The Walther Model 4
by Ed Buffaloe
- Sometimes referred to as the transitional model or Model 3/4.
- Approximate serial number range: 29,000 - 34,085*
First Variant
Slide Serrations - Left side of slide marked (in capitals) “SELBSTLADE-PISTOLE CAL. 7,65. WALTHER’S-PATENT” on one line above the Walther banner.
- On the earliest pistols, the right side of the slide was blank. Later pistols had (in capitals) “CARL WALTHER WAFFENFABRIK ZELLA ST.BLASII” on one line. Some pistols were marked “Made in Germany.”
- 12 triangular cut vertical slide serrations up to serial number 34,000, after which 7 angled square-cut serrations.
- Safety lever has circular grooves.
- Partially exposed trigger-bar on left side of receiver.
- Top of slide rounded.
- No rear sight, but had a groove along the top of the slide.
- Triangular or ramped front sight.
- Release for the slide extension/front recoil spring bushing on right front of slide, similar to the Model 3.
- Front portion of frame is squared off.
- Dull blue finish (likely rust blue).
Walther Serial Numbers By Year Chart
- Approximate serial number range: 35,000 - 45,055*
Early Second Variant
Slide Serrations - Left side of slide marked (in capitals) “SELBSTLADE-PISTOLE CAL. 7,65. WALTHER’S-PATENT” on one line above the Walther banner.
- Right side of slide marked (in capitals) “CARL WALTHER WAFFENFABRIK ZELLA ST.BLASII” on one line, or in rare cases blank.
- 7 angled square-cut slide serrations.
- Safety lever has circular grooves.
- Partially exposed trigger-bar on left side of receiver.
- Top of slide still rounded.
- No rear sight, but had a groove along the top of the slide.
- Most front sights were hemispherical, but a few were triangular.
- Most have no disassembly release catch. A few very early guns still retain the catch.
- Guns with no disassembly release catch have front portion of frame beveled at the bottom.
- Approximate serial number range: 50,014 - 225,056*
Late Second Variant
Slide Serrations - Left side of slide marked (in capitals) “SELBSTLADE-PISTOLE CAL. 7,65 WALTHER’S-PATENT” on one line above the Walther banner. Very late guns have “WALTHER’S-PATENT CAL. 7,65” on one line above the Walther banner.
- Early right side of slide marked “Carl Walther WAFFENFABRIK Zella St.Bl”. Middle period have right side of slide marked “Carl Walther WAFFENFABRIK Zella St.Blasii”. Most guns have right side of slide marked (in capitals) “CARL WALTHER WAFFENFABRIK ZELLA ST.BLASII” on one line, or in rare cases blank, or for very late second variant guns “WAFFENFABRIK WALTHER ZELLA-MEHLIS I”.
- 7 angled square-cut slide serrations.
- Safety lever checkered (though I have noted at least two guns in this range with circular grooves).
- Partially exposed trigger-bar on left side of receiver.
- Top of slide flattened to allow for rear sight. (Early guns, through at least serial number 77233, continue to have the rounded slide, and through at least 67614 have no rear sight.)
- Drift adjustable raised rear sight in a dovetail mount.
- Both hemispherical and triangular front sights.
- No disassembly release catch.
AS - August Schuler, Suhl
G - H.M. Gering, Heidersbach
GM - Gebruder Merkel, Suhl (intertwined GM in a shield)
GR - Gebruder Rempt, Suhl
M or IM - Immanuel Meffert, Suhl
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S&H - Schmidt & Haberman
- Approximate serial number range: 229,572 - 261,451.*
- Left side of slide marked (in capitals) “WALTHER’S-PATENT CAL. 7,65” on one line above the Walther banner. Some may be marked only “PATENT CAL.7,65”.
- Right side of slide marked (in capitals) “WAFFENFABRIK WALTHER ZELLA- MEHLIS” on one line.
- 16 fine triangular-cut slide serrations angled forward.
- Sefety lever checkered.
- Internal trigger bar.
- No disassembly release catch.
- Drift adjustable raised rear sight in a dovetail mount.
- Triangular front sight.
- Approximate serial number range: 252,258 - 266,000 and 480,000 to
500,000.* - The same as Third Variant, except:
- Left side of slide marked (in lower case italic) “Walther’s Patent Cal. 7,65” on one line above the Walther banner.
- Right side of slide marked (in lower case italic) “Waffenfabrik Walther Zella-Mehlis (Thür.)” on one line.
- High polish blue finish.
- Remove the magazine.
- Draw the slide back to make sure the chamber is empty and to cock the hammer.
- Press in on the barrel bushing, turn it counterclockwise (as you face the front of the gun), and draw it carefully off the end of the barrel under pressure from the recoil spring. (For the earliest variant, with a hand on the front of the gun to catch the barrel bushing, press down on the latch on the right front side of the slide.)
- Remove the recoil spring and sleeve by twisting them off the barrel.
- Pull the slide all the way to the rear, lifting the front of the slide slightly to get it all the way back, then lift the rear of the slide up and off the rails and pull the slide forward and off the barrel.
Walther Pp Serial Number Chart
Walther Serial Number Chart
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