There's an interesting looking P5 on GB which a couple of you commented on and brought attention to in fellow member's 12131 post about the HK PSP which sold for 32K the other day.

I looked at the pics of that particular P5 which has a low 4 digit SN date coded "HK" (1979) and noticed the following that I can't figure out:
1) The SNs are matching on frame, slide & barrel.
2) The accompanying Walther factory test target is serial numbered to the pistol as is to be expected.
But the problem is at the top of the target where the various Walther Model designations are located to which the target corresponds after being test-fired with a given pistol. This particular target indicates some Walther Models, namely the P88,P88C and P5C which did not appear until the late 1980s. The P5 being discussed here was manufactured in 1979.

So, how can an all matching P5 with a low SN from 1979 have a full-sized slide and be on a P5C frame which did not debut until almost a decade later?

Forgot to mention it's GB *********

This message has been edited. Last edited by: parabellum,

Guys, there has been a long-standing rule in this forum about posting to live auctions. I want you guys to stop posting these things.

I understand- exotic items far out of the financial reacjh of most of us, so ht's the harm in discussing these things? The harn is that over time, posting these links to any live auction seems t become permissible.

You can ask about HK PSPs or oddball Walthers, but you do not need to and should not mention that the items are in a current auction and you damn sure don't need to provide links or auction numbers. This stops today. You guys know the rules.

SIGforum does not serve as an advertiser for Gunbroker or any auction site.



.

I'm sorry about that and apologize, Para! Completely forgot about making a post regarding a live auction.

The ad states 1979, yet the test target and it appears the spec sheet state 2003. Factory refurb with assorted parts and corrected matching S/N?

Obviously not the original test target from when the gun was originally proofed in 79'.

1. According to the large sticker label on the box, this gun was the property of the Deutsche Bundsbank aka German Federal Bank.

2. Several of the auction pictures shows a firearm maintenance log for 2003/2004, the log has the bank's name on it so they likely performed this internally.

3. The maintenance log shows cleaning records for 2003 performed on a monthly basis, except for April which was interestingly omitted.

4. April 2003 happens to be the date listed on the test target.

5. The gun does not have a true P5C frame since it still accommodated a full length slide assembly. A true P5C would've had BOTH a shortened grip AND slide assembly and would not have lined up at the front if mated with a full length slide assembly.

Based on the above observations, I speculate that the German Federal Bank (then owner of the gun) had sent this gun back to Walther on April 2003 for some sort of factory service that necessitated a test firing, the test target therefore accompanied the gun upon return and superseded the original. This would also explain why the April entry is missing on the internal maintenance log.

Regarding the frame, perhaps it was a special contract run, or a pre-P5C model. I don't know exactly when the P5C was debuted but it's not out of the realm of possibility for it to have been introduced domestically long before the rest of the world saw it. Clearly Walther had already tooled up for a shortened grip frame and made the injection molds for the compact style grip panels back when this gun was made.

One thing for sure, this is a rare P5 variant, at least in the States. I hope it finds a good home.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: darkest2000,