Comparisons
The accuracy of the two pistols was comparable. Both have a 5″, 1:9 twist, polygonal rifled barrel and Walther’s short pull, crisp breaking, Dynamic Performance Trigger (4.75-lb. pull in the polymer gun and 5.5-lb. measured pull in the steel), are optics ready and have adjustable, plastic, open sights. I did my testing from the bench rest at 25 yards, shooting several five-shot groups with each load, measuring the most widely separated shots in each group center to center, and averaging the results. Velocity was recorded on a Competition Electronics Pro Chrono digital chronograph set 15 feet from the muzzle.
Federal Premium 135-grain Hydra-Shok JHP grouped on average 2.89″ and averaged 1,120 feet-per-second (fps) in the polymer PDP and 2.49″ and 1,085 fps in the steel gun. Velocity extreme spread and standard deviation were identical with this top-quality defense load. Remington-UMC value pack 115-grain JHP grouped on average 1.79″ and 1,221 fps in the polymer gun and 2.08″ and 1,226 fps in the steel gun, which is again pretty close. With Winchester’s M1152 Modular Handgun System, Active Duty, Training, 9mm +P, 115-grain, FMJ truncated cone bullet load, the polymer gun averaged groups of 3.38″ and 1,313 fps while the steel gun averaged 1.53″ groups and 1,300 fps. That’s a dramatic difference and just serves to illustrate how guns can be particular in the ammo they like.
The Walther PDP SF is a sexy, oversized beast of a steel pistol and a delight to shoot at the range. Walther made it for the best shooters to exploit, but there’s no reason anyone who can lift it can’t enjoy it. The plastic, GLOCK pattern, open sights seemed incongruous on such a high-end pistol until I learned Walther expected the PDP would be used primarily with optics. Once you decide on what optic you’re going to use, Walther will give you an adapter plate for it, and, if you wish, you can purchase indestructible steel back-up-iron-sights from them in the appropriate height for a low co-witness with many brands of optics. In addition to the Match PDP SF, Walther also makes a steel frame 15-round, 4″ barrel compact and the 18-round 4.5″ barrel full-size model more suitable for concealed carry, with a slightly lower MSRP of $1,699.
For more info: WaltherArms.com
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