Walther Model 1
Carl Walther GmbH · Pistol · Discontinued · 1908
Also known as: Walther Modell 1, Walther Taschenpistole Modell 1
Overview
The Walther Model 1 was the first semi-automatic pistol produced by Carl Walther, introduced in 1908. A compact striker-fired blowback pocket pistol chambered in 6.35mm Browning (.25 ACP), it featured a fixed barrel with the recoil spring coiled around it, a hammerless concealed design, and a six-round detachable box magazine. Designed by Fritz Walther, it marked the company's pivot from precision target rifles to handgun manufacturing and established the foundation for Walther's later pocket-pistol lineage.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 370 g (13.1 oz) |
| Overall Length | 114 mm (4.49") |
| Barrel Length | 53 mm (2.09") |
| Action Type | Blowback |
| Firing Mechanism | Striker Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 6 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 230 m/s (755 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 86 J (63 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 25 m (27 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Slide Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .25 ACP · primary — also known as 6.35x16mm Browning, 6.35mm Browning, .25 Auto
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety
- Features: Fixed Barrel, Concealed Hammerless Design, Recoil Spring Around Barrel
Production
Estimated total produced: 31,000 · Production years: 1908-1918
Approximately 31,000 produced in the initial 1908-1909 run, with manufacture continuing through the First World War era.
Origin
Country of origin: Germany
Designer: Fritz Walther
Discontinued: 1918
Notes
The design received a patent in June 1911. Sometimes described in Central Europe as a 'Taschenpistole' (pocket pistol), it competed with the FN/Browning Model 1906, Colt Vest Pocket, and Bayard 1908.
Background
The Model 1 was the brainchild of Fritz Walther, eldest son of company founder Carl Walther, who returned from a journeyman apprenticeship in Berlin convinced that self-loading pistols were the future of firearms. His push transformed the Zella-Mehlis schuetzen-rifle workshop into one of the most influential pistol makers of the 20th century.