Looks? Yup.
I always wanted a PPK...
But they cost to darn much. For what they are, IMO. Because I couldn't afford a PPK when it was I decided to buy my first handgun, it was the similarity in appearance, albeit with a dose of steroids, that got me looking at a CZ-52. Lotta similarities to be found, cosmetically. The lines and details are very close, and CZ-52's are just as skinny as a PPK. Of course, -52's are bit more "snarlish", shall we say, and the action is a rather elegant solution to the locked-breech requirement. And there's the price, also. Can't argue with that. So I bought one, and it's been a great gun. A lot of fun discovering it's story, too, which dragged me across info on all sorts of guns, action types, ballistics, etc., and turned me into a hard-core collector.
I still want a PPK, though. Or rather, I did...
I've seen the SIG on various researches. I've always admired them, too, but found their price for a blowback auto to be rather prohibitive. Once, I almost bought a Walther PP .32, as it was within reach, but held off as it was Manurhin-manafacture. I was kinda poor right then, too. Then I stumbled across a couple of things The first was a CZ-50, a PPK-clone with lines just like it's bigger brother. I decided I needed one of those so I could have a matched set, the price was once again too good to pass up, and it's a .32. It's proved to be neat little gun.
Next interesting thing was a PA-63. PP-size, correct lines, snappier caliber, alloy frame, nice price. Not the most ergonomic grip in the world, but hey, it's a Bond-esque plinker for $100 that runs on cheap-but-powerful ammo. It's light, too. It does duty as the occaisional carry gun, as it's expendable, reliable, and it disappears pretty well.
Those guns pretty-well satisfied my PPK thing, but the gun that really put paid to it was a Colt 1903. Now THAT is a gun by which other .32's should be judged. It is simply elegant, and I would choose it over a PP or a PPK or a SIG for no ther reasons than it's elegance and it's history, which can rival the PPK's. Not to say anything negative about PPK's, I just don't really want one any more, unless I should stumble across one for a price I couldn't refuse, but that hardly seems likely.
Other guns I've bought for appearance's sake have a tendency to be odd-looking. I like 'em odd, mostly because other folks DON'T. I'm a non-conformist, and I like guns that are different because they're different. That gets me guns like a Steyr-Hahn 1912, an Astra 600, two Broomhandle Mausers, and a pair of Webley revolvers, all of which are mighty strange by American standards. Guns I wish I had include the Roth-Steyr 1908, and the Savage line of pocket autos. I need a Luger, too. Art, the lot of 'em.
Now, I have a Glock, and a 1911, and a S&W auto. And Colt revolvers, and Rugers, and S&W's too. But I bought those guns because of their caliber, or their power-to-weight ratio, or their history, but not so much because of what they look like. Heck, my 1911 bores me to tears, I almost never shoot it as a .45 as it's busy doing other things. It's the Chevy small-block of handguns, eveyone's got one and there's a huge aftermarket full of accessories for it. Boring, but it'll strap on a .308 barrel, so I forgive it. Now I'll admit, it does look pretty cool, but it's common as mud. Can't see myself buying a Beretta 92 anytime soon either, for the same reason.
Sure, I buy lots of guns on looks. But oddities don't sell to well, so there's not much new that I wish I had...
