Walter TPH

[Tim padilla]

[G-forceJunkie]

I shot one 25 years ago...all I remember is the slide really wants to bite the web of your hand. I literally could not hold it with a normal grip or else I would have been bleeding. Fun gun to shoot, but i would never own one, or shoot one again. Defintaly hold one before you buy one.

[jyo]

Back when I was managing one of the very largest gun stores on the West Coast, Walther released their made in America TPH 22LR pistol in stainless steel---I had always wanted one of the German TPHs and I bought one of the first four that our shop received---serial # under a thousand. Small and very thin, my TPH ran perfectly with CCI Stingers, and shot right to point of aim. I have heard of the slide biting the web of the hand, but mine never did despite my large (but not meaty) hands. I had also heard of reliability problems, but mine functioned pretty much perfectly. I liked the smallness of the pistol and carried it in my back pocket as a backup to my Browning Hi Power 9mm primary carry gun while working at the gun store... my wife liked the little gun so much, she tried to claim it as hers! Then one day, at another gun store I was managing, another, much later production TPH came into the store in used but mint condition and I bought that one for my wife. It too run perfectly with Stingers and came with a total of three of the VERY hard to come by magazines! I now have five magazines between the two pistols and often slip the first TPH into my back pocket while working in my yard... I had always wished an alloy frame version would be made here in the USA, but it never happened... As far as value, I've seen TPHs recently sell in the $750-$850 range---$1,650 seems high. Be aware that TPH 22LR magazines are extremely hard to find and pricey when you do! I like mine!

[AR22]

I actually would not give 10.00 for a .25 ACP one if I had to actually keep it for myself..LOL

But in a .22 it would be OK..But I think that price is outrageous..You can buy them in the 600.00 to 800.00 in the high range..Likely less if you are patient..

[RickD427]

It's mostly a collectible firearm, or one suitable for self-defense only if one is extremely constrained in what they can carry. It's far from a suitable defensive weapon if you can carry a "real" handgun.

The .22lr is far superior to the .25, but neither round is really suitable for defense. But both are better than nothing, and that that's where the constrained carry issue comes into play.

They're not fun guns to shoot. I'll second Junkie's comment about the slide really wanting to bite your hand.

The build quality of the original Walthers is quite good. I don't have any experience with the U.S. made imitation Walther TPH's, but I do own an imitation "Walther" PPK that was made by Smith and Wesson. The build quality is notably less.

[jyo]

In regard to a 22 for self defense---yeah, not my first choice fer sure, but bullet placement is EVERYTHING---if you ever watched cattle being killed before being butchered (I have) in the olden days (and probably still used on smaller farms today) a 22 revolver shot to the head will drop a very large cow right there! As I mentioned in a previous posting on this thread, I carried a hi-cap 9mm in my working environment---the TPH was strictly an emergency back-up because it was so small and concealable, plus there were other guns discreetly located around the gun store (police turn-in 38 Special revolvers) that could be grabbed easily if needed. Keep in mind, NOBODY wants to be shot, even with a 22...
As for fun---I actually enjoyed shooting the little pistol---it never bit me and the only malfunction I remember was a dud Winchester round that refused to fire even when stuck repeatedly. One time, at our club range, I even entered a casual 22 shooting match with the TPH and finished far from last (!)---yeah, I was surprised!
My wife loves the TPH I purchased for her---it's never bit her or malfunctioned...
Then there's the quality issue---the American made (Ranger Manufacturing, if I remember right) pistols were actually quite nicely made---my first TPH was very early production and had a few minor rough edges---the much later production pistol I bought was superbly made, but maybe not quite as nice as the German guns (I have a minty 1969 Walther PP in 22LR and it's really nicely made and finished for comparison).
As for "The is it worth it" question, I like the guns, but probably wouldn't pay the upper prices they are asking today unless I was a collector and simply "Had to have it!" My first TPH was bought at wholesale ($240. if I remember correctly) and the second one was bought used at a great price---can't remember what I payed for it---their keepers in my mind---and no, I don't want the 25 ACP version either...

[Tim padilla]

Those are all great responses thank you.

[sigstroker]

It's mostly a collectible firearm, or one suitable for self-defense only if one is extremely constrained in what they can carry. It's far from a suitable defensive weapon if you can carry a "real" handgun.

The .22lr is far superior to the .25, but neither round is really suitable for defense. But both are better than nothing, and that that's where the constrained carry issue comes into play.

How is it far superior?

[RickD427]

How is it far superior?

From a quick Google search:

.25 ACP - Velocity Ranges from 760 - 900 FPS, Energy from 63 - 65 FP

.22LR - Velocity Ranges from 1200 -1600 FPS, Energy from 131 -204 FP

Temper this data with the understanding that .22LR data was from a longer barrel.

Additionally, .22LR is much more plentiful in supply than is .25 ACP

[Dan_Eastvale]

Mine was a stovepipe ridden Interarms
Brand new and never improved

[mausercat]

I had the experience that you had to use really hot ammo like stingers to get it to run well. It would leave two rail marks on the web of my hand. I had to put some gaffer tape on my hand to be able to shoot it without bleeding, but doing these two things made it run great.

I had the same experience with a Sterling 302 which goes for a fraction of the TPH.

[jyo]

One last thing---regarding the need to use the very fastest 22 ammo in the TPH---both of mine ran perfectly well with CCI Mini Mags and CCI Blazers---just so you know... And I would still like to see a lightweight alloy or better yet a poly framed version put into production here in the USA---I'd buy one!

[Reno-Kid]

From a quick Google search:

.25 ACP - Velocity Ranges from 760 - 900 FPS, Energy from 63 - 65 FP

.22LR - Velocity Ranges from 1200 -1600 FPS, Energy from 131 -204 FP

Temper this data with the understanding that .22LR data was from a longer barrel.

Additionally, .22LR is much more plentiful in supply than is .25 ACP

New 22lr handguns can pepper 20 rounds easy.

[AR22]

One last thing---regarding the need to use the very fastest 22 ammo in the TPH---both of mine ran perfectly well with CCI Mini Mags and CCI Blazers---just so you know... And I would still like to see a lightweight alloy or better yet a poly framed version put into production here in the USA---I'd buy one!

Please no more plastic crap..USA made or not..Maybe a light weight alloy..But no more plastic,LOL

Have you tried any Standard Velocity in your Walther..I do not own a .22 that will not dependably cycle SV CCI..I have owned a few that would not..But they get out of here really quick..

[jyo]

^^^^ No I have not tried any SV 22 ammo in my two TPHs---The TPH is a very small pistol, it's speciality is a well-hidden, tiny, "surprise" (as in surprise to a bad guy) gun. I really don't care if it runs SV ammo as long as it works very well with the hottest 22 rds I can find! It's not a pistol that gets shot a lot anymore---there are other guns for that...