The history of the creation of weapons from the Walther company (Walter), or how UMAREX (Umarex) was bought by Walter. German pistol Walther: main characteristics and review of modifications Technical characteristics of Walther PP

History of the legendary Walther

Pistols from the German company are famous all over the world. WALTHER, founded in 1886 in Zella by Karl Walter.

In 1919, this settlement merged with the town of Melis, and from then on, a new name for the place of production of Zella-Mehlis in Thuringia appeared on the weapon. After World War II, the company settled in the West German city of Ulm on the Danube. The roots of the creator Karl Walter go back to the 18th-19th centuries.

The ancestors of Karl Walter can be traced under the name Johann Georg Walter in the church books of Rudolstadt since 1740. History is silent, but it is possible that Johann Walter was familiar with the great Schiller. Although the metric has not been preserved, it is known that Johann Christian Friedrich Walter was born on June 11, 1764, and married on January 19, 1790. on Johann August Barbara Urlauger from the same city.

In 1800 the family moved to Kreuzburg, where Walter worked as a lawyer. One of his sons was Heinrich Bernhard Walter, born November 4, 1801.

In 1825, Heinrich Walter married a representative of the Bodenschanz family, associated with the production of weapons.

Three years later, in November 1827, a second son was born, August Theodor Albert Walter, who eventually became a master tinsmith. After marrying the daughter of arms manufacturer Wilhelm Pistor, also in November, but already in 1858, Karl Wilhelm Walter was born, who became the founder of the Walter arms dynasty. In 1888, Karl Walter tied himself into family ties with the daughter of a famous revolver manufacturer, Minna Pickert (Arminius revolvers).

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The Walter Werke arms company in Zella-Mehlis (Thuringia) was founded in 1886 by Karl Walter (1858-1915). But the most famous designer in the Walter family was his son Fritz-August (1889-1966). He is the creator of the famous pistols PP, PPK, P-38, self-loading rifle mod. 1943 and many other successful weapon models. The design of the Walter pistol of the 1929 model turned out to be so good that it is still produced to this day. In many countries, including the USSR, she served as a role model.

At first, Walter’s small workshop was engaged in the manufacture of only Martini rifles. Then, one day, Karl Walter's eldest son, while in Berlin and experiencing financial difficulties, received 5 pistols from his younger brother to sell. After examining them, he did not sell them, but dismantled the weapons and persuaded his father to switch from producing the brands of revolvers known at that time to pistols.

In 1908, the first model of the Walther system appeared, caliber 6.35 mm. Karl Walter modestly called this model “Model 1”. It was a small pocket pistol with a striker hidden inside. The original device had a non-automatic fuse. It was a rod in a transverse through hole on the pistol body. Turning the fuse on and off was done by moving it to the right or left.

The head of the family was not a businessman or business executive. He constantly spent time in his weapons workshop, doing pure design. Responsibilities in the Walter family were distributed as follows: three sons were involved in production, the fourth son was in sales, and the fifth was in weapon design.

Already in 1909, the second model of the Walter pistol, cal. 6.35 mm. This pistol had an oval window on the bolt casing for ejecting spent cartridges, located on the right. Flag type fuse.

"Model 3", 1910, is designed in the same way, but its caliber is larger - 7.65 mm, and the window on the shutter casing is located on the left. Models 4-7 of 1910, 1913, 1915 and 1917 were also similar in design. respectively. They differed only in calibers, sizes and some details. Among them, it should be noted “Model 4”, which sold out very well.

"Model 6" was in service with the army as an auxiliary model during World War I. After World War I, the Walter company manufactured pocket pistols - “model 8” 1920, “9” and “9A”, 1921.

By the end of the 20s. The Walter company began creating a pistol, which, according to its data, without going beyond the restrictions of the Treaty of Versailles, would have qualities close to those of military models. Such a pistol appeared in 1929 under the name "PP" (Politsaypistole). It had a number of advantages, but the greatest of them was a self-cocking firing mechanism, which made it possible to fire the first shot without first cocking the hammer. This device was invented before the 1st World War, but it was only on Walter pistols that it became widespread and served as a model for imitation.

In 1931, the production of "PPK" (Politsaypistole criminal) pistols began, the same as the "PP", but in slightly reduced sizes. The design of the 1929 Walter pistol turned out to be very successful, so in a number of countries it served as a model for the creation of new pistols designed almost exactly the same. These pistols are still produced and used (mainly by the police) in many countries, and in addition to models of 7.65 mm and .22 LR caliber, models of 9 mm caliber have appeared.

"Walter PPK" is a special weapon that is still in great demand all over the world and has an amazing history. “Honor is loyalty” - this was the inscription on all the PPK gift pistols that Heinrich Himmler awarded to the most loyal members of his security service. Instead of a serial number, they were engraved with the date November 9, 1944.

Hermann Goering, one of the leaders of the Third Reich, who adored pomp, appeared everywhere with a gold-plated personalized pistol "PPK", the handle of which was made of ivory and on one side there was an emblem with the initials of the owner, and on the other - a symbol of imperial power. This pistol was given to Hermann Goering by the Walter family.

For his 50th birthday, Adolf Hitler also received a gold-plated "PPK", individually made by "Walter PPK", which was then presented to one of the German pilots. In 1987, this pistol appeared at auction and was sold for $115 thousand.

For the 100th anniversary of the Walter company, it itself received a unique copy of the “PPK” as a gift. One of the engravers, Joseph Eichholzer, gave the company his own engraved pistol “PPK” in the anniversary version with the inscription:

"For the 100th anniversary and 24 years of good cooperation, handed over by Josef Eichholzer. Engraving workshop. Ulm/Danube. March 1986."

In 1932, the Walter company began producing a pistol of the shortened PPK model for the police as a second (pocket) weapon.

Principle of operation: blowback recoil

The semi-automatic pistol "Walter" model PPK/S was the logical conclusion of the PP series. In terms of size and appearance, it is almost identical to the PPK model using 380 Auto ammunition and differs in minor changes in the outline of certain elements of the appearance. The magazine of the new model remains the same as that of the PPK pistol of 7.65 mm caliber - 7 rounds.

The pistol handle, despite the large caliber of cartridges used, is not very voluminous, and therefore is comfortable to grip, and the shaped protrusion of the plastic magazine cover, being a kind of continuation of the handle, provides support for the fingers.

The frame is made of light metal alloy and has a matte light anodized steel finish.

The effective range of an aimed shot, according to the company’s documentation, is 25 m, however, the results of scattering shooting at a greater distance (up to 40 m) turned out to be acceptable.

At the end of the 1930s, the designers of the Walter company began developing a new pistol model, which was intended to provide officers for the German air force and naval forces. The Mauser pistol model HXC, which came into service in 1939, did not meet wartime demands. The requirements put forward by the Air Force command boiled down primarily to two fundamental criteria - to ensure a large stopping effect of the weapon with minimal size and weight.

When developing a new model, it was decided to take the design of the PP model pistol (1929) as a basis and use the experience gained when creating the P-38 pistol (1938), and use a 9-mm cartridge as ammunition, called “Ultra”. "(Ultra), or it is also often called - “Police”.

This 9x18 cartridge, in its parameters, occupies an intermediate position between the 9x17 “short” and 9x19 “parabellum” cartridges and is very close to the 9x18 cartridge of the Makarov pistol.

The modern Walter pistol (PP-super) has significantly changed its appearance. The shape of the front post of the trigger safety guard has become almost vertical, which provides a more comfortable grip of the weapon with two hands. The effective range of an aimed shot, according to the company’s documentation, is 40 m, however, the results of hits at a greater distance turned out to be acceptable.

