Description
Item Description
Bryant Ridge Auction Company is pleased to present this simplistic pre-WWII semi-auto pistol today for a penny start auction; this is the Waffenfabrik Walther Model 4 Type 4!
SPECIFICATIONS:
Manufacturer: Waffenfabrik Walther
Model: 4 Type 4
Serial: 482438
Range of Manufacture: Approximately 1928-1929
Caliber: 7.65mm (.32 ACP)
Finish: Blue
Barrel Length: 3 1/2" with Left Side Ejection Port
Optics/Sights: Fixed
Stock/Grips: Black Checkered Synthetic with Intertwined "CW" Logo
Action: Semi-Auto
Markings: Standard
Bryant Ridge's Analysis:
The same year, Walther unveiled an even larger .32 Model 4 that was similar to the later PPK and intended for holster carry, primarily as a police sidearm rather than as a vest-pocket piece. Retaining many of the design features of the Model 3, the Model 4, though incorporating basically the same slide as its predecessor, had the butt lengthened to accommodate eight rounds rather than the six offered by the Model 3, and the barrel extended by almost an additional inch.
This 5.94"-long, 18.42-oz. blowback-operated single-action pistol featured an internal hammer and bayonet-lock-retained recoil spring surrounding the barrel assembly. It became immediately popular with law enforcement, civilians, and the military. The safety was a rather fiddly rotating lever located on the left side of the frame, snugged up against the rear of the slide. Not particularly suitable for single-handed operation, the safety was one of the gun’s few drawbacks. Another was a left-side ejection port that was not greatly appreciated by some right-handed shooters who objected to empties being tossed in front of them when the pistol was fired.
The Model 4 was rugged, easy to take down, and possessed a very simple mechanism, all of which endeared it to the German army. In the first months of the Great War, the German army presented Walther with a contract for some 250,000 Model 4s to be used as officers’ pistols. However, apparently, only about 75,000 actually saw service. Martially used 4s (also often referred to as the Model 1914) can be distinguished by German military-acceptance stamps and the usual “crown/N” proof marks. Stocks on civilian and military versions were checkered hard rubber with an intertwined “CW” logo. After World War I, Walther continued to build Model 4s. Production ceased in 1929, the year the firm introduced the ground-breaking PP. Over its production period, the Model 4 underwent a quartet of slight variations, mostly involving differences in markings, a few cosmetic alterations, and minor mechanical changes.
Return Policy:
We gladly offer a 3 day unfired inspection policy from the time that the firearm is delivered to your FFL. Refunds are available for all qualifying orders.
Model: 4 Type 4
Serial: 482438
Range of Manufacture: Approximately 1928-1929
Caliber: 7.65mm (.32 ACP)
Finish: Blue
Barrel Length: 3 1/2" with Left Side Ejection Port
Optics/Sights: Fixed
Stock/Grips: Black Checkered Synthetic with Intertwined "CW" Logo
Action: Semi-Auto
Markings: Standard
Bryant Ridge's Analysis:
The Walther PP and PPK pistols are considered among the most iconic handguns of their type. They have sleek looks, smooth double-action triggers, superb quality, top-notch reliability, and were even the chosen sidearm of secret agent James Bond. However, before the PP/PPK, Carl Walther’s establishment in Zella-Mehlis, Germany, offered a sleek little 7.65 mm Browning (.32 ACP) hideout, the Model 4, that was every bit as highly regarded in its time as its descendants are in theirs. Walther’s first entry into the pocket pistol market was the tiny Model 1, which appeared in 1908 and thrived due to several unique features that distinguished it from many other derivative designs of the time. Walther then introduced the Model 2, also a .25, some months later, followed by a Model 3 in 1910, which was little more than a slightly upscaled Model 2 chambered in .32 ACP.
The same year, Walther unveiled an even larger .32 Model 4 that was similar to the later PPK and intended for holster carry, primarily as a police sidearm rather than as a vest-pocket piece. Retaining many of the design features of the Model 3, the Model 4, though incorporating basically the same slide as its predecessor, had the butt lengthened to accommodate eight rounds rather than the six offered by the Model 3, and the barrel extended by almost an additional inch.
This 5.94"-long, 18.42-oz. blowback-operated single-action pistol featured an internal hammer and bayonet-lock-retained recoil spring surrounding the barrel assembly. It became immediately popular with law enforcement, civilians, and the military. The safety was a rather fiddly rotating lever located on the left side of the frame, snugged up against the rear of the slide. Not particularly suitable for single-handed operation, the safety was one of the gun’s few drawbacks. Another was a left-side ejection port that was not greatly appreciated by some right-handed shooters who objected to empties being tossed in front of them when the pistol was fired.
The Model 4 was rugged, easy to take down, and possessed a very simple mechanism, all of which endeared it to the German army. In the first months of the Great War, the German army presented Walther with a contract for some 250,000 Model 4s to be used as officers’ pistols. However, apparently, only about 75,000 actually saw service. Martially used 4s (also often referred to as the Model 1914) can be distinguished by German military-acceptance stamps and the usual “crown/N” proof marks. Stocks on civilian and military versions were checkered hard rubber with an intertwined “CW” logo. After World War I, Walther continued to build Model 4s. Production ceased in 1929, the year the firm introduced the ground-breaking PP. Over its production period, the Model 4 underwent a quartet of slight variations, mostly involving differences in markings, a few cosmetic alterations, and minor mechanical changes.
We gladly offer a 3 day unfired inspection policy from the time that the firearm is delivered to your FFL. Refunds are available for all qualifying orders.
Shipping Details
Handgun Standard Shipping $50.00
Long Gun Standard Shipping $70.00
Any orders placed with magazines that are not compliant with your state, county, or city regulations will not ship with your order.
