Walther PPK 32 ACP

[red rick]

I just picked up my new Walther PPK 32 acp pistol today . My 007 toy . I just bought it as a toy , I really don’t have any plans to carry it . IMO it’s a very nice looking pistol , something about steel guns of any type .

That DA trigger pull is atrocious , SA is much better . The rear sight has a wide opening , so I don’t know how well it is going to group for me . The sights are easy to see though, unlike a government 1911 like my Colt .

My hat is off to Midway and USP . I ordered some ammo for it on Wednesday and it showed up at my front door today and it was free shipping .

 

[GRIZ22]

I had an unfired pre 68 German made PPK in 32 a friend gifted me. Well I still have it but it's been fired. 200 rds of fmj without a burp!

I only carry it on special occasions.

I might buy a new one for daily carry if it proves reliable. 32 ACP has adequate penetration.

 

[golden]

I owned a pre-war PPK in 7.65m.m. and it was everything that the 007 novels made it out to be. I carried it for 7 years. It was well made, mild recoil and easy to control with a double action trigger that paled in comparison to my SIG 232, but was usable. However, time moves on. I now carry a GLOCK 42, which is lighter, smaller and easier to conceal. It is also easier to control and likely more reliable, though I never had any problem with the PPK.

A funny thing, I also owned a French made PP in .32ACP and it was less pleasant to shoot than the PPK. The PPK has a better designed grip than the PP or PPK/S.

I would still be carrying the PPK if GLOCK had not brought out the 42.

Jim

 

[Pistolay]

I have a pair of .32 ACP PPKs, and thanks to the joy of arthritis, I do carry them. They're excellent guns.

 

[Boom Vang]

Let us know a shooting report. Hope you enjoy it!

I had a couple of German PP back in the day, in .32 ACP and .22 LR. High quality finish and fit,a nd very accurate. I thought about ordering a new one, as I like .32 ACP. LGS got one in and after examining it, I passed. Of course the DA pull is insufferable, that is part of the design. But I found the new "blue" finish is atrocious and cheap looking. Wasn't impressed with the fit of the parts either. Visually, the extended tang is problematical, and kind of an eyesore on an iconic classic. But to each his own.

 

[JasonD52]

I just got one about 3 weeks ago in .32 also. It’s currently back at Walther due to numerous malfunctions (stove pipes, double feeds and light primer strikes) and both grip panels cracking after 50 rounds or so.

Hopefully I get it back this week and give it a second chance. If the malfunctions continue I’ll take advantage of Walthers’ money back guarantee.

 

[red rick]

Sorry to hear that Jason . Did it cost you anything to ship it ?

Update us on your repairs after your next range day . I would try mine out today , but the wind is blowing right hard .

 

[JasonD52]

Walther pays for the shipping both ways. I’ll post back when I shoot it again.

I was hoping the bad old days of the Smith and Wesson PPKs were gone, but maybe not.

 

[Ethan Verity]

I just got one about 3 weeks ago in .32 also. It’s currently back at Walther due to numerous malfunctions (stove pipes, double feeds and light primer strikes) and both grip panels cracking after 50 rounds or so.

Hopefully I get it back this week and give it a second chance. If the malfunctions continue I’ll take advantage of Walthers’ money back guarantee.

Yikes!
That's interesting about both grip panels cracking as well, especially with 32ACP recoil. I have at least 2k rounds through my 2020 production 380 PPK by this point, and the grips are still fine. I wonder if they changed the plastic material.

 

[halfmoonclip]

A funny thing, I also owned a French made PP in .32ACP and it was less pleasant to shoot than the PPK.

That is an odd one. The greater mass of the PPs slide is generally thought to moderate recoil. Perhaps you had a duff recoil spring.

The .32 is the way to go in the PP/PPKs series, and likely what the gun was designed for. The .380 is pushing the design, and makes for a snappy recoil.
I've an Interarms/Ranger PPK/PPK/s in .32, and a German PP in .32. Run my reloads in them, and they are reliable.
I have better options for carry.
Moon

 

[Boattale]

I once had a .380 PPK for about two weeks. A .32 might have lasted longer. It was just plain unpleasant in .380.

 

[Gladius]

I'm a bit of a PPK collector (two pre-wars in .32; two post wars in .380). If I were to get one of the new Fort Smith ones, I'd definitely lean toward .32 (much more pleasant to shoot!).

 

[JasonD52]

UPDATE: I called Walther today (I always had to call them, they never contacted me) and they said they found no issues with the gun (other than the 2 cracked grips). Cracked grips and multiple failures on a new $1000+ gun is unacceptable to me, so I'm going to take Walther up on their 30 day money back guarantee. It's a real shame because I was excited about this pistol.

I had read when researching this purchase that the old S&W and ArmsCor PPK's were problematic guns. I had hoped that Walther's factory in the US would fix these problems. My experience has shown that you are taking a $1000 gamble buying one of these. If you want a PPK you should probably look for an old German or French made one.

Guess I'll be looking for a nice Beretta 81 to scratch my .32 ACP itch. At least I KNOW the Cheetah will run.