The trigger mechanism is double-action, with a trigger force of 2.7 and 4.4 kg, respectively, with the hammer cocked and self-cocking. The frame is made of a light metal alloy and has plastic handle linings with horizontally positioned shaped ribs for better retention of the weapon, as on the P-38 model. The magazine release mechanism button has moved slightly lower compared to the PP model, which has given room for the bolt stop lever to be placed.

This pistol can be considered a universal self-defense weapon. It is not for nothing that its production, according to the Walter company patent, was established not only in Europe (Hungary, Poland, France), but in the USA and in the East (Turkey, North Korea). This series successfully combines all the positive things that have been achieved not only by Walter, but also by other manufacturers of weapons of this class. The pistol of this model was recognized by law enforcement officers, customs officers, forestry officers and others as a reliable service weapon. It is also an excellent self-defense weapon, proven over decades and recognized throughout the world.

As with the PP, post-war modifications are somewhat larger. Easily recognized by the cover plate of the magazine, which provides support for the little finger of the shooting hand. The hybrid PPK/S model uses a PPK bolt and barrel on a PP frame, but in order to circumvent the restrictions of the 1968 US Law, the thickness of the pistol was increased. This model was sold to a limited extent in the USA.

Since 1931, the German Ministry of Defense began to look for a replacement for Georg Luger's Parabellum 08, which was very complex in manufacturing technology and very expensive, with a more advanced one.

Fritz Walter immediately set about developing a 9-mm parabellum instead of the little-used 08 caliber from Luger. For the first time in the world, Fritz Walter began to use light metals for a new model of pistol: aluminum and tin. Even tests of new weapons were carried out unofficially, since there was no confidence in a positive result. But Walter was confident that he was right and had no doubt that the time would definitely come to use light metals for the manufacture of weapons.

In addition, Fritz Walter, a supporter of saving metal when creating weapons and using lightweight, convenient designs, created a handle with a unique design for the Walter P 38. First of all, Walter abandoned the lining of the handle, and the balancing of the pistol was done so mathematically precisely that it made it possible to significantly reduce the amount of metal consumed.

In 1939, production began and by the middle of the year the first hundred P 38 pistols were handed over to the army. At the same time, the well-known brand “Walter P 38” was assigned to a slightly modified model with only the number 1020. The P-38 pistol was more advanced than the “Parabellum” and was supposed to supplant it over time. Since the introduction of this pistol began with arming officers with it, it was sometimes unofficially called an officer’s pistol, and “Parabellum” - a soldier’s pistol.

The P 38 pistol proved itself so successful that in 1940 the Mauser company received a government order to switch from the traditional Parabellum to the Walther P 38.

"P 38" is a self-loading pistol with a double-action trigger - the first with such a trigger among full-size military pistols chambered for a powerful cartridge. Its automation is built according to a scheme with a short barrel stroke and a locked bolt. The coupling of the barrel and the bolt is carried out by a special larva located under the barrel and swinging in a vertical plane.

When fired, the barrel and the bolt move back a few millimeters, then the larva “bumps” into the frame of the pistol and falls down, disengaging from the bolt.

The barrel with the cylinder fixed underneath stops, and the bolt continues its movement back, performing a full cycle of reloading the weapon. The pistol has a distinctive appearance due to the short bolt with a large window on top. On the back side of the bolt, above the open hammer, there is an indicator of the presence of a cartridge in the chamber. The fuse is located on the left side of the bolt; the slide stop latch is located on the frame under the fuse. In the front part of the frame there is a locking latch for disassembling the pistol. An interesting feature of the P 38 design (later inherited from the Beretta 92 pistol, along with the locking scheme) is that the trigger rod is located outside the frame, on the right side of the weapon.

The cheeks of the handle are made of black or brown plastic, the magazine latch is made on the heel of the handle. The sight is constant.

During the Second World War, the number of P 38s produced exceeded tens of millions of copies. For one Wehrmacht division alone, about 4,000 “officer Walters” were required. Pistols "Walter P 38" remained in service in West Germany after the Second World War. In addition, these pistols have gained worldwide fame and are currently in service in dozens of countries around the world.

Models 1 to 9 are not produced after World War 2. Instead, pocket models "TP" (Tashenpistole) and "TPH" (Tashenpistole mithan) appeared. Both pistols are chambered for the standard 6.35 mm Browning cartridge. New 9-mm Walter pistols also appeared. They are listed below.

— Walter PP Super “The design is similar to the Walter PP, 1929, but its external forms are more “modern.” A significant difference from the “PP” is the use of a new cartridge called “9 mm polis” or 9 x 18 "ultra" (the number 18 indicates the length of the sleeve in millimeters). This cartridge in size and power occupies an intermediate position between the 9 mm K and 9 mm Par cartridges. The peculiarity of the cartridge is that the diameter of the flange of its sleeve is smaller than the diameter of the sleeve itself, as well as smaller than the flange diameters of other 9 mm cartridges, which therefore cannot be used in the PP Super pistol.

- P-4. A shortened and lightweight (aluminum alloy body) version of the “P 38” model. The safety lever on the bolt serves only to safely release the trigger and blocks the firing pin only for the duration of the release. There is also a safety device associated with the position of the trigger. Produced since 1976, the P-38K differs from the P-4 only in its shorter barrel length and the location of the front sight on the bolt housing.

- P-5. Further development of the P-38 and P-4 models.

— P-88. The main difference from previous Walter models of this military-style pistol is the double-row arrangement of cartridges in the magazine (the magazine is removable, it holds 15 rounds). The pistol operates on the principle of using recoil energy with a short barrel stroke.

The trigger mechanism is self-cocking with an open trigger. The pistol has been produced since 1986. The history of the P 88 is extremely eventful. It began with missed opportunities and ended with a serious reduction in production. In the mid-80s, NATO began replacing it with a single NATO caliber. Along with Browning and the American JSSAP, Walter also took part in this program since 1978, presenting the Model P 88 for review.

In 1983, the number of "P 88" began to decline, since the Browning weapon concept used in the "P 88" was unattractive for civilian and sporting weapons. The fate of this model is sad. Despite significant labor and financial costs, a huge number of modifications, in the end the “Model P 88” was not in demand.

— “Model PP 90” introduced a new all-metal design, previously used in the classic “PP”. But this happened too late for the market. After the failure with "P 88" in the world, it seemed that "Walter" had taken a time out. In fact, behind closed doors, the development of the all-metal P 99 pistol, Agent 007's favorite pistol, was underway.

— “Model P 99” was launched into production in October 1996.

However, the year of creation of this model, despite the number 99, dates back to 1994. At that time it had a working title of "HPL". Literally it could be translated “A pistol without a sledgehammer.” This model fully met all the requirements of weapons of the late twentieth century. The development of the P 99 pistol by Walther (Carl Walther Sportwaffen GmbH.) began in 1994. The main goal was to create a modern pistol for police and self-defense, capable of achieving greater commercial success than its predecessor, the Walter P-88, which, despite its excellent characteristics, turned out to be too expensive. The creation of P 99 was completed by 1996, and the result was quite successful.

— The Walter P 99 pistol is built according to a short-stroke design. locking - according to a modified Browning scheme, where the barrel is lowered, interacting with a fixed pin in the frame and engages with the bolt through a window for ejecting cartridges. The trigger mechanism is striker-fired, double-action, but a QA (Quick Action) modification is also available, in which the striker is always in a partially cocked state and is re-cocked each time the trigger is pressed (somewhat similar to Glocks). This scheme ensures that the trigger force remains constant for all shots.

The pistol does not have external non-automatic safeties; instead, there is a button for safely decocking the firing pin (located at the top in the rear of the bolt. In addition, there are three automatic safeties - blocking the firing pin when dropped, blocking the firing pin when the bolt is not fully closed, and an automatic safety on the trigger .

