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Walther's PDP F series reshaped who could enjoy a Walther PDP. By reducing grip diameter and trigger reach (distance from tang to trigger) smaller-handed shooters could now enjoy the ergonomics, trigger, and quality Walther is known for. The PRO series steps things up a bit with factory upgrades.
What Is It? The Walther PDP F Pro, available with a 3.5" (reviewed here) or 4" barrel is a PDP with a reduced grip circumferance and trigger reach to make the pistol a better fit for smaller hands. The "PRO" designation includes:
F-Series Dynamic Performance Trigger
Aluminum magwell
3 x 18-round magazines
Who's It For? I see the Walther PDP F Pro as the choice for the more serious concealed carrier, who has small to medium sized hands, though as you'll see in the Shooting Impressions video, my XXL glove hands had no struggles making good use of the pistol. The price increase over the regular PDP F model is more than fair the for upgraded parts, and trigger crisper and cleaner for those who enjoy it. That said, there's also something to be said for giving newer shooters a better trigger so they have less to learn and struggle with. The shorter slide and longer grip of the model tested here is likely a good fit for those who carry appendix.
About That Trigger Walther describes the trigger as the F Series Dynamic Performance Trigger. In my opinion this trigger feels like something inbetween the regular Dynamic Performance Trigger and convnetional PDP trigger. This is a great thing as it still feels appropriate for carry and realistic training, while being cleaner and crisper than the already good basic Walther trigger. Why is there a difference? I don't know for sure, but as shown in the tabletop video, the trigger of course has to be different because the trigger reach is shorter, but also the slide's underside is different than the regular PDP.
Take a Look at the Walther PDP F PRO in the Tabletop video below. Rumble link HERE.
Specs:
MODEL: 4796042
CALIBER: 9MM LUGER
COLOR: BLACK
SLIDE MATERIAL: STEEL
FRAME MATERIAL: POLYMER
OVERALL LENGTH: 6.5″
SLIDE LENGTH: 6.5″
WIDTH: 1.34″
HEIGHT: 5.4″
BARREL LENGTH: 3.5″
SIGHT RADIUS: 5.9″
TRIGGER REACH: 2.56″
GRIP CIRCUMFERENCE: 5.5″ (MED BACKSTRAP)
WEIGHT WITHOUT MAGAZINE: 20.3 OZ
WEIGHT WITH EMPTY MAGAZINE: 23.3 OZ
MAGAZINE CAPACITY: 18RD
MAGS INCLUDED: 3
TRIGGER: PDT F-Series
SAFETIES: 3 – AUTO
TRIGGER PULL: ~5 lbs.
TRIGGER TRAVEL: 0.24″
MSRP: $899
Price around the web as of time of writing.
Check links for current pricing.
We have reviewed a few of the PDP models in the past, including the PDP F and so I had a good idea of what to expect at the range, but to be fair the GBGuns range protocol was followed including:
Cold Shots: Truly the first rounds through the gun. No warm up, no practice.
Full Magazine +1: Suprisingly some modern guns still struggle with this. It's a test of how much play is in the magazine as well as how the slide cycles with pressure. This is also when I do my best to learn the trigger.
What's For Dinner™: A test to see what ammunition the gun will eat. Does the gun feed the round from slide lock, will it cycle and feed another round of the same type, does the slide lock to the rear on empty, and is there any notable point of impact change with different loads.
For this gun the following ammunition was used:
Priced and linked where found at the time this article was written
65gr +p Novx $13.49 / 20 at Bud's Gun Shop
70gr Federal American Eagle Lead Free $32.99 / 50 direct from Federal
110gr Koenig JHP $49.69 / 50 at Optics Planet
115gr Sig Elite Defense V-Crown $39.99 / 50 direct from Sig
115gr Blazer Aluminum $11.99 / 50 at Bud's Gun Shop
124gr Sig Elite Defense V-Crown $44.99 / 50 direct from Sig
130gr Federal Syntech PCC $29.99 / 50 direct from Federal
147gr Winchester PDX1 $25.49 / 20 at Bud's Gun Shop
147gr Fiocchi Defense Dynamics JHP $20.36 / 50 at Global Ordnance
165gr AMMO, Inc Stleth FMJ $26.21 / 50 at KYGunCo
Range Ammo Magtech 115gr FMJ $234 / 1000 at TrueShot
Sights & Trigger Control: on a 6" spinner target at a distance of 12 yards. We got this from Titan Great Outdoors and use it to gauge how learnable the trigger is and usable the sights are for forced, timed, precise shots.
Practical Accuracy: Five shots from a distance of seven yards at a one inch target. This isn't so much about printing a tight group as it is a culmination of our shooting experience and time for us to collect thoughts prior to making a conclusion.
After Shots: Final impressions and reflections from the range session.
See for yourself how the Walther PDP F Pro performed int he range video below. Rumble link HERE.
Ammunition seen in our Shooting Impressions video was made possible by our Patrons and supporters of our ammunition savings account through Ammo Squared.
On the Range the Walther PDP F Pro did not disappoint. That "TEQ" line of "Trigger, Ergonomics, and Quality" definitely applies. I'd also like to take a moment to point out my success in using a pistol made for a smaller-handed shooter. Yes, shooter skill plays a role, but within reason, it is easier for a "too big" hand to run a shorter-reach gun than for a "too small' hand to run a longer-reach pistol. This experience tells me, and I hope demosntrates to you that just because you have larger hands does not mean that the PDP F series won't work for you, it just means this is a pistol you can share with your smaller-handed friends.
A little nugget for Walther fans is the omission of the usual CIP laster markings on the slide and barrel, and more importantly the blank spot where "Made in Germany" is usually part of the frame mold. This suggests that these pistols are now US Made. Ironically the same goes for the Volkswagen I drove to the range in.