Volkspistole
Carl Walther GmbH · Pistol · Prototype · 1944
Also known as: Walther Volkspistole, People's Pistol
Overview
The Volkspistole ('people's pistol') was a series of last-ditch German semi-automatic pistols developed in 1944-1945 to arm the Volkssturm militia amid a severe handgun shortage in the final phase of World War II. The best-documented design, by Carl Walther, was built almost entirely from stamped sheet metal joined with rivets and minimal spot-welds, chambered in 9x19mm Parabellum and fed from standard P38 8-round magazines. Intended to drastically cut machining time and raw material compared to the P38, it never reached series production; only a handful of hand-built prototypes survive.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 1007 g (35.5 oz) |
| Weight (loaded) | 1088 g (38.4 oz) |
| Overall Length | 215 mm (8.46") |
| Barrel Length | 128 mm (5.04") |
| Height | 140 mm (5.51") |
| Width | 30 mm (1.18") |
| Action Type | Blowback |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 8 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 360 m/s (1181 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 481 J (355 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 25 m (27 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Stamped Steel |
| Slide Material | Stamped Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Finish | Phosphate |
Calibers
- 9x19mm Parabellum · primary · 9mm NATO — also known as 9mm Luger, 9mm NATO, 9x19mm
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety
- Features: Stamped Sheet Metal Construction, Riveted Assembly, Removable Barrel, P38 Magazine Compatible
Service history
Operators
- Nazi Germany (Volkssturm, intended)
Conflicts
- World War II (1939-1945)
Production
Production years: 1944-1945
Never mass-produced; only a small number of hand-built prototypes were made. Only two surviving Walther Volkspistolen are known (serial numbers 6 and 12).
Origin
Country of origin: Germany
Designer: Carl Walther GmbH
Discontinued: 1945
Notes
Parallel Volkspistole projects were undertaken by Mauser (some using a falling-barrel or self-cocking design) and Gustloff-Werke (using a gas-delayed blowback action). The Walther variant retained the barrel with a hardened cylindrical plug retracted by a side lever, allowing barrel removal. No examples saw combat use before Germany's surrender in May 1945.
Background
Conceived as Germany collapsed in 1945, the Volkspistole was meant to be a disposable, mass-stampable sidearm for the Volkssturm home guard, reusing existing P38 magazines to leverage wartime stockpiles. The war ended before any production line was established, leaving it an artifact of desperation-driven wartime engineering.