Walther released the PDP (Performance Duty Pistol) in early 2021 and it was received well by the handgun community. Walther heavily marketed the new model, with many influencers praising the performance of the new gun, which was an evolution of the successful PPQ. Main selling points were its outstanding “Performance Duty Trigger”, aggressive design with “SuperTerrain” deep serrations, grip ergonomics and optics readiness. Although it gained a reputation of being a snappy shooter compared to other polymer handguns due to its high bore axis, it was also known for getting back on target rather quickly. However, it also had a reputation of being chunkier than other pistols in its class.
I took an interest in firearms around the time the PDP was released. When looking for my first pistol, I tested out the Glock 17 and 19, H&K VP9, and Walther PPQ, since no PDPs were available for rent near me at the time (early 2022). I was sold on the shootability of the PPQ, but more signficant for me was the ergonomics of the PDP once I held one at my local gun store. Although I made my choice, around that time the PDP Pro SD was also announced at Shot Show, so I decided to wait until I could get one. At about 24 ounces unloaded, the Pro SD offers upgrades to the standard model such as Walther’s Dynamic Performance Trigger, a 1/2″-28 threaded barrel, a magwell, an extra recoil spring for firing with a suppressor, and one extra magazine. All this for $150 more than the standard model, which is quite the deal if the upgrades interest you. It took about 6 months after Shot Show to finally get one, but it was worth the wait.
Being a fresh new shooter with large hands, I opted for the full sized version of the PDP Pro, since I planned on having it mainly for home defense and as a range toy. The full size also has a magazine capacity of 18 rounds, more than adequate for home defense and great for practicing at the range. As stated above, the ergos are excellent, and the grip texture has a hexagonal pattern that provides a good grip but is not abrasive, with checkering on the front. I found the controls to be easy to access without having to change my grip. 3 sizes of backstraps are also provided to customize to the size of your hand.
The Pro SD’s Dynamic Performance Trigger can make a novice shooter more accurate than they actually are, since the lightweight trigger with well defined wall and crisp break allows a trigger pull with little to no effect on unwanted movements to the gun when firing. Although the trigger pull for the Pro SD is advertised as 5.6 lbs on Walther’s website, and I’ve seen around 4 lbs described on other reviews, my own testing resulted in an average pull weight of around 3 lbs 12 oz.
Being optics ready is also one of the main selling points of the PDP. Optics plates are not provided, but you can order one for free from Walther if needed. I opted for a third party plate from Forward Controls Design since I had a Steiner MPS that I planned on mounting on the gun.
Having run around 2k+ rounds of 115 and 124 grain FMJ ammo from mostly CCI and Sellier & Bellot, I can say that the gun is reliable. In addition to brass casings, I also tried the CCI aluminum casings as well, which ran flawlessly. In fact, I’ve only observed two malfunctions so far, both due to limp wristing when my wife and son tried it out.
Some of the cons worth mentioning about this gun include the plain vanilla plastic sights. They do the job, but are nothing special. Fortunately the gun is compatible with Glock sights so there are many aftermarket replacements available. I installed the Optics Ready Stealth Series sights from Night Fision which could provide a low-witness with my red dot. Also as mentioned above, the gun is a little snappy compared to other pistols. I would attribute this to the higher and thicker slide mass of the PDP. People have also complained about the slide rattle sound due to the wider tolerance between the slide and frame. I haven’t found this to be an annoyance under normal handling of the gun.
Overall I would highly recommend the Walther PDP Pro SD or the standard variant for anyone looking for a 9mm striker fired pistol. It arguably has the best out-of-the box trigger on any polymer striker handgun, and the ergonomics are excellent. It is a little thicker on the slide compared to other handguns however, which might not make it an ideal choice for concealed carry. However, regarding pure shootability and reliability, as well as the extras that come with the Pro SD version, this gun is an excellent choice for a striker fired 9mm.
*Parker Mountain Machine (PMM) Compensator review here!
Specs (from Walther website):
Overall Length: 8.6″
Slide Length: 7.5″
Width: 1.34″
Height: 5.9″
Barrel Length: 5.1″
Sight Radius: 6.9″
Trigger Reach: 2.8″
Grip Circumference: 5.8″ (Med Backstrap)
Weight without Magazine: 23.7oz
Weight with Empty Magazine: 27.5oz
Magazine Capacity: 18
Trigger Pull: 5.6 lbs
MSRP: $899.00
Most recent pricing can be found here.