James Bond and his Walther PPK

[Riomouse911]

In one of those shots where hes firing at the dragon he does not have a PPK he has some sort of 1911 looking gun. But then... it changes back to a ppk!
Right after he shoots the dragon's eye out and the woman runs up to him he has some other gun in his hand not a PPK.

In the book I believe he is using a S&W Chiefs Special .38. (It’s been a while since I bent those pages, so don’t take that as gospel! )

Always fun to catch the prop guys swap outs.

Stay safe.

 

[AlexanderA]

it gave me slide bite.

Yes. Slide bite and a terrible (gritty and heavy) trigger pull. It was positively a painful experience to shoot it.

 

[herrwalther]

32ACP is like "throwing a brick through a plate glass window" if you didn't know...

For 1962, 32ACP was a world away upgrade over the 25ACP of the Beretta 418 from the novels. Funnily enough, in the movie Bond turns in a Beretta M34 as a stand-in instead of 418. The M34 is chambered in 380ACP, a more powerful round than 32ACP.

 

[GRIZ22]

I have a mid 60s, German made, ppk in 32. 32 acp gives adequate penetration. You blow an entrance and an exit wound, everything more is overkill.

I don't carry my 32 ppk much but don't feel underarmed when I do.

 

[9mmepiphany]

In the book I believe he is using a S&W Chiefs Special .38. (It’s been a while since I bent those pages, so don’t take that as gospel! )

I might be mistaken also, but I thought it was the Centennial (S&W M-42)

 

[Dave DeLaurant]

I read a couple of Ian Fleming Bond novels, but I have to admit they didn't do much for me. I got much more excitement from examining Fleming's final typescript for Casino Royale at the Lily Library in Bloomington, IN -- my sister taught some classes at IU and arranged a special visit for me in 2011 with a friend of hers who worked there. Pretty cool seeing actual the markings made by Fleming and the publisher prior to creating galleys for the novel.

I had a US-made Interarms .380 PPK/S for a time, but it was uncomfortable to shoot -- most friends who tried it ended up with 'racing stripes' on the web of their hands from slide bite. I sold it off and more recently bought a Manhurin PP in .32 ACP, a much more comfortable gun to shoot. I may also get a PP in .22 one of these days, but it's not a priority.

 

[hannstv]

I think the gun that Hitler committed suicide with was a PPK in 32 ACP.

 

[JERRY]

Crimson trace used to make a laser grip for the Walter PP and PPK, I'm not sure. If I could find one for the full grip PP I'd buy it.

 

[9mmepiphany]

I had a US-made Interarms .380 PPK/S for a time, but it was uncomfortable to shoot
...I sold it off and more recently bought a Manhurin PP in .32 ACP, a much more comfortable gun to shoot. I may also get a PP in .22 one of these days, but it's not a priority.

The PPK/S was always the "odd duck" combining the grip frame of the PP with the slide of the PPK.

When I couldn't find a true PPK, I settled for a PP which I happened onto at a big gun show. It was in .22LR and was a joy to shoot...even with it's horrible DA trigger pull. I was smart enough to get four extra mags for it when they were available.

The hard thing to find, in the late 70s. was a good production holster. Ken Null made an excellent custom holster

 

[Nature Boy]

I think the gun that Hitler committed suicide with was a PPK in 32 ACP.

Well thank god it was reliable that time

 

[GBExpat]

... The hard thing to find, in the late 70s. was a good production holster. ...

I have always accounted myself lucky that I found & acquired, during that period, the Roy's Leather Goods pancake holster. I still have it and it is in great shape.

They made wonderful under suit/sport coat carry companions ... even with the horrible D/A trigger-action and slide bite.

My PPK/s and PP are long gone, but my late-80s stainless PPK has been keeping it company for ~35 years.

EDIT: All of mine were 9x17, btw.

 

[trackskippy]

As much as I liked the Walthers, and even put up with some of their annoying quirks, once I found and got my first SIG P230's, the Walthers werent around very long after. I carried one of these for a number of years as a BUG to my Colt Commander.



Sweet shooters with a really sweet DA trigger. No slide bite either, and a grip that takes the sting out of the recoil.



One of the best holsters Ive had for them too is the unfortunately discontinued Galco "Executive" shoulder holster, which would have done James Bond proud. .



For the Walthers and SIG's, etc, the Executive and the Ken Null SMZ, another Ive used in the past are about the best shoulder holsters Ive had and used and are perfect for them, and even the J frames. Minimal bulk and straps and they hide very well. If you can find one, they are well worth the money, and that's coming from someone who very much dislikes shoulder holsters.

 

[Brubz]

I think the gun that Hitler committed suicide with was a PPK in 32 ACP.

For what it's worth. Wikipedia says Hitler was killed with a Walther P38 in 9mm. I know Wiki can not always be trusted but there are pictures of Hitler with what looks like a P38 in a holster on his belt

 

[Dave DeLaurant]

As much as I liked the Walthers, and even put up with some of their annoying quirks, once I found and got my first SIG P230's, the Walthers werent around very long after.

Personally I'd much prefer the 230 or 232 over the PP/PPK, but I've rarely come across one around here.

Back to 007, I understand that Bond carried his PPK in a Berns-Martin holster just because Fleming came across the name in a catalog and thought it sounded cool -- possibly the British thing about hyphenated surnames being upperclass. I don't know whether Berns-Martin ever made a PPK holster, but my recollection is that when Fleming first mentioned them in his book they were a revolver holster line.

