Best Walther Concealed Carry Pistols

Renowned for its superb ergonomics and slick profiles, Walther has been in the handgun game since 1908. The famed arms manufacturer now offers a diverse blend of modern striker-fired pistols and updated classics with a loyal following.

From the iconic all-metal Walther PPK to the souped-up PDP series of red-dot-ready pistols, there’s something for everyone on this list. Here are our top five Walther pistols for concealed carry, plus a little bonus that’s just too good to leave off the list.

Your Walther Concealed Carry Cheat Sheet:

Best Overall Carry Gun: PDP & PDP F-Series
Classic Carry Choice: PPK & PP
Deep Concealment: Walther PPS M2
Throwback DA/SA Pick: Walther P99
Softest Small Shooter: Walther CCP M2
Honorable Mention: Walther PPQ

Best Overall Carry Gun: PDP & PDP F-Series

The current king for carry in Walther’s handgun lineup for us is the PDP, with its generous capacity, excellent ergonomics, and modernized features like an optics-ready slide and a refined trigger.

While it’s certainly a slick-looking gun, the PDP backs up its looks with excellent ergonomics, aggressive SuperTerrain Slide Serrations, and a superb Performance Duty Texture grip. We particularly like the PDP Compact for everyday carry, but the PDP F-Series is a strong contender with its smaller customizable grip, shortened length of pull, and 20-percent reduction in the force needed to rack the slide.

The PDP is a relatively large carry gun, but it makes up for that with great shootability and reliability. This is a go-to EDC pistol for some here at Guns.com, and it has stood up to several years of testing.

First introduced in 2021, the PDP line now serves as a flagship design for Walther. The family includes various professional models like the PDP Pro-X, precision Pro-E with its flat trigger, optic-equipped Professional ACRO, and suppressor-ready Pro SD.

PDP Compact Specs:

Caliber: 9mm
Capacity: 15+1
Barrel Length: 4 inches
Overall Length: 7.5 inches
Width: 1.34 inches
Height: 5.4 inches
Weight: 24.4 ounces

Classic Carry Choice: PPK & PP Series

Walther PPK/s in .32ACP, Federal Premium Hydra-Shok .65-grain JHP, a ThruNite T1 light, CRKT Facet EDC knife, and Fisher Trekker space pen

The all-metal double-action/single-action Walther PPK is a gun that’s just packed with history, and Walther recently doubled down on this classic with some “new” models and calibers. The PPK/s chambered for .380 ACP and .22 LR has remained on the market for several years now.

However, its slightly bigger brother, the Walther PP, and throwback chamberings like .32 ACP now join the EDC-favorite PPK.

Modern upgrades also include options for secret-agent-ready pistols that come threaded for handy suppressors. Access to new-production variants of James Bond’s PPK chambered for the old-school .32 ACP is a treat.

These all-metal guns are hefty for their size and sport single-stack magazines capable of holding seven rounds of .380 ACP or eight rounds of .32 ACP. The rimfire models chambered for .22 LR host a more generous 10 rounds.

For lovers of Carl Walther’s historic blowback design, the return of new-manufactured PPK/PP pistols is a boon. It’s a shining example of why firearm manufacturers would do well to take a second look at history for winning handgun designs today.

Standard PPK/s Specs:

Caliber: .380 ACP
Capacity: 7+1
Barrel Length: 3.3 inches
Overall Length: 6.7 inches
Width: 1.2 inches
Height: 4.3 inches
Weight: 19 ounces

Deep Concealment: Walther PPS M2

Described by Walther as the “single stack that started it all,” the PPS and updated PPS M2 bring the company’s famed ergonomics to a highly concealable, striker-fired, polymer-framed platform.

With a name like Police Pistol Slim, the PPS concept is clearly geared toward off-duty LEO and everyday concealed carriers looking for discreet carry options. If deep concealment and lighter weights are your main goals, then we recommend a look at the slim Walther PPS M2. It can also be had as an optics-equipped option.

Luckily, Walther didn’t skimp on the ergonomics for the M2, making it one of the best-feeling slimline subcompacts on the market. Measuring a mere 1 inch wide, this is a gun that can disappear into a waistline while still maximizing shootability for its size.

