Walther P1 Purchase

[jcj]

Picked this Walther P1 up on "black Friday" from J&G Sales. They had them on sale for $249. What I received was an excellent condition Walther P1, manufactured in May of 1983 (my birth month and year!) This particular specimen also has the hex pin that was added in later production runs to strengthen the aluminum frame.

The bore is bright and the gun is entirely cosmoline free. This was my first time buying from J&G and I'm really happy with this purchase! Time to load up on some standard pressure 9mm and go have some fun at the range.

I already know not to use +P ammo. Who else has one of these? How do you like it?

[Garufa]

Very fun, accurate and just plain cool looking gun. You scored with that price and born on date.

In case you didn't know it ejects to the left. Bizarre, but it does make for some fun at the range.

[Tempest455]

I have one just like it and love it. It's interesting how they are made when you take it down. Looks very similar (or should I say the Beretta) looks very similar except a full slide and the twin springs. Nice gun for the price.

[jcj]

In case you didn't know it ejects to the left. Bizarre, but it does make for some fun at the range.

I noticed that when watching vids on YouTube. That certainly is...different.

[LCPfraTN]

I saw that special on J&G also, but had just bought one from Aim Surplus a month ago when they had the better pricing. I thought about getting a second one at the J&G sale price, but couldn't justify having two. Congrats on a great purchase!

[dou44]

i need to pick one up they are good shooters

[Guest WAM_007]

Sharp looking handgun always wanted one of these. Be sure to give a range report i'd like to see how it fires.

[1gewehr]

P1s are very nice and an excellent bargain! Walther quality and a great design for under $350. Beat THAT! While not rated for +P ammo, they do handle NATO-spec which is 124gr at about 1200fps. Many women like them as the grip is thinner and fits their hands better.

Don't just flick the hammer-drop safety on. Ease it on to lower the hammer slowly. While the hammer-drop is a decent design, they have been known to fail when mis-treated. It's better to just treat it gently and never worry.

The magazine release is typical European heel-type. It takes some getting used to. Genuine Walther magazines are inexpensive right now. Stock up as they are excellent quality and very reliable. Aftermarket mags aren't worth bothering with. The small dual recoil springs tend to wear out more quickly than most pistols and should be replaced about every 2000 rounds. They are also inexpensive, and the factory springs are good quality. Right now, you can get a complete spare parts set without frame or barrel for about $99 from several sources (CDNN, Sarco, etc).

[Symbolic]

The P1 has 5 different front sight heights. The front sight is marked with a number. The higher the number the higher it shoots.

Edited December 7, 2012 by Symbolic

[1gewehr]

In normal cleaning, you do not take out the slide stop. It sounds like someone reassembled it incorrectly, and the slide stop is not being held in place by the trigger spring like it should be.

Ammo may still be a problem. The Remington UMC bulk pack ammo is notoriously weak and will not cycle these pistols reliably. The standard load for these is the NATO-spec 124gr cartridge. Try some Aguila or S&B 124gr and see if it still fails to cycle reliably. The sights are also calibrated for this load. A weak 115gr cartridge would shoot low.

[jcj]

[quote name='1gewehr' timestamp='1325173019' post='687016']The Remington UMC bulk pack ammo is notoriously weak and will not cycle these pistols reliably. The standard load for these is the NATO-spec 124gr cartridge. Try some Aguila or S&B 124gr and see if it still fails to cycle reliably. The sights are also calibrated for this load. A weak 115gr cartridge would shoot low.[/quote]

I'll bring my own thread back from the dead. I can confirm the above as truth. This P1 has shot reliably with everything...except 115gn Remington UMC. Tried some in it today...jam, jam, jam. Definitely sticking with the 124gn ammo.

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2

[TrickyNicky]

Man that is a nice looking P1 at a great price. Don't know if you can find them much less than $350 these days, that's what I paid a few months ago to southern Ohio gun. The one SOG sent me unfortunately looks like a it got dragged by a truck. Luckily it shoots better than my last one which was a pristine example so I guess it's all equal in the end.

I am still a little peeved that SOG had them listed as excellent condition when at least mine is far from, plus I spent the extra for hand picked. Probably wont be doing much business with them in the future based on that.

Sorry for the rant, these are great pistols made very well and a lot of fun to shoot. I can't look at mine without thinking about the man from U.N.C.L.E. gun.

[surfcityred]

I love my P1.  It is so comfortable to shoot and the trigger is great.  I can't find a thing wrong with it. 

 

I have had a similar experience with Soughern Ohio Guns.  I purchased a Tokarev and paid extra for hand picked.  The first one arrived with no front sight blade.  So much for "hand picked".  The second one they sent would not fire when the trigger was pulled.  The hammer would hang.  Finally, the third pistol they sent functioned as designed.  In the future I would never again pay for "hand picked" from SOG.  My experience has proved it to be a scam to rake in an additional 10 bucks.  Oh, and then there is their "triple-check" before shipping.  So much for that too.

[MarkInNashville]

Congrats! I have seen 2 in the last week - each for around $350. I would enjoy to shoot one, myself!

[TrickyNicky]

I love my P1.  It is so comfortable to shoot and the trigger is great.  I can't find a thing wrong with it. 
 
I have had a similar experience with Soughern Ohio Guns.  I purchased a Tokarev and paid extra for hand picked.  The first one arrived with no front sight blade.  So much for "hand picked".  The second one they sent would not fire when the trigger was pulled.  The hammer would hang.  Finally, the third pistol they sent functioned as designed.  In the future I would never again pay for "hand picked" from SOG.  My experience has proved it to be a scam to rake in an additional 10 bucks.  Oh, and then there is their "triple-check" before shipping.  So much for that too.

Yeah I think I'll buy from them again if they have something I want at the price I want to pay but no more hand select, wasted money I think.

I think what really makes me upset is that the time Wideners had them for the same price with holster, cleaning kit and extra magazine but I cheaped out to save $35 on taxes. I've heard that the Wideners ones were nice too, wish I had seen the value in the extra $35 doubt I can get a magazine for that these days nonetheless the holster and cleaning kit.

What that saying about hindsight? It's good or something?

[hipower]

Although I didn't get it directly from Wideners, I acquired one that came thru their sale. It's about as good as any I've ever seen. Compares very well to one I bought years ago new.  

[TrickyNicky]

Although I didn't get it directly from Wideners, I acquired one that came thru their sale. It's about as good as any I've ever seen. Compares very well to one I bought years ago new.  

Way to rub it in. ;)

I had one a few years back that I got for a song, like new condition, holster, and most importantly 4 magazines. Was a real beauty, sold it back to the friend I bought it from for what I paid for it once he realized how foolish his mistake was. Should have told him to take a hike and kept it.

[hipower]

I'm in the same, or similar, situation. The man I bought it from is asking to buy it back. I don't really shoot it that much, but I really hate to give it up. He wants to give what I paid him for it, and I don't think I really want that amount back. It's just too good a shooter, and heaven knows when I'd be able to replace it with another in comparable condition.

 

Hmmm, I think I just decided.

[TrickyNicky]

Just tell him you love it too much to see it go but you'll give him right of first refusal should you change your mind.