New Walther 38's

[bolen05]

Anybody know why Walther did not include a traditional slide release with their new 38? I took a look at one that Fisherman's just got in and it is ergonomically perfect but i don't like that you have to either have a loaded mag or release the mag to release the slide. What's your thoughts???

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[Searcher451]

You are talking about the PK380 ... yes? The design closely patterns the P22; both are related to the PP and PPK series in this regard. It's not necessarily convenient, but you learn to adapt over time, especially if you own a Walther PP, PPK, or PPK/S.

 

[bolen05]

i knew i could draw the walther man out of the shadows

 

[Searcher451]

The growing concensus is that the slide release on the PK380 is little more than a pain in the heiney, especially considering the fact that you need a key (supplied by Walther, or at the local hardware if you lose one) to take it down. This is especially true when you consider the fact that the slide release on, say, the P5, and especially on the P99, is so doggone convenient and easy to use. The logic seems to be a built-in safety factor, similar to what Walther did with its so-called safety backstrap on the PPS, but you have to wonder sometimes what hoops the engineers will make owners jump through, especially for so little a gain.

If you haven't seen the Gunblast video review of the PK380, by the way, here's a link to the new Walther in action:

http://www.gunblast.com/images/Walther-PK380/WaltherPK380-LO.wmv

You'll at least like the music.