Capacities are lower with the single-stack design, but they’re still well within most self-defense needs, with options for 6+1, 7+1, or 8+1 capacities.

PPS M2 Specs:

Caliber: 9mm
Capacity: 6, 7, or 8+1
Barrel Length: 3.1 inches
Overall Length: 6.3 inches
Width: 1 inch
Height: 4.3 inches
Weight: 19.4 ounces

Throwback DA/SA Pick: Walther P99

I first saw this gun in theaters at its silver-screen debut in the hands of James Bond in “Tomorrow Never Dies” (1997). Little did I know then that the Walther P99 would serve as a go-to LEO and commercial self-defense firearm for just over a quarter of a century.

It’s an aging design, but it deserves some respect as it ages. In fact, Walther thought enough of this old workhorse to give it a limited Final Edition send-off in 2023. As a double-action/single-action gun that emerged right at the end of the 1990s, the P99 represents a combination of legacy and innovation.

Once again, Walther’s attention to ergonomics shines even in the older P99. Its DA/SA trigger, comfortable grip, and reliability are among its top merits. Plus, there’s something to be said about a gun that knocked the legendary PPK out of the hands of James Bond.

While it was once considered a “new generation” firearm, the P99 is no longer in production as of early 2023. Still, there are plenty of new and used P99s on the market with a lot of service left to give.

P99 Last Edition Specs:

Caliber: 9mm
Capacity: 15+1
Barrel Length: 4 inches
Overall Length: 7.1 inches
Width: 1.3 inches
Height: 5.3 inches
Weight: 24 ounces

Softest Small Shooter: Walther CCP M2

The Walther CCP was born for concealment and ease of use, particularly for anyone looking for an easy-to-rack pistol with less perceived recoil. Updated in 2018 to the CCP M2 model, the CCP concept goes back to 2014. That puts it right in the middle of a new boom in Americans’ interest in concealed carry.

Walther saw a need for a small, concealable firearm that was still easy to manipulate and shoot under pressure. The company’s answer was the aptly named Concealed Carry Pistol.

While the CCP M2 is slightly longer and all-round fatter than a micro 9mm like the original SIG Sauer P365, this compact design more specifically targets ease of use for everyday shooters. The original 9mm chambering expanded to include the increasingly popular .380 ACP in 2020.

The CCP line also includes the CCP M2+, which was introduced with a precision-machined slide in 2018. As always, users praised Walther’s attention to ergonomics on the CCP, which essentially boasts a shorter PPQ-type grip.

Standard CCP M2 Specs:

Caliber: 9mm
Capacity: 8+1
Barrel Length: 3.54 inches
Overall Length: 6.41 inches
Width: 1.18 inches
Height: 5.12 inches
Weight: 20 ounces

Honorable Mention: Walther PPQ

Walther discontinued its popular PPQ line in 2021, and the only saving grace for the loss of the well-liked PPQ was that it marked the arrival of the modernized PDP family.

Still, the Walther PPQ set a high standard for many concealed carriers when it came to polymer-framed double-stack carry guns. Dubbed the Polizeipistole Quick Defence in German, the PPQ was essentially a modified version of the P99 that was more suited for discreet security and self-defense work.

To that end, it boasted a crisp trigger pull set at around 5 pounds with a short reset. Grip texture, slide serrations, finger grooves, rounded angles, and a set of interchangeable backstraps made the gun an ergonomic favorite for many.

In many ways, the arrival of the PDP simply confirmed the PPQ’s success. Walther poured a lot into the PDP’s ergonomics and extra features to ensure it didn’t fall short as a replacement for the PPQ. Despite its discontinuation, there are loads of affordable used PPQs at bargain prices these days.

There’s a lot of diversity to pick from, too. The PPQ family includes everything from competition-ready guns like the PPQ Q5 Match to the suppressor-ready PPQ M2 SD. My personal favorite is the budget-friendly PPQ 22, which is a great rimfire training option thanks to its .22 LR chambering and clone-like similarity to the centerfire PPQ M2.

Standard PPQ M2 Specs:

Caliber: 9mm
Capacity: 15+1
Barrel Length: 4 inches
Overall Length: 7.1 inches
Width: 1.3 inches
Height: 5.3 inches
Weight: 24.5 ounces