The prevalence and utility of slide-mounted red-dot sights have permeated across the landscape of modern handguns to the point where major law enforcement agencies even issue or allow them for uniform duty beyond specialized units like SWAT teams. To meet this demand, major leading pistol manufacturers now offer duty guns that ship from their factories with their slides already finished and cut for the specific mounted red-dot optic footprint of their law enforcement customers’ choosing.
Considering police work, these optics footprints tend to revolve around the Aimpoint ACRO and Trijicon RMR footprints. LE SKU directly milled slides offer different conveniences since they make the optics mounting process more straightforward by eliminating an optics-mounting plate. Likewise, they also allow the sights to sit lower over the slide—something that’s helpful when pairing back-up iron sights.
Unfortunately, because these types of pistols are slotted for law-enforcement customers, they’re generally not available to the general public for purchase. One exception to this rule is Walther Arms, which recently made its LE SKU 9mm Walther PDP Professional ACRO (SKU: 2881225PRO) available to anyone who may lawfully purchase a handgun in addition to its regular qualified law enforcement customers.
Walther PDP Professional ACRO: Turnkey Tactical Package
Walther + Aimpoint ACRO P-2 + XS R3D Night Sights
The Walther PDP Professional ACRO consists of a standard full-size Walther PDP with a 4.5-inch barrel. However, instead of the Walther PDP “master” slide cut, these models are directly milled for the Aimpoint ACRO footprint and include a 3.5 MOA Aimpoint ACRO P-2 enclosed emitter red-dot sight mounted and installed.
For duty use in 2024, the Aimpoint ACRO P-2 reigns supreme due to its durability, design, and form factor. Because of the ACRO P-2’s and Aimpoint’s reputation, in general, it’s seemingly universally accepted for duty use in almost any law enforcement agency in the United States.
If you follow my work, I’m not shy about my appreciation and enjoyment of Walther PDP pistols in general. In my previous reviews, I’ve pointed out that the PDP “master” cut on their slides is one of the lowest among modern striker-fired pistols. This is also true of the ACRO specific cut on the slide of the Walther PDP Professional.
Because these slides do not require a plate, the ACRO P-2 sight sits low enough to allow the standard height backup iron sights to fully co-witness through the P-2. The backup iron sights that ship with the Walther PDP Professional ACRO are not an afterthought either. The slide has XS Sights R3D Night sights already centered and installed.
These high-contrast iron sights consist of a very eye-catching bold orange front sight with a tritium vial insert and a low-profile rear sight with two smaller tritium vials and an extremely generous square notch. I appreciate the synergy between a very low-sitting optic and the chance to pass on taller front sights, which can be snag or cutting hazards.
A Familiar Platform
Aside from the Aimpoint ACRO-specific slide cut, the XS Sights R3D night sight, and the Aimpoint ACRO P-2 itself, the top end of the Walther PDP Professional ACRO is otherwise identical to any other 4.5-inch full-size PDP handgun with the polygonal twist and stepped-chamber barrel.
Additional PDP Professional ACRO Accessories
It’s indisputable that the main draw to the Walther PDP Professional ACRO is its somewhat unique top-end complete with a hard-use red dot and night sights ready for service. Similar to the PDP SD Pro models, Walther also includes its premium flat-faced Dynamic Performance Trigger and factory low-profile magazine well.
Besides the PDP SD Pro models, this same trigger and magazine well are included with the five-inch PDP Match Steel Frame pistol. Standard PDP triggers are already some of the best anyone can use as factory stock options. But I’ll admit that after shooting my steel-framed Walther more, the flat-faced Dynamic Performance Trigger definitely grew on me.
It comes very close to providing that crisp and flat 1911/2011 feel and reset, especially after the first few boxes of ammo when the trigger’s components and linkage start wearing in properly. To date, I’ve shot some of my fastest-ever splits with my PDP steel frame pistol, and I know the trigger positively contributes to this.
Due to personal preference, I don’t use magazine wells on any PDP, and the ruleset for USPSA Carry Optics doesn’t allow them either. That said, these magazines do require compatible magazine baseplates, so the three included 18-round PDP magazines are also equipped with them. Again, they’re the same style as the ones found with the PDP SD Pro or steel match pistol.
The Takeaway
LE-SKU handguns are nigh impossible for anyone outside of law enforcement circles to purchase, to the chagrin of many serious shooters who also like to employ the same hard-use mounted optics on their own pistols. Even for Walther, this was the case, too, until it recently made changes so that the PDP Professional ACRO was also available to civilians earlier this year.
With a standard retail price of $1599, this turnkey tactical handgun package is not cheap by any means. But neither are the optics, sights, or other accessories included in this package. For those with valid law enforcement credentials, Walther does offer a $600 IOP (individual officer purchase) discount. This is a damn good deal for a gun that only needs ammunition, a tactical weapon-mounted light, and a duty holster to be set.
