Lets be honest - If we were to develop comparative ratings pitting the PPK against some of the more successful later and contemporary pistols , rating for ergonomics , perceived recoil , ease of racking the slide , versatility of different ammunition , reliability regardless of handling technique and so on , the PPK would not come out on top. To say that pistol A has less recoil , pistol B is easier to rack - those evaluations are most likely valid. The PPK has always had - and I hope will continue to have (?) - a following because of its' historical significance (what was the last gun Hitler ever shot?) , Euro styling (GREAT looking muzzle) , and of course the James Bond allure. The Walther PPK is simply a very good looking firearm , and it has significant cool factor for the fore mentioned reasons.
I was fairly new to shooting when I first took my PPK to the range. I jammed it real quick. Had to have a gunsmith un-jam it for me - OH the embarrassment! I got smart and did some research , learned that when chambering the first round the slide needed to be cycled "briskly" (said that in the manual iirc) - draw it back sharply and release it cleanly , do not ride the slide. Also - let the trigger reset quickly - do not ride that either. And - firm grip is imperative , the PPK does not like any hint of limp wristing. Any and all the mistakes a hesitant novice tends to make - the Walther will give you negative feedback. I practiced , I learned , I became confident and proficient with the PPK. It was a great training experience , a good confidence builder.
The Walther PPK is an iconic firearm. I love mine , makes me feel good just looking at it. (see post #31) Perhaps the new run of PPKs will prove to be durable , quality handguns. I hope so ; we'll see in the long run.
That said I stand on the belief that you can't make a big obvious change in the appearance of an iconic firearm without compromising the validity of it's lineage.
Call it a PPKBBT maybe ... (Big Beaver Tail)