John Moses Browning developed the .380 ACP cartridge in 1908 for the Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless self-defense pistol. Popular in Europe, American shooters have usually relegated the .380 to a backup self-defense role in favor of heavier cartridges. However, new technology and gun designs have increased the .380’s performance while offering a softer-shooting alternative to those larger cartridges. The Walther Arms PD380 is one of those new guns.
The Walther Arms PD380
The PD380, and a few others, have moved beyond the pocket pistol concept with its snappy recoil and poor ballistics. Instead, they focus on better ergonomics and longer barrels for better performance. The PD380 continues Walther’s trend toward comfortable shootability while creating a legitimate everyday concealed carry pistol.
Walther provided a PD380 for me to test, and I’ve been running it for about six months, off and on. For the record, I do not get to keep the pistol and will send it back after this review. The PD380 runs like a champ and has a lot going for it. However, I wish a couple of things were done differently. Let’s begin with the gun’s specifications.
Walther PD380 Features
The PD380 is mostly user-friendly, with several very nice features that will appeal to many shooters. Walther told me this gun is intended for newer concealed carriers, so ease of operation was a primary focus. The company succeeded for the most part, though I disagree with a couple of key design choices. We’ll get to those. Let’s hit the clear positives first.
The Slide
Walther hit a home run with the PD380’s slide. Deep front and rear cocking serrations provide a firm purchase for manipulation, while also reducing a bit of weight. But the serrations almost feel unnecessary. This is perhaps the easiest racking slide I’ve ever run. It’s reminiscent of Walther’s PDP-F line, if you’re familiar with that.
The PD380 locks back on an empty magazine but does not have a slide release. Manual slide manipulation is required. The ambidextrous safety catch is slide-mounted. I’ll talk about the safety later.
The gun has a simple 3-dot sight system with a windage-adjustable rear sight, and the slide is not cut for an optic.
The Grip Frame
The grip is very nice, as you’d expect from a Walther. The texture is very PDP-like and sticks in the palm. Two slight finger grooves adorn the front, with the magazine baseplate helping to form a third. It fits my hand perfectly and is very comfortable to shoot.
I also like the ambidextrous thumb shelves, which make the grip a little more solid. The PD380 does not have interchangeable backstraps, but I think this gun will be comfortable for all but the largest of hands.
The Controls
I think the PD380 falls a little short here. They all work fine, and I had no reliability issues. But I think the design choices could be better. This may be a bit subjective, but I’ll make the case for my views. You can decide whether you share those views or not.
The Trigger
Let’s start with the trigger. The single-action/double-action trigger is actually pretty good. The curved face is wide and textured, which I like. Correspondingly, the DA breaks at about 10 lbs., and the SA is about 5.5. The SA has quite a bit of creep, reminding me of a 2-stage trigger, even though it’s not.
The break is pretty clean, though. It’s similar to the SA function on my Beretta 92FS, though the PD380’s reset is noticeably shorter. The DA pull is long, as you’d expect, but it’s consistent all the way and not mushy. You don’t feel the wall, like the SA, but that’s just a DA trigger.
My only complaint is the trigger geometry in DA mode. I have fairly large hands with average-sized fingers. Yet my trigger finger tends to overlap the bottom, forcing me to pay close attention to my finger placement. Muscle memory would eventually fix this issue were it my gun, but there really isn’t much space there.
This is not a problem in SA mode or on follow-up shots. It’s a minor nuisance but it bears on how you might carry this gun. I would carry it in DA because of the safety mechanism, which I address below. So, it’s a consideration for me.
The Magazine Release
Walther has often preferred the European-style trigger guard-mounted paddle release. The company has accommodated American shooters who prefer the button release with the PPQ M2, PPS M2, and PDP. For the record, I believe people who prefer buttons are subjectively wrong. So, I was glad to see the mag release returned to the trigger guard.
Unfortunately, Walther went with the shorter paddles from the P22 instead of the longer versions. The short paddles work fine, but I have to adjust my grip to reach them, unlike the longer paddles on the P99, PPQ, and PPS, which I easily run with my trigger finger. The longer paddles would have been better.
The Safety
At first glance, I thought the PD380 featured a decocker-style thumb safety, which I like on a hammer-fired handgun. But it’s not a decocker. Racking the slide to chamber a round obviously cocks the hammer. But the lack of a decocker requires the shooter to manually lower the hammer while pulling the trigger, like on a revolver.
