Questions about Walther PPKs.

[M29since14]

I agree the .380 is not much fun in a PPK. My stainless Interarms .380 is reasonably accurate and reliable, but if I had it to do over and know what I know now, I would buy a .32.

My experience is that the PPK/s is considerably more comfortable to fire than the PPK. As to the versions by various manufacturers, I can’t comment, other than to say I was and still am satisfied with my Interarms gun.

A few years ago I had the opportunity to buy a like new Interarms .32 that I passed because I thought the price was a bit high. In retrospect, I should have bought it. They are nice old guns, even if quite antiquated by today’s standards.

 

[daveo5]

I had a PPK/S in the early 2000's. I didn't like the amount of strength to pull the slide. Dumped it and bought a Sig P938 9mm. Even though it's only SA, I find the quality superior and shooting very enjoyable.

 

[H Richard]

I had a PPKs in .22, and I got rid of it. The double action trigger pull had to exceed 20 lbs. Was nearly impossible to hit anything with double action. The single action pull was tolerable, but not great. The overall quality was mediocre and not what you would expect in a Walther.


I also have heard the changes made by S&W were not well accepted by any aficionados of Walther, and there were also come operation able problems.

 

[boykinlp]

Over the years, I have picked up an example of each. My first Walther was my Manurhin PP in .22 caliber. I picked it up because I thought the condition was awesome, and I hadn’t seen many with the extended box magazines. I have a period correct box, manual, tool, and a copy of the Bank E'preuve French proof house paper. That allowed me to have most everything......except the test target. This pistol was tested on 11/18/1963. I was extremely lucky to put all of this together, because I was able to get in contact with a fellow on Walther Forums from my state, that had copied pictures of this gun when the original owner, that lived in Germany at the time, posted them about 15 years ago. He had actually kept them in his files all that time. It was like finding a needle in a haystack to me!
Larry

 

[boykinlp]

My second Walther was a PPK/S also in .22 caliber. I bought the pistol mainly because of the adjustable sights, that I knew they were kinda rare. From researching, I found out that they are a MMC (Minature Machine Company) sight. They were popular back in the 1970's. Back about 45-50 years ago, Skeeter Skelton convinced a company called MMC out of Deming, New Mexico to make up an adjustable sight for his then new PPK/s in .22. By serial number, this .22 is from 1978-80.
Larry

 

[minconrevo]

I had an Interarms SS PPKs a while back. Design dates to 1929 and was modern at that time. PPKs tended to put tracks on the web of my hand. Accuracy was ok and functioned good enough. Horrible DA pull. The S&W versions of same have had a dismal QC record.

IMO there are many other much more modern sub-compact .380's available today. The Ruger LCP II I have is a far more useful choice IMO. Runs 100% and rather accurate. In this case, plastic is fantastic.

 

[boykinlp]

I have saved my best Walther for last! It is a PPK in the original caliber of 7.65mm. It is a very, very early one. Some charts show it as a 1930 and some 1931. The serial number is 760198. It is in superb condition. It has all the early characteristics including: reversed serial number, 90 degree safety, covered two-piece firing pin, a blued ejection port, an integral rear sight, bright silver firing pin box, one piece brown grips with left to right grip screw (rare), and a first variation hammer without the groove. I have a quote from Absent Comrade “Absalom” about my gun that I found extremely interesting, “Using Dieter H. Marschall’s classification the serial 760,198 would make it indeed a very early 2nd Variation, a first-year specimen from the second half of 1931. Marschall sees this variation, starting just before your serial around 760,000, as the actual beginning of PPK series production, as prior to that there was constant tinkering with the design.”
Larry

 

[Wyatt Burp]

About 10 years ago I, too craved an Interarms .380 PPKs because they cost less than German ones, and I didn’t”t want a S&W. $450 was my limit and finally got a fired but mint one for $425. I love it. I do not own a stainless gun but I’d grab a PPKs in a second. In fact I wish mine was stainless they are so pretty. but they cost more, of course.

 

[djohns6]

I had a stainless Interarms .380 back in the early 80's . Beautiful pistol . Heavy . Traded it off after a couple of years . It just wasn't practical for me .

 

[Greyman50]

Interesting thread. First pistol I bought back in 69 was a PPKs in 32 ACP, son has it now. Many years later bought one in 380 and it sits in a safe, might get shot every 4-5 years. Some are very good, others not so good.

 

[murphydog]

Guys, he wants a stainless PPK/S.

This limits you to fairly recent versions, late 20th century to present. Depending on your budget, you may want to look for a used example that has been used but not abused (meaning a bug-free, reliable gun), or for one with a warranty a new one may be a good option.

As usual, if you can try one at a rental range it may guide your decision.

 

[rockquarry]

It's true these guns are heavy but that makes them easier to shoot. They will function flawlessly and are accurate at 25 yards, pretty remarkable for a small pistol; compare them with other small semi-autos. If you don't shoot them enough to develop good shooting skills and familiarilty with the gun, you'll complain of recoil, hammer bite, and other shooter-induced alleged problems.

 

[Puller]

You should be able to find a used stainless PPK/S in .380 ACP simple enough. Lots of people buy them for the cool factor and then find out they are not fun guns to shoot. They're heavy for their size, the trigger is horrible, and the blowback recoil is brutal.

 

[03hemi]

I subscribe. Stainless S&W far right is the one you're referring to, but this one was "post" firing block issues.
All the rest are collectables and don't get shot.

 

[NY-1]

I previously had an older Interarms PPK/s in 380ACP. It was gorgeous and fit my hand well, but it was absolutely miserable to shoot. My hand ached after shooting a magazine and a half through it - I had to switch to my 1911 to give my hand a rest during that range session. I ended up selling it off to a friend and buying a surplus Beretta 85BB to replace it, which is a total pleasure by comparison.

I wish that Walther would release a fancier 22LR model, but I was ecstatic to hear that they opted to bring the 32ACP models back into production. I'm not the biggest fan of that extended beavertail on the new ones, but I might end up picking one up. I've heard the 32 models are much more pleasant than the 380 models.

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

It scratched my James Bond itch with the new Walther PPKS 22 in alloy. Looks good has the right feel, is inexpensive, is reliable. You just need to be sure to get the correct magazines.

 

[Model 15-4ever]

You really have to be a German to admire the PP series. They are uniquely and richly flawed weapons, which only the Teutonic mind can rationalize.

OP, if you want one just to say you have one, just get a current production .32 PPK and you will save some money over an earlier version, and can snap shoot villians and their henchmen while watching James Bond films to your heart's content.

After you tire of that activity, get the original pocket pistol, a Colt 1903. Then you can savor Casablanca and Patton in the fullest.

 

[Waldo]

Waldo, I like that you said "want" not "need." Bravo!

So many people rationalize buying another gun with the "n-word." That would be "need." Really, we might be able to say we need a few various guns. The rest are definitely "wants" to my thinking. Kudos to you for just stating you want something. That's a big meeee tooo from this member. The vast majority of my guns are "wants."

Krogen, thanks for your nice response. I try to be realistic with my hobby, but it is easy to say need when you really mean want.
I already have some .380s. I also have bigger and smaller guns and guns in smaller or larger calibers. So I don't need one. But I do want one.

I scratched the itch today. I walked into a local gun store and they had a used one. It was the Fort Smith version, in box with extra mag. I am happy. Thanks to all who replied.