Comments on Walther pp/ppk?

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thepopedude

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I am about ready to buy a walther pp/ppk for having some fun at the range, and possibly for a carry. I have heard a lot of mixed info about bad slides, interarms imports, and potential unreliability. Could anyone help with anything constructive (good or bad) to say about the gun.
To clarify:

I realize that the .380 may not be the best for a carry, and that the bersa or other models may be better, but I am looking for the pp/ppk specifically.

I also would like to get one with a blued finish, and I have heard that the slides may not be that great, anybody who could shed some light on this please do.

Thanks to anybody who can help!
 
I've owned 2 PPK/s Walthers, the first in .32 that was bought at the Herter's store in Washington around 1975 and the second a .380 at a police gun auction around 12 years ago. I'd sold the .32 to buy books for school, it was a good gun and I regret having to sell it but made about $30 profit on the sale so I couldn't complain. I still own the second one in .380 and it has worked flawlessly with all types of ammo, is as accurate as one could expect from a pocket pistol w/ fixed sights and will outshoot my friends Sig232 those times I've shot both side by side.

Some people compain about the slide cutting their hand, supposed to be a problem but I've never had any. You'd need a large and fleshy hand to get enough skin above the back strap to get it cut.

The only negative is the DA trigger pull is rather heavy but once the 8 to 9 lb pressure is overcome it goes off smoothly.
 
I have a stainless PPK in .380. It is my favorite small autoloader, in spite of its few faults:

- heavy recoil spring can make it tough to load;
- smallish ejection port makes it tough to unload... the ejected (unfired) round will end up falling out through the magazine well rather than the ejection port;
- the sights are small and hard to acquire in a hurry;
- DA trigger is a little heavy (but you can replace the hammer spring to tone that down):
- not much room between the grip and the slide, leading to the slide frequently nicking the joint of my thumb.

But that is about all I have to complain about. The gun has functioned flawlessly for years. Its size makes it very easy and convenient to carry IWB or pocket. I like the slide-mounted decocker/safety (many folks dislike it) ... good location, easy to reach and operation is a smooth push with the thumb.

Having carried both blued and stainless, I much prefer stainless. A blued gun will quickly show holster wear (if that is a concern to you) and is much harder to keep rust free if it stays in a leather holster or in contact with your skin.

If the trigger on my Bersa had less free travel, the PPK would be my second-favorite small autoloader. I'm still looking for one to try out, but I have a hunch the Sig P232 would displace the PPK from its "favorite" position.
 
I havent had a bit of luck with Walther products.

I had a new Smith import PPK/S - it failed to feed, failed to fire.....it even failed to eject occasionally.....pretty much useless junk. Then it parted ways with its loaded chamber indicator. I swore off Walther products forever.

Then I located a Walther PP at a nearby gun store. It was a 1957 model chambered in .32acp. I snapped it up.

First outing the slide kept locking back on a loaded magazine. Changed out the springs with Wolffe springs, bought some new factory mags and cleaned the heck out of it.

Still occasionally locks back on an empty magazine, very occasional failure to feed (round ends up sticking almost vertical in the magazine) and it fails to eject atleast 1 round every 3rd magazine....sometimes 2 per magazine. Sometimes it will go 3 magazines without issue.....sometimes it 3 issues per magazine.

So Im back to swearing off Walthers again....
 
Good size package, but I found a couple things that I did not like. The serrations in the trigger made for a tender finger after firing the .380.

The other issue were the magazines. Both like the feed rounds vertically when they worked, and both had the second round bind on the inside front of the magazine. This was with ball ammo, and a switch to JHP rid the magazines of this concern. I guess the inner dimensions of the magazine are tighter than should be- strictly a guess. I am still kinda puzzled on that since the JHP had sharper edges on to the bullet design as opposed to the FMJ.
 
The Wlather PP is light and easy to carry.
It kicks a lot more than one might expect for the caliber.
They feed FMJ all right, but tend to jam on JHP.
One of the three I have bit me badly.
They are over priced.

Frankly, I recommend trying a Bersa or a Makarov (not a PA63 or P64).
You will get better reliability and value.
 
I have the S&W made PPK/S in stainless. I like the weight of it although the
grips are a little small. That can be easily remedied to be a little fatter with
different grips. I got some nice wood ones from a used PPK/S I bought to
disassemble and learn to work on.

Mine shoots Remington High Velocity and CorBon HP ammo with no issue. I started
with regular hardball ammo (50 rnds) just to feel her out then tried the HPs.

In my opinion it is a great gun when I need a reliable, well concealed firearm, that
still has some kick to it.
 
