In SharePoint, when you click to open  a document, it assumes you want to edit it. That's why when you click on a Word template  in SP it wants to edit it instead of creating  a new document.

The preferred solution to this is to use content  types; however, I know  you said it wasn't possible. As a workaround, you could create  a document library  dedicated to Word templates, set the default view to explorer  view, and restrict access to only the person who will be editing  the templates. That way, when the users try to open the templates, it will create a new document  for them.

Would work, but has some side-effects, e.g. that it doesn't work when you log on to SharePoint with another user, than the one you are logged on to Windows.

But I found a solution: I create  a WebPart with SharePoint-Designer, which creates a link to the _layouts/download.aspx-page with the parameter SourceURL pointing to the word  file. This way, the file is downloaded and open  locally, with the effect, that Word creates a new document  of the template.

I am also faced with the ame issue, but with 400 plus templates, these are currently .dotm or macro enabled documents. We need one person to manage/update and all other users to be able to open  and save  a copy locally on a network drive  away from SharePoint.

Sorry but I dont follow Jarvis's comment.