If you watched our channel for long, then you've seen us review several different 9mm pistols. If you haven't seen those, check them all out after you finish reading.

We've shot a lot of great pistols, but Adrian still hadn’t found the perfect fit. So when we heard about the Walther PDP F-Series 9 mm, which is touted to be designed specifically for the needs of women, she was intrigued. 

Walther was kind enough to send one over for us to test out. But, they didn’t pay us for this review, and they have no input into our video or this article, so you can be sure we are honest and unbiased.

We’ve taken it to the range and ran a few hundred rounds of various ammo through it, so let's dive into some of the specifics.

Here are some specs for the Walther PDP F-Series 3.5":

• Caliber: 9 mm
• Steel Slide, Black Polymer Frame
• Weight: 1 lb 7.3 oz

• Width: 1.34"
• Height: 5.4"
• Overall Length: 6.5”
• Barrel Length: 3.5"
• Action: Semi-automatic
• Capacity: 15
• Mags included: 2
• Trigger Pull Weight: 5.6 lbs (per Walther); 3.9 lbs per our measure
• Sights: Standard 2 post rear sight and single post front sight
• MSRP: $649

Frame:

• The Walther PDP F-Series has a black polymer frame
• Designed and tailored to the female shooters hand
• Comes with 2 different backstraps to provide the perfect fit for you

• Reduced circumference grip

• Comfortable, yet slightly aggressive texture on grip surface, but not too aggressive
• Grip angle is shaped in such a way to allow a "higher grip for the female shooter"
• That higher grip is supposed to lead to increased grip force and control of recoil
• When comparing this grip to some of the others we have tested, Adrian WAS able to get her thumb up higher and more fingers around this pistol than on many of the others

• Mag release is easy to reach without completely moving hand around the grip

Action:

• Striker fired
• Semi-automatic action
• Reduced slide racking force by 20%
• Smooth cycle

Trigger:

• Reduced trigger reach designed for the female shooter

• Walther advertises placing the trigger where "any hand" can find the perfect trigger finger placement
• For us, it's easy to reach the trigger and get full, flat finger pressure against it, making the trigger squeeze easy
• We measured the trigger pull on the F-series out of the box at just under 4 pounds

• Trigger weight is comfortable
• Noticeable tactile feedback with the trigger that breaks at a very good point
• Trigger reset is easy to find with very little travel (advertised at .24”)
• Trigger safety is uncomfortable for us both

Barrel:

• Two different length options, 3.5" and 4" (we chose 3.5")

Optics:

• Sights:
  • Standard 2 post rear sight and single post front sight

• Optics ready - Docter footprint, Trijicon, and Leupold DeltaPoint reflex sights with an overall length of not more than 1.85” (47 mm) can be installed

• When you purchase your handgun, simply go online and order your one free plate that will fit your optic

Recoil:

• We found recoil of the PDP F-series to be very manageable
• Recoil is similar when compared to other 9mm striker fired pistols of this size

Extras:

• The PDP F-series has a rail on the front if you want to mount a light or laser 

Reliability & Durability:

We have really enjoyed shooting the Walther PDP F-series 9 mm and have shot several hundred rounds through it. As far as reliability and durability, we used 3-4 different brands of ammo and two different grain bullets. There was only one specific brand that we noticed 2-3 times the next round didn't cycle into the chamber for some reason. I'm still not completely sure what happened with those, but it was only one of the brands.

I don't think we would be a great judge of durability in this case since we've only had it a few months at this point. The good news is that Walther has a 30 day buy back guarantee if you don't actually like it, and they also have a "Lifetime Limited Warranty" in case anything goes wrong with it.

Mechanical Safety:

We mentioned the trigger already, but I want to point out that as far as safeties go, the F-series has a trigger safety and no thumb safety. And that trigger safety is the ONLY thing we don’t care for on this handgun. It is narrow and feels like it has “sharp” edges when shooting. Both of us experienced pinching on our fingers between the safety and the trigger face itself when shooting which gave us that sharp edge feeling. It could just be our finger placement, but we both had the same issue.

Q: Can you actually design a pistol with women in mind?

A: Yes. Walther has done it. They actually scanned somewhere around 1,000 female hands and worked with a number of competitive female shooters to get their design. Reduced Circumference Grip, Reduced Trigger Reach, and Reduced Slide Force are just three of the components to this Female feature focused pistol.

Q: Do the slide serrations actually make it easier to rack the slide?

A: Yes, they really seem to help and they don't have sharp edges. The rounded edges are easier on your hands and don't get caught as easily if you're planning to conceal carry this pistol.

Q: Was recoil easy to manage?

A: Yes, we found recoil to be similar to most pistols in this category and more easily managed than a lot of others.

Q: What's the going rate for one of these pistols?

A: MSRP is $699. But we have found it on Guns.com for $599.

When it comes to the question of "Should you buy this Walther PDP F-series pistol," as usual, it really depends.

The number one thing we would say is to go and handle one for yourself before you decide. If there’s any way you can go shoot one before you buy it, do that. Like we mentioned above, Walther does have that 30-day money back guarantee. So if you buy one, shoot it a ton in the first 30 days, and if you don’t like it, you can return it.

Women, we will say that you should definitely check out the Walther PDP F-series for yourselves. Adrian found that the grip feels good, and she had good control with the gun when shooting, which helps with accuracy, repeatability, and managing recoil. It’s a comfortable gun to shoot and one we could feel very confident carrying and shooting at the range.

Now, men, don’t let the “female specific design” throw you off. I shot it quite a bit as well, and really liked it. I was able to be accurate and it was not difficult to get back on target as the recoil was easily manageable. The only part I didn't like was the trigger safety.

MSRP is $699, but I’ve seen it retail for around $649. Now, that is a bit more expensive than other handguns in this category, but it may be just the one you’re wanting if it fits you well.

It is a gun that we would consider purchasing but we would score it by taking a little off because of the price point compared to other similar handguns and because of that "pinchy" safety. We're going to give the Walther PDP F-Series 9mm a 4.5/5.

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