I have a Walther No. 5 pistol (25 ACP) in the shop. It is the first one that I have ever worked on. I'm having the devil of a time getting it field stripped. What sparse instructions I have found say to turn the slide bushing counter clockwise and pull out the front of the slide. The bushing turns just fine, but I can't get it to come out of the slide. Am I just not holding my mouth right? Any experience out there?

Bill Jacobs

Press in on the slide bushing while turning it.
That unlocks the bushing from a pin in the slide.
It only turns a less than 1/4 turn to unlock and then must come straight forward.
The bushings can be tight in the slide and sometimes have to be helped being pulled back out. No pliers please, just old fashion patience.

It'll be under spring pressure so hang on to it.
The metal cap bushing at the chamber end has to come off the bbl too,,and usually does with the above bushing and recoil spring. But sometimes it just stays in there and has to be pushed out somewhat awkwardly from the breech end getting at it thru the ejection port.

With all that out of there, pull the slide back as far as it'll go,,then tip the FRONT of the slide up just a bit. That'll allow the slide to come back slightly more. At this point lift the back of the slide up and off the frame and slide it forward and off of the bbl/frame assembly.

The fireing pin and spring will be inside the slide and generally fall right out or can be fished out. Don't dry fire the frame with the slide off as it usually results in a cracked hammer.

This is a followup as 2152hq was kind enough to provide encouragement on getting this little puzzle apart. I was able to remove the grips and put the gun whole into my ultrasonic cleaner. After a half hour of cleaning, I put it in the oil and gave it another 30 minutes of ultrasonic, then I put it aside to drip dry. After another week of laying out on the workbench, I was finally able to worry that bushing off the front of the slide.

Jack First has a firing pin, and I can make the firing pin retaining pin and fit some sort of spring to the FP to make it work. I'm also going to replace the cracked grip panels with a set of repros from Vintage.

Hopefully, the saga will have a worthwhile ending after all!

Bill Jacobs

Jack First is a good parts source. There is also a guy back east that has original NOS parts for every Walther made, rifle and pistol, except WW2 Nazi era stuff. I was able to get fire control components for a little pre war pistol that were original Walther Mfg. I will post his name up here as soon as I remember it!

NOS Walther Parts
Earl's Repair Service
http://www.carlwalther.com/