[BadJohn]

I have a chance to pick up a PPK/s in a trade.This paticular weapon is in .380 and has had a trigger and reliability job done to it.Any thoughts on this pistol pro or con would be apreciated.
Also what is value on this used in nice condition?This is an ealier make.Not a S+W.Thanks,
John

[dfariswheel]

The PPK/s was, in it's time, the "Gold standard" of small defense guns. Before the PPK/s it was the Colt Detective Special revolver.
Today it's the Kahr Arms guns.

Nobody has ever really been able to build a better .380 auto than the Walther. The Walther's combination of small size, accuracy, safety, reliability, "shootability", and quality has never quite been equaled.

On the "con" side, SOME owners of the later American-made Walther's reported some reliability problems, (maybe).

The PP series guns have heavy DA trigger actions, and there isn't much that can be done about it. Many 'smiths offer trigger jobs, but there's a limit to what can be done, due to the small size of the gun, and the design.

Another possible problem, is that some people can get cut or scraped by the slides rear edges, during recoil. This depends entirely on the shooter, and in any event, can be corrected by beveling the sharp edges on the lower rear of the slide.

Bottom line is, the Walther's are the absolute top of the line in .380 autos. I carried one for years, and was entirely happy with it.

[denfoote]

The PPK/s was, in it's time, the "Gold standard" of small defense guns. Before the PPK/s it was the Colt Detective Special revolver.
Today it's the Kahr Arms guns.

Being one who has both the PPK (the "S" stands for a deutsch word that cannot be printed here at THR ;) ) and the Kahr, it would be a toss up!! I would say go for it!! My PPK/S is reliable to a fault PROVIDED you use factory mags!! Mine is a "Walther USA", which is taken to be Smith and Wesson!!! :eek:


Yours is presumed to be an old Interarms which makes it better, since they are no longer made. When Interarms dissolved after the death of the founder, manufacture of the gun passed onto S&W. This makes it worth it, if only for the historical value!!! If it is an actual Deutsch pistol, then defiantly snap it up!!!

[Betty]

The Interarms Walther PPK/S was my first carry gun, and I promply purchased a Kahr K40 after the ejector broke. A year or so earlier, my brother's Interarms Walther PPK/S had the same failure.

The little Walther was a beast to shoot. After numerous failures to feed, bad peening, stovepipes, and the final extractor breakage, I decided I could have a larger caliber gun in a similar size package that didn't have all those problems.

A .380 I'd recommend is a Sig P232. After I got my hands on one recently, I wish I had purchased it instead of the Walther - it's reliable, sleek, and much easier to shoot.

[Jesse H]

Mine is an Interarms model. After finding the right ammo and not limp wristing, mine has been flawless.

[BHP9]

The PP series of pistols that were stamped made in Germany or made by Manurhin were the caddilacs of the PP series of pistols.

When they were made in the U.S. several magazines including the original Swat Magazine back in the 80's plus the slightly offbeat but honest Pistolero magazine all condemned the made in America PP series of pistols. Failures to feed even hardball because of rough feed ramps, trigger pins that fell out, extractors that broke, and magazines that fell out, the list is endless. Most complaints on the net usually are related to the American made Walthers and not the French/German guns.

A little know fact is that there were no German guns made after WWII in West Germany even though the inscription on the weapon says so. They were all made in France by Manurhin and then shipped to Germany where they were proofed and blued. Some Manurhin made guns were imported directly into the U.S. complete with French markings. They are all the same gun from the same plant.

Smith & Wesson is now making the Walther pistol but has changed the contour of the back strap making collectors and lovers of pure Walthers shun it. The weapon has cut springs instead of formed springs and supposedly has the dreaded MIM internal and external parts. Gun tests magazine reports a rough outside finish on most of these Smith & Wesson made weapons.

All this has pushed up the price of the original guns up, especially those still in mint condition. For carry they may soon be too valuable to use so maybe one would be better off carrying a gun like the Sig P232 and saving the rare mint Walthers for an investment.

My own German marked gun feeds anything I put through it including cast bullet loads with astounding reliablity and astounding accuracy. Trigger pull is superb. Sights are good and finish is flawless and its made of all steel. Truly the caddilac of the old fashioned , high quality pocket pistols. Mine is not for sale at any price. One can carry it all day in complete comfort and it is small enough to fit in a coat pocket and accurate enough to outshoot just about any of my bigger and sometimes more expensive guns.

The originals will probably never be made again so if you have the opportunity to buy one of the originals at a decent price by all means grab it, you will not ever regret it.

[Cableman]

I just sold my stainless PPKS - Interarms model - for $450.
Thats the going rate here in the Pacific Northwest.

[ACP]

Gte the German/French made gun if possible.

I had an Interarms PPK/S. Nice size, weight, carries flat. The .380 ain't a horrible cartridge. You trigger job and reliability package (feedramp polish? extractor tension?) will go a long way to making the gun more shootable. Try some Wolff springs.

But recoil is sharper than expected. There are a lot of sharp edges on the PPK, especially the rear sights. I always got "railroad track" marks on my shooting hand from the slide. Stick with factory magazines. Accuracy is so/so.

I traded my PPK/S for a Seecamp LWS 32, and then for a S&W 642, which I've carried on a daily basis for several years.

[Peter M. Eick]

I traded my interarms ppks after it broke the 4th extractor for a walther p22t. Best trade I ever made. What a piece of junk. To the shop 2x for repairs and it still broke ejectors.

[Captain Bligh]

Nobody has ever really been able to build a better .380 auto than the Walther.

Many fans of the Sig 230 & 232 would take issue with this statement. :eek:

Randy

[FPrice]

Here is a (kinda dark) pic of my new (to me) Manurhin PPK/S. Paid $295 for it and I like it a lot. Has a heavy double-action trigger pull but the single action is nice. I tested a few different rounds in it but the Winchester Silver Tip seemed to shoot best. BHP9's post echoes what I have heard and observed about the European and new S&W pistols. If it is European I would say get it. I am using mine as a pocket pistol until I can find a good IWB holster for it.

[BadJohn]

I found out the PPK is American made so I won't be trading but thanks to all of your for your opinions.

[Tacblack]

Had a K40 and have a PPKS. I still use the PPKS often due to its size. The K40 was nice but I shoot the Khars's poorly, so I figure a 380 that hits some thing is better. The PPKS I shoot really well. I would say give it a try. I have had 2 one was stolen and I bought another so I most like it.

[BadJohn]

What kind of accuracy are we talking?2-3 inches at 25 yards?

[Tacblack]

Hope this helps. I have carried my PPKS since 1995. I can usually shoot the whole mag into the top (which is 2" by 4") A-zone of an IPSC target at 45 feet never tried it any greater distance. The gun will do it everyday, usually I can too.

[telewinz]

I have a German made Walther and it performs great. Its been copied so much its hard to say it's the best, other than the outstanding quality of its manufacture.

[jar]

The PPK is three oif the four guns I've dumped and never regretted. I love the look and every time I found a new version, German, French, Imported, made here, I'd buy it KNOWING that they had fixed the problems with reliability and hand slicing. In each case I was wrong. I don't care what anyone says, I still believe it was the original prototype for Ron Poppiel's Slice-n-Dice.

Do yourself a favor and get a SiG 230 or 232. Even a Makarov is a better choice. Infact, the Makarov is a MUCH better choice.

[denfoote]

All this PPK/S talk has made me want to pull mine out of the cabnet!! Heck, my MK9 and G36 need a rest anyway!! I'll "suffer" with 9mm kurz for a while!! :D