YouTube personality, Graham Baates, gives us a video review of the Walther CCP M2 Pistol.
USA – -(Ammoland.com)- The original Walther CCP offered reduced recoil and an easy-to rack slide in the world’s most popular handgun caliber; 9mm. The original CCP had potential to serve anyone looking for the common availability and wide load variety of 9mm but who might be more sensitive to recoil of struggle with the slide on smaller handguns.
Where the CCP met trouble was that takedown required a tool. Unfortunately, those looking to conserve hand strength were also unlikely to want to need a tool for disassembly. If Makarov could make a fixed-barrel pistol with tool-less disassembly why couldn’t Walther? Now they have.
Walther CCP M2 Pistol
The Walther CCP M2 Pistol is updated with a simple take-down that any engineer would appreciate. The challenge comes from having a fixed barrel. the slide either needs to split in half (done by no one I know of) or it has to come back, up, and forward to get free of the barrel. The Glock-like field strip that we have all become accustomed to works with the Browning tilting barrel system, not a fixed barrel.
So why does the Walther CCP M2 Pistol have a fixed barrel? The answer is the trick to a softer-recoiling blowback system. Just beyond the chamber, the barrel has a small port that vents some of the expanding gasses into a cylinder occupied by a piston attached to the slide. So long as the pressure is high slide is locked closed. Once those pressures drop the recoil energy can overtake the light slide spring and the slide operates. It’s an intelligent design. The CCP wasn’t the first gun to try this feat and I like to think that with time comes improvements so I was eager to get the gun on the range and try a variety of different rounds.
Just like the challenge any semi-auto firearm has, each load generates its own recoil impulse both in dwell and peak energy. It’s safe to assume the CCP M2 was calibrated to work with 124gr NATO loads and the softer 115gr we enjoy in the US, but what about the other loads? In classic GBGuns style the, “What’s for Dinner?” test was a smorgasbord of load options. The tests included a range from 165gr to 65gr. Aluminum, brass, and steel cases. The loads tested came from American Eagle, Federal, Fiocchi, Freedom Munitions, Gecco, Hornady, Liberty Munitions, Remington, TulAmmo, and Winchester. To see how they did watch the video below.
I must clarify that the initial full-mag +1 test failure could not be replicated later. I also had a significantly better grouping later after spending more time with the gun. What’s seen in the Shooting Impressions video were the absolute first tries with a handgun that had not been broken in or even oiled.
For the numerophiles out there here are the specifications as taken directly from Walther’s website. Those of you familiar with the original CCP you may be pleased to see that the specification remain the same:
Walther CCP M2 Pistol
- Caliber: 9mm
- Barrel Length: 3.54″
- Trigger Pull: SA 5.5lbs
- Trigger Travel: 0.27″
- Capacity: 8+1
- Overall Length: 6.41″
- Height: 5.12″
- Width: 1.18″
- Weight Empty: 22.33oz
As you can see the dimensions, weight, and trigger pull of the Walther CCP M2 Pistol are all very new-shooter friendly. The size fit both my large and model Gretchen’s small hands comfortably. While I may be too accustomed to shooting a variety of handguns Gretchen was new to them. In an experiment I had her shoot the CCP M2 and PPS M2 back to back. She preferred the CCP M2 noting that recoil felt softer in her hands and she felt more secure with the more generous grip size.
About Graham Baates:
“Graham Baates” is a pen name used by a 15-year active Army veteran who spent most of his time in the tactical side of the Intelligence community including tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. Post-Army Graham spent some time in the 3-Gun circuit before becoming a full-time NRA Certified defensive handgun instructor and now works as an industry writer while curating a YouTube channel on the side. Visit Graham on Youtube .
I’m concerned that the CCP is too complicated for the “average” shooter who likes the 9mm cartridge. Take down seems too labor intensive, and that trigger reset distance is also a problem. I’ve watched two of your CCP videos now and throughout I was thinking that a Glock is ultra simple in comparison to the CPP. I do like the ergonomics and the small size, however, but I remain skeptical about ammo performance as well.
