I have a Walther P22. Should I buy a PK380

[LibShooter]

The gun show is in town this weekend, so I thought I would shop for a new small CCW auto. I've been craving a smallish pistol in .380.

The Walther P22 feels great in my hand, carries well and always works for me, so the new Walther came to mind.

For anyone out there who owns both pistols or is familiar with the PK380, how does it shoot? Is it reliable? Can I really practice with the P22 and cheap .22 ammo and transfer the skill to the PK?

Also, how much should I expect to pay?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[shockwave]

You might want to give a bit of thought to a PPS 9mm. The PPK will run you around around $550, the PPS about $100 more. The problem (at least for me where I live) is that .380 ammo is extremely hard to find while 9mm is plentiful and cheap. It's a great SD round and you have all kinds of choices in bullet design. So if you do much shooting, that $100 difference will vanish in a couple trips to the range.

 

[NG VI]

Shockwave he isn't asking about the PPK, he is asking about the new Walther/Umarex PK380, seen here http://www.waltherpk380.com/.

I have no idea, I am inclined to say it would be a great idea to buy it, but I don't know much about it personally.

 

[searcher451]

If you like the P22, and many people do, then you will love the PK380, which is pretty much the same gun, on steroids. If you are a fan of a PPS or a P99 or a PPK or a P5 or any other true Walther model, then you won't think nearly as well of the PK380. At least the new Umarex model has a steel slide, unlike the P22. The question is whether it will hold up under the steady pounding of a .380 ACP round.

The Walther Forums has a vigorous and vocal sub-section devoted to the PK380. You might want to visit there and hear from a number of folks who have bought them. The gun does have its fans, no question. It's also not without some early problems, including some premature wear on the barrel. You can check it out here:

www.waltherforums.com

Good luck.

 

[swiftak]

Hopefully the PK380 is better quality than the P22.

 

[PT1911]

I have a p22 also and LOVE IT.. it has been of great qualityand gets shot more than any of my other guns... the question about the PK 380 is why?
there are other smaller and capable 380s out there and plenty of 9mm in the size range of the PK.

9mm ammunition is cheaper and more available than 380 as well as being a more capable self defense round.. I just dont see much of a purpose in the PK.. as a plinker or self defense weapon 10 years ago it would have been great.. I love the feel, but just dont see the point now.


if I want a 380 for self defense I will go with a smaller offering.. If I want something of similar size as a carry gun/range toy there are SEVERAL available in the price range in more capable calibers.

 

[camper]

I looked at one and decided that since the wife likes the P22 and loves shooting the Sig P232, I'll forget the PK380 since the 232 is a bit smaller. If there was no 232 in the equation, I'd get a PK380.

 

[LibShooter]

Thanks to everyone for the input... especially the heads up on the Walther forum.

As to why a PK380? Its all about the P22. That cheap little pistol has become my favorite handgun ever. It's hard to say why, but a big part is the way it fits my hand... just feels right. It's sort of like an old VW bug, not the best car made but if you love 'em you love 'em. If you don't you may never get why some do.

I always said I would use it as a CCW if it weren't a .22 so the news of a .380 was exciting. When the inevitable 9mm comes out in a few years, I may have to have one of them.

 

[distra]

When the inevitable 9mm comes out in a few years, I may have to have one of them

Um, it's already out, P99 ring a bell? I picked a used S&W99, virtually the same gun, this fall. It's a great gun, albeit a bit larger than the PK380. Have you checked out the PPS 9mm? Nice little thin single stack 9mm.

 

[LibShooter]

Um, it's already out, P99 ring a bell?

The P99 is about a third larger than the P22. That makes it just a little too big for me to enjoy carrying every day. And the PPS feels funny in my hand. It's a sweet shooter, though.