I’m starting to think the engineers at Walther Arms don’t sleep much. It seems like every quarter, they announce a new firearm. And I’m here for it! Not only has Walther been busy making firearms, but it has also been working on some upgraded parts that I know I can’t live without. One such part is the Dynamic Performance Trigger, which I’ll discuss in this Walther PDP Pro ACRO review.
The Walther PDP Pro ACRO
Walther’s commitment to customer satisfaction is evident in the availability of this pistol. Initially, it was exclusive to law enforcement only. However, after a flood of feedback and comments online, the company heeded the demand and made it available for civilian purchase as well.
Most gun owners find the package deal of having a gun already set up with a high-quality optic milled specifically for it very attractive. It takes the work of acquiring a red dot, buying the compatible plate, and mounting the optic completely off the gun owner’s shoulders. That process alone can take weeks. Whereas the PDP Pro ACRO is ready out of the box straight from your FFL.
Let’s dive into why this pistol is so great.
The PDP Platform
I have been a fan of the Performance Duty Pistol (PDP) model pistol since its release in 2021. I purchased that gun when it came out and used it as a full-size carry gun in the winter months. Now that it’s blazing hot outside, it’s the perfect suppressed bedside gun, thanks to threaded barrel options on the website.
The original Walther PDP wasn’t as tricked out as it is today, but the platform is still the same. What’s most impressive about the PDP offerings is that any slide length can fit on any frame.
This platform’s modularity is especially attractive for people like me who own several PDP models. It’s easy to run one slide with iron sights, another with a red dot, and swap frames if I choose.
There are two upgrades that make a PDP pistol a “Pro” model. First is the change from the Performance Duty Trigger to the Dynamic Performance Trigger. The second is the addition of the flared magwell.
Walther also made life even easier by having the same magazines that fit the full-size PDP pistols also fit the PDP Pro model guns. The compatibility issue with magazines is trying to run PDP Compact magazines in PDP Full-Size guns or vice versa.
Let’s Talk Triggers
You might not be a trigger snob, but I for sure am. I used to compete in 3 Gun competitions with the Walther Q5 polymer and steel frame pistols. I remember how exciting the introduction of that trigger was. Before then, aftermarket triggers, such as Overwatch Precision, were the only way to get a competition-style trigger into your handgun.
The Walther PDP Pro ACRO pistol is outfitted with the Dynamic Performance Trigger. It is also installed on the Walther PDP Match pistols, meaning you get a top-of-the-line factory trigger.
This trigger has a five-pound pull, but what makes it so desirable is how cleanly it breaks and how smoothly it resets. Even if you don’t shoot competitions, you can appreciate the quality of this flat-faced trigger.
Aftermarket Accessories for the PDP Pro ACRO
Holsters
The issue when any new gun is released is the lack of aftermarket support, especially for a holster. Most often, holster manufacturers must get the gun or a mold of it before they can make compatible holsters. The bonus of the Walther PDP Pro ACRO is that it likely already fits the line of PDP pistol holsters.
Muddy River Tactical sent me one of its Mach Series Duty & Range holsters molded for the Walther PDP Match pistols in December last year. This same holster is compatible with the PDP Pro ACRO. Walther also has a dedicated PDP holster options web page if you’re shopping for holsters.
Magazine Basepads and Extensions
The magazines for the PDP Pro ACRO are the 18-round PDP magazines. Walther includes three magazines with the pistol. Thanks to aftermarket support that already exists for these magazines, there are many options for basepads and extensions.
Taran Tactical Innovations designed a versatile base pad that is compatible with PDP Magazines as well as Canik TP-9 18-round magazines, Sig Sauer’s P365 Macro 17-round magazines, and more.
LOK Grips not only make magazine basepads for the PDP but also make aftermarket brass magwells and brass and aluminum backstraps. ZR Tactical Solutions also makes a brass basepad that helps the magazine drop out of the gun more freely when empty due to the added weight.
Lights
The Walther PDP Pro ACRO has a tac rail for mounting lights or lasers to the gun. The rail is compatible with various pistol lights, such as the Streamlight TLR-8, Surefire X300, and other popular light models. If you mount a light, be sure to find a compatible holster molded to the light and the gun.
The Aimpoint ACRO
Aimpoint easily has one of the best reputations in the firearms industry. The company is known for making quality products rugged enough for law enforcement, the military, and civilians rough on gear.