The pistol frame is made of polymer materials and has a black or dark green (in the "military" version) color. A characteristic feature of the “P 99” is that the rear part of the handle is removable, and three interchangeable rear parts of different sizes are supplied with the pistol - to fit the hand of each individual shooter. In addition, a recoil damper is built into the rear of the handle. On the front of the frame under the barrel, in accordance with the latest fashion, there are guides for attaching a laser pointer or flashlight. According to many reviews, the P 99 is an excellent pistol, characterized by high reliability and good accuracy, especially in the version chambered for 9mm.

It is worth noting that the well-known James Bond, the unsinkable agent 007, after many years replaced the reliable, but already outdated “Walter PPK” with a brand new, brand new “P 99”, which the Walter company was not slow to take advantage of for advertising purposes. In terms of its combat qualities, this model is superior to Russian and Japanese pistols - these words belong to one of the most famous experts in the field of weapons, Major Boosroyd and concerned the Walter PPK model. This statement was adopted by the author of works about James Bond, Ian Fleming. "Walter R 5", cal. 9 mm, "Walter LP 53", "PPK", "PP", "P 38", "P 5", "P 88" were in particular demand among Hollywood film directors. A special place among them was given to the indispensable assistant of any agent - the Walter PPK pistol.

In 1953, their production was restored as purely sporting and hunting rifles. The Walter company did not ignore hunting rifles with optical sights. Excellent combat qualities combined with unique German optics allowed the Walter rifles to take leading positions among other leaders in the production of sporting and hunting small-caliber rifles.

WA 2000 looks like a prop from Lucas' Star Wars. Released in 1981 by Walther, the WA 2000 sniper rifle immediately created a sensation due to its futuristic design. Being a kind of “Rolls-Royce” among other sniper rifles, it also has a corresponding price. WA 2000 is made according to the bullpup design. Its automation operates using the energy of powder gases. The main structural element - the barrel - is of particular importance for this weapon, which requires high shooting accuracy. It is rigidly attached to the frame at the front and back so that when fired it does not move away from the selected target.

The WA 2000 is usually equipped with a Schmidt and Bender telescopic sight (x2.5-x10), but other sights are also compatible with this rifle. For best target results, precision-guided ammunition should be used.

Of all the commercially available cartridges, the .300 Winchester Magnum is the best suited for this rifle. Others, such as the 7.62 mm NATO cartridge and the 7.5 mm Swiss cartridge, can only be used if the bolt and barrel are replaced.

Despite its impressive appearance, the WA 2000 is hardly a combat weapon. This rifle is too heavy and expensive for mass production. However, it is ideally suited for the needs of the police and intelligence services.

The first gas pistols and rocket launchers

Along with gas pistols, starting pistols and rocket launchers appeared. International professionals still consider the rocket launcher to be the best among other models. Just like "PPK", Model "P 99" was redesigned into the signal and gas version "P 99" P.A.K. Sales of this model began in 1996.

In 1993, the message came out like a bomb exploding: “Umarex is buying Walter.” Umarex, specializing in gas and signal weapons, decided to expand its production and on January 1, 1993, Umarex's subsidiary PW-Interfrms GmBH bought a 90% stake in Walter. 10% belong to Karl Walter’s wife, Ira, and son, Iorgan Walter.

The UMAREX group includes:
UMAREX Sportwaffen GmbH & Co. KG, Arnsberg
Carl Walther GmbH Sportwaffen
Mayer & Wonisch GmbH & Co. KG
Pyrotechnik Silberhutte GmbH, Silberhutte
Furstenberg Holzwaren GmbHf Arnsberg
Umarex Sport & Freizeit GmbH & Co. KG, Osterreich
Umarex Moskau GU AG, RuBland
PW ARMS GmbH & Co. KG, Dortmund
PW ARMS Sportwaffen GmbH & Co. KG, Osterreich

At the same time, the fame of the Walter company is so great in the world that, even after the sale and merger with Umarex, it allowed them to retain the Walter logo. The fame of "Walter" also affected sporting events, in which "Umarex" plays one of the main roles. After the purchase of "Walter" by Umarex, it was decided to preserve and increase the value of the "Walter" trademark. Initially, Umarex allocated 10 million marks to advertise the Walter as a sporting weapon. For this purpose, the Walter Weapons Cup began to be held. Along with sporting weapons, Umarex also develops and sells security weapons, which include small-caliber and gas weapons.

Fritz Walter was involved in the creation of signal pistols back in 1920 and in 1926 received a patent for the development of a new model. International professionals still consider this model to be the best among other rocket launcher options.

In the early 30s, small-caliber semi-automatic Walter rifles (KJS, KKJ, KKH) became widespread and were in great demand.

In 1953, their production was restored as purely sporting and hunting rifles.

The Walter company did not ignore hunting rifles with optical sights. The merits of the creators and successors of the Walter company did not go unnoticed by the public and government agencies.

Thus, Fritz Walter (died in 1966 at the age of 77, his place was taken by Karl Walter), the main ideologist of “Walter”, accepted the Diesel medal. At the same time, he refused the well-deserved federal Cross of Merit.

For practically a whole century, the timeless “Walter” trademark ruled the roost in the production of weapons and on the weapons market, amazing the world with its new technical achievements. The founder on the German side is the UMAREX arms concern, which celebrated its thirtieth anniversary in 2002.

The UMAREX concern owns the famous WALTHER company, whose 100th anniversary was celebrated in 1986, as well as a number of weapons production facilities for gas, pneumatic, short-barreled firearms, and pyrotechnic products.

The small company initially produced hunting weapons and sporting rifles of the Martini system. In 1908, on the initiative of 19-year-old Fritz Walter, the eldest of the five sons of the company’s founder (later each of them was responsible for separate areas of the family business), the company began producing Model 1 pistols in 6.35 mm caliber. The following model numbers had calibers of 6.35 mm or 7.65 mm. Since 1915, Walter "Model 4" pistols of 7.65 mm caliber have been ordered in large quantities by the German armed forces. In 1915, production of the first Walter pistol chambered for the 9 mm Model 6 cartridge began. The 6.35 mm pocket Model 8, produced from 1920 to 1943, was notably popular as a civilian, police and officer weapon. The Model 9 (1921) is one of the smallest pistols ever produced in 6 caliber .35 mm. In 1929, the company began making the popular 7.65 mm “police pistols” model PP, and in 1930, the shortened and lightweight model PPK (“criminal police pistol”). The pistols used a self-cocking mechanism, which later became widely used. A business based on family and national traditions bore fruit.

Since 1931, the German Ministry of Defense began to look for a replacement for the Luger P08 pistol with a more advanced one. In 1934, the company introduced the military-style Walther MP, which used blowback recoil. After testing, many shortcomings of this model were revealed, work on it was stopped. In October 1936, Fritz Walter and engineer Fritz Barthlemens received a patent (DRP No. 721702 dated October 27, 1936) for a barrel bore locking system - a latch rotating in a vertical plane. It was this technical solution that formed the basis of the new generation of German military pistols.

The new model, after winning competitive tests in 1938, was adopted by the Wehrmacht as a standard service pistol under the name P38. In its shortened bolt, the continuity of German gunsmiths from Luger can be traced. In addition to the new locking mechanism, the P38 uses a safety lock, which without any reservations can be considered one of the most successful designs.

