Quick Review of Walther LP400

[Scrench]

Just bought an LP400 Club Carbon Compact. Sold my Steyr LP10.

The trigger from the factory is mediocre because the weight ratio of the the first and second stage is off, easily corrected. No reflections in the sights noted. The fact that the rear sight depth can't be adjusted is a non issue, plenty there. That and the grip are the only downgrades from this guns siblings. The grip IS flat compared to anything else, feels a lot like a Weihrauch HW 40 with a palm shelf (my son has one), but mine is the synthetic black grip, have no idea what the wooded one feels like. I'm going to fool around with it to fill in the no contact zones of my hand, but the biggest drawback of the Club model is not so much the grip (I actually like the adjustable thumb shelf), but the fact that this version of the gun is missing a rod in the grip that prevents it from being rotated, canted, or anything else. I'll probably spring for the rod and wooden grip after I've tortured the synthetic, BUT, the black grip with the almost pewter color of the gun looks absolutely gorgeous. You have to see it in person in the light, but easily gets my vote for best looking AP bar none. Accuracy? My first two test targets were only 1 point off of my PR, out of the box, no adjustment, using some Vogel pellets. Vastly prefer the loading gate of this gun, like a Pardini K58, compared to my former LP10. It's quieter too. I don't like heavy or nose-heavy guns, and it took me a long time and money to find the right combination of stuff to get the LP10 where I wanted it. This gun hits pretty close as is. Who cares if only one big name can be identified with this gun yet? The question is, what can it do for you. Right now, there is no other gun I'd rather own

See Ya' Shootin',
Richard

[Europa]

Must be old stock, because the compact hasn't appeared in their catalogues for almost a year. Also, yours will have the AP20 rear sight. Was the LP10 really that heavy? What's the weight of your new compact? Also, why didn't you just buy the up-graded LP400 version (wooden 3D grip, fully adjustable sights etc)?

[conradin]

Can you show us a close up of the adjustable thumb shelf and how it works please?

[Scrench]

The compact is 920g according to our kitchen food scale, no extra weights attached. I find that once I adjust my sights, I never touch them again, so things like "you have to use a tool to adjust the sights" means absolutely nothing to me, and so what if I did, what, another 5 seconds to use the tool? The type of rear sight is also a nonissue to me as long as it works, and this one is blacker then my Steyr was, is crisp, and works. I think anyone on this site would have jumped on this gun as I did because I got it for 1/2 what a new one costs, yet it is brand new. I wanted the best quality gun I could possibly get for a budget of only eight bills, and got this one for less. I couldn't believe the incredible deal the seller gave me, and will publicly thank him here, you know who you are. It's one of those once in a lifetime things, but even at the regular price, I still recommend putting this gun on your very short list to anyone considering a Steyr or Morini.

This is the first grip I have seen/used with an adjustable thumb shelf and independent palm shelf. The thumb shelf moves up and down independent of the palm shelf. It really showed me something I was missing in the support area of my thumb, something that would never have happened with a regular grip. If nothing else, and even if I move on to the wooden grip, I learned something valuable, and I'm glad I got this one first.

Here are the pics you asked for. I know in #2 it looks like the top point of the thumb shelf would be painful, but it sticks out to the side, you never even know it's there.

[conradin]

How do you move the adjustable thumb? I cannot figure it out on the photos.

[Scrench]

Vince, the rear palm shelf screw adjusts the back of the palm shelf and the thumb shelf at the same time. You can see the rear of it in the first picture.

[Scrench]

Comparison Update:

I finally got to shoot a Morini 162EI at a match today, and I almost bought one sight unseen before I bought the Walther. Boy am I glad I didn't. The medium grip (which is my size) didn't fit very well, it had a lot of muzzle flip compared to the Walther, and it was louder. It just didn't feel right for me. As always, try before you buy if at all possible.

[nglitz]

I can't see the top of your rear sight, but the one on my LP400 Carbon is adjustable for depth as well as width.



The screw in the center is depth, width is on the shooter's right.

The tool needed is a mini-hex driver, maybe 3 inches long. It's a horrible burden to keep it in the pistol case. :) Two more make the whole tool kit for adjusting everything. I haven't felt the plastic grips, but the older wood ones like mine are terrific.

[Scrench]

Hey Norm,

Thanks for the info. Just checked mine and since it is the "Club" version, I don't have that adjustment at all. Mine also is two pieces. Instead of sweeping out gracefully into the wider section, mine is just two separate pieces of different width metal butted together. Ignorance is bliss. Since I don't have it, I'll never know whether it makes a difference or not, and wouldn't it be ironic if I did have it and still adjusted it to where it is anyway?

Thanks.