In a move to better connect with one of the fastest-growing groups of shooters these days, Walther revealed its newest addition to the Performance Duty Pistol line that’s earmarked specifically for women this week.
Boasting a host of unique qualities, Walther says it has “completely reengineered the ergonomics of the grip to be designed for the exact biomechanics of women’s hands.” On top of the already well-liked ergonomics on the PDP, Walther used a new patented operating system to reduce the amount of force required to rack the slide by 20 percent. In and of itself, that’s an interesting feat of engineering pulled off in part by the use of a two-piece striker system.
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A few other guns have attempted to carve out a space more specifically in the realm of women shooters, with the Taurus Curve likely ringing some bells for anyone familiar with that firearm –though production of the Curve ended in 2018. This new offering from Walther, however, is meant for more than just deep concealment, with an eye toward concealed carry, LEO, and competition shootings all at the same time.
“Walther Arms took the difficult task of developing a mid-sized frame handgun that offers high ammo capacity with a smaller grip, shorter trigger, and excellent ergonomics like no other,” said Gabby Franco, Walther Shooting Team member, Olympian, and firearms instructor. “The F-series is the best tool in the market for self-defense, law enforcement, target shooting, and competitive shooting. It makes me proud to be part of a project to bring a pistol that contributes to many women’s quests to become better shooters!”
The gun features a reduced grip circumference and a new grip angle while still retaining many of the features of the standard PDP, such as the Performance Duty Texture. Also of note, Walther reduced the trigger reach distance to ensure the shooter could gain a proper grip and trigger pull even with smaller hands.
The F-series guns are also modular, with two distinctly different frame sizes and three different lengths of slides, and they come red-dot ready just like the previous PDP lineup. Capacity is 15+1, and the price tag for both the 4-inch and 3.5-inch barrel versions are both set at $699.
Well aware of the growing demand among women for self-defense handguns over the last few years, Walther’s launch video highlights the intended end-user for the new gun:
And they made sure to get some feedback from shooters who understand the challenge of matching a gun to women’s hands:
Banner image: Walther PDP F-series pistol