 

[Ethan Verity]

I like my new production Walther PPK, it is what I carried today (as I do most days in the summer time) in a Barsony pocket holster. It took some effort to make it 100% reliable, but I was successful in doing so. I have over 3k rounds through it now, without a single malfunction. The gun's appeal is why I got it in the first place, but I also love the ergonomics of the gun, and the DA/SA trigger for a pocket pistol. It's a natural pointer for me.

 

[hannstv]

For what it's worth. Wikipedia says Hitler was killed with a Walther P38 in 9mm. I know Wiki can not always be trusted but there are pictures of Hitler with what looks like a P38 in a holster on his belt

I also saw that, but over the years I have seen several sources list the firearm as a Walther. I have seen it mention a both a PP and a PPK.

 

[Brubz]

I also saw that, but over the years I have seen several sources list the firearm as a Walther. I have seen it mention a both a PP and a PPK.

The P38 is a Walther. In the pictures when he is in uniform he is wearing what appears to be a Walther P38 but he could have owned a PP and a PPK as well

 

[.455_Hunter]

I had a P230 for a bit. It was no doubt very high quality, but definitely much larger than a PPK. I LOVED the heel magazine release, something that should be standard on all compact, sub-compact and micro-compact carry guns. Unfortunately, as a lefty, the decocker lever was located just wrong underneath my trigger finger and made comfortable firing difficult, even after having it honed/contoured.

 

[9mmepiphany]

As much as I liked the Walthers, and even put up with some of their annoying quirks, once I found and got my first SIG P230's, the Walthers werent around very long after.

Personally I'd much prefer the 230 or 232 over the PP/PPK

Something to bear in mind when comparing the Walther PPK to the SIG 230/232, is that the SIG, in .32ACP, was designed as a holster/duty gun for LE...much like the Beretta 84. The 7.65 x 17mm was the default LE round until the German LE trials to adopt a 9x19mm pistol produced the P5 (Walther), P6 (SIG) , and P7 (H&K)

 

[Mike OTDP]

Fleming knew very little about firearms. In the books, Bond was armed with a .25 Beretta of undefined type...with a sawn-off barrel and the grips replaced with electrical tape. Neither of which is practical for a Beretta 418...or any other Beretta .25 auto.

About 1955-56, Fleming ran into Geoffery Boothroyd, who was a serious firearm expert in the U.K. (his book on the history of the pistol is excellent). He recommended either a Walther PPK or a S&W J-frame revolver. And I think mentioned the Berns-Martin holster for the latter (the Berns-Martin was a front-opening holster that relied on a spring to hold it closed around the cylinder of the revolver.).

 

[Shivahasagun]

In one of those shots where hes firing at the dragon he does not have a PPK he has some sort of 1911 looking gun. But then... it changes back to a ppk!
Right after he shoots the dragon's eye out and the woman runs up to him he has some other gun in his hand not a PPK.

In the book, Bond is given an Airweight .38 and the PPK and told to try them out and pick one.

He takes the .38 and uses it to shoot out the lights on the "Dragon". He's prone, in low-light, reloading from a pile of rounds he dumps next to himself from a sack.

Hi-tech, eh? His pal Quarrel tries to hit the driver of the "Dragon" with his M1 Carbine .30.

Bond loses the .38 when captured.

 

[Shivahasagun]

It's always interesting to contrast the MI-6 Ian Flemming fictionalized versus what Hollywood fictionalized out of Flemming's books.

Flemming was writing about some serious operators (6 degrees of separation: Christopher Lee may have been exactly who Flemming modeled Bond upon). The deal about being in a secret service is to keep it secret. Using a firearm is a serious sign that everything is pear-shaped, a "last resort." And not the movie version, first resort. So, actually, a .25acp behind the ear of a sleeping bad guy is entirely in character. And not plinking bad guys with automatic weapons off at 300m like in the movies.

Cubby Broccoli created a wildly successful franchise out of turning spy novels into a cross between "cop shows" and "cowboy shootouts."

Few remember Roger Moore in Live or Let Die, toting that S&W in 357mag.

Yes. In 4 or maybe 5 of the original 12 books, Bond doesn't use a gun at all.

He uses the Beretta in the first 6, IIRC.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

Something to bear in mind when comparing the Walther PPK to the SIG 230/232, is that the SIG, in .32ACP, was designed as a holster/duty gun for LE...much like the Beretta 84. The 7.65 x 17mm was the default LE round until the German LE trials to adopt a 9x19mm pistol produced the P5 (Walther), P6 (SIG) , and P7 (H&K)

The PP (Polizei Pistole) was also designed as a duty/holster gun for LE.....

 

[Shivahasagun]

Personally I'd much prefer the 230 or 232 over the PP/PPK, but I've rarely come across one around here.

Back to 007, I understand that Bond carried his PPK in a Berns-Martin holster just because Fleming came across the name in a catalog and thought it sounded cool -- possibly the British thing about hyphenated surnames being upperclass. I don't know whether Berns-Martin ever made a PPK holster, but my recollection is that when Fleming first mentioned them in his book they were a revolver holster line.

I think there was little more to it.

The holster and straps were very thin and plastic. It was intended to be the most concealable shoulder holster.

 

[Shivahasagun]

The PPK was an early DA, concealable gun, but it sucked.

It sucks even more in .380.