As with anything else in life, technology has really changed handguns from what they once were to what they are today. Steel revolvers, once practically the only game in town, gave way to semis. The game changed with the introduction of polymers and striker-fired guns. Now the game is changing again as pistol tech continues to evolve.

The extreme popularity of striker-fired handguns created a sort of race to the bottom, at least as far as price was concerned. Technological advances have allowed quality to stay high, but for many manufacturers, lower retail prices often meant foregoing extras. You could get a great handgun for a great price, but you’d end up spending a bunch of money upgrading and optimizing it for concealed carry.

It just made sense to create a pistol that comes already tricked-out, purpose-built for concealed carry and designed to have anything a serious shooter could want from the factory, while still maintaining a sensible price. Shooters clamored for such a gun. While Walther might not have been the first to answer the call, they might have done it most effectively and affordably, in the form of the Walther PDP.

Designed as a complete concealed carry solution, the PDP represents the pinnacle of pistol design, featuring everything a shooter would want to be prepared for any situation. One main focus of this gun’s design is red-dot-readiness.

Red-dot optics on handguns are the wave of the future — you might even say the wave of the present — and the PDP is specifically made for mounting a red-dot. Each PDP comes with a free optic plate of your choice, accommodating optics like the Holosun C, RMR, Riton options, the Leupold DPP, DR optic, the Vortex Venom and more. Additional plates are available for other optics as needed, for a fee. A cover plate is included if you prefer the factory look. Out of the box, the PDP’s sights are adjustable for windage and elevation, and different styles and heights are also available, including optic-specific sights that are optimized to co-witness with a particular optic.

In addition, the ergonomics of the gun are made with red-dot shooters in mind. The grip angle is designed for a natural aiming position, with a bumpout at the bottom of the grip that naturally forces a shooter to point the gun down, making it faster to locate the dot.

“The Red-Dot Ergonomics are real,” says Cody Osborn, Walther’s marketing manager. “They sound like some marketing lingo that we came up with while sitting around a boardroom table, but they are real. Draw the gun and present to the target. If the red dot is not there, squeeze your pinky finger harder — the majority of the time, the red dot will drop right into place. The Red-Dot Ergonomics of the PDP help create more pressure for your pinky to help drop the dot into place more naturally.

“My favorite distinctive feature of the PDP is the Performance Duty Grip Texture,” he continues. “I know, it sounds crazy not picking the trigger or the ergonomics. But in the past, we have always used grip tape or stippled guns to get the proper texture to shoot at a high level. The grip texture on the PDP is the best all-around grip texture out there, in my opinion. It is aggressive enough to stick in your hands in hot and humid weather, but it’s still comfortable to be pressed against your body all day when carrying IWB.”

SuperTerrain serrations on the slide give you quick, sure hands-on engagement. Rather than being cut into the slide, these serrations actually protrude, offering a new, more positive feel without making the slide bulky.

Although this is changing, handgun triggers have historically been somewhat of an afterthought — often left clunky and stiff or creepy from the factory. This left many new shooters frustrated, as a bad trigger will make a handgun harder to shoot accurately. Walther wasn’t having that. “If you want to be fast and accurate, a great trigger will make reaching those performance levels easier,” Cody says. “We really wanted to have the best out-of-the box trigger on the market — and not just for striker-fired pistols.”

The solution is the Performance Duty Trigger (PDT). With a shorter length of travel and a more distinct, tactile trigger break, this striker-fired trigger has a recognizable feel for repeatable accuracy. It’s a two-stage, pre-cocked trigger similar to the one on the PPQ, but with some improvements. The first stage is lighter, making it easier to feel the second-stage wall, with a shorter take-up and a firmer reset.

Internally, a stepped chamber lets your gun operate more cleanly over a high round count while maintaining match-grade accuracy. The stepped chamber offers you more velocity from any ammunition — about 20 to 25 fps faster than the gun’s competitors — and will last longer than a traditional chamber. An ambidextrous slide stop and reversible magazine release offer flexibility for any shooter.

Aside from a great trigger and Red-Dot Ergonomics, the PDP represents the next evolution in handgun customizations. Walther calls this gun its most modular and versatile pistol ever, and with two distinct frame sizes and three slide lengths, it’s easy to see how this is true. Any slide length can fit on any frame, even if it’s not a factory offering, as long as it matches barrel length. Want a shorter dust cover with a longer slide or a shorter slide than your dust cover? Walther can do that. The recoil system is the same on all models, as are the sights, and most parts are interchangeable from the compact to the full-sized models. One exception to this are the backstraps, of which there are three different options. With the ability to customize this gun to your hands and your preferences, you will truly be as ready as you can be.

Although the Walther PDP comes truly carry-ready with many size-customization options, if you want to add accessories, you’ll find a wealth of options. “From the beginning, we knew that shooting enthusiasts are always looking for performance increases, whether it being in their own skill or their pistol,” Cody says. “At the time of launch, we made sure to have the support of some of the best aftermarket accessory companies standing with us and offering performance upgrades for the PDP line, in addition to the Walther Performance Accessory line, including triggers, sights, optic adapters, magazine extensions, and mag wells.” The PDP is ready to carry today, with OWB, AIWB and IWB holsters from Safariland, C&G, DeSantis, Tier 1 Concealed, Phlster, T-Rex Arms, Comp-Tac, LAG and more already in production.

With a 30-day money back guarantee, a lifetime warranty and Walther’s promise of a 48-hour turnaround on customer service, and the PDP offers readiness and peace of mind in more ways than one. “If you buy a PDP, you can take it out and shoot it as much as you want,” Cody says. “If you don't like it, you can send it back to Walther within 30 days and we will refund what you paid for the gun plus tax and shipping. There’s literally no reason why you can’t go try one out.”

Two primary models are available: an 18-round full-size in 4-, 4 1/2- and 5-inch variations; and a 15-round compact in 4- and 5-inch variations. All are chambered in 9mm and carry an MSRP of $699.

Walther’s tag line for the PDP is, “It’s our duty to build the best-performing firearm. It’s your duty to be ready.” With the customization options, excellent trigger and Red-Dot Ergonomics on the PDP, it’s safe to say Walther has brought about the next evolution in handgun performance and more than fulfilled its duty. Are you prepared to fulfill yours?