After World War II, much of the enterprise fell into the hands of the new East German government, and for many years the company was unable to regain its place in the market. Only at the end of the 2000s the company resumed its work, now in Germany, in the city of Ulm. The company continued production of the P38 (renamed P1) in 1957 in order to supply the new West German Bundeswehr army. Fritz Walter, who headed the company since 1915 after the death of his father, died in 1966 at the age of 77. During his lifetime, the main ideologist of “Walter” was awarded the Diesel medal, but at the same time, he refused the well-deserved federal Cross of Merit. His son Karl took his place and opened a new direction - sports weapons and sports equipment. In 1993, the company Walther entered into the German holding Umarex.

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See what "Walther" is in other dictionaries:

Walther P.P.- Allgemeine Information Entwickler/Hersteller: Carl Walther GmbH, Zella Mehlis … Deutsch Wikipedia

Walther M.P.- Allgemeine Information Zivile Bezeichnung … Deutsch Wikipedia

Walther P1- Allgemeine Information Zivile Bezeichnung: P1 Militärische Bezeic … Deutsch Wikipedia

Walther P5- Allgemeine Information Zivile Bezeichnung: Walther P5 Einsatzlan ... Deutsch Wikipedia

Walther T.P.- Allgemeine Information Zivile Bezeichnung: Walther TP … Deutsch Wikipedia

- / PPK Walther PP Type: Self-loading pistol Country: Germany ... Wikipedia

Walther- steht für: Walther (Familienname), Auflistung aller Familiennamen mit Walther Walther (Bildhauerfamilie), deutsche Bildhauerfamilie Walther (Mondkrater) Walther Werke Waltharius oder Walther, eine germanische Sagengestalt Walther ist der Vorname... ... Deutsch Wikipedia

Walther P5 Type: self-loading pistol Country: Germany Service history ... Wikipedia

Walther MPK Type: submachine gun Country ... Wikipedia

Karl-Heinz Walter belongs to the post-war generation of gunsmiths whose surnames are not as popular as Browning, Mauser or Colt. He stands somewhat in the shadows compared to his eminent grandfather Karl Walter, who founded the legendary company, and his father Fritz Walter, who brought the family enterprise worldwide fame. Nevertheless, Karl-Heinz Walter managed not only to preserve the traditions of the family business in difficult and not very favorable times for the company, but also to introduce a lot of new things himself, especially in the development of sports weapons and the introduction of the latest technologies.

