In the late 1930s, Walther experimented with the idea of an Olympia target pistol in .32 ACP. They used the frame from a 1936 pattern standard (.22LR) Olympia with a .32 caliber barrel, increased mass slide, and magazine adapted from a Walther PP. The project never progressed beyond the toolroom sample we have today, probably due to a combination of less-than-huge market demand for such a gun and the increasing military production Walther was undertaking.
I got a really interesting patent in my mail recently, from Othais at C&Rsenal. It’s and idea clearly based on a Bergmann 1894 or 1896 pattern pistol, but instead of being blowback it uses a […]
We had a lot of feedback on Tuesday’s post on the CSRG Chauchat light machine gun, so I figured I should do a bit of followup today. Leszek in Poland sent us these photos of […]
These two line throwing conversion are being sold by Morphys on October 31, 2018 (first one and second one) These two Gewehr 98 rifles were converted by the Mauser factory to be used as naval […]
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Ed Buffaloe over at The Unblinking Eye asserts that the .32 Ortgies was extremely accurate and therefore popular as a target pistol. Couldn’t imagine why until I saw this video. Probably explains why else Walther would consider a target-specific .32. Thanks for filling a gap in my (our) historical knowledge.
I have heard it said, but don’t know why it would be, that the .32 ACP as well as the .32 Long (rimmed) are inherently accurate rounds favored by pistol competitors.
Oddball cuts to slide look like they are tests to remove weight for cycling.
Interest in development was probably lost when some European countries restricted military and police cartridges use and sale. In International Shooting Sport Federation Center Fire competition almost all pistols were chambered in 32 S&W or 38 Special. Due to no restrictions in the USA Pardini USA started offering HP models in 32 ACP and these have become popular with Bullseye competition shooters.
I think it is a hoot that the CF record score was set by an amazing US shooter using a 1911 platform chambered for 38 Special, USAF Col. Thomas D. Smith III. Col. Smith was also a good shot with everything, from 22 pistols to McDonnell Douglas F-4Es.
http://www.nramuseum.org/guns/the-galleries/modern-firearms-1950-to-present/case-49-olympic-and-international-competition/colt-government-model-semi-automatic-pistol.aspx
Nice looking pistol.
“World War II would change the direction of Walther products for a while.”
Masterful piece of understatement there!