Walther PPK/S .380

[WFS]

Stephen,
Pretty good results. And, now I know why your guests complain about dripping syrup at your pancake breakfasts.
VBR,
Mike
Seriously, folks,
How does the PPK handle the recoil? My experiences with the Kahr 9mm (similar size) and other short barrels were not pleasant when it came to re-acquiring the target after the recoil. (The Kimber Ultra-Carry is a different story entirely, though.)

Mike:

It's been a while since I fired a Walther but if memory serves the recoil was minimal. I have an AMT Backup II .380. (I was looking for max cocealability. C.C. laws suck in my state.) The recoil is about the same as a full size 9mm. My sister's Walther is much tamer.

Wayne

[stephen]

Mike, the recoil on the PPK/S series - I'm stressing the "S" series - is average or slightly below average for that size pistol for several reasons. First of all, it's a steel frame pistol that weighs 23 ounces. That's not a heavy pistol, but it's enough weight to balance the relatively small .380 round.

Secondly, the pistol does not pop up in your hands when it's fired because of a slightly taller frame. Now pay attention to the difference between the PPK and the PPK/S, or "Special." When the first of the sweeping, unconstitutional gun laws were illegally passed by congress in 1968, the PPK was banned from importation because it's size put it into the class of a "Saturday Night Special." Never mind the complete idiocy of placing the finest small caliber pistol in history in the same class as .22 caliber, $19.95 revolvers. So the PPK/S was introduced shortly thereafter, which added just over half an inch to the length of the grip for compliance with the new gun laws, after which importation resumed and US manufacture was arranged. This is also why if you buy a PPK off the used market it will be of German manufacture, not an Interarms licensed manufacture from the USA. Not only did this change in grip size increase the gun's capacity from 6 to 7 rounds, it also stabilized the gun in your hand during recoil.

Hence (caliber differences aside for the sake of the question), the recoil of a PPK/S is no greater than my 9mm Walther P99 or 9mm Ruger P95. Actually, it's recoil is much less than my .32 Beretta Tomcat or .32 Kel Tec, and even less than the .380 Colt Pocketlite.

If you can buy a Walther PPK/S, do so. It is a fine, acutely accurate and historic weapon that is a pleasure to own and shoot.

[stephen]

Another fine pistol in .380 is the Browning BDA/Beretta 84 (same gun, different label). The big advantage with this gun is that it has plenty of 13 round mags available on the aftermarket. Shoots nice, very reliable, and feels great in the hand.

The two strikes against it: it's not as accurate as the Walther PPK/S (in fairness, few pistols are), and it's slightly larger and less concealable. Large enough to make you consider just going ahead and bumping up to a larger caliber as well.

[Shooter]

Stephen:

I bow to your expertise on the Walther. I found the weapon manageable both in .32ACP and .380ACP. Again, I preferred the Mauser HSc as a pocket pistol. I have never been a great fan of Walther's triggers, but that is why they make both vanilla and chocolate ice cream (so everyone can have it their way).

I personally believe that the PPK would have slid off into obscurity if Ian Fleming had not outfitted his famous fictional secret agent with that weapon in Doctor No after a disastrous incident with Irma Blunt in From Russia with Love involving a *gasp* Beretta .25 (go figgure). One should not underestimate the effect of mass media.

Semper Fi,

Shooter sends

[stephen]

I personally believe that the PPK would have slid off into obscurity if Ian Fleming had not outfitted his famous fictional secret agent with that weapon in *Doctor No after a disastrous incident with Irma Blunt in From Russia with Love involving a *gasp* Beretta .25 (go figgure). *One should not underestimate the effect of mass media.

In the words of Val Kilmer's Doc Holliday... "I beg to diffuh."

The PP series, which evolved into the Polezei Pistole Kriminal within 5 years (I slay the spelling every time), was introduced in 1929. Ian Fleming didn't write his first Bond novel (Casino Royale) until after WWII, and it didn't make the big screen as "Dr. No" until 1962, by which time the PPK had already been a commercial and military success for 30 years. Even Adolf Hitler had a custom made PPK for his personal daily carry (it's the one he committed hari kari with, BTW), in addition to being the pistol of choice for many WWII German officers.

Certainly Bond, James Bond, had an impact on longevity and sales. But the pistol made it's name three decades earlier.

Or, to put it another way, the pistol was not successful because Bond carried it. Bond carried it because it was successful.

[stephen]

And yes, I have a shoulder holster. All I need is the tux.

[mike_baram]

And yes, I have a shoulder holster. *

Which begets the question; how would the PPK feel in an IWB holster?

[stephen]

IWB hip holster? Dunno. Don't got one. A small-of-the-back IWB holster is actually quite comfortable, since the PPK/S is a very slim gun.

My other methods of concealed carry are the aforementioned shoulder holster or the zip pocket of a way cool winter vest I wear. The only hip holster I use is an outer Fobus kydex thing. Really comfortable, but doesn't have as much forward rake as I like.

But after years on this board with you guys, my daily carry has become the 9mm Walther P99... so you're slowly moving me up the caliber tree. I'll eventually try a .45 if'n I can ever find one that I like and that doesn't require a second mortgage.

[Barrett]

Ref. modes of carry and mention of my "groceries gun." A pair of hiking shorts w/cargo pockets affords a good means of concealing a pocket pistola. Not fast, of course, but works well w/out a holster.
Disclaimer: the foregoing is for information only and in no way implies or advocates doing anything in any jurisdiction, yadda-yadda.

[mike_baram]

* Ref. modes of carry and mention of my "groceries gun." *A pair of hiking shorts w/cargo pockets affords a good means of concealing a pocket pistola. Not fast, of course, but works well w/out a holster.
*

That's assuming that you have legs that look good in cargo shorts.

Stephen,
Try to rent a Kimber Ultra-Carry. Slowly but surely you are converting to the one true faith.
VBR,
Mike