Karl-Heinz Walter was born on November 3, 1923 in the city of Erfurt in Thuringia. He was the youngest child of Fritz and Gertrude Walter and, along with his older brother Gerhard Karl Emil, had two sisters, Anneliese Helena Minna and Charlotte Paula Erika (giving double and triple names was a Walter family rule). After graduating from school, Karl-Heinz continued his studies at the Zeiss plant in Jena, and then within the walls of the family business, mastering the profession of a toolmaker. The war prevents him from receiving an education, and in May 1942, 19-year-old Karl-Heinz was drafted to the front. In December 1944, in one of the battles near the Belgian border, he was wounded in the shoulder and captured by the Allies, so Karl-Heinz spent the rest of his military service in France, in a prisoner of war camp. After the end of the war, the Walter family was forced to move from Zella-Mellis (Thuringia) to the town of Bissingen near Stuttgart. Karl-Heinz spent his first post-war years there. Many engineers and skilled Walter workers followed the family’s example, which is why the idea was born to rebuild the company in a new location. Karl-Heinz decided to continue his education and, in parallel with evening school, was undergoing vocational training at the Beutel company in Esslingen. The realities of the post-war period made their own adjustments: instead of a technical specialty, he chose the profession of a businessman, which was then considered more promising. However, the acquired technical and economic knowledge soon came in handy.
In the early 50s, Fritz Walter decided to move the family business to the city of Ulm, and the youngest son became one of the main assistants. Already on March 23, 1955, Karl-Heinz entered the management of the company and received a very respectable salary for those times of 1,105 Deutsch Marks. He also experienced changes on the personal front: on December 28, 1958, he became engaged to his future life partner, Ira Acker, the daughter of a major German merchant, who also served as a fee consul on the Greek island of Samos. Marriage to her, of course, played a certain role in the fate of the family company. Acker's authority, influence and business connections were a good help for the development of the Karl Walter company, which began its post-war biography practically from scratch. In addition, strengthening Karl-Heinz's position was important because in the early 60s his father's health deteriorated greatly, and his son practically had to take over the management of the company. After his death in 1966, Karl-Heinz Walter became the official head and owner of the family business.
At that time, Karl-Heinz found himself in a difficult situation: the 43-year-old chief of the legendary company had to prove that he was a worthy heir to the famous Fritz “The Great” of Zella-Mellis and was not going to remain in the shadow of his famous father. The younger Walter succeeded: the change in Walther management even led to the strengthening of the company. Firstly, Karl-Heinz fully retained the traditional strengths of the family enterprise, which were based on the personal modesty of management, loyalty to employees and the principle of “everything in one hand”: the main technical, organizational and financial issues were resolved solely by the head of the company. Secondly, Karl-Heinz changed the development strategy of the enterprise, making it diversified. Previously, the main focus was the production of police and military weapons, mainly service pistols. At that time, Walter had a significant portfolio of orders in this sector, which allowed the company to exist quite well. And yet this state of affairs did not suit Karl-Heinz. He decides to significantly expand the range of products, focusing on sporting and hunting weapons.
The head of the company, who, like all members of the family, was an excellent shooter and an avid hunter, paid special attention to the sports sector. Karl-Heinz Walter was the champion of the shooting guild of the weapons capital of Germany, the city of Ulm, and was later awarded the title of honorary master of shooting sports. For his services to the development of shooting sports in Germany, the German Shooting Sports Federation awarded him a gold medal.
To be fair, it should be noted that the production of sporting weapons is a long-standing Walther tradition. Back in the 30s, Fritz Walter created the legendary Walter-Olympia pistol, which was produced after the war under license from the Swiss company Hemmerli. In those same years, small-caliber Walter rifles enjoyed significant success. After the end of World War II, Walther began producing air pistols and rifles. The LG51 air rifle model developed by Fritz Walter had high combat accuracy and largely contributed to changing the attitude of sports shooters towards pneumatics, who for a long time considered it exclusively as a weapon for recreational shooting and did not take it seriously. The Fritz Walter LP53 air pistol stood out for its high quality and accuracy, as well as its attractive design, which ensured this weapon an unusually long life.
By the beginning of the 60s, the license agreement for the production of Walter-Olympia pistols had expired, and the pistol itself no longer met the requirements of sports shooters. Therefore, to replace the famous model, in 1961, under the leadership of Karl-Heinz, a new sports pistol was developed, designated OSP (Olympische Schnellfeuer-Pistole). The OSP pistol was a highly specialized sporting weapon designed for high-speed shooting at emerging targets, and was therefore significantly different from its predecessor. In contrast to the elegant Olympia, the OSP design stood out for its functionality: everything in the pistol was subordinated to one goal - achieving maximum shooting accuracy. For three decades, the majority of top-class Western athletes who competed in this shooting discipline were armed with it.
In 1968, a new model of the GSP (Gebrauchs-Standardpistole) sporting pistol was introduced. Its special feature was its modular design, which made it possible to create various configurations on the basis of one pistol, differing in caliber (.22LR, .22kurz or .32S&W), trigger mechanisms and types of handles. Thanks to this, the GSP could be used in different types of shooting competitions. In 1976, the OSP and GSP models were unified. The GSP pistol is still in production (the current version, which appeared in 2001, is called GSP Expert) and is today the most common type of sports pistol in the world.
In 1977, Walther introduced an innovative model of free sporting pistol, designated Walther FP (Freie Pistole). What was new was the use of an electronic shutter powered by a battery. Despite the advantages of this model, FP had difficulty making its way: it was significantly ahead of its time, and it took about another decade to overcome the conservatism of athletes and coaches who preferred reliable and proven mechanics. Today, electronic triggers have become commonplace, and can be found in many models of sporting pistols from such well-known brands as Hämmerli, Morini and Pardini.
Karl-Heinz Walter's range of sports models was later supplemented by the CP1 and CP2 air pistols, which appeared in 1981 and 1982 respectively. In addition to pistols, the Walter Design Bureau, under the leadership of Karl-Heinz, designed and launched three models of sporting rifles: LGV (1964), UIT (1968) and LGR (1974). "Walter" continued to produce hunting weapons, of which the KKJ series models chambered for the small-caliber .22LR cartridge stood out.
It is noteworthy that Ulm is the location of one of the most significant competitors in the sporting weapons market - the Anschutz company. But, despite the fierce struggle, relations between gunsmiths always remained gentlemanly. As Dieter Anschutz, who headed the Anschutz company in those years, recalls, when they met Karl-Heinz, they not only greeted each other, but also invariably invited each other to visit. This exchange of pleasantries, however, had an easily understandable background: both entrepreneurs came from Zella-Mellis and were related through the Schilling family, one of the oldest and most respected Zulian arms dynasties.
However, Karl-Heinz Walter’s special attention to sporting and hunting weapons did not mean that “Walter” left the sector of military and police weapons. Firstly, the company remained the most important supplier of short-barreled weapons for the German armed forces, producing P1 and P21 (Walther PPK) pistols for the needs of the Bundeswehr. For the police in 1972, based on the Walther PP, the PP Super pistol was created, which differed from the prototype in the use of a more powerful 9 x 18 mm “Ultra” cartridge. It was produced until 1979. Karl-Heinz Walter also made a number of attempts to modernize the P1 pistol. So, first the shortened and lightweight P4 model appeared, and in 1976 its further development, the P5, appeared. The modernization of PP and P1 did not bring much results, new versions of old models were not successful. The P5 in Germany was often given the nickname “P38 with a hardtop” (with a hard top), and the PP Super even earned a reputation as a loser pistol. And yet the P4 model was adopted by the German border guard, and the P5 became the standard weapon of the Dutch police and the police of the two federal states of West Germany.
Therefore, on the initiative of Karl-Heinz Walter in 1978-1979. The creation of a new pistol model for the army and police began, chambered for the 9x19 mm Par. cartridge, equipped with a two-row magazine and using automatic recoil. In 1984, its mass production began under the designation P88. With her, “Walter” twice participated in the competition for an army pistol, for the Bundeswehr and for the US Army, but was defeated both times. In particular, the German military was not satisfied with the high cost of the pistol.
Karl-Heinz Walter also reworked the concept of a pocket pistol. Instead of the TP model, the TPH model (Tachenpistole Hahn - pocket pistol with a trigger) was created in 1968. It was produced not only in Germany, but also in the USA under license. In addition to the commercial market, the TPH pistol was used in law enforcement agencies, in particular, to arm female personnel of the Bavarian police.
For special forces, in 1982 the company introduced a revolutionary new model of a self-loading sniper rifle, which featured an unusual layout. The WA2000 (Walther Automat 2000) was characterized by excellent shooting accuracy with a small number of shots, but with more intense shooting, due to the heating of the barrel, there was a noticeable deterioration in the accuracy of the weapon. Another disadvantage of the rifle was its high price, comparable at that time to the cost of a passenger car. These circumstances led to a very small number of copies produced and the rapid cessation of production of the WA2000 already in 1988.
The fate of the good Walther MP submachine gun, produced by the factory in 1963-1985, was not so successful. Although this weapon successfully passed tests at the Meppen army training ground and won the competition for a submachine gun for the Bundeswehr, the MP became a victim of political decisions. Due to the “special” relations between West Germany and Israel, German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer chose to purchase Israeli Uzi submachine guns, which were adopted by the Bundeswehr under the designation MP2. Nevertheless, the Walther MP was used by the border guards and police of Germany, as well as in the armed forces of some states.
The company's not so great success in the field of military and police weapons in the 60-80s, as opposed to sporting and hunting weapons, is explained not only by the lesser interest of the head of the company in military products. At this time, Karl-Heinz had to face increased competition from both German and foreign firms. The times when Walther was a monopolist and almost completely controlled the market for short-barreled service weapons are irrevocably gone.
The “hot spot doctrine” put forward in 1966 by the office of Bundeschancellor Kiesinger, the ideologist of which was Hans-Jürgen Wisniewski, nicknamed “Ben Wisch” for his close ties with the Arab world, worsened the export situation of “Walter”. The sale of weapons to other countries was either subject to significant restrictions or was completely prohibited. Therefore, Walter was forced to resort to some tricks to get around export barriers. For example, parts of weapons manufactured in Ulm and intended for export were marked with the trademark of the French company Manurin in order to hide its German origin. This trick helped Walther arm the West Berlin police with Walther P1 and P4 pistols, since the Allied administration that controlled the western part of the city prohibited police from having weapons made in Germany.
These were not the only difficulties that Karl-Heinz faced during his leadership. In the post-war years, Walther was one of the largest manufacturers of not only weapons, but also office equipment - typewriters, adding machines, and cash registers. For example, in the 60s, Walther equipped all the most important train stations and travel agencies in Germany with electromechanical ticket vending machines. She invested very heavily in this industry, moving from mechanical devices to electronic equipment in the early 70s. And yet, progress in electronics was so rapid that the company, due to its commitment to high quality and traditional German thoroughness, was unable to compete with American and Japanese computer manufacturers who relied on the low cost and short service life of their products. Walther's office equipment subsidiary was forced to declare bankruptcy on August 6, 1974.
For some time, Karl-Heinz Walter managed to quite successfully run a business in another related industry - machine tool building. Walther, under his leadership, produced milling machines that were distinguished by high precision and quality. Moreover, she produced it not only for her own needs, but also for sale, which was very successful. Unfortunately, the success was short-lived: over time, competition in the machine tool industry intensified, and due to the high price, Walther machines were no longer in demand on the market.
In November 1975, Gertrud Walter, Karl-Heinz's mother, died. Her death had a difficult impact on the well-being of the family business: the widow of Fritz “The Great” was the most important thread connecting the representatives of the family clan. When she died, each family member decided to conduct their affairs separately, and relations between relatives cooled noticeably.
The situation on the foreign market also worsened for the factory. Until the beginning of the 80s, the company from Ulm successfully and mutually beneficially collaborated with the already mentioned French Manurin. The Alsatians produced pistols of the PP, PPK, PPK/S and Sport models (the “Polizei-Pistole” version with an extended barrel chambered for .22LR), and Walter received decent income under a licensing agreement. But at the end of the 70s, things did not go well for the French, and gradually the company became the property of the MATRA concern. The new management of Manurhin Matra Defense, formed in 1983, had to face serious changes in the company’s policy, which were not in favor of cooperation with Walter. The MATRA concern had little interest in the production of weapons under license and relied on the active acquisition of other companies, so the production of Walther pistols in France was soon discontinued.
Probably in this regard, Karl-Heinz Walter decided to look for new partners abroad to organize licensed production. Malta, Ireland and Canada (Vancouver) were considered as possible producing countries. These plans were not destined to come true, since other representatives of the family clan opposed the expansion of the company. And yet, Karl-Heinz Walter managed to win a serious victory: in 1979, he signed a cooperation agreement with the famous American industrialist and arms dealer Samuel Cummings, head of Interarms USA. It is curious that the American entrepreneur earned his start-up capital in Germany, having acquired several thousand captured MG 42 machine guns in Holland after the war and resold them to the Bonn government to equip the Bundeswehr that was being formed at that time. Interarms began producing the PPK/S pistols in 1979, which were a combination of the PP and PPK models.
Despite the difficult situation, Walther, with Karl-Heinz at the helm, looked very respectable. In 1983, the company had 402 employees and an annual turnover of 33 million marks. However, that year became a turning point in the history of the company. The sudden death of Karl-Heinz Walter, who was just a day shy of his sixtieth birthday, was a serious blow to the company.
Usually the sudden death of the head of the company is associated with his hunting hobby, but this is not so. On August 29, 1983, Karl-Heinz Walter felt acute pain in his chest and was urgently admitted to the Bundeswehr hospital in Ulm. The examination also revealed renal failure, for the treatment of which Karl-Heinz was transferred to the nephrology department of the University Hospital Safrenberg in Ulm. There he fell into a coma, after which he died on November 2, 1983.
In his last conversation with his wife Ira at the end of September, Karl-Heinz said: “I am not worried about the fate of the company. She is in the hands of reliable people." Alas, although the matter initially remained in the hands of the family, his words were not confirmed.
The chair of the chief of “Karl Walter” was taken by 34-year-old Hans Faar, the nephew of Karl-Heinz, born in the city of Singen into a family of Baden industrialists. After finishing his studies in Munich, he worked as a consultant and project manager in the automotive and textile industries. Since 1980 he has been with Walther. Of course, he lacked experience in managing a large company in such a specific area as weapons production, and not at the best time, amid a decline in business activity of the enterprise. Therefore, Faar did not remain at the helm for too long and already in 1988 he moved to the joint stock company IWKA, which was engaged in the production of robots and equipment for mechanical engineering. Here his career was more successful: first he headed one of the JSC’s subsidiaries, and then he himself became chairman of the board of IWKA. In 2005, however, he had to resign under pressure from American investors who acted in accordance with the “locust strategy” and literally devoured the traditionally strong German engineering enterprises.
Hans Faar's successor was Rupprecht von Rothkirch, who had no relation to the Walter family and was a protégé of the bankers. His attitude to business was also appropriate: everything that could be sold was turned into money by Rotkirch - production buildings, numerous experimental and rare weapons, spare parts for them, factory equipment (including expensive high-precision machines from the Gildemeister company), drawings and plans. Thermal, stock and tool production was closed; first, sports free pistols, then small-caliber rifles, disappeared from the enterprise’s program. Before the purchase of Karl Walter by the UMAREX group, the Ulm company produced only pneumatics. In 1993, PW Interarms GmbH, a subsidiary of UMAREX, became the owner of the famous arms company and the owner of the majority of its capital. UMAREX directors Franz Wonish and Wulf-Heinz Pflaumer not only saved Walter from imminent bankruptcy, but also returned much of the sold property by searching for and buying it back. And although the current "Walter", part of UMAREX, does not resemble the former empire, the company is doing well, and it continues the strategy laid down by Karl-Heinz Walter - the production of high-quality sports weapons and police pistols. In addition, 10% of the company's capital remains in the hands of his son Jürgen Walter, who works in the quality control department.

