10 Best Walther PDP Upgrades

There’s nothing wrong with the PDP as Walther builds it, but there’s always room for improvement, personalization, or fine-tuning your pistol for a specific job.

Factory and aftermarket support have finally caught up to the Wonder Nines’ popularity, so I tested a bunch of Walther PDP upgrades to help you get the most bang for your buck out of this excellent pistol.

Keep reading to see what I recommend to get the most out of the Walther PDP!

THE QUICK LIST

1. Best Open Emitter Red Dot

   Trijicon RMR Type 2

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2. Best Enclosed Emitter Red Dot

   Aimpoint ACRO P-2

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3. Best Weapon Light

   SureFire X300 Ultra

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4. Best Sights

   XS Sights RD3 2.0 Walther PDP Sights

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5. Best OWB Holster

   Safariland 6354 RDSO Holster

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6. Best IWB Holster

   BlackPoint Tactical FO3 Holster

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7. Best Trigger

   Walther Dynamic Performance Trigger

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8. Best Magazine Extension

   ZR Tactical Solutions Magazine Extension

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9. Best Guide Rod

   ZR Tactical Solutions Ultra Mass Guide Rod

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10. Best Match Barrel

    Jarvis Walther PDP Barrel

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Show more (3 items)

How We Tested The Best Walther PDP Upgrades

I’ve used each of the upgrades on this list. You can still find some of them on my test mule PDP. Others appeared at multi-day media events, which gave me enough range time to form an educated opinion about them.

Regardless of how my hands-on experience came to be, I’ve put hundreds of rounds through a PDP with each of the upgrades here. That includes full-size, compact, F-Series, and Match Steel Frame pistols.

There were some upgrades that didn’t quite make the cut, so what you see here is the cream of the crop. When you’re starting with a pistol as good as the PDP, you shouldn’t settle for anything less than excellent.

Best Walther PDP Upgrades

1. Trijicon RMR Type 2 Adjustable – Best Open Emitter Red Dot

Pros

• Famously reliable and nearly indestructible
• Improved battery compartment protection
• You control the brightness

Cons

• Expensive
• Noticeable blue tint

Specs

• Reticle: 3.25-MOA red dot
• Click Adjustment: 1 MOA
• Footprint: RMR
• Battery: CR2032
• Housing: Forged aluminum
• Weight: 1.2 oz

This optic needs no introduction. The RMR has achieved a legendary reputation for toughness and reliability, so it’s a natural choice for the rough-and-tumble PDP.

The Trijicon RMR Type 2 Adjustable is more affordable than the new Trijicon RCR (although it’s still extremely expensive), and I like being able to control the reticle’s brightness manually.

I’ve used a ton of pistol optics, and while the RMR isn’t perfect, I understand its appeal. The window has a strong blue tint. It’s not exactly distortion-free. But this isn’t a competition optic; it’s meant to survive the worst conditions combat can throw at it.

If you’re going to put an open-emitter red dot on your PDP, you can’t go wrong with this one.

2. Aimpoint ACRO P-2 – Best Enclosed Emitter Red Dot

Pros

• All-weather protection
• Excellent build quality
• Solid battery life

Cons

• Expensive
• Big and blocky

Specs

• Reticle: 3.5-MOA red dot
• Click Adjustment: 0.7 MOA
• Footprint: RMR
• Battery: CR2032
• Housing: Aluminum
• Weight: 2.1 oz

There are plenty of good budget-friendly enclosed-emitter pistol optics out there, but if you’re spending money to upgrade your PDP, you might as well buy the best: the Aimpoint ACRO P-2.

I’m actually not convinced the ACRO P-2 is as tough as the RMR, but it’s significantly nicer than the other enclosed-emitter red dots I’ve used.

The glass is excellent and the aluminum housing shrugs off bumps and scrapes. Rack the slide with it, dunk it in water, crawl through the sand – the ACRO P-2 was made for that kind of thing.

I used the ACRO P-2 during a week of winter survival training at AMTAC Shooting in Idaho. In addition to day and night shoots, this optic endured snowshoeing, shelter building, and frigid temperatures.

