Recoil- Airweight J-frame vs. .380 PPK

[TT]

Any THR members have both a .380 PPK and an airweight J-frame? I’d be interested to hear your comparative observations on the recoil of these two firearms. I have a S&W 442 and I am considering getting a PPK.

 

[38snapcaps]

I tried a PPK/S three years ago and kept it for exactly one month. The trigger was impossible to pull and the recoil was a real hand stinger! The sharp edges of the back of the frame dug two red grooves into my hand.
One box of that thing was enough. I have not shot a PPK but I can only imagine it would be at least as bad, probably worse.

I have a 642, with Hogue Monogrips, which I will admit is a little unpleasant to shoot, but it is much more comfortable than a Walther.

Another gun for comparison would be the Bersa Thunder. Now that's what you want, if that style and caliber is your desire-at half the price! I owned a Bersa for almost three years and thoroughly enjoyed shooting it for thousand of rounds. I thought the Walther would be even better but it sure wasn't.
Too bad because it was sure a beautiful little pistol, but looks will only go so far.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I have fired a Walther PPK and a M638 in the same day and IMO the PPK has a very snappy recoil as compared to the J frame. The PPK was loaded with Wolf FMJ .380 Auto rounds and the J frame was loaded with 125gr DoubleTap .38 Special +P rounds. Even though I thing the recoil from the .38 Special +P was a little heavier it felt more controllable than the quick snap of the .380 Auto PPK. After shooting only three mags full in the PPK the web of my shooting hand was stinging and uncomfortable. I can shoot well over a full box of 50 in the .38 without discomfort.

All that being said, the Walther PPK is a really nice pistol even though I'm not really a pistol guy. It conceals well and it's not that heavy. When it comes to shooting both, I do prefer the feel of the revolver. (and not just because I like revolvers better in general)

 

[ZeSpectre]

Have fired a PPK in .380 and found the recoil to be surprisingly stout and snappy. In comparison to a .38 special J-frame I vastly preferred the J-Frame.

However

I did recently have the opportunity to fire a Model 340PD (scandium/titanium .357 Magnum) with full house .357 loads and all I have to say about that one is

JUMPIN JAYSUS IN A THUNDERING TYPHOON WHATINTHEHELLWASTHAT!

Seriously I thought the gun had blown up in my hand! I -love- the .357 magnum round but shooting it out of that little beast gave me serious pause!

 

[WNTFW]

I own a PPK/S. One of the worst recoils for what it is.

I just shot a S&W 342ti very light pistol, recoil not bad at all (.38special)

 

[ArchAngelCD]

ZeSpectre,
I totally agree with you. IMO there's no place in this world for a 12 oz. .357 Magnum revolver. From everything I've read most people who buy that revolver load it with .38 Special +P ammo. Also IMO if you are going to carry .38 Special +P ammo why buy a $900 Airlite revolver when an $400 Airweight revolver will do the same job.

Of course you can always fool yourself and carry 135gr Speer .357 Magnum Short Barrel rounds. Those "Magnums" are loaded very light and only produce just over 100 fps more than their .38 Special +P rounds. Even though they are in a .357 Magnum case you are fooling yourself if you think they are anything more than a slightly warm .38 Special +P round!! LOL (Speer .38 Special +P SB = 860fps, .357 Magnum SB = 990 fps)

 

[iheartboost]

yeah.....

Had a ppk/s, very accurate but would bite into the webbing of my hand. It also had feeding issues so I ditched it. Recoil was a bit snappy. Just bought a 642 DAO for my wife. Recoil is relatively light, but the trigger pull is insanely heavy. I think we're gonna trade it toward a Bersa .380.

 

[Maia007]

Not an exact answer to your question, but here goes.

I have owed and carried the (German) Model PP in .380 for at least 25 years. Slightly longer length and shorter in height by about a half inch or so each way compared to the PPK. Somewhat heavier by about two ounces. You can check the specs for yourself. I have never cared for the PPK except for the PPK/S I have in .22. IMO, there simply is not enough grip to the PPK to make it acceptable in terms of control.

I own two airweight J frames (442 nickel and 642 stainless) and have had the 442 for over ten years. I have used various grips on the Smiths in an effort to make them easier to handle.

I have found the Walther PP is much more controllable in terms of recoil vs. the airweights (even with the bigger, more friendly grips on the Smiths). I also find it easier to recover and to get back on task after each shot than with the Smiths.

To answer your question directly.....I do prefer the Smiths to the PPK .380 in terms of recoil. If you aren't that satisfied with the revolver, you might try either the PP in 3.80 or the PPK/s....perhaps in .32.

 

[velocette]

I have three J frame snub 38s, two lightweight, one Stainless and I formerly owned a Walther PPKs. I found the recoil of the PPKs to be snappy and unpleasant. The M 37, & 637 Smiths recoil with +p ammo was heavier than the PPKs but not a sharp. To make a long story short, I still have the J frames and sold the PPKs. The PPKs was pretty and it was very well made and finished. it's DA trigger was heavy and actually lightened as it stroked through its travel (as opposed to the normal stacking of other DA firearms) Its accuracy was good and fit in my had was good. It was just unpleasant to shoot.