K:Companies founded in 1886

The small company initially produced hunting weapons and sporting rifles of the Martini system. In 1908, on the initiative of 19-year-old Fritz Walter, the eldest of the five sons of the company’s founder (later each of them was responsible for separate areas of the family business), the company began producing Model 1 pistols in 6.35 mm caliber. The following model numbers had calibers of 6.35 mm or 7.65 mm. Since 1915, Walter “Model 4” pistols of 7.65 mm caliber have been ordered in large quantities by the German armed forces. In 1915, production of the first Walter pistol chambered for the 9 mm Model 6 cartridge began. The 6.35 mm pocket Model 8, produced from 1920 to 1943, was notably popular as a civilian, police and officer weapon. The Model 9 (1921) is one of the smallest 6-caliber pistols ever produced, 35 mm. In 1929, the company began making the popular 7.65 mm “police pistols” model PP, and in 1930, the shortened and lightweight model PPK (“criminal police pistol”). The pistols used a self-cocking mechanism, which later became widely used.

Since 1931, the German Ministry of Defense began to look for a replacement for the Luger P08 pistol with a more advanced one. In 1934, the company introduced the military-style Walther MP, which used blowback recoil. After testing, many shortcomings of this model were revealed, work on it was stopped. In October 1936, Fritz Walter and engineer Fritz Barthlemens received a patent (DRP No. 721702 dated October 27, 1936) for a barrel bore locking system - a latch rotating in a vertical plane. It was this technical solution that formed the basis of the new generation of German military pistols.

After winning competitive trials in 1938, the new model was adopted by the Wehrmacht as a standard service pistol under the name P38. In addition to the new locking mechanism, the P38 uses a safety lock, which without any reservations can be called one of the most successful designs.

Products

Pistols

Sports

Combat

Submachine guns

Rifles

Sports

Combat

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Notes

Links

• www.carl-walther.de
• www.walther.ru

Excerpt characterizing Walther

“Mon cher, voue m"avez promis, [My friend, you promised me,” she turned again to the Son, exciting him with the touch of her hand.
The son, with lowered eyes, calmly followed her.
They entered the hall, from which one door led to the chambers allocated to Prince Vasily.
While the mother and son, going out into the middle of the room, intended to ask for directions from the old waiter who jumped up at their entrance, a bronze handle turned at one of the doors and Prince Vasily in a velvet fur coat, with one star, in a homely manner, came out, seeing off the handsome black-haired a man. This man was the famous St. Petersburg doctor Lorrain.
“C"est donc positif? [So, is this true?] - said the prince.
“Mon prince, “errare humanum est”, mais... [Prince, it is human nature to make mistakes.] - answered the doctor, gracing and pronouncing Latin words in a French accent.
– C"est bien, c"est bien... [Okay, okay...]
Noticing Anna Mikhailovna and her son, Prince Vasily dismissed the doctor with a bow and silently, but with a questioning look, approached them. The son noticed how suddenly deep sorrow was expressed in his mother's eyes, and smiled slightly.
- Yes, in what sad circumstances did we have to see each other, Prince... Well, what about our dear patient? - she said, as if not noticing the cold, insulting gaze directed at her.
Prince Vasily looked questioningly, to the point of bewilderment, at her, then at Boris. Boris bowed politely. Prince Vasily, without answering the bow, turned to Anna Mikhailovna and answered her question with a movement of his head and lips, which meant the worst hope for the patient.
- Really? - Anna Mikhailovna exclaimed. - Oh, this is terrible! It’s scary to think... This is my son,” she added, pointing to Boris. “He himself wanted to thank you.”
Boris bowed politely again.
- Believe, prince, that a mother’s heart will never forget what you did for us.
“I’m glad that I could do something pleasant for you, my dear Anna Mikhailovna,” said Prince Vasily, straightening his frill and in his gesture and voice showing here, in Moscow, in front of the patronized Anna Mikhailovna, even greater importance than in St. Petersburg, at Annette’s evening Scherer.
“Try to serve well and be worthy,” he added, turning sternly to Boris. - I'm glad... Are you here on vacation? – he dictated in his dispassionate tone.
“I’m waiting for an order, your Excellency, to go to a new destination,” answered Boris, showing neither annoyance at the prince’s harsh tone, nor a desire to engage in conversation, but so calmly and respectfully that the prince looked at him intently.
- Do you live with your mother?
“I live with Countess Rostova,” said Boris, adding again: “Your Excellency.”
“This is the Ilya Rostov who married Nathalie Shinshina,” said Anna Mikhailovna.
“I know, I know,” said Prince Vasily in his monotonous voice. – Je n"ai jamais pu concevoir, comment Nathalieie s"est decidee a epouser cet ours mal – leche l Un personnage completement stupide et ridicule.Et joueur a ce qu"on dit. [I could never understand how Natalie decided to come out marry this dirty bear. A completely stupid and ridiculous person. And a player, too, they say.]
“Mais tres brave homme, mon prince,” Anna Mikhailovna remarked, smiling touchingly, as if she knew that Count Rostov deserved such an opinion, but asked to have pity on the poor old man. – What do the doctors say? - asked the princess, after a short silence and again expressing great sadness on her tear-stained face.
“There is little hope,” said the prince.
“And I really wanted to thank my uncle again for all his good deeds to both me and Bora.” C"est son filleuil, [This is his godson," she added in such a tone, as if this news should have greatly pleased Prince Vasily.
Prince Vasily thought and winced. Anna Mikhailovna realized that he was afraid to find in her a rival in the will of Count Bezukhy. She hastened to reassure him.
“If it weren’t for my true love and devotion to my uncle,” she said, pronouncing this word with particular confidence and carelessness: “I know his character, noble, direct, but he has only the princesses with him... They are still young...” She bowed her head and she added in a whisper: “Did he fulfill his last duty, prince?” How precious are these last minutes! After all, it can’t be worse; it needs to be cooked if it is that bad. We women, Prince,” she smiled tenderly, “always know how to say these things.” It is necessary to see him. No matter how hard it was for me, I was already used to suffering.

