me to the next point…

3. I suspect aluminum alloy isn’t as weak as it’s often made out to be.

In the course of my job, I’ve handled a few pieces of raw machined aluminum—engine blocks, big gears and cogs (I’m in marketing—not engineering; these were clients). Dude… the shit is solid. I’m gonna go ahead and guess that it’s capable of standing up to bullet-jackets. To that point: is there any reason to think aluminum alloy needs a finish to function as feed ramp?

Moreover, the bare alloy seems smoother than the black (anodized?) frame finish. So, maybe it feeds better with the finish gone. Maybe that’s whole point: the ramp wears down to the smooth metal, for optimal feeding. Plus, I’m not even 100% convinced the frame finish is actual anodizing. Maybe it is, but it doesn’t feel like the anodizing on any of my other anodized guns. So, if it’s just some kinda paint, maybe it’s weaker and wears away quicker (which would support the hypothesis that the ramp’s finish is not important for feeding function). But who knows?

4. Lastly, I think P38 derivatives MIGHT feed a bit differently than most other semi-autos.

In that, the precise orientation of the feed ramp may not be as critical to reliable feeding as with Browning-action guns. This is a hypothesis, to be clear. But, here’s my reasoning…

The Breech Face Has a Lip

In most semiautomatic pistols, the feed ramp informs the angle of the feeding round, so the rear-end of the case slides up the breech face and slips under the extractor hook.

Looking at this “lip” on the P5’s breech face, I don’t see how it can function that way.

*You can clearly see the “lip” at the bottom of the breech face*

A Makarov has a similar feature. There are two “feet” at the base of breech face which prevent the case rim from sliding up the breech face. Instead, the Mak pushes the round straight ahead and the extractor “jumps” over the case rim as the round chambers; this would be considered more of a “push feed” vs. a “controlled feed.” And, given the presence of that lip on the Walther, I wonder if the P5 (and all P38-patterned guns, which all have the lip) feed in a similar way.

I could be totally wrong in this assessment. Or, maybe it’s more of a middle-ground between a full-on controlled feed (as in a 1911) and a full-on push feed (as in a Makarov). Either way, IF feeding rounds don’t need to perform a delicate ballet between ramp, breech face and extractor, the ramp may not play as much of a critical role in the feed cycle. So… who cares if it’s beat up and janky looking?

To that point, consider this quote from the Walther Forum, in reference to the P5’s ramp wear:

“The term feed ramp is misleading; it was not designed to serve as mechanical ramp, but is cut out of the frame to provide angular clearance for the top cartridge to be pushed forward to feed.” –MGMike

Interesting perspective. The gist of that thread suggested that the ramp wear was immaterial to the gun’s reliability.

Which, at this point, I’m inclined to agree with.

The P5 is a Shooter’s Gun

Drivers have driver’s cars. Shooters have shooter’s guns. And the P5 is one of the most shootable shooter’s guns I’ve ever experienced.

*My Mini Cooper handles like the P5 shoots*

I can’t know what Walther engineers were thinking back in the ‘70s when they designed it. But, I can imagine there were discussions on how to make it feel responsive, tight and nimble—even under stress. How to make it handle naturally, intuitively and instinctively. How to make it completely controllable even when you’re pushing it hard, running it hot and whipping around corne— I mean, umm, whipping through rounds.

Hell, maybe one of those engineers even drove a BMW 2002 to work in Ulm.

It wouldn’t surprise me. Because, if you love to driv… I mean, shoot. You’ll love the P5.

What are your thoughts on the Walther P5? Experiences? Opinions? Scathing condemnations on my review? Feel free to share below…

Thanks so much for reading.

#hiptac