Walther PDP Steel Frame Match Pistol Review

Walther has a long-standing fame for producing high quality pistols just like the P38 and PPK, and followers of the present Walther PDP lineup declare that there isn’t a greater striker-fired pistol made at this time. The PDP has been round for a number of years, evolving from the PPQ and earlier P99, however Walther has been arduous at work growing totally different fashions within the lineup. One of many latest is a steel-framed, full-size pistol that’s meant to fill each match and obligation roles. The PDP platform usually has nice ergonomics, controls, and is shooter pleasant. This new PDP Metal Body Match 5-inch mannequin comes optic prepared, sports activities Walther’s Efficiency Obligation Set off (PDT), and has the recoil-mitigating weight that solely a metal body can present. 

Specs

• Caliber: 9mm
• Capability: 18+1
• Journal Materials: Metal
• Dimensions: 5.75 inches (H) x 8.37inches (L) x 1.37 inches (W)
• Weight: 43 ounces (weighed with empty journal, no optic)
• Body: Metal
• Slide: Metal, black end
• Barrel: 5-inch, black end
• Sights: Polymer 3-dot, white, adjustable rear
• Optic prepared: Sure, makes use of Walther adapter plates
• Set off: PDT (Efficiency Obligation Set off), Single-action, flat shoe, 4 kilos 10 ounces (measured)
• Security: Set off security bar
• Worth: $1,920

Key Options

• Heavy metal body with wrap-around polymer grip scales
• 5-inch barrel
• PDT Set off
• Adjustable 3-dot white sights
• Optic minimize that makes use of Walther optic plates
• Aluminum magwell

Walther PDP Metal Body Match Assessment Highlights

• Metal body helps mitigate recoil
• Glorious set off
• Optic-ready, makes use of adapter plates
• Correct, dependable, and straightforward to shoot
• Common Group Measurement: 1.16 inches ( 19 5-shot teams at 15 yards) 

The Walther PDP Metal Body Match: The Distinction of Metal

For a few years, the striker-fired pistol and polymer have been in symbiosis. The truth is, polymer is a giant a part of what made striker-fired pistols like Glocks economical within the first place. It’s robust, inexpensive, and polymer pistol frames are simple to mass produce. Polymer continues to be the dominant materials for striker-fired weapons. Walther makes use of it in most of its PDP pistols just like the PDP F-series, however steel-framed fashions have been trickling onto the market from different producers for a number of years now. In our numerous tests and reviews, we’ve seen Sig and Smith & Wesson supply steel-framed variations of their polymer pistols. So, what’s so nice in regards to the metal? 

Benefits of Metal Frames

Metal frames are a lot heavier than their polymer counterparts. That is perhaps unappealing to some, however the obvious manner a metal body can assist the shooter is that weight. Any a part of the gun that doesn’t transfer—technically known as non-reciprocating mass—contributes to how a lot recoil a shooter feels. The better the non-reciprocating mass, the softer the felt recoil. A pistol with a lighter slide and heavier body received’t recoil with the identical perceivable sharpness {that a} pistol with a lighter body will. 

A heavier body can even assist the gun work higher. Blowback (recoil) operated semi-automatic pistols use the pressure of a cartridge’s recoil to drive the slide again in opposition to the recoil spring and eject the spent case. If you happen to don’t maintain a semi-automatic pistol tightly, the pressure of the recoil strikes the entire gun quite than simply the slide. When that occurs, you’ll encounter quite a few function-related issues. That is generally referred to as “limp-wristing.” You continue to can’t get away with  limp-wristing a steel-frame gun, however that added mass does make it extra forgiving for the shooter.

I used to be in a position to evaluate the Walther PDP Metal Body Match pistol on to the full-sized PDP polymer-framed match pistol and famous that the recoil cycle was each softer and smoother with the metal body. There wasn’t something flawed with the polymer-framed gun, however it’s 14.6 ounces — practically a pound — lighter. With that poly body, recoil feels faster and sharper.

