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The Walther Model 5 by Ed Buffaloe
There are two variants of the Model 5: The first variant has nine coarse grooves milled into the rear of the slide (like the Model 2) to aid in grasping it for retraction, has a single groove milled in the top of the slide in lieu of sights, and the address on the slide reads “Zella St. Blasii.” The first variant was made just before and during the First World War and with serial numbers from approximately 10,000 to 60,000. The second variant was made subsequent to the war, between 1919 and 1923, and featured 16 fine triangular-cut grooves on the rear of the slide. The earliest second variant pistols had only a sighting groove, but later models featured minimalist front and rear sights. The address on the second variant pistols is “Zella-Mehlis.” Research indicates that probably only about 10,000 second variant pistols were made, with serial numbers running up above 90,000. The Walther Model 7 was was a .25 caliber pocket pistol produced during the war concomitantly with the Model 5--it was simply a larger version, with a longer barrel and greater magazine capacity. The Walther Model 8 .25 caliber pocket pistol appeared in 1920 as a replacement for the Model 7, and the Walther Model 9 vest pocket appeared in 1921 to replace the Model 5. The entire line of Walther pistols from the Model 2 through the Model 7 are of a similar type: blowback operated, with a fixed barrel, concentric recoil spring, a concealed hammer, and a positive safety that locks the hammer when cocked. The recoil spring of the Model 5 is held on with a knurled bushing on the front of the barrel, much like the 1910 Browning, which almost certainly influenced its design. The rear of the spring fits into a sleeve that prevents the spring being visible in the ejection port of the slide, and probably also helps prevent dirt from getting into the works. I measure my gun at 4.3 inches long by 3.1 inches high. It was the smallest vest pocket .25 until the advent of the Model 9. Disassembly
Do not pull the trigger with the gun disassembled, as it could damage the lockwork. In general, I do not find .25 caliber handguns to be particularly reliable--in my experience they are more subject to failure-to-feed and failure-to-eject than any other category of self-loading pistol. That said, however, the Walther Model 5 is one of my most reliable .25s--much more so than the Model 9 I once owned. The Model 5 is exquisitely well made and a pleasure to shoot. It is reasonably accurate out to 10 or 15 feet.
Copyright 2007 by Ed Buffaloe. All rights reserved. |
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