Walther TPH 22LR-$334 a fair price? Help me!

[sgt dwayne a smith]

I saw this neat little 22LR Walther TPH NIB in a gun shop today for $334, is this a fair price? I like the pistol a bunch, but I know little about it, other than it's a baby PPK. And that a German Walther pistol equals a quality product.
Please, tell me some more about this gun. I could also use any good links for Walther web-sites that you guys have as well.

Thanks

 

[Jody Hudson]

TPH???

The TPH is no longer made. Interarms had them made and went out of business. Smith and Wesson bought the Walther business from Interarms and discounted the last few TPHs out to a few wholesalers. They were last sold at $330-$375 to the public. Before that they hovered around $395-$450 for years.

The are one of the most accurate little .22s ever made and smaller, thinner and better in many ways. We have one in the local gun shop for $550 now in stainless. It will sell shortly as we have a substantial TPH following. My son and I have several between us.

The are USUALLY in need of some smithing to get them dependable, like most Walther PP, PPK, PPKS products. We find the CCI/Blount QuickShok work the best in ours. Once you get it smithed into reliability (and you'll probably need to), you will have, arguably, the finest little pocket pistol ever made!!! And, with the QuickShoks you will have an accurate, powerful little pocket rocket.

I may be the one who purchases the TPH in our shop here!

Enough said!

Jody

 

[Blue Duck357]

My dad has one of the TPH's and loves it. He had to have the feed ramp polished because of mis feeds but after that he's never had a problem and he shoots it at least 100 rounds a month. I found it to be very accurate for the size it is, but I never shot it much because the slide cuts my hand with every shot (Walther bite). It's never bit him once, but if you have really big hands you might want to think twice about this one.

If I remember he paid nearly $400 for his over 5 years ago so it sounds like a good deal. I also believe the gun is discontinued so if you ever want one now would be the time. Sorry no links, but I hope the info helps.

Regards, Blue Duck

 

[Sierra]

My TPH had three trips back to the factory but now it is just great. That gun goes where no other can. As was previously said it is very accurate and so easy to hide. The German ones are suppose to be better to begin with but now I have no complaints.

 

[Jeff OTMG]

And that a German Walther pistol equals a quality product.

If your dealer has a German TPH it will be blue and have an alloy frame. The price he has quoted you is half of what it is worth. BUY IT IMMEDIATELY I WILL GIVE YOU AN EXTRA $150 AS A FINDERS FEE!!!! A German Walther is truely a quality product.

 

[sgt dwayne a smith]

Jeff, you said that if the pistol is German it would have a blued finish. Well this little gun is all stainless, what gives? I swear, I don't think the little gun is an Interarms make. It has all the German / Karl Walther stuff on the side. But, I am no Walther expert. So, you may be (more than likely are) right.

 

[Jody Hudson]

TPH with NO Interarm markings!!!!!

You most likely have one of the first TPHs made by Walther and distributed by Interarms. They were made in Arkansas and were FAR superior to the later ones. One of the biggest differences is the magazine release among other things were machined in the early American made TPHs and cheap castings in the later ones.

I do not think there were any stainless TPHs made anywhere except in America.

However, IF you have a German made stainless steel TPH it is likely one brought in to this country under diplomatic pouch or by a military person. TPH imports were stopped by the 1964 gun laws and stainless was well after that. Perhaps Walther of Germany made the TPH in stainless before they were made here -- that would make sense. And if so, it may easily be worth over $600.

Regardless, buy that pistol!!!!!!!!!!! Then check it out. There is no doubt that you can sell it easily for more to someone on TFL. They are not well known pistols! And not well regarded by many gun shops as they ALL have to be smithed as a rule.

BUY it!

That's my advice...

Jody

 

[Jeff OTMG]

Jody, a couple of thing, the Interarms guns built under Walther license were built at Ranger Arms in Alabama and the importation of the TPH for the general public was stopped by the GCA in 1968. Police could by the TPH and PPK from Interarms under police letterhead well into the 1980's. The TPH was $99 and the PPK was $199 in 1980.

sgt smith, check the slide marking carefully. There will be a Walther 'banner' on the forward part of the slide, then lightly engraved nearby it should say 'licensed by' or something to that effect. It will also say 'Made in USA' on it. The only German TPH's that I have ever seen were blue with alloy frames, at least that is all I have seen since 1968. It is possible that it is a German gun, should still be an alloy frame, but may have been treated to a hard chrome finish that would only look like stainless steel. That would destroy its' collector value, but would not reduce its' value as a shooter to me at all.

 

[TooTech]

Had one of the American ones...

Serious jammer, and I tried a WIDE range of ammunition.
Will the present owner let you test fire the gun?

Also, I do not like autos that lack a means to lock the slide back.

Took a bath when I traded it in, had to answer honestly when the recipient asked "is this one reliable"?

 

[Jody Hudson]

Jeff THANK YOU!

You said: "Jody, a couple of thing, the Interarms guns built under Walther license were built at Ranger Arms in Alabama and the importation of the TPH for the general public was stopped by the GCA in 1968. Police could by the TPH and PPK from Interarms under police letterhead well into the 1980's. The TPH was $99 and the PPK was $199 in 1980."
=====

I erred and I thank you for getting me straight, and the others. It is such double-checking of information here on TFL that makes this place so very valuable to me and others!

WOW! $99 in 1980! That is when I first started trying to buy one and was not able to get one ($400 each I think and I got 4 of them at once) until they were made in Alabama (oops I thought it was Ark.) and sold by Interarms.

I never knew that Ranger Arms made them.

I wish that some company with good Quality Control would make the TPH again. The design is superior! It's a shame that there have been so many QC problems with the companies who have made them.

Thanks again Jeff!

 

[Strayhorn]

As long as we are clearing things up

The Walther section of the Interarms line wasn't bought by Smith and Wesson.

It was sold at auction after the death of Interarm's founder when his daugher, who got the business, found herself more interested in living the high life in Palm Beach than running an import business.

The P-5 inventory went to Bachman Pawn and Gun, where they were sold for the bargain rate of $475 each to the general public.

Everything else went to Champion Firearms down in College Station, Texas. They still have a number of PPK and PPK/S models in SS, .380, on inventory.

The Walther accessories (hats, shirts, etc) were sold to Earl's Service up in Massachussetts. He sells the hats for $10, and they are nice hats.

Ranger Manufacturing of Gadsden, AL, who made the guns, went out of business as well. Two of the principals in the business moved it, and the name, to Texas. They no longer manufacture firearms. Last I heard they were making hydraulic valves.

The Star inventory was sold to CDNN Investments in Abilene, TX. The Rossi inventory was sold to M&M in Alexandria, VA.

A simple way to check current prices for any particular arm is to check the online sales sites like GunsAmerica.com and see what's being offered for what price.

For more info on the TPH, try the Unofficial Walther Homepage, recently redesigned:

http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Quarters/2188/

Or Gene Gangarosa' book, "The Walther Handgun Story".

Ken Strayhorn
Hillsborough NC

 

[white_collar]

So what is the relationship between Smith & Wesson and Walther?

I know that S&W is the parts distributor for Walther and they both share the same mailing address:

2100 Roosevelt Avenue
Springfield, MA 01104

Are the current Walthers being manufactured by S&W?

 

[Jeff OTMG]

S&W is the licensed importer for Walther, at least for now. S&W is also licensed to manufacture the SW99, a copy of the P99.

 

[jar]

Walther S&W relationship.

As part of the deal Walther manufactures the R-99, a licensed copy of the K frame 357.