How the Walther PDP Metal Body is Totally different from the Polymer Body

Walther’s metal body and polymer body are fairly comparable, and taking a look at them side-by-side, there are only some key variations apart from materials. First, the polymer body has an integrally molded grip with barely extra refined hand-fitting contours on the perimeters. The Walther PDP Metal Body makes use of a polymer grip scale that wraps across the again of the body, and a machined checkered grip texture on the entrance strap. Other than their weight, they really feel practically equivalent within the hand. 

The takedown mechanism is totally different between the 2 frames as properly. The polymer frames use the takedown tabs on both aspect of the body which can be pulled right down to take away the slide from the body. The metal body makes use of a rotating takedown lever. 

There are solely a pair different notable variations between the 2 frames. One among them is that the slide rails on the metal body are longer. The opposite is a pleasant bevel on the left and proper fringe of the metal body, simply above the set off guard. This small minimize makes shifting the set off finger from a resting place on the aspect of the body, into the set off guard, smoother and extra environment friendly. It’s a pleasant contact.

The Walther PDP Metal Body Match Has a Pristine Set off

Speaking triggers, relating to striker-fired pistols, is like speaking about that jar of various non-chocolate-flavored tootsie rolls that each gasoline station had while you have been a child. They’re all fairly terrible, however some are much less terrible than others. The Walther PDP Metal Body Match pistol’s PDT set off is the vanilla of the bunch. I wouldn’t need it on a precision rifle, however in comparison with different striker-fired pistols, it’s distinctive. To me, it doesn’t fairly assist obtain the identical stage of exact management {that a} Staccato P, Staccato CS, or different high-end 2011-style pistol set off provides the shooter, however it’s not far behind.

Once I say that striker-fired-pistol triggers are dangerous, I imply that in comparison with the set off system of a well-tuned 1911 or, higher but, a rifle, they require longer pulls, are heavier, and lots of are gritty or have various weight all through the pull. Many striker-fired-pistol triggers even have lengthy resets — the space the set off should journey again in a ahead path earlier than resetting and being prepared to fireplace once more. 

The Walther PDP Metal Body Match set off breaks at 4 kilos, 10 ounces in accordance with my Lyman set off pull gauge. That is gentle, however not exceptionally so. Many specialised match pistols may have even lighter triggers. Examine this to a inventory Glock G19 set off although. The one in my gun protected breaks at 6 kilos, 12 ounces. That’s to not knock Glock, that’s thought of commonplace for a striker-fired pistol.. 

H3 Apples to Apples: Evaluating Striker-Fired Triggers on Metal-Framed Weapons

The Walther PDT set off isn’t simply good as a result of it’s gentle. Frankly, it’s heavier than the triggers on many match pistols. However there’s rather more to a superb set off. My Sig P320 AXG Professional with a KGM enhanced trigger, a steel-framed comparative counter to the PDP SF Match, has a lighter set off pull weight of three kilos, 6 ounces. The Walther PDP Metal Body Match set off is barely heavier, however it has a definite wall, crisp break, and shorter reset than the set off on the Sig. I spent a whole lot of time capturing the 2 pistols side-by-side, and I discovered myself always throwing fast follow-up photographs low with my Sig when driving it quick. With the Walther, I may preserve the dot from my RMR on track whereas pouring a gradual stream of brass on the bottom working Bill Drills. 

Walther PDP Metal Body Match: Equipment and Kaboodle

The metal body and set off are the show-stealers on the Walther PDP Metal Body Match pistol, however there’s extra to it than that. Mainly, it’s a gun that’s set as much as be competition-ready out of the field. The lengthy slide is styled equally to different PDP fashions, with weight-reducing cutouts within the aggressive entrance slide serrations. The slide comes with Walther’s primary adjustable three-dot iron sights, however options an optic minimize that makes use of Walther optic adapter plates. I topped mine with a Trijicon RMR

The grip is capped with a healthy-sized aluminum magwell that funnels magazines easily into the body throughout fast reloads. Walther consists of three 18-round magazines with the PDP Metal Body, that are sufficient to get began for many motion pistol capturing matches. Many instances, two magazines aren’t sufficient to get by means of a match stage. I applaud them for being beneficiant with magazines when so many corporations skimp, however I would favor them to be 20-, 22-, or 23-round mags for a match gun like this. A number of corporations like Floyd’s Custom Shop do make prolonged baseplates that may add as much as 4 rounds, however I want they got here commonplace.

