Mine has been in the family since the early 90s and is a beautiful gun and very accurate but mine is just not reliable. My brother had a bersa 380 of the same vintage and his runs like a top..... Just my luck lol. Mine is a blued interarms import ppk/s we call it Bob Marley because it be jammin
@@bowlofrice8 they weren't allowed to be imported after 1968 Smith and Wesson and interams made them in their factory using the Walther blue prints but they werent the same cuz it's really hard to re make a German gun.
@@bowlofrice8 Have you tried polishing the ramp and upper side of the chamber where the bullet slides? Or tried ammo of different bullet shapes? Most of the Interarms pistols work very well with a little love. Mine even has no problem with hollowpoints, except early Hydroshocks. Also, be sure to use a higher pressure range ammo, not the bargain stuff. European guns are designed for hot ammo....................elsullo
@@snaponsocksdotcom3360 Interarms followed the Walther design exactly, and most of their pistols were perfect and reliable. Smith and Wesson simplified the Walther design with fewer parts, which was not smart---every single early S&W PPKS had to be recalled to the factory for a defective safety!............................elsullo
When working CID ROBBERY all of our investigators ALWAYS CARRY TWO HANDGUNS, many packed the WALTHER PPK or PPK/S. I use one to this day, both blue and stainless older guns, not the newer guns, favor the pistols without the extended beavertail. Great for our hot and humid summers, even all the time really. Looking forward to Saturday and this review, true classic and a pistol I still favor in both .380 and even 7.65 with FIOCCHI 60 grain SJHP which is hot and likely the best load in this caliber.
yup! its most likely the best designed pistol out there! Its is not for the weak! This firearm is forever! I am beyond grateful for this gift ! My son and I both are strapped and love a long life with Walther Just the best!!!!
HR welcome to the world of the PPK/s I’ve enjoyed mine for about 15-20 years. The performance of your S&W version mirrors my own. It has Fed every bullet weight, type and brand of 380 ammunition that I’ve put thought it, without a failure or any kind. It’s my EDC, in my front right pocket in a Don Hume holster. Really enjoy your review, looking forward to more Devil Dog .
I remember as a kid in the 90s i endedup seeing a walter ppk i think in 32acp it was on tv show guns and ammo. Decades later now 35 i just bought mine yesterday.😂 Mine is the 22lr in black The james bond gun is so cool 👍👍👍
Great video!! I bought a used Walther PPKS that was from Interarms. It wasn't extracting or ejecting properly, so I contacted Walther in Ft Smith, AR. They paid for the shipping, and actually replaced my gun with a brand new one, no charge. The new one was a definite upgrade with a full grip tang, slightly better machining, and a beautiful case. Great gun! Funny thing is, it doesn't deliver more combat accuracy than my S&W Bodyguard. Still love it though.
I’m in the same boat. I just like the little thing. My has functioned flawlessly since I purchased it, and it is extremely accurate. I’m glad to hear that Walther treated you so well! Thanks for the comment.
Hey Howard! I have the Interarms version I bought a couple of years ago for 6 bills. I