In an industry that seems to be in a race to go small, smaller and smallest, it's refreshing to see a gun engineered to stretch its legs in the fresh air. Although the Walther Arms Full-Size PDP 4.5" pistol is not designed specifically for concealed carry—a "duty" pistol generally refers to a gun worn openly, as the police do—it's still a terrific self-defense tool and a joy to shoot.
Chambered in the wildly popular 9mm Luger caliber, this full-size gun is 8" long overall with a 4.5" barrel, and tips the scales at 25 ounces with an unloaded magazine inserted. That size means that the user would have some challenges with concealing the firearm on-body ... but it also means that there's room for an 18-round magazine with one in the chamber, for a total ammunition capacity of 19. That weight means that, should you choose to carry it on your body, you'll definitely need a sturdy belt. However, that weight also means that putting 9mm rounds through it will be a very comfortable experience for the shooter.
Further enhancing the shooting experience are dodecahedron (that's 12-sided for you non-Dungeons and Dragons people) style texturing and SuperTerrain slide serrations for enhanced grip and manipulability. The addition of optic plates to customize the pistol to your style of red-dot optic is a worthwhile feature in a market that is increasingly more saturated with optic-ready options.
So how does it shoot? Check out this terrific video from our testers at American Rifleman to learn why the Walther Arms Full-Size PDP 4.5" is the NRA Gun of the Week!
