Added a new family member.
I added a new member to the family, a 380 German made PP.
I added a new member to the family, a 380 German made PP.
Walther PP series--got any?
- Thread starter CZU
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JeffNW
Member
My 1954 West German Police PP
Texas Star
US Veteran
Do those of you using the .32's find them ammo-sensitive? I think the semi-rimmed case may vary a bit from one manufacturer to another and that might affect reliability. The .380 is a rimless case, like a miniature .45 ACP.
I had an exchange of letters with Geoffrey Boothroyd about that and I thought that James Bond should have carried a .380, both for reliability and for added power.
Boothroyd reminded me that the PPK was Fleming's idea; that he had suggested a S&W .38 Centennial Airweight, instead. But Fleming, who had gone armed as an agent in WWII, liked the added concealibility of small autos.
Boothroyd said that he wasn't aware of any added reliability probems in 7.65mm and that the smaller calber gave one more round in the magazine. He doubted that there'd be much difference in stopping power, these small cartridges relying on precise placement to affect a quick kill. I think he was right.
However, an article in, Guns & Ammo, by a German reader, cited a German police test that found that the Model PP jammed an average of once in 50 rounds. This probably helped lead to German cops adopting 9mm guns in the 1970's.
I've owned just one Walther, a prewar Model PP in excellent shape. It was VERY accurate, but I got the occasional jam with US ammo and seldom found Geco or other Euro ammo.
I sold it and got a dead-reliable Beretta M-34 .380 to fill that need. The Beretta had a very heavy trigger pull and 25 yard offhand groups reflected that. It wasn't quite as accurate as the Walther, but the heavy trigger was the main reason. But it never failed to cycle wth US ammo, mostly Remington 95 grain ball.
I had an exchange of letters with Geoffrey Boothroyd about that and I thought that James Bond should have carried a .380, both for reliability and for added power.
Boothroyd reminded me that the PPK was Fleming's idea; that he had suggested a S&W .38 Centennial Airweight, instead. But Fleming, who had gone armed as an agent in WWII, liked the added concealibility of small autos.
Boothroyd said that he wasn't aware of any added reliability probems in 7.65mm and that the smaller calber gave one more round in the magazine. He doubted that there'd be much difference in stopping power, these small cartridges relying on precise placement to affect a quick kill. I think he was right.
However, an article in, Guns & Ammo, by a German reader, cited a German police test that found that the Model PP jammed an average of once in 50 rounds. This probably helped lead to German cops adopting 9mm guns in the 1970's.
I've owned just one Walther, a prewar Model PP in excellent shape. It was VERY accurate, but I got the occasional jam with US ammo and seldom found Geco or other Euro ammo.
I sold it and got a dead-reliable Beretta M-34 .380 to fill that need. The Beretta had a very heavy trigger pull and 25 yard offhand groups reflected that. It wasn't quite as accurate as the Walther, but the heavy trigger was the main reason. But it never failed to cycle wth US ammo, mostly Remington 95 grain ball.
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I have only one Walther PP---a 1969 PP in 22lr---about 98.5-99% condition with orig gator box and three factory mags---I've shot it a bunch over several decades---reliable and accurate---surprisingly accurate---I have the orig grips with it, but it's currently fitted with Hogue fully checked nice wood grips (early style)---I've also gotten two TPHs stainless in 22lr---also surprisingly accurate and very reliable with CCI Stingers… A couple other Walthers drifted by and stayed---a P5 9mm commercial model (not surplus) I bought new on a whim from a gun store I was managing---nobody wanted them at the time---I should have bought the one P5C that showed-up, but the money instead got sucked-up by a new (at the time) Swiss P210-2 and then the factory 22lr conversion kit---damn, I wish I had bought the P5C too...
I have gun that saved my life when I was carjacked in my (then) new ZR1 Corvette....
Then my bedroom drawer gun for years, which I gave to my daughter since she was born in 1968...
Liked it so much that I had a newer one dehorned and trigger honed and stippled....
Then there is the alloy lightweight (these are truly valuable guns). Best of all it is a tack driver...I shot a few bowling pin matches...shot at head and blew off all the pins in short order... amazing gun.
Then my bedroom drawer gun for years, which I gave to my daughter since she was born in 1968...
Liked it so much that I had a newer one dehorned and trigger honed and stippled....
Then there is the alloy lightweight (these are truly valuable guns). Best of all it is a tack driver...I shot a few bowling pin matches...shot at head and blew off all the pins in short order... amazing gun.
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45Wheelgun
Member
I only have this one, I'm told it is a 1961 vintage:
diecidecimi
Member
Zella Mehlis
I'm not expert in semi autos, but I own , hearited from grandpa , a PPK cal 7.65 Browning identical to armorer951: the different underlug near the muzzle and the marking "waffenfabrik Zella Mehlis" indicates a production before the destruction of the factory during the WWII. After that the pistols were manufactured in Ulm.
I'm not expert in semi autos, but I own , hearited from grandpa , a PPK cal 7.65 Browning identical to armorer951: the different underlug near the muzzle and the marking "waffenfabrik Zella Mehlis" indicates a production before the destruction of the factory during the WWII. After that the pistols were manufactured in Ulm.
Okay, I'll try it again. I had some trouble with my post a few days ago. I wanted to post a total of four pictures, but I was only able to get one loaded. Here are the two more. The first is a mid war PP, Wehrmacht marked. The lanyard loop was added post war by the French(?). The second on is marked on the grip strap, R.F.V.. for Reichsfinanzverwaltung. This was the IRS of the Third Reich.
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Absent Comrade
I have gun that saved my life when I was carjacked in my (then) new ZR1 Corvette....
Then my bedroom drawer gun for years, which I gave to my daughter since she was born in 1968...
Liked it so much that I had a newer one dehorned and trigger honed and stippled....
Then there is the alloy lightweight (these are truly valuable guns). Best of all it is a tack driver...I shot a few bowling pin matches...shot at head and blew off all the pins in short order... amazing gun.
Beautiful pieces! I've got a 1964 manufacture Walther PP in .32 ACP. Nice little pistol. Needs a new magazine though.
Glad one of Walthers came in handy...The dummy who tried to carjack you probably wouldn't have been able to drive the 6spd in your ZR-1 anyway. Most people can't drive a stick. Thanks for sharing the photos and the story. Stay safe!
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