The first Walther pistol appeared in the family arms company Walther Werke, which deals with hunting and sporting weapons, thanks to the persistence of the eldest son Fritz August of its owner Karl. The craftsmen did not give their products special loud names, denoting them simply and briefly - Model 1, Model 2, Model 3 and so on.

The weapon received markings later, when the army and police became interested in them - P 38 (Pistole and the year of serial production began in 1938) and PP (Polizei Pistole, entering the series in 1929).

History of the arms company

In Walter Werke's workshop in Zella-Mehlis, owner Karl Wilhelm assembled Martini sporting rifles. In 1903, the capacity increased to a three-story building, in which 50 workers worked on 50 machines. Of the master's five sons, three older brothers devoted themselves to gunsmithing - Fritz August, Georg Karl and Willy Alfred.

In 1908, Fritz improved the design of the Model 1 pistol, he convinced his father to add it to the company's range of hunting weapons, so the mobilization of the Walter family during the First World War, which began in 1914, was not affected. The company urgently increased its capacity, producing Model 1 pistols for the army as early as 1916 on 750 machines with the help of 500 workers.

In the same year, the company received an order for machine gun bolts from MG08, Fritz created the Model 6 chambered for 9 mm, and took over the company due to the death of his father. In 1919, the Treaty of Versailles was concluded - the ban on the production of military weapons in Germany was observed for 1.5 years. The company survived solely on sporting weapons.

After the ban was lifted in 1920, the development of commercial weapons was allowed. Fritz develops three pocket pistols - the Model 8, Model 9 and Model 9A. By 1929, the PP series of police-style self-cocking pistols was developed, and all design errors were corrected. In 1931, modifications of the PP and PPK went into production for the 7.65 mm cartridge caliber. Later, weapon options appeared chambered for 6.35 x 15 mm, 9 x 17 mm and small-caliber .22LR.

In 1931, the German Ministry of Defense considered that the Luger-Parabellum 08 no longer met the requirements of a personal army weapon:

• the cost of one unit exceeded $19;
• Luger was sensitive to contamination;
• the trigger did not allow shooting with gloves;
• ejecting cartridges upward is inconvenient when shooting from the body, as they hit the face.

In the same year, a competition was announced for the development of inexpensive military weapons chambered for the 9 mm cartridge. Fritz Walter applied several original design innovations and provided Model 4 for testing:

• mathematically accurate weapon balancing;
• refusal of expensive handle cladding;
• reduction of material consumption and weight of the gun through the use of alloys and tin;
• reduction in cost to $14 per piece.

The weapon was named Walter P38 after the year it was launched into production. In the Wehrmacht army, the Luger Parabellum remained in service with the soldiers, and the officers switched to the Walter 9 mm caliber.

Fritz died at the age of 77 (1966), handing over the business to his son Karl, having managed to renounce the cross of merit during his lifetime and receiving the Diesel medal.

Assortment of Walter pistols

During the existence of the family business, the Walters were engaged in the manufacture of pistols, rifles and submachine guns. The production of sporting weapons did not stop even during the war.

Combat

According to the company’s own classification, a total of two dozen models of military weapons of this class were developed:

• Model 1 – caliber 6.35, produced since 1908;
• Model 2 – added indication of the cartridge inside the chamber;

  

• Model 3 – caliber 7.65 mm;
• Model 4 - trigger inside the casing, 250,000 units produced;

  

• Model 5 - an improved second model for the civilian market;

  

• Model 6 – 9 mm Luger caliber;

  

• Model 7 - created in 1917, the last version with a removable recoil spring bushing;

  

• Model 8 – small batch for the civilian market;
• Model 9 – caliber 6.35, circulation 130,000;

  

• PP – police pistol;

  

• PPK – shortened analogue;

  

• TPH - pocket trigger, released in 1969;

  

• P4 - aka P38 after being adopted by the Wehrmacht forces;
• P5 – cartridge ejection to the left;

  

• P88 – created for the US Army;

  

• PPQ – for police and sports;

  

• P99 - army version of 1999;
• PPS (Schmal - thin) - released in 2007 for concealed carry;

  

• PPX is a budget option for $500.

  

Two submachine guns, MPL and MPK, appeared much later than the war (60s). The first was used for aimed fire, the second was more suitable for concealed wear.

Sports

Walther companies have created models of sporting pistols:

Walter sporting weapons are highly valued and have a well-deserved brand reputation.

Walter P38

Even before the Second World War, the modification of the Walther P38 received the name “officer’s Walther”. Considering that each division required approximately 4,000 units of these weapons, the Walter Company's capacity was not enough. Their production was mastered in Belgium and Czechoslovakia; from 1941 to 1945 alone, more than 10 million barrels were produced.

This is the most famous model of the Walter pistol from the Second World War, which went through the war and was highly valued as a captured weapon by Soviet officers. At different stages of design, testing and production, the Walther P38 had different designations:

• Model 4 - in internal documentation after receiving a patent for a USM latch that vertically locks the barrel;
• MP - Militar Pistole, a 9 mm military pistol, while working on an order from the German government to produce an inexpensive pistol to replace the Luger;
• AP - Armee Pistole, a 9 mm caliber army pistol, during the development of the latest version.

Thus, in the AR model, the designers combined self-cocking, a secret location of the trigger under the casing, locking the barrel with a swinging latch, a flag-type safety and a short barrel stroke. When testing pistols at the Kumersdorf training ground in 1937, the military pointed out a number of shortcomings:

• high cost of weapons due to complex design;
• hidden trigger.

In the same year, Fritz changed the design of the casing and trigger, and changed the marking of the prototype to HP - Heeres Pistole (military pistol). By analogy with the RR police weapon, a cartridge indicator appeared inside the chamber. After simplifying the safety design, the HP version was approved by the Wehrmacht command, the pistol models received the final official name Walter P38 and went into production.

Characteristics

According to the requirements of the Wehrmacht army authorities, the pistol was created for 9 mm caliber. The characteristics of the weapon are as follows:

• production - Karl Walter's Waffenfactory, later Mauser Werke (Denmark) and Spriverk (Czechoslovakia);
• weight – loaded 990 g, without cartridges 880 g;
• dimensions – 21.6 x 13.6 cm (l/w, respectively);
• USM - trigger type;
• sight - rear sight, front sight;
• device – short recoil of the barrel, lever-type locking;
• USM - trigger;
• magazine – 8 rounds;
• firing range – 200 m maximum, 50 m sighting.