 

[red rick]

I’m going to try to shoot mine tomorrow . I don’t want that 30 day money back guarantee to run out .

 

[EMC45]

I enjoy shooting the 1944 .32 PP. Pleasant and very accurate.

 

[halfmoonclip]

If you want a PPK you should probably look for an old German or French made one.

I've had great success with Interarms/Ranger examples, stainless, in .32 Auto. Mine are a PPK/PPK/s, and both have run without drama. The downside; they aren't common.
The German/French ones are tough as well; most of what they exported here were the .380s Americans apparently wanted.
Moon

 

[golden]

I've had great success with Interarms/Ranger examples, stainless, in .32 Auto. Mine are a PPK/PPK/s, and both have run without drama. The downside; they aren't common.
The German/French ones are tough as well; most of what they exported here were the .380s Americans apparently wanted.
Moon

HalfMoon,

When I examined both guns, I found 1 major difference that caused the increased perceived recoil. When I examined the PP and PPK (not the PPK/S which is just a PP with a shorter barrel and slide), I found that the PPK grip had a rounded section on the back of the grip right were the web of the hand goes. The PP has a more squared off profile, so while in theory it should have less recoil, the rounded grip of the PPK was more comfortable to shoot.

I found both guns to be reliable and more accurate than expected, but 90 rounds with the PP was all I could take, while I went through 150 rounds in the PPK without a problem.

Jim

 

[halfmoonclip]

I found both guns to be reliable and more accurate than expected, but 90 rounds with the PP was all I could take, while I went through 150 rounds in the PPK without a problem.

You are talking .32s here? I never could abide more than a couple three mags out of the .380s.
Some guns simply fit us better than others. I often use a biking glove, when shooting things that don't fit, or that snap a lot.
Moon

 

[Nasty Canasta]

My Walther PP just turned 80 years old. It was manufactured about a month before the factory was seized at the end of WWII.
Only has the matching serial numbers on the frame & slide along with a proof mark. No Walther banner or caliber, only the magazines are marked. It‘s a good shooter & would take it over Mrs new PPK/S in 380 any day.

 

[Walkalong]

I am baby sitting a Manurhin PPK/S in .380 ACP, but the PPK/S has never been comfortable in my mitts. If it were, I would want one in .32 ACP, fine guns.

 

[red rick]

I got outside to do some shooting this morning . I am pleased to report that my PPK 32 acp ran flawlessly today shooting 98 rounds and using both magazines .

Ammo : Fiocchi 73gr fmj and Norma 73gr fmj .

The Fiocchi is advertised at 1000 fps . It averaged 880 fps SD 10 from my pistol .
The Norma is advertised at 984 fps . It averaged 840 fps , SD 14 .

The Fiocchi shot higher than the Norma and to the left the sight are more for a 6 o’clock hold . I need some more time behind the trigger with this one . I would like a wider front sight , or the notches on the rear sight a little narrower . The target was easy to see though with these sights , maybe better for SD than target shooting .

The recoil was mild , the slide easy to rack and the magazines easy to load . The single action trigger is ok , it just has a lot of take up . The big negative is the DA trigger pull .

These are my two best targets today shooting at 10 yards from a rest in single action . I need a lot more time behind this pistol and sights . I am going to order some reloading stuff for his pistol now that I see that it runs good .

I am smiling today , I only lost one case today out of 98 rounds . I did that when I stood up and got away from the tarp shooting the last magazine .

Overall I am very happy with this pistol and I would feel comfortable carrying it . But I won’t because I have 9mm’s about the same size and better trigger and sights and higher capacity . But if you are recoil sensitive , or can’t rack a slide on a 9mm I would definitely recommend it . But you still might have trouble pulling the DA trigger if you have weak hands , but you could cock the hammer instead .

 

[halfmoonclip]

I am smiling today , I only lost one case today out of 98 rounds . I did that when I stood up and got away from the tarp shooting the last magazine

You're going to reload? Good idea; makes the caliber inexpensive, and it is fun to shoot.
Is the current Ft. Smith production still coming with totally fixed sights?
Glad you're enjoying your pistol.
Moon

 

[red rick]

You're going to reload? Good idea; makes the caliber inexpensive, and it is fun to shoot.
Is the current Ft. Smith production still coming with totally fixed sights?
Glad you're enjoying your pistol.
Moon

Yes fixed sights .

 

[halfmoonclip]

Yes fixed sights .

Had a look at the posted pics elsewhere here, and see that they are part of the slide. Still wonder why they did that; the originals had fixed sights, but the intervening models have had a rear sight that could be drifted.
Moon

 

[red rick]

I was showing my uncle a picture of my new PPK yesterday and he told me that he has a friend with a German brought back PPK from WWll . He said that it is stainless steel and was taken from a German tank commander and it has SS markings on it . He offered it to my uncle last year for $1000 dollars , but my uncle wasn’t interested in it . I told him that I was if he still has it . He said that he is going to call him today . I don’t have my hopes up , but that one would be cool to own . He said that he also had a Luger , but I think that one is gone .

Question , did Walther make a stainless steel PPK for the Waffen SS during WWll ? If yes , would that be considered rare ?