If you didn’t know, the ACRO™ series was the first pistol sight to offer a fully enclosed optical channel to protect the LED emitter. The ACRO mounted on this specific pistol is the P-2 3.5 MOA dot. The P-2 underwent rigorous testing through extreme shock, vibration, and temperatures. It also held zero through over 20,000 rounds of .40 S&W testing.
The P-2 features a new high-efficiency LED emitter and protective clear glass front and rear lenses guarding the reflective lens system. Aimpoint also moved the brightness adjustment buttons next to the battery compartment and gave them a more distinct tactile feel.
The dot is parallax-free, and I can tell you from experience shooting this pistol that the dot stays parallel to the gun’s bore. The 3.5 MOA dot is clear and crisp and powered by a CR2032 battery. This is the easiest battery to find and buy in bulk.
Slide Manipulation with the Aimpoint ACRO
I am not kind to guns, optics, or gear. If I have a red dot optic mounted to a gun, it becomes a tool for me to manipulate the slide. I’m not recommending you do as I do. But I am sharing the abuse I put the ACRO red dot optic through during my pistol’s range test.
I used the ACRO to rack the slide off the side of a table. I also used the palm of my hand to push against the front of the optic to load a new round into the chamber from slide forward.
There are some optics that cannot take this kind of abuse. I have seen red dot optics lose zero, set screws loosen, and optic glass shatter. Some of these optics were designed as pistol optics and used on magazine-fed shotguns. But this is no less a test of the quality of some of these brand’s optics.
Aimpoint even states on its website that the ACRO P-2 can be mounted on carbines, shotguns, and rifles or utilized as a backup sight on magnified scopes and thermal imagers. This is a testament to the durability of the ACRO optic.
Accuracy Test
All you have to say is German engineering, and you immediately associate this with accuracy. Every Walther pistol I have ever owned, including the PPK, has been accurate to shoot.
The Walther PDP Pro ACRO pistol has a 4.5-inch barrel, which performs similarly to 5-inch barreled pistols. I zero all my pistols with red dot optics at 20-25 yards. This is because my pistols are typically used for competition shooting. At matches, it’s more important to be zeroed for distance than close-range targets.
I tried five different types of ammunition, including practice ammo, a competition load, and hollow point ammunition. Since the PDP Pro ACRO was designed for professionals, I figured trying defensive ammunition through this gun made the most sense.
I always attribute some spread in shots to human error. I am not a perfect shot and never will be, but I tried my best to make each shot count. However, I was pleased with the grouping of each type of ammunition. The results of my testing are below.
Final Thoughts
Shooting the Walther PDP Pro ACRO felt no different than shooting the Walther PDP Match polymer pistol, even though that gun has a 5-inch barrel. These polymer pistols are built to perform.
The ergonomics of Walther Arms pistols make them some of the most comfortable guns on the market to shoot. With the different provided backstraps, you can set the grip size up to your hand size. Likewise, the grip texture is just right and gives you a better purchase as you grip the gun.
Walther knocked it out of the park on the trigger, especially for a stock pistol. I can think of only one other firearms manufacturer that has also focused on upgrading its stock triggers. These two companies have listened to the market demand and delivered.
The flared magwell makes reloading even easier. The three 18-round magazines are more than enough to get someone started in competition shooting without having to upgrade the basepads for more capacity.
The Aimpoint ACRO is an optic that will last a lifetime and more. Once zeroed, you’re set for exceptionally accurate shooting from both the barrel and optic quality. The rest is on you.
I’m pleased Walther made the decision to sell to the civilian market. This pistol is sure to catch the eye of many Walther enthusiasts.
For more information, please visit WaltherArms.com.
Walther PDP Pro ACRO Specs
| Caliber | 9mm |
| Overall Length | 8 inches |
| Height | 6.9 inches |
| Weight (empty) | 27.5 ounces |
| Barrel Length | 4.5 inches |
| Barrel Twist Rate | 1/10 Twist |
| Capacity | 18 rounds |
| Magazines included | 3 |
| Trigger | Dynamic Performance Trigger |
| Sights | Tritium 3-Dot + ACRO Pre-Installed |
| MSRP | $1599 |
Performance
| Brand | Ammunition Type & Grain | Accuracy in inches (5 shots from 20 yards) |
| Lehigh Defense | 115 grain CF+P | 1.75 |
| Hornady | 115 grain FTX Critical Defense | 1.75 |
| Super Vel | 124 grain FMJ | 2.50 |
| Federal | 147 grain Gold Medal Action FMJ | 2.75 |
| Sierra | 124 grain Jacketed Hollow Point | 3.00 |