Excellent test of a new gun. Thanks very much.
I’ve been shooting the CCP 1 in idpa ccp division and it’s been fairly accurate and shoots better than I do. I did have one match shooting PMC 115 gn where I had consistent failure to extract problems, constantly removing the magazine to clear the gun to the point of leaving the match early. Apparently Walther uses a stepped chamber to get a good seal for the gas system and it’s not very forgiving to out of spec Ammo. I have found loads that work well and both my wife and I find it to be a very comfortable gun… Read more »
Similar to breakdown on a Makarov, and a nice redesign for the recoil piston. The South African ADP 9mm had the recoil piston as well, and that piston port clogs like crazy, I couldn’t get 150 rounds through it without the gun starting to get real sluggish. Wilson Combat bought the ADP (for some insane reason) and offered it here for a number of years.
Not real interested in blowback 9mm, there’s too many really great 9 mm pistols on the market to mess around with a flawed, if not outright failed, design.
Seriously? Whoever designed that should be fired. Looks like a Hi-Point. And the ‘CCP’ on the slide? What comes to your mind at first glance?
Why didn’t he state the magazine capacity? or I just missed it.
8+1
Looks like a Hi Point, yuck!
Walther please bring back the P5!! The world needs a all metal 9 mm single stack that is strong like the PPK.. tired of all this freaking plastic and no double strike crap..
Yes I agree, the only thing I want different about the p5 is checkered rubber grips.
I absolutely love the original CCP. Have carried it every day for five years. Flawless operation with all kinds of ammo. Low recoil and accurate. Anyone who slams this gun just because it’s hard to clean is lazy.
Be very careful with the plastic cup that sits on the end of the striker spring. It is brittle and will break. Mine broke. Walther does not have replacement parts. To me it does not appear to be a good design or maybe just a faulty part. Walther said if the CCP M2 is used with the part missing or broken the pistol will lock up.
Any news on Walther having a trade-in: 2 yr old CCP for a new CCP? I know I’d loose a lot money if I sold and bought a new one.
I have one of the first issue guns (not recalled version). I have had no problems at all shoots was well as I can (the gun is not always the accuracy problem. I lost the tool but a small screwdriver works fine. I emailed Walther and if the get enough interest they may do a CCP1 upgrade. Lets hope I would go for that.
I own a 1st generation CCP, and I like it very much! The take down as so many complain about is not really that difficult. I watched a video of a fella break one down one handed when I first got it and hadn’t grasped the trick to it. Once I saw him do it, I thought I am making this a pain to do. I soon learned how to do it easily now. As the pretty young lady described the sites and long reset seem to have been forgotten again! It seems Walther concentrated on making it easy to… Read more »
Very happy with mine. I use the tool for disassembly But just push in the ” button ” to reassemble. I agree the sights could be better.
Most interesting ! I’m an ancient of days Walther fan and bought one of the early original CCPs ,which was promptly recalled 🙂 Once reworked it functioned fine but is a true pain in the rear to clean. I have never been happy with carrying a striker fired gun concealed and the tiny safety , while nice can be a problem in rapid response situations. Accuracy was fine , recoil was sharp but usable for a CCW . Bottom line …back to a PPK or PPK/s .380 . This year Remington reissued their P-51 +P 9×19 . It sells for… Read more »
Hello I believe that no pistol or revolver should be give the name or put in the category of a learning gun . There is no such thing as a learning gun , I can only imagine what a creative lawyer would do with the term learning gun . Why weren’t you carrying your learning gun you have only had your permit for 3 years aren’t you still learning ? your skills are still so basic you should have used a learning gun not a regular gun . It opens a lot of doors for the misinformed or unknowing .
JUNK ALERT..JAMOMATIC SPECIAL!! Shame on you Walther..