A gun manufacturer opened its doors to the general public? Isn't that dangerous? If you do it the way Carl Walther GmbH did, the answer to this question is quite clear: NO. Because the company took countless precautions to ensure that there were definitely no safety risks. For example, the visit was only possible after prior registration through an online portal. And on the event weekend itself, strict admission controls, plenty of security personnel and intensive bag checks when leaving the factory premises ensured the necessary security. Due to the security measures described above, only 500 visitors each day were allowed into the "hallowed halls" of the popular sporting arms manufacturer. It is therefore hardly surprising that unfortunately not every registration in the portal was crowned with success. To ensure safety and also to protect company secrets, there were also strict no-photo zones. Therefore, we are all the more grateful at this point that we were allowed to create exclusive picture material by all4shooters.com and can provide you with one or the other insight. Carl Walther sports equipment is internationally renowned for its precision. So it's no wonder that many Olympians also rely on sports guns from Ulm and regularly bring the company a "veritable rain of gold".
At the 2023 Open Days there were also plant tours through the modern production facilities of Carl Walther GmbH
A look at production reveals where this success comes from: Walther attaches great importance to perfection at every production step. Thanks to the skillful interaction of state-of-the-art production centers and manual reworking, such as the manual deburring of hard-to-reach areas or barrel straightening, high-accuracy, reliable firearms leave the Ulm factory every day. We were given an extensive insight into all the production steps involved in manufacturing the Steel Frame and PDP centerfire handgun models. The visit was also rounded off by a trip to the barrel production of the rimfire match rifles and associated attachments. We would like to take this opportunity to thank Carl Walther's Managing Director Bernhard Knöbel, who took the time to accompany our team of authors on behalf of all4shooters.com.
All other visitors to the event were also able to take part in a plant tour. Here, employees of the company guided the visitor groups expertly through the various production stations. We have deliberately not photographed individual production processes – In order to protect company secrets. We have also deliberately not shown pictures of the large training workshop connected to the manufacturing.
Carl Walther presented itself as an attractive employer and Bond fans also got their money's worth at the open days
Speaking of training: in addition to promoting sports, the company has always placed great emphasis on developing its own young skilled workers. That's why career starters can find a variety of apprenticeships at Walther – and gunsmiths will soon be trained again. Of course, the HR department went on the hunt for applicants at the open days and provided information in the outdoor area of the factory premises about the many opportunities for starting or joining a career at Carl Walther.
But not only job seekers got their money's worth during the open days... James Bond fans were delighted to see a double of the popular Bond actor Daniel Craig. Of course, "007" welcomed the visitors beside "his" Aston Martin. For one or the other it was surely a big highlight to be allowed to sit in an Aston Martin, let alone to get a photo with the probably most famous secret agent of movie history. Not only in the outside area there were highlights – in the building visitors could be pleased about a large and affectionately prepared collection of original Bond film props, which the father-son team Lienhart from Switzerland had ready. For more than 17 years, the collection has been growing steadily, including, for example, many autographs from the Bond stars or original poker chips from the film Casino Royal. This diverse collection certainly made one or the other heart beat faster. But we are sure: if the "real" Bond had been present, his heart would also have beaten faster at the sight of the gun in the Master Workshop.
The carry and sporting guns from the Walther Master Workshop also found favor with visitors
In the small but fine workshop, products from the entire Walther range are painstakingly customized and refined by hand. By combining a wide variety of materials, such as leather pistol grips or intricate engravings, they regularly create unique pieces that are a must-have. Just recently, we reported on a Walther Q5 SF that was coated with Cerakote to give it the look of a Stormtrooper blaster. Such coatings are also adopted by the Master Workshop. Those who want to openly profess their allegiance to the Walther brand and document this to the outside world also found what they were looking for in the large bargain market. There were plenty of T-shirts, bags, backpacks, sweaters, but also other accessories such as gun grips or locks at affordable prices.
Umarex was also present at the Carl Walther Open Days
A sister company of Carl Walther GmbH in the PW Group also traveled from the German Sauerland region, or more precisely, from Arnsberg. Umarex presented itself as an exhibitor on site and showed a whole range of knives, including the models from the brand new PDP knife series. In addition, Umarex also had plenty of practical companions, for example in the form of flashlights or headlamps. A large number of food trucks catered for the physical well-being of the visitors, so that they could also enjoy a culinary break in between.
Those who still felt like more after the refreshments and despite a full belly were able to test all the latest models from the centerfire and compressed air/rimfire ranges, including the new Walther PDP F-Series or the new CSP rimfire pistol, under the professional guidance of various top-class Walther shooters in the in-house shooting cinema and on a specially constructed outdoor shooting range. And while we're on the subject of instruction... with the Walther Training Center, which was set up specifically for this purpose, the Ulm-based company is now also entering the commercial shooting training sector, cooperating here with the shooting training professionals from greyground.de.
At the Open Days, visitors were also allowed to look around the Walther Museum and the Ten Nine Factory
Last but not least, we would like to turn our attention to two special gems at the Walther factory. The first is the competence center with an adjoining showroom called Ten Nine Factory, or T9F for short (the 10.9 is the highest ring rating in the Olympic shooting disciplines), which opened in 2022; and the second is the Carl Walther company museum. The showroom, which is directly attached to the factory, offers interested sport shooters what is probably the only opportunity in Germany to get in-depth advice on all of Walther's current sporting guns and, on top of that, to buy accessories and equipment directly. Those who wanted to know more about the company's history, on the other hand, were well catered for in the small but excellent Walther Museum. There, firearms from all eras bear witness to the eventful history, but also to the inventiveness of the renowned Ulm-based company. In addition, a lecture on the company's history was offered at the Open Days.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank Carl Walther once again for allowing us to use two of the rare tickets for the Open Days and to gain unforgettable impressions. We hope that Carl Walther will once again be able to open its doors to its fans and interested visitors and that other manufacturers follow this example. Because we think that as a sports equipment manufacturer and law enforcement/military supplier you do not have to hide!
You can find more information about the company and its catalog here on the Carl Walther GmbH website.