I own three PP pistols.
One is in .22LR and French made, the other two are German made .32 acp
One of the .32s was made in 1929.
I have no idea how many rounds had been fired in it before I bought it and I have put at least two thousand rounds through the gun.
I had to replace the extractor and all the springs before the gun would shoot reliably, no issues since but I stick with Geco and Sellier and Bellot fmj in it and all my other .32 autos.
I have no use for .32 hollowpoints.
The second .32 is a 1986 made PP that I bought new.
Same number of rounds through the gun as my earlier pistol and it has never choked, not even once.
Better sights and a longer frame tang mean no slide bit and slightly better accuracy.
My Manurin made PP in .22 was produced in 1959 and is like new.
Maybe 10,000 rounds throiugh this gun and it still looks pretty close to new.
It doesn't like light standard velocity ammunition and can be finicky with certain hollowpoints, CCI minimags are an example, but solid high velocities feed 100%.
The gun is near Match grade accurate with, of all things, Winchester Dynapoint hollowpoints and they are a hollowpoint that feeds reliably too.
Never had any issues with excessive blue wear and I carry these guns in leather holsters.
The finish on all three guns is factory original.
The guns are top to bottom, 1929 PP .32 with factory smooth walnut.
Manurin PP .22LR with Interarms olive wood.
1986 Walther PP .32 with Interarms zebra wood grips.
I like flat bottom magazines instead of the finger extension magazines too.
I should add that I have always felt, and always will feel, that the .32 acp versions of this pistol are far more reliable than the .380s.HTH
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I have an american made PPK in .380. I don't think it's reliable enough to trust my life on it. imho
 
I bought mine in the early-mid eighties. Its more accurate than it has any right to be...maybe its the fixed barrel, I don't know.

It hasn't malfunctioned. Thats good, because it doesn't have a slide lock.

If you are going to carry it on your person, please use a holster AND the safety. Don't rely on the long, heavy double action first shot capability as a 'safety'.

If you use the 'hammer drop' feature, please make sure the muzzle is pointed in a safe direction.

I'm pleased with mine and intend to keep it.

That said, I wouldn't buy another. There's better stuff available now. But, at the time, if you wanted a small personal carry pistol in a reasonable caliber, it was the only commonly available game in town that I was aware of.

It didn't hurt its image that James Bond used one.

salty.
 
Ahhh the James Bond thing....I think if we are honest with ourselves most of us have gone through the same thought process about the Walther PP/PPK's. They are an enduring svelte pistol, definite mystique about them.

If you like the pistol and want to have fun owning one and shooting on the range, why not go for it. The early German imports were generally very good guns. The later Interarms guns were not without their problems. S&W fixed some design issues but I don't have experience with them. You can get the older guns and German imports cheaper on aimsurplus.com or cdnninvestments.com among other surplus sites.

I owned a German PP in .32 and it was a nice gun and very accurate. Having a fixed barrel helps.

I think the downsides to the guns are more evident when you view them as an occassional carry gun. Lets not talk caliber, thats a whole other story. As most folks have said;
- the double action trigger on the first shot is very heavy, single action is usually very good
- sights are very small and hard to pick up under stress
- As Saltydog mentioned, and I'm surprised he was the only one so far, they are not drop safe without the safety in the ON position, which leads to the next issue...
- Safety is small and flat and can be difficult to off safe under stress
- Unless you have a S&W gun, the slides can and do nip you
- Some of the older guns were not reliable with hollow point ammo

Bottom line...there are better choices for a small defensive handgun in a major caliber today.

If you like the Walther, have fun and get one. Look at a Makarov too, btw. They are excellent guns, much cheaper, in a marginally better caliber than .380. Design is better too, a lot more robust and simpler.

My 2cents....
 
I happen to be carrying my PPK/S today. :) After some problems, anda trip to the Smith, it is functioning flawlessly at last. I would trust my life to it if needed to.
 
I've owned an Interarms ppk/s for decades. Never had a failure of any type. I keep thinking of getting rid of it to help finance other purchases. There are some really great pistols out there right now. I've been lusting after the Springer EMP f'rinstance. But everytime I pack it up with all of its accessories to sell it, I end up unpacking it moments later.

Bond or no, it's just a good gun.
 
I have a old Interarms PPK/S mine has never been a problem Loves Corbon 90gr HP or the new DPX. I don't drop mine so the safety stays off so I can get a good fast first shot like it was designed for. I carried for years but lately carry my 380Kel Tec more. I belive the PPK/S still has a place as a Pocket pistol and If I find another Interarms I will buy yet another. I will not buy the S&W They ruined it with the tang and the terrible writing on the pistol Their rough inside and out.
I also own a Bersa Nice pistol but doesn't pocket carry to me as well as Walthers.
 
Walther PPK?

