Walther TPH
Carl Walther GmbH Sportwaffen · Pistol · Out Of Production · 1968
Also known as: Taschenpistole mit Hahn, TPH
Overview
The Walther TPH (Taschenpistole mit Hahn - 'pocket pistol with hammer') is an extremely compact double-action/single-action semi-automatic pistol introduced in 1968. Effectively a scaled-down PPK, it is chambered in either .22 Long Rifle or .25 ACP and uses straight blowback operation with an exposed hammer. Its aluminum-alloy frame (or stainless steel for the U.S. Interarms version) keeps weight to just 325 grams, making it one of the smallest, lightest semi-autos ever produced for adult-grade ammunition.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 325 g (11.5 oz) |
| Overall Length | 135 mm (5.31") |
| Barrel Length | 71 mm (2.80") |
| Height | 95 mm (3.74") |
| Width | 23 mm (0.91") |
| Sight Radius | 110 mm (4.33") |
| Action Type | Blowback |
| Firing Mechanism | Double Action Single Action |
| Trigger Type | Double Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 6 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 274 m/s (899 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 95 J (70 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 25 m (27 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 45 m (49 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 406 mm (15.98") |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Aluminum |
| Slide Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .22 Long Rifle · primary — also known as .22 LR, 22 LR, 5.6x15mmR
- .25 ACP — also known as 6.35x16mmSR Browning, .25 Auto, 6.35mm Browning
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety Lever, Decocker, Loaded Chamber Indicator, Magazine Safety
- Features: External Hammer, Double Action First Shot, Exposed Hammer, Fixed Sights, Compact Pocket Design
Variants
- Walther TPH Stainless (Interarms) — Stainless Steel
Service history
Operators
- West German Police · adopted 1968
- Bundeskriminalamt
- Central Intelligence Agency
Conflicts
- Cold War (1947-1991)
Production
Production years: 1968-2018
Produced continuously in Germany for over 50 years; an Interarms variant in stainless steel was produced in the United States from the 1980s. Total production exceeds 10,000 units
Origin
Country of origin: Germany
Designer: Carl Walther GmbH design team
Discontinued: 2018
Notes
U.S. importation was historically restricted by the 1968 Gun Control Act's points system, so American TPHs were assembled from German parts by Interarms in Alexandria, Virginia. The TPH has a strong reputation for being issued as a discreet backup or deep-cover pistol by Western intelligence services.
Background
Long whispered to be a favoured deep-cover pistol of the CIA and other Western intelligence services, the TPH's tiny size and double-action trigger made it ideal as a hidden last-ditch weapon. James Bond's PPK is more famous, but Q Branch types reportedly preferred the TPH when they wanted something that genuinely disappeared inside a jacket pocket.