Roger

 

[TT]

Thanks very much everyone, that’s exactly the info I was looking for. I’ll ashcan the idea of a PPK unless I come across a .32.

Thanks!

 

[1KPerDay]

158-grain non+P loads in a model 37 hurt me more than standard loads in a PPK. The PPK does have pretty snappy recoil, but not painful. To me.

 

[metrotps]

This question is to all of you who have had or have a PPK/S and noticed sharp or "snappy" recoil. What grips do you have on it? If your experience was with factory grips, have you tried Pachmayr grips? I have several J frames, including lightweights and had a brown grip, PPK in .32 ACP, and a PPK/S in .380 and they all have "snappy" or sharp recoil with various loads with the factory grips. Although I have small hands I was able to fire thousands of rounds with these guns. I have shot ammo through the Walther’s that would have destroyed the pistols had I shot more than 4 or 5 rounds and the same with the J frames. Good grips make all the difference and if you have large hands I would not recommend the Walther.

 

[alistaire]

The airlite J kicks more than the PPK/380 using 38s and MUCH more when using 357s. The PPK is slightly smaller than the J, but is amazingly cranky. Every failure to feed took three hands and a lot of swearing to clear.

If you have the money for a PPK buy another J frame or two Seecamps.

Let's be fair: A pre-S&W PPK in blue is a beautiful gun and will give years of reliable service sitting on a shelf. It will only fail you when you release the slide and it starts to pick up a cartridge.

 

[Tim Burke]

I have several Centennials, ranging from the 640 to 340. Shooting 38s out of them is preferable to shooting my PPK or my Sig 230. The Colt Govt 380, however, feels like I'm shooting blanks.

 

[dogngun]

I have owned several J-frames over the last 30 years. I won't buy anything other than a steel frame J because I can control and shoot it so much better than any alloy frame I have ever owned. I also had several FEG PP copies. I don't mind them so much, but I recently got one in .32 ACP and it is a gem.

I opt for lower power and controlable shot placement.

mark

 

[AK103K]

Perhaps you should look into a SIG P230/232 if your looking for a Walther sized .380 thats pleasant to shoot.

I have a couple of P230's and a couple of 642's, and the P230's are much nicer to shoot, and easier to shoot well with than the 642's. I shoot +P level reloads in all of them for practice. I've usually had enough of the 642 before the end of a 50 round box. I can shoot the P230 all day long.

I've also owned a couple of .380 Walthers, both German and US. The German gun was reliable, the US gun was not. They are heavy, have crappy DA triggers and usually draw blood. The SIG's (allow framed guns, the SS guns are heavier) are just the opposite.

 

[MICHAEL T]

I take my PPK/S over a airweight S&W Not steel frame I'll take either
My is a Interarms and has never drawn my blood and I find the DA trigger use as designed to be fine. That DA is for the OH S$%^ up close draw and fire Not for target use,

 

[AK103K]

That DA trigger is for any shooting, just like the SA trigger. No "Oh, scheiße" about it. Theres no excuse for them to be so heavy. Walthers have always been know for their crappy DA triggers.

SIG's on the other hand, have very nice DA triggers, and mine are actually nicer than any of my Smiths, which themselves have nice DA triggers.

 

[TT]

Seems like there is a lot of interest in the PPK, as well as nearly universal dislike of the recoil. I wish Walther would show a little initiative and adapt Larry Seecamp’s delayed blowback system to the PPK.

 

[wnycollector]

My buddy just picked up a Walther PPK/s. I have both a S&W 638 and M36. We go shooting Wed afternoons. I will post his and my comments on how they both feel with range ammo (reloaded 158gr SWC for the .38's and WWB for his .380) plus how they feel with Doubletap +p .38 and 95gr fmj .380.

 

[Shade00]

Haven't been to the range with my J-frame Airweight, but I can tell you that the PPK/S will make the webbing of your hand sore after a box of cartridges. I'm going to try the rubber grips that wraparound the backstrap of the gun - I think they might make it a little a more manageable. Other than that, I love my PPK/S. After getting a few rounds through it I have had no failures to feed.

 

[gym]

Get the S&W, Had both, I found the Walther to be unreliable, and had the slide refitted twice. I never felt completlly safe with it. Or as mentioned the Sig in 380

 

[Farnorthdan]

J frame

The J frame offers many more options when it come to loads. I have both...PPK's and a model 342 airlight and I must say that I like them both but the J frame offers so many different load options its just one of my favorites. It's smaller and conceals better. I shoot light load wad cutters for practice and load with +P for carry and many others in between.

 

[Smithiac]

I have a model 38 airweight quite a bit of recoil but I love to shoot it. I have had a PPK/S and will have another one. It is a very accurate gun for the size.

Smithiac

 

[AK103K]

I shoot light load wad cutters for practice and load with +P for carry....

The only problem here is, the gun acts very differently when you switch from the light wadcutters to the hot carry ammo. Best to practice with hot reloads of an equal bullet weight of what you carry if your going to the trouble of loading them.

Same goes for the .380's.