Walther P1

October 08, 2021, 05:56 PM

P220 Smudge

The Walther P1 is a renamed P38, which was a wartime pistol designed around FMJ. Only difference is alloy frames on the P1 vs steel frames on the P38. I think depending on the shape of the bullet, some hollow points would work fine. May have to experiment.

October 08, 2021, 06:30 PM

egregore

Federal 9BP has a good reputation for feeding in otherwise FMJ-only pistols, but this is variable. Only testing in your individual gun will tell you.

October 08, 2021, 07:19 PM

p08

Haven't shot JHP's in my P1 for a long time. As I recall closed tip HP feeds fine.

October 08, 2021, 07:28 PM

parabellum

The P1 sights are regulated for 124 grain ammunition.

I wouldn't use hollow point ammo in any alloy frame P38. The feedramp will become gouged before too long. You can shoot a small amount, but I wouldn't do any volume shooting with the P38 with anything other than standard pressure fmj ammunition.

I'm a big fan of Walther postwar pistols and I own quite a few P38s, but they are not what I would class as durable pistols.

The wear I'm referring to is documented in Per Mathisen's Walther's P.38 Pistol in Norway and The Norwegian Ulm Contract. In the states, this book is as rare as hen's teeth, and I am privileged to have a copy in my reference library. The feedramp wear this book documents occurred with high volume shooting of fmj ammunition, so it stands to reason that ammunition which has bullets shaped less smoothly than fmj ammo would serve to accelerate this wear.

Just for fun, here's a couple of old friends.

October 08, 2021, 07:50 PM

Sunset_Va

quote:
Originally posted by parabellum:
The P1 sights are regulated for 124 grain ammunition.

I wouldn't use hollow point ammo in any alloy frame P38. The feedramp will become gouged before too long. You can shoot a small amount, but I wouldn't do any volume shooting with the P38 with anything other than standard pressure fmj ammunition.

I'm a big fan of Walther postwar pistols and I own quite a few P38s, but they are not what I would class as durable pistols.

The wear I'm referring to is documented in Per Mathisen's Walther's P.38 Pistol in Norway and The Norwegian Ulm Contract. In the states, this book is as rare as hen's teeth, and I am privileged to have a copy in my reference library. The feedramp wear this book documents occurred with high volume shooting of fmj ammunition, so it stands to reason that ammunition which has bullets shaped less smoothly than fmj ammo would serve to accelerate this wear.

Just for fun, here's a couple of old friends.

I've had both the WWII surplus P38's and P1's I liked the P1's the best.

Hollow point ammo sometimes gouges the alloy feed ramps on frames when the bullet does a nose dive. Multiple gouges affect feeding and weaken the frame. Many times I would have the frames of my alloy pistols, especially 1911 pattern frames, hard chromed to ward off these gouges.

October 09, 2021, 04:18 AM

CAR

I own several post-war P38s. I stick with 115 gr. Winchester USA ball in mine.

October 09, 2021, 06:55 AM

marksman41

Avoiding hollow points in these guns is good information I didn't know. I have a replica P38K that was made by one of the engineers at AAC and will stick to ball ammo. Many thanks for the enlightening posts!

October 09, 2021, 09:42 AM

photohause

One of the P38Ks I once owned

October 10, 2021, 08:13 PM

hjs157

quote:
Originally posted by parabellum:
I wouldn't use hollow point ammo in any alloy frame P38. The feedramp will become gouged before too long. You can shoot a small amount, but I wouldn't do any volume shooting with the P38 with anything other than standard pressure fmj ammunition.

Is the Walther P5 susceptible to this as well? I recall the P5 being internally similar to the P1, though it's been a while since I've had the opportunity to examine one. Thanks!