When the time came, it was always ready to go and right on target. If you can deal with the bulky size of an enclosed emitter red dot, this is the one to have. There’s a reason Walther direct-mounts the ACRO P-2 on the PDP Professional, after all.

3. Surefire X300 Ultra – Best Weapon Light

Pros

• Heavy-duty metal construction
• Constant and momentary modes at your fingertips
• Ambidextrous

Cons

• Polarizing control layout
• Expensive

Specs

• Output: 1,000 lumens
• Intensity: 11,300 candela
• Battery: two 123A
• Run Time: 1.25 hours
• Controls: Ambidextrous push/toggle
• Weight: 4.1 oz (with batteries)

If you’re going to use a pistol to protect yourself, it should have a light on it. My recommendation for people who own a full-size PDP is the Surefire X300 Ultra.

Why Surefire? These pistol lights are bright, reliable, and built to take a beating. They’ve earned the admiration of many people in the military and law enforcement, including several of us here at Pew Pew Tactical.

The X300 is giant, but the PDP is no skinny mini, so it’s fitting. It sticks out far enough that carbon buildup on the lens is kept to a minimum. The controls are large enough to use with gloves and just stiff enough to avoid turning it on by accident.

Surefire offers a few versions of the X300. The differences lie in the mounting system and the amount of lumens the light produces. Want to add a visible laser? Check out the Surefire X400. 

4. XS Sights RD3 2.0 – Best Sights

Pros

• Suppressor-height
• Tritium inserts
• Easy to install

Cons

• Expensive for backup sights

Specs

• Material: Steel
• Finish: Black nitride
• Inlays: Tritium
• Holster Compatibility: Standard

It’s hard to find faults in the PDP, but the plastic sights are its weak point. My recommendation? Swap out those ho-hum sights for a set of XS Sights R3D 2.0 suppressor-height night sights.

These sights are CNC-machined from steel, not molded from plastic. They have tritium inserts that glow for decades instead of white paint. Most importantly, they’re tall enough to use with a red dot or a suppressor installed.

Installing these sights isn’t complicated, but it requires patience and attention to detail. Achieving a proper (super tight) fit means you’ll have to file the base of the rear sight to remove almost imperceptible amounts of extra material.

When shooting with irons, these make life easy. They’re quick to acquire and perfectly accurate as long as you set them up correctly. I found it easy to switch my focus from the red dot to these irons on the fly.

I know someone takes their pistol seriously when I see a functional set of irons bracketing their red dot. Grab a set of these, a Real Avid Master Sight Pusher, and a Glock front sight tool to give your PDP the sights it deserves.

5. Safariland 6354 RDSO – Best OWB Holster

Pros

• Nearly indestructible
• Excellent retention
• Multiple holster mounting options

Cons

• Expensive
• Requires a little bit of setup

Specs

• Material: SafariLaminate
• Retention: Automatic Locking System
• Optic-Compatible: Yes
• Light-Compatible: Yes

Safariland arguably makes the best duty holsters money can buy, and there are a few models that support the PDP. My favorite is the 6354 RDSO.

This holster strikes an excellent balance between retention and speed. The Automatic Locking System (ALS) pins the pistol in place until you release the thumb lever. Run, crawl, jump, and climb as much as you want – that pistol’s going nowhere.

Activating the release lever with your thumb is so intuitive that it’ll become part of your natural draw stroke in no time.

You can pick from several colors, including Cordura nylon wraps. All of them come with a suede lining to protect your PDP’s finish.

Safariland invited me out to Full Spectrum Warrior to see what the brand’s retention levels are all about. I grappled with other attendees who were actively trying to rip my plastic training pistol out of it, engaged targets from inside and around vehicles, and ran an obstacle course with the 6354 RDSO. It didn’t miss a beat.

As an all-around OWB duty holster, it doesn’t get better than this.

