ARmy Rumour SErvice

**nurse3** · 05-08-2011, 13:01

I have been doing a bit of reading on the Ulster Defence Regiment and am getting a bit confused.
In "A Testimony of Courage" the author talks about the army issuing some UDR soldiers .22LR Walther pistols, in "An Encyclopedia of the Modern british Army" it shows the XL47E1 walther PP in 7.65mm (.32ACP). In another source on line from the republican side its says a 9mm walther. and on a List of the L designations there is L66A1 5.6 x 16mmR (.22RF) Pistol Automatic, Walther, target. By Manuhrin, France.
And wikipedia says walther PPK.

I know they were preceeded by the .38 Webley and the 9mmx19 walther P5 compact was issued later. And Brownings were made available and guys bought their own.

But can anyone tell me which walther was the ISSUE PPW was it PP or PPK and what calibre was it in?

**exXIX** · 30-05-2012, 18:44

Early 90s I used to cut around in civvies in the course of my duties quite a bit. I was issued a 9mm Walther P5.

**ordinaryforces** · 30-05-2012, 19:06

In the prison service early eighties all three of those walthers were about, we sort of come under the same sort of rules as the UDR as far as the police were concerned, we were also allowed to buy our own ppw subject to police approval ( just to stop some knobheads buying 44 magnums) some did try. there was also a lot of Star and taurus knocking about in the smaller calibre.
the issue walther ala p/service was the pp 9mm short.

**RUCFOREVER** · 30-05-2012, 19:12

.22 PP were issued , a lot bought their own with a bit more oomph, look up Sammy Brush for one who used his to save his life. in the early years Stirlings and SLRs we taken home by some under very high risk.

**SauceDoctor** · 30-05-2012, 19:21

Lots of ours had P5s, some got/bought HP35(?) Brownings. As ordinaryforces says some guys had Taurus weapons, called PT something I think. (It was a long time ago)

**Boumer** · 30-05-2012, 19:23

Originally Posted by RUCFOREVER

.22 PP were issued , a lot bought their own with a bit more oomph, look up Sammy Brush for one who used his to save his life. in the early years Stirlings and SLRs we taken home by some under very high risk.

Was he the chap interviewed on the peter Taylor series?

Shot a couple of times, but managed to open fire and drive off the terrorists?

Gerry McGeough made no comment in the shooting, on the same series?

**Oyibo** · 30-05-2012, 19:44

P5 9mm for a UDR bloke I worked with early 1990

**Cairngorm** · 30-05-2012, 19:47

Originally Posted by ordinaryforces

In the prison service early eighties all three of those walthers were about, we sort of come under the same sort of rules as the UDR as far as the police were concerned, we were also allowed to buy our own ppw subject to police approval ( just to stop some knobheads buying 44 magnums) some did try. there was also a lot of Star and taurus knocking about in the smaller calibre.
the issue walther ala p/service was the pp 9mm short.

I can remember a couple of Prison Officers with 44 Magnums. One used his to commit suicide in Silver City (our accommodation blocks).

**ordinaryforces** · 30-05-2012, 19:55

Originally Posted by Cairngorm

I can remember a couple of Prison Officers with 44 Magnums. One used his to commit suicide in Silver City (our accommodation blocks).

That one passed me by!
not disputing it or anything as there were quite a few incidents at that period, its just the details that get a bit vague.
and yes there were a few exotic guns that got by the criteria, one p38 with the faintest trace of a filed of swastika just visible

Yes Jimmy N if your reading you mad twat.

**LEGZ30** · 30-05-2012, 20:19

The .22 Walther was the initial issue of a PPW and it was very unpopular, not just for the small calibre but also because people said it was very unreliable (before my time so I can't confirm that). It was during the period that the .22 was issued that a lot of people bought their own pistols, particularly revolvers as they thought they would be more reliable.

The Walther P5 Compact (9mm) was the issue PPW from from about the mid 80's until the disbandment of the Home Service in 2007. Good little pistol, reliable, small and easily concealed but the 8 round magazine put some people off who bought Brownings, Berrettas etc for the larger magazine capacity.