I bought a well-used West German made PPK in 1995. I'd always wanted one, and around that time there was an article in (I think) HANDGUNS magazine about a custom job that Krebs Gunsmithing in Illinois was offering. Among other things, the gun was "de-horned" and had an extended grip tang welded onto the frame. (I have big hands and long fingers and an extended tang was an absolute requirement for me)

I had such work done on mine the next year. It's very nice. The sights were replaced, the trigger action smoothed up, the tang extended and the gun refinished.

It wasn't cheap, but it sure is neat. I got a stylish shoulder holster from Greg Kramer to go with it, along with a leather belt holster, and later on a kydex holster from Ky-Tac.

I'm not sure if Krebs still offers that package.(It isn't on their website -- www.krebscustom.com) However, Cylinder & Slide does similar modifications (www.cylinder-slide.com) and they have a link on their website to a review in the May 2003 issue of COMBAT HANDGUNS.

There are better choices to be made for small concealment guns these days, but the PPK is still elegant and appealing (of course because of the connection with the older James Bond movies. That's why I bought one . . . )

I just ran 250 rounds through mine last Tuesday morning (I had to requal with it this week on Wednesday morning, and then "Casino Royale" comes out on the 17th . . . )

I may have to put a slightly heavier spring in my PPK -- if I shoot European 9 x 17 ammo with hard primers, sometimes I get a failure to fire on the first strike. It's 100% with Federal Hydro-Shock HPs and Silvertips, however . . . .
 
I owned a stainless Interarms PPK/S in the mid-90's. The gun never failed to go bang when I pulled the trigger and was suprisingly accurate. Sold it in '98 and regretted it ever since. About two weeks ago I picked up a used stainless Interarms PPK from my local dealer. The test target that came from Interarms showed three rounds at 15 meters in a perfect triangle about 1/4 inch in diameter. The gun functioned perfectly with Magtech ball , Speer Gold Dot and Corbon DPX. Double action pull is pretty smooth - I'd guess about 10-11 lbs. It is unbelievably accurate for its size. It did leave a set of bloody railroad tracks on the web of my hand. I broke out the dremel tool, polishing wheel and jewelers rouge and smoothed all the sharp edges of the slide rails. I also used bright orange model paint on the stainless front sight. I opened up the rear sight a bit with a fine file. Lastly I ordered a set of Hogue checkered Goncalo Alves grips for it . I will use it as a CCW( with the Corbon DPX loads) when I want something a little more compact than my stainless Officers model . I haven't tried the S&W version but I'm completely satisfied with both of the Interarms models I've owned.
Joe
 
I've had a 1975 German PP for about ten years. I reload for it, shoot it often, it likes a warm/hot round and is flawless with fmj. Is accurate. I guess I've shot half a dozen snakes, three or four ground squirrels, and one beaver with it. I use it as a very very concealed gun when bow hunting cause I'm not supposed to have one so its well hidden. Easy to hide since its so flat. Is also good for summer canoe & kayaking. Not the most powerful round but better than foul language.

rk
 
Walther pp Manurin

Someone please tell me what I've got and what to do!

I have a Walther PP Manurin in original box. I dont use this firearm because I think it is an "antique" and it is my only protection. Pretty dumb living in Jax FL. what to do? Do I sell the Walther and get something I feel comfortable using?

Walther is in beautiful condition, box is a little beat uo on the side. What to do? Someone Please advise.

Dont really want to sell the Walther, as it is such a pleasure to use the few times I have. I really have no idea of what I have or the value.:banghead::banghead:
 
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I wouldn't trade my PP for any pistol out there. (That's how much I love it.) It's a 1968 East German police gun. It is in .32 acp, but on eday I'll get one in .380. (Or maybe another .32.:D)

Wyman
 
One of the first guns I ever rented at a shooting range was a PPK (this was back in 1990). The first shot rubbed the web area between my thumb and right index finger. I adjusted my grip, and the second shot drew blood and left parallel scars on my hand that took years to disappear. There was no third shot...

I understand they've since been modified to eliminate this "feature"...

Conversely, my Bersa Series 95 cost about a quarter as much as the PPK, is dead reliable, and has never hurt me.
 
Yenta341 said:
Someone please tell me what I've got and what to do!

I have a Walther PP Manurin in original box. I dont use this firearm because I think it is an "antique" and it is my only protection. Pretty dumb living in Jax FL. what to do? Do I sell the Walther and get something I feel comfortable using?

Walther is in beautiful condition, box is a little beat uo on the side. What to do? Someone Please advise.

Dont really want to sell the Walther, as it is such a pleasure to use the few times I have. I really have no idea of what I have or the value.:banghead::banghead:
Click to expand...
After the war, production of the PP and PPK pistols was resumed in France by Manurhin under German license.

The gun isnt particularly valuable at all. A couple years ago you could by these all day long for $250 or so. Im sure the value has increased in recent years but Im sure it has increased greatly. If its a good shooter then carry it.....no harm.
 
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