7. BlackPoint Tactical FO3 – Best IWB Holster

Pros

• Superb belt clips
• Thin but strong
• Surprisingly comfortable

Cons

• No magazine carrier

Specs

• Material: Kydex
• Retention: Friction
• Optic-Compatible: Yes
• Light-Compatible: Yes

Yes, you can conceal a PDP! The blocky slide and aggressive serrations aren’t slim by any means, but it can be done — especially if you use  BlackPoint Tactical FO3. Go ahead and mount a red dot and weapon light while you’re at it.

There are a few things that set the FO3 apart. The belt clips are extremely aggressive; your clothing will probably fail before they do. The rear clip is mounted on a leather wing that helps the holster bend around the contour of your waistline. The Kydex is also thin, which helps because the PDP is thick enough on its own.

The FO3 is designed to be comfortable at the strong-side position, but you can certainly use it for appendix carry, as well.

I’ve used the FO3 while hiking, snowshoeing, and camping. I wouldn’t go so far as to say the PDP disappeared on my waist, but it certainly didn’t slow me down. This is a great way to carry your CCW PDP, especially if it’s a full-size pistol.

6. Walther DPT – Best Trigger

Pros

• Factory drop-in compatibility
• Incredibly crisp break and short reset
• Flat face

Cons

• More involved installation
• Doesn’t fit F-Series pistols

Specs

• Safeties: 3 automatic
• Pull Weight: 5.6 lbs
• Travel: 0.2”

Wait, we’re starting this list off with a trigger? Doesn’t the PDP already have one of the best factory triggers in the striker-fire market?

Yes, the base PDP’s Performance Duty Trigger is extremely good, but the enhanced Dynamic Performance Trigger is on another level.

For Less than $200, you can upgrade your PDP to have the same trigger found in the top-shelf PDP Pro SD and PDP Match.

The DPT is superb. Travel is minimal, reset is basically instant, and the flat face adds a touch of class. Trigger feel is subjective, but I (along with trigger snobs everywhere) think it makes the PDP even better to shoot.

I raved about this trigger when I reviewed the PDP Match, I love it on the PDP Pro SD, and I’d happily buy one and install it myself if I had to.

PDP F-Series owners will have to make do with the trigger they have because this one isn’t compatible, although Walther recently released a PDP F-Series Pro that comes with a DPT from the factory.

8. ZR Tactical Solutions Magazine Extension – Best Magazine Extension

Pros

• Increases capacity of full-size PDP magazines
• Carved from solid aluminum
• Comes with the appropriate spring

Cons

• Fiddly little set screws are begging to strip

Specs

• Material: Billet aluminum
• Finish: Anodized
• Capacity: +4

If 18 rounds are good, 22 must be better, right? These ZR Tactical Solutions magazine base pads increase your full-size PDP’s capacity by four (ZRTS also makes magazine extensions for compact PDP).

They’re carved from solid blocks of aluminum and anodized in black or gray for durability.

You can run into feeding issues if you increase capacity without upgrading the magazine spring, so ZRTS includes springs tuned specifically for the job.

Installation is easy. Pop out the factory base pad and spring, insert the new spring, slide on the extension, and lock it in place with two set screws.

The one hangup I had with these came from the factory follower. It’s made from molded plastic, and there are rough edges that can get snagged when the magazine is almost full. I pulled the follower out and filed the edges until they were smooth – problem solved.

The PDP is a beefcake of a pistol as it is. An extended magazine protruding from the grip doesn’t have any drawbacks as far as I’m concerned, and I appreciate the extra capacity.

And don’t worry; you can buy those teeny set screws separately if you lose one.

9. ZR Tactical Solutions Ultra Mass Guide Rod – Best Guide Rod

Pros

• Reduces recoil
• Three spring weights available
• Stronger than the factory guide rod

Cons

• Harder to install than the factory guide rod assembly

Specs

• Material: Stainless steel
• Finish: Raw, black nitride
• Weight: 1.6 oz
• Spring Weight: 15, 17, 18 lb

It doesn’t matter if you’re modifying a PDP or a precision rifle; one of the best ways to soften the recoil impulse is by adding weight to the firearm.

The ZR Tactical Solutions Ultra Mass Guide Rod sneaks extra weight inside your pistol’s frame to do just that. It also improves reliability by replacing polymer with stainless steel.

