Just a note. The barrels on all four of my P-1's are NOT constructed of lined lightweight alloy, but are of all steel. I have inspected several dozen other P-1's and all were equiped with steel barrels. The barrels seem to be of two piece design, but that doesn't cause any problems that I've found, as all of the P-1's I've fired have shown quite good accuracy. My best P-1 will put 5 rounds into under 1.5" at 25 yards, and my worst P-1 gives 2.5" groups at the same range.
P-1's are really great guns. Very well made and high quality, which you would expect from Walther. Fairly light weight for a full size 9 shot 9mm. All of the ones I've fired have functioned perfectly, including with hollow point hand loads and Federal's excellent 9BP 115 grain hollowpoint ammo. The sights are quite good with a white dot front sight and white bar rear, though some of the earlier P-1's have straight black sights. Extra Walther manufactured magazines are available fairly cheaply for around $13 each in excellent used condition from Cheaper Than Dirt. Spare parts are readily available and fairly cheap too from CDNN and others. If you can get one of the later versions with the hex frame reinforcing pin and the heavier slide, even better, but I haven't noticed any unusual wear on my earlier P-1 without these enhancements, and haven't had any problems. I'd say even the earlier P-1's are at least as durable as the S&W Model 39 series guns.
Prices have gone up lately as the most I paid for any of mine was $279 new, un-issued from FGS, and the others were all purchased for under $200 a few years ago.
The P-1 has (at least for me) very comfortable ergonomic grips and points very naturally. My kids love shooting my P-1's, which is the reason I have so many (or so I tell myself...). I like them well enough to use a couple of them as "house guns".
All in all it is hard to find any other high quality combat pistol for under $300 these days...
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