I used to be significantly impressed with how properly magazines interfaced with the metal body. Totally-loaded magazines lock into the gun with little or no stress, which is a giant plus for a ready-made competitors gun. Many pistols require a stable smack on the journal base plate to make sure it doesn’t fall proper again out, however not the PDP Metal body. Empty magazines spring freed from the gun when urgent the big, easy-to-reach journal catch button. Like another higher-end weapons, the Walther metal body options ribs on the within of the body that contact and information the journal. These ribs scale back the floor space that contacts the journal and thus reduces friction. 

Walther PDP Metal Body Match on the Vary

For many of my time capturing the Walther PDP Metal Body Match pistol, I centered on shooting drills and kinds that might be relevant for competitors and, as talked about earlier, I shot it alongside different pistols just like the Walther PDP Match (polymer frame), which is actually the identical pistol, however with a poly body and it prices about $900 much less. I additionally in contrast it to my Sig P320 AXG Professional, Glock G19, Glock G17, and Staccato P. The grip of the full-size PDP match pistols is chunky, and best-suited for shooters with massive arms. The set off attain is a bit longer than most different pistols, however it was a superb match for me. 

In comparison with its polymer-framed twin, the PDP Metal Body had softer recoil and noticeably smoother biking. It did very properly on track transitions and staying on track whereas capturing, however couldn’t fairly sustain with the pace of the 2011s. That’s splitting hairs although. In comparison with all of the striker-fired pistols I shot alongside it, the PDP Metal Body Match was undeniably probably the most controllable and best to shoot precisely. 

Accuracy

For particular accuracy testing, I shot 5-round teams by means of the Walther PDP Metal Body Match pistol at 15 yards, from a braced standing position using a bagged tripod. With a few of the extra correct ammo, I additionally shot a few teams at 25 yards. Most 9mm pistols that I’ve examined with this protocol common round 1.5- to 1.7-inch teams, and the PDP Metal Body averaged 1.16-inch teams (19 teams). I examined for accuracy with 5 kinds of ammo starting from Norma 65-grain NXD defensive hundreds to Federal Gold Medal 147-grain motion pistol hundreds. Probably the most correct ammunition I examined was Staccato Match ammo, which averaged 1.01-inch teams (4 teams) at 15 yards and 1.27-inch teams (2 teams) at 25 yards. 

What the Walther PDP Metal Body Match Does Properly

The metal gives a wonderful grip and many recoil-mitigating mass. The pistol has wonderful ergonomics and easy-to-run controls. A wonderful set off and good optic-mounting system make this a unbelievable out-of-the-box competitors pistol. There are few — if any — manufacturing striker-fired pistols that match it.

The place the Walther PDP Metal Body Match May Be Higher

I believe that some shooters with smaller arms will discover the grip of the Walther PDP Metal Body Match pistol too beefy and the set off attain too lengthy. I’d wish to see the gun include 3 20-plus-round magazines quite than 18-rounders. I believe that the worth is honest, however it’s excessive. The $900 disparity between the steel- and polymer-framed pistols is a giant distinction for a single improve.

Ultimate Ideas on the Walther PDP Metal Body Match

We proceed to see weapons of each kind getting higher, extra correct, and extra shooter-friendly. The Walther PDP Metal Body Match is a shining instance of this. It’s an excellent ready-made match pistol that’s dependable and difficult sufficient for obligation use too. The metal body provides weight that tangibly helps the shooter combat recoil and, coupled with a fantastic set off, permits them to shoot quicker and extra precisely. I attempted a number of striker-fired pistols in opposition to the PDP Metal Body, and I merely couldn’t preserve the identical tempo and accuracy with them. Sure, it’s an costly pistol, however there’s a giant distinction in what you get and the way properly you’ll have the ability to shoot it.