Walther PPK

I've decided I want a Walther PPK, I already have the P-99 so this will round out my 007 loadout. Are the new ones any good? I heard mixed reviews on the S&W made pistols.

I have a few PPK's.....if you get a Manurhin PPK/s .380 its C&R. The French made PPK's are excellent or I get the ones made in W. Germany. The Newer S&W are gtg now, they worked out the bugs, apparently the safety block did not work or FTE. The older S&W had to go back for recalls.

What would you pay for each FPS?

Manurhin @ $450-$500
W/G $500-$600 but they are going up in price!
S&W $450-$500 used

if you can find a PPK with waffanamts.....

Only Manurhin PPK and PP pistols are C&R, not the PPK/S. For quality and investment stick to Euro produced guns.

Dan44 said:

Only Manurhin PPK and PP pistols are C&R, not the PPK/S. For quality and investment stick to Euro produced guns.

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+1
All my PP and PPK's are either W/G or Manurhin. I don't own any made in the US and I'm shopping know for another WG

fivepointstar said:

I have a few PPK's.....if you get a Manurhin PPK/s .380 its C&R. The French made PPK's are excellent or I get the ones made in W. Germany. The Newer S&W are gtg now, they worked out the bugs, apparently the safety block did not work or FTE. The older S&W had to go back for recalls.

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Wasn't there another thread about these that had information to the effect that there have not been any made in Germany since the NATO blasted the factory to dust in 1945?
IIRC... The guns were made in France and shipped to Ulm for proofing. They were stamped "Ulm" but made in France.

RoadDawg said:

Wasn't there another thread about these that had information to the effect that there have not been any made in Germany since the NATO blasted the factory to dust in 1945?
IIRC... The guns were made in France and shipped to Ulm for proofing. They were stamped "Ulm" but made in France.

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Yes, at least parts were made by St. Etienne. I wouldn't hesitate to buy one. France used to be the finest and most innovative firearms manufacturer in the world. Sad what France is today.

All of my C&R and antique St. Etienne guns are first rate.

RoadDawg said:

Wasn't there another thread about these that had information to the effect that there have not been any made in Germany since the NATO blasted the factory to dust in 1945?
IIRC... The guns were made in France and shipped to Ulm for proofing. They were stamped "Ulm" but made in France.

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Huh? There was no NATO in 1945. The factory was not destroyed or bombed. It just ended up in East Germany.

Bollingers had a PPK/S stainless Interarms about 2 weeks ago. I didn't inquire about a price but it seemed in very good condition.

PPK/S did not exist until after the Gun Control Act of 1968.

fivepointstar said:

I have a few PPK's.....if you get a Manurhin PPK/s .380 its C&R. The French made PPK's are excellent or I get the ones made in W. Germany. The Newer S&W are gtg now, they worked out the bugs, apparently the safety block did not work or FTE. The older S&W had to go back for recalls.

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When did they figure it out? I had one a while ago and it was a pos. I'd consider getting another if they really fixed them.

I will have one someday.

Me too. Have a PPQ M1, P99 AS, and more recently the P99 Compact (C) AS - which I love - very reliable and highly accurate for a smaller 9mm - have so much confidence in this gun. Been studying the PPKs (W. German, Interarms, etc), but will probably start with a new one in stainless.

Beautiful guns Dan44 and FPS!

AliasNeo07 said:

When did they figure it out? I had one a while ago and it was a pos. I'd consider getting another if they really fixed them.

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I am a member on the Walther forum and that's the info that's been around. everyone that has a newer S&W PPK says there are no more issues

Pinecone said:

PPK/S did not exist until after the Gun Control Act of 1968.

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Correct....there were still made in W/G so they designed the PPK/s basically its the PP Frame (7 rounds) and PPK slide. this is why Walther contracted the US to make the to get round the law. The PPK is 6+1 while the PPK/s is 7+1 with a slightly longer pistol

fivepointstar said:

I am a member on the Walther forum and that's the info that's been around. everyone that has a newer S&W PPK says there are no more issues

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Yeah, when I'm ready to buy, it will be a new PPK/S. Probably stainless

I have a PPK/S. I bought it last spring, new, S&W made.

Each vintage has its pros and cons. Older ones were notorious for slide bite that for some folks was pretty brutal (when the slide slices into the meat of the hand between thumb and index finger.) S&W fixed this with a larger beaver tail, and I have never experienced a hint of problem in that area.

There are a few issues with this pistol.

First, it is machined to very fine tolerances, and as a result, it is a pistol that requires some break-in. Many report the recoil spring is too tight out of the box, and you can't break it down until you run a box or two of ammo through it, which loosens it up. Second, all sorts of areas can be a mite gritty out of the box, which improves as you shoot it. From my experience, no less than 250 rounds, and perhaps 500 rounds are needed.

The chief thing to know is that this is an old (1920's?) blowback design. The only thing that keeps the breach closed is the tension from the recoil spring. For the mechanism to work well, requires the right balance between the strength of the recoil spring, and the recoil energy released by firing it. The impact of that point is that this pistol is sensitive to the brand of ammo you fire through it. Mine fires flawlessly on some brands, and suffers failures to fully return to battery with some others (ie, the slide does not fully slide back into place, and requires a slight nudge forward before you can fire the next round). Mine likes 95 grain ammo as a rule, but not 90 grain. I have no issues with hydroshock JHP by the way. Everyone seems to report that THEIRS has its own preferred diet, so do not stock up on a large supply of anything until you first run a box or two of it to see for yourself. Keep good records of what works for you and what does not.

I have confidence in mine for the hydroshock, which is what I keep in my home defense mag. I have less confidence in it with cheap ball FMJ until a brand is well tested.

Tolerances are so tight, it prefers a thinner oil, like ballistol, over heavier grease.

The fixed barrel and long slide rails help make it a very accurate pistol.

But it has the smallest sights of any pistol I've seen.

Ladies report trouble racking the slide. Not an issue for me.

I like mine. It is a keeper.

Well I finally bought one. $549. It's a stainless ppK/s model, as was expected. It's also new. Scratch another off the list... Well, knock on wood, of course. It still has to be delivered. Wish me luck.