By: Friedrich Seiltgen

Copyright © 2023

ABOUT WALTHER

Carl Wilhelm Freund Walther laid the foundation for the Walther company. Born in 1858, he started his own rifle-making business in 1886. Walther began building hunting and target shooting rifles with Martini and Aydt breech block actions.

Walther had five sons: Fritz, Georg, Wilhelm, Erich, and Lothar. The first three learned the profession of rifle making at their parents’ company, and in 1903, the Walther factory was built in Zella-Mehlis, Germany.

Fritz Walther was particularly interested in semi-automatic pistol technology, which he had learned about while training in Berlin. Fritz convinced his father that pistols were the future of firearms manufacturing.

In 1908, after Fritz had returned home, the two of them created the prototype of their Model 1, which was patented in June 1911 and went into production in a 6.35 mm version. Other pistols followed, and the series ended in 1920 with the Model 9. Upon his father’s death in 1915, Fritz Walther took over the company along with his brothers.

In 1929, the double action Walther PP was born, and two years later, the PPK. These pistols were revolutionary in their design and are still in production today. The PP and PPK demand was high as police and civilians were interested in this new design.

Walther would design another legendary pistol for the military with the P38 and produced 580,000 by the end of WWII. At the war’s end, Fritz could save only the design drawings for his pistols from the rubble of his factory.

Fritz built a new factory in Ulm producing calculating machines, as weapons production was not allowed. In 1950, Fritz was able to start making air rifles. In 1957, Fritz was allowed to begin producing the PP, PPK, and P38, which was now designated the P1 for the newly formed Bundeswehr.

In 1966, Fritz passed away, and his son Karl took over and expanded the company’s line of sporting guns. In 1969, the Walther GSP was launched and was the world’s most widely used small-caliber match pistol.

In 1993, Umarex Sportwaffen (sport weapons) of Arnsberg, Germany, acquired Walther and continued manufacturing under the Walther name in Ulm. In 1999, the U.S.-based Smith & Wesson company became the authorized importer of Walther Firearms. In 2012, Umarex (PW Group) formed a new subsidiary, Walther Arms, Inc., located in Fort Smith, Arkansas, to take over the distribution of Walther Arms in the United States.

THE FRAME

The Polymer frame features the Walther performance-duty grip texture. These hexagonal shapes are molded into the grip, giving you a secure hold. The PD380 features an ambidextrous paddle-type magazine release instead of a push button type.

The PD380 has a double action/single action trigger, which means faster follow-up shots and the ability to carry with the hammer down.

Disassembly is made easy with the takedown latches on either side of the frame.

THE SLIDE

The Superterrain slide serrations provide a better purchase on the slide, giving you faster handling with slide manipulation. The ambidextrous slide-mounted safety/decocker lets you engage with either hand and disassembly is simple, with dual takedown latches on either side of the frame.

SPECIFICATIONS

Type: Recoil Operated, Hammer Fired, SA/DA, Semi-Automatic, Sub Compact

Caliber: .380 ACP

Magazine Capacity: 9 Rounds

Sights: Adjustable 2-dot rear, with a single dot post front

Barrel Length: 3.7 Inches

Overall Length: 6.48 Inches

Weight: 20.6 Ounces

MSRP: $449

URL: www.waltherarms.com

THE VERDICT

Take a good look at the Walther PD380. A compact EDC package, and with several ammunition manufacturers upping their .380 game, it might be the perfect combination for you—it ships with two magazines.

That’s all for now, folks! Please keep sending in your questions, tips, and article ideas. And as always – “Let’s Be Careful Out There.”

Friedrich Seiltgen is a retired Master Police Officer with 20 years of service with the Orlando Police Department. He conducts training in Lone Wolf Terrorism Counterstrategies, Firearms, and Active Shooter Response. His writing has appeared in RECOIL, Soldier of Fortune, The Counter Terrorist Magazine, Off Grid, American Thinker, Homeland Security Today, and The Journal of Counterterrorism & Homeland Security International.

Contact him at [email protected].