The safety catch blocks the hammer from hitting the firing pin. It’s not a transfer bar, but rather a pin that rotates into place as the catch is manipulated. This mechanism makes it safe to lower the hammer.
The PD380 manual actually says to pull the trigger to drop the hammer. I’ve done that in tests to ensure that it works, which it does. But I don’t like having to pull the trigger.
Once the hammer drops, the safety may be disengaged if desired. Engaging the safety with the hammer down moves the hammer back slightly from the firing pin. It’s safe to carry either way. I don’t love it, but it works.
Cocked and Locked
I asked Walther why they didn’t incorporate a decocker. They told me they felt that new concealed carriers may not be able to handle the DA pull and wanted to give them the option to go “cocked and locked.”
That’s the part I don’t like.
I wonder whether going cocked and locked is wise for new shooters. I’ve been carrying guns for a long time. I’ve never been comfortable with cocked and locked, though I concede that many are, and it’s a personal choice. And the DA pull is not really heavy. It’s just long, as DA triggers are.
Disengaging the safety is a fine motor function that must be performed during the draw. This gun requires driving the thumb forward, unlike the easier safety on a 1911. I question this design choice, especially for new shooters. Your mileage may vary, but be aware of it.
Either way, I would carry the PD380 in DA mode were it my gun.
Running the Walther PD380
The PD380 is a pleasure to shoot in single-action mode. The larger frame and longer barrel make this a soft shooter with .380 ACP. Much more pleasant than .380 pocket pistols.
The comfortable grip helps, too. The DA pull isn’t bad outside the inconsistency mentioned above. Other shooters may not experience that problem at all.
Reliability and Accuracy
The PD380 is very reliable, with a wide range of ammo, as I expect from Walther. This gun now has 620 rounds through it without even a hiccup. I ran the following loads, which were generously provided by the good folks at Ammo-to-Go:
- PMC Bronze FMJ – 90-grain
- Remington UMC FMJ – 95-grain
- Federal American Eagle FMJ – 95-grain
- Blazer FMJ – 95-grain
- Winchester T&P FMJ – 95-grain
- Black Hills JHP – 90-grain
- Hornady Critical Defense FTX – 90-grain
- Hornady XTP – 90-grain
- Magtech JHP – 95-grain
I experienced no failures to load and no failures to feed. Everything ran flawlessly, and the two factory Walther mags proved to be smooth and robust.
I wonder why Walther went with a single-stack, 9-round mag, especially with a .380, since the gun seems like it could handle a modern staggered setup. I can’t speak to that decision. You can decide whether that’s a consideration for you.
Ballistic gel tests conducted with a colleague who also has a PD380 revealed consistent 10 to 11-inch penetration with the 90-grain Hornady Critical Defense FTX. A knock on the .380 is its perceived lack of penetration with defensive rounds. However, we got good performance from the gun and ammo here.
The gun is very accurate, helped by the low recoil and comfortable grip. It’s easy to keep on target through your follow-up shots.
The Walther PD380 is a Reliable, Capable Pistol
This is a nice pistol. It’s a reliable pistol. It’s a capable pistol. But I think Walther missed the mark just a bit if the PD380 is intended for new shooters. Considering the price point, I think it is.
I don’t believe that most new concealed carriers will seek the training to run it effectively—whether in DA mode or cocked and locked. However, I strongly encourage those folks to train and practice.
I believe this gun is best utilized by experienced shooters who can carry cocked and locked OR by new shooters who will train and practice to become proficient with its requirements. If you’re one of those people, give this gun a hard look, perhaps as a low-profile carry gun or even a backup. It’s a quality product that will run the way you want it to.
If you aren’t one of those people, this may not be the gun for you, despite Walther’s undoubtedly good intentions. Walther makes great guns. Just make sure you choose the right one.
For more information, please visit WaltherArms.com.
Walther PD380 Specs
| Caliber | .380 ACP |
| Capacity | 9+1 |
| Magazine | Single-Stack Magazine |
| Barrel Length | 3.7 inches |
| Overall Length | 6.48 inches |
| Width | 1.24 inches |
| Height | 5.15 inches |
| Action | Hammer-Fired |
| Trigger | Single/Double Action Trigger |
| MSRP | $449.00 |