Your factory PDP guide rod assembly weighs 15 grams. This one weighs 45 grams. It also comes with your choice of spring weights: 15 pounds for general use, 17 pounds to handle increased pressure (think suppressors or +P ammunition), and 18 pounds for a factory feel.

Since it’s machined from stainless steel, it’ll endure high round counts better than the polymer guide rod your PDP came with.

The Ultra Mass Guide Rod is so thick that you don’t even need a spring keeper. Just pop it into any 4-, 4.5-, or 5-inch PDP slide (sorry, F-Series owners) and be on your way.

After installing the Ultra Mass Guide Rod and a 15-pound spring, I definitely noticed a reduction in recoil.

Unlike adding weight with a weapon light or a brass backstrap, this doesn’t change the exterior of your pistol, so there are no impacts on appearance or limitations on which holster you want to run.

No, it doesn’t make 9mm feel like .22 LR. Yes, you still have to practice good fundamentals. But staying on target and rattling off shots is noticeably easier with the extra weight and softer spring. It’s delightful! 

10. Jarvis PDP Barrel – Best Match Barrel

Pros

• Match-grade accuracy
• Drop-in and fitted options available
• Several length and finish options to choose from

Cons

• Long lead times on certain barrels

Specs

• Material: 4140 gun barrel steel
• Twist: 1:16
• Rifling: Conventional button rifling
• Crown: 20-degree recessed crown

A competition barrel is one of the best ways to get more performance out of your PDP, and it’s even sweeter when you can add a splash of color.

The Jarvis PDP Barrel is match-grade and made to order, with perks like a 20-degree recessed crown and several finishes that increase durability and decrease friction. Order one in stock form or send your slide in to get a fitted barrel and maximum accuracy.

Jarvis offers options for all slide lengths, including the F-Series. Barrel options include the standard factory lengths, one inch longer than each factory length, ported, and threaded.

I ran out of space at my local range (25 yards) before I detected the limits of this barrel. It’s a tack-driver, for sure.

For most shooters, the factory barrel is perfectly fine. If you want ultimate accuracy for competition, this is the one for you.

How to Choose The Best Walther PDP Upgrades

The Walther PDP is a versatile platform. What do you want to do with it?

If you’re setting up a dedicated concealed-carry pistol, keep things small and light. Maybe opt for CCW-friendly variants of my picks, like a Trijicon RMRcc or Surefire XR2.

A dedicated home defense pistol can afford to be big (in fact, that can be a benefit) so focus on increasing capacity and making sure you have enough light to positively identify who’s in your home.

Competitive shooters need to think about class regulations, so start there and focus on reducing recoil.

How To Disassemble Your Walther PDP

Disassembling a PDP will feel familiar to anyone who’s handled a polymer striker-fire pistol before. If you want a PDP-specific refresher, we’ve got you covered!

Why You Should Trust Pew Pew Tactical

I’ve put untold thousands of rounds through Walther’s flagship pistol. I shoot one recreationally, I’ve trained with PDPs under some of the best instructors in the business at AMTAC Shooting and Full Spectrum Warrior, and I’ve gotten to pick the brains of serious shooters inside Walther to figure out how you can get even more performance out of an already rock-solid platform.

Backing all that up are years of shooting experience as a Marine and a civilian. I’m always trying to improve the guy behind the trigger, but awesome gear never hurts.

Final Thoughts

The Walther PDP had a few negligible growing pains in the model’s early days, but it’s quickly become a darling among gun reviewers, law enforcement, and citizen shooters alike. It’s a sledgehammer of a pistol with a trigger that’s smooth as silk.

If you run your PDP the way it came out of the box, more power to you. If you want to bedazzle yours with a few upgrades, these offer the most performance for your dollar.

Can you go further? Sure. Gain a competitive edge by adding a compensator and a brass backstrap on top of all these goodies. Your PDP will shoot flatter than the Kansas horizon. That just bumps into the reality of diminishing returns if you ask me.

What have you done to your PDP? Let us know in the comments section! Interested in learning more about the PDP? Check out our 10,000-round PDP review.