Walther P5
| Walther P5 | |
|---|---|
Walther P5 | |
| Type | Semi-automatic pistol |
| Place of origin | West Germany |
| Service history | |
| Used by | German Federal Police, Dutch police |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Carl Walther GmbH Sportwaffen |
| Designed | 1970s |
| Manufacturer | Carl Walther GmbH Sportwaffen |
| Produced | 1977—1998 |
| No. built | ~110,000 of which 10,000 compact |
| Variants | P5 Compact |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | P5: 0.795 kg (1.75 lb) P5 Compact: 0.750 kg (1.65 lb) |
| Length | P5: 180 millimetres (7.1 in) P5 Compact: 170 mm (6.7 in) |
| Barrel length | P5: 90 mm (3.5 in) P5 Compact: 79 mm (3.1 in) |
| Width | 32 mm (1.3 in) |
| Height | P5: 129 mm (5.1 in) P5 Compact: 130 mm (5.1 in) |
| Cartridge | 9×19mm Parabellum 7.65×21mm Parabellum 9×21mm IMI |
| Action | Short recoil operated, locked breech |
| Muzzle velocity | P5: approx. 360 m/s (1,181 ft/s) P5 Compact: approx. 350 m/s (1,148.3 ft/s) |
| Feed system | 8-round detachable box magazine |
| Sights | Square rear notch, front blade |
The Walther P5 is a 9mm semi-automatic pistol developed in the mid-1970s by the German small arms manufacturer Carl Walther GmbH Sportwaffen. It was designed with the German police forces in mind, who sought to replace existing 7.65mm pistols with a modern service sidearm incorporating enhanced safety features and chambered in 9×19mm Parabellum. A subsequent bid resulted in the Walther P5 being introduced into service alongside the SIG Sauer P225 (designated P6 within the West German Federal Police) and Heckler & Koch P7.