If you completely disassemble the weapon, the kit contains 58 parts. During manufacture, the pistol requires 4.4 kg of metal. Later, two types of suppressors were developed for special forces. The weapon does not need to be disassembled to install them, even partially.

During the war, there was a loss and loss of weapons, so it was necessary to increase production capacity and reduce the cost of the design, therefore the pistol, disassembled in detail, underwent the following design changes:

• the casing and frame were made by stamping from a steel sheet;
• the cheeks became plastic (brown bakelite);
• Instead of bluing, a semi-matte coating was used;
• abandoned the cartridge indicator in the chamber;
• the quality of finishing has decreased.

Shortened versions of the Walter Z 38K were produced for SD and SS units.

Varieties

After the Second World War, the German pistol received several copies and replicas:

• Walter R.4 – 10.4 cm barrel, police version;
• Walter R.1 - an improved modification, produced since 1957.

Umarex has created a pneumatic analogue of the Walter P38 for 4.5 mm caliber. Crosman company - two pneumatic replicas C41 and P-338. The manufacturer Bruni released the ME-38P starting pistol, and EPMA released the gas 38G and traumatic 38P.

Walter RR

Although pistols of the Walther PP modification appeared earlier than the P 38 - in 1929, they are less popular. This is explained by the fact that the weapon was created for the police and was used in very limited quantities in the Wehrmacht army. For comparison, about 1 million pieces were produced, that is, 10 times less than the “officer Walter”.

Two years later, in 1931, a shortened model of the RRK (Polizei Pistole Kriminal) was created. The PPK version was ideal for concealed carry and was used by wartime saboteurs, including Soviet ones. In the USSR, the Walter PP was a reward weapon and was used by diplomatic couriers.

TTX

By default, the technical characteristics of the Walter PP were as follows:

• dimensions – 17 x 10 x 3 cm (l/h/w, respectively);
• weight – 682 g;
• cartridge - 7.65 x 17 mm, 9 x 17 mm, less often 6.35 x 15 mm and small-caliber .22LR;
• ammunition - 8 rounds or 7 rounds in the magazine, depending on the caliber;
• range – 25 m.

By increasing the complexity of the design, the safety of the weapon has been increased. After setting the safety, you can safely drop it, reload it and carry it with a cartridge inside the chamber, and after removing the “flag” you can continue shooting.

Modification of the PPK is 1 cm “lower” and 1.6 cm shorter (the barrel is 1.5 cm smaller and the frame is 1 cm smaller), 0.5 cm thinner. The front part of the bolt casing has a different look, weight is reduced to 590 g , the shot range remained unchanged.

The least frequently used pistols were the Browning 6.35 x 15 mm cartridge (1,000 weapons rolled off the production line).

Modifications

The following models of pistols are known, the basic design of which was PP and PPK:

• PP Super - created for the police in 1972 under the 9 x 18 mm Ultra cartridge;
• PPK/E – export version for the European market;
• PPK-L - manufactured in Germany since 1950, frame made of aluminum alloy;
• PPK/S – created for export to the USA under the 9 x 17 mm cartridge.

The Walter PP/PPK design was copied in China, France, Hungary and Turkey. Umarex and EPMA companies produce traumatic, gas and pneumatic copies of Walter PP.

The Walter P5 self-loading pistol was developed in 1979 and adopted by the police of the Bundeswehr, Portugal and Holland. Currently sold to European citizens. The main features of the P5 model are:

• trigger rod on the right side of the frame;
• Double action trigger;
• two return springs;
• short barrel stroke similar to Model 38;
• left-handed case extraction, which is convenient for left-handers;
• several safety devices.

For concealed carry, a variant of the Walther P5 Compact with similar performance characteristics, but smaller in size, was developed and launched into production. The second modification of the P5L is a sports version with an extended barrel.

Walter P22

Polymers were used for the body of the Walter 22 sports pistol; the casing and bolt remained steel. To fit the athlete, removable pads and sights are used. The weapon is a copy of the Model 99, but is shorter and uses a shorter 22 LongRifle cartridge. The combat rate of fire is within 40 rounds per minute, taking into account the reloading of a box magazine with 10 rounds. The weapon range has been increased to 350 m (maximum) and 50 m (aiming).

The Standard model has an 8.7 cm barrel, the Target has a 12.7 cm barrel. The Umarex company produces traumatic and gas modifications of weapons - P22T chambered for 10 x 22 m T and P22 chambered for 9 mm R.A., respectively.

Walter P88

In the XM9 competition, which was held by the US government to re-equip army sergeants and officers, the Walter PP double-action pistol participated with 9 more samples, but did not become the winner. therefore it was purchased by some armies and police units of other countries. The marking of the weapon includes the year of production launch (1988), but in 1996 the weapon was discontinued.

Distinctive features of the Walther P88 are:

• Browning barrel locking diagram;
• internal automatic fuse;
• magazine for 15 rounds of 9 x 19 Parabellum;
• weight 900 g and length 18.7 cm.

The elegant exterior of the weapon did not go unnoticed, so three sports models were released: P88 Competition, P88 Champion and P88 Sport (22LongRifle cartridge). And the manufacturer Umarex has created a pneumatic copy of the CP88 Competition and a gas replica of the P-88 Compact for 4.5 and 9 mm R.A.K. cartridges, respectively.

Walter P99

The Walther P99 combat pistol has been developed to replace the expensive P88 for the armies of the Bundeswehr and Finland. The features of the weapon are:

• High Power circuit shutter;
• rectangular rectangular spring wire;
• Double action trigger;
• polymer weapon frame;
• magazine capacity 12 rounds 40 S&W or 9 rounds 9 x 19 mm Parabellum;
• the body has guides for the laser aiming system;
• right barrel rifling, six-start;
• bullet speed 375 m/s;
• cartridge indicator;
• triple safety system - the firing pin is blocked in the absence or when the magazine is skewed, with a button on the casing the firing pin is safely removed from the combat cocking, the firing pin is blocked when the bolt is not closed and the weapon is accidentally dropped;
• trigger guard force 2.5 kg with a pre-cocked striker or 4.5 kg in self-cocking mode;
• Three rear handle pads included.

For ease of use by law enforcement units solving different problems, the Walter P99 was initially designed in several versions with different trigger mechanisms:

• P88 DAO – no button for safely decocking the firing pin, reloading only with the trigger guard;
• P99Q – requirements for the service pistol of the German police are met;
• P99QA - the Glock-type striker is constantly partially cocked, additional cocking is always carried out by the trigger guard to ensure the same trigger force of 3.8 kg;
• PPQ Navy - designed for water police, manufactured since 2011;
• P99C is a compact option for concealed carry.

Umarex has created several replicas of Walter P99:

• CP99 – pneumatic for 4.5 mm bullet;
• CP99 Compact – pneumatic for 4.5 mm ball;
• P99 DAO (2.5684) – airsoft version with a 6 mm ball with paint;
• P99 RAM – training pneumatics (paintball, airsoft) for 11 mm ball;
• P99T – traumatic weapon chambered for 10 x 22 mm T, light alloy body, 15 rounds in the magazine;
• P99 is a light alloy pistol chambered for a 9 mm R.A. gas cartridge, with 16 rounds in the magazine.

In Germany and Holland, 42 thousand Walter P99 pistols and its modifications are in use. 69,000 weapons have been ordered to Poland, with small quantities sent to Estonia, the Czech Republic, Finland and Ukraine.

Thus, the Walter family company produces military and sporting weapons of the entire range. The most famous is the Walther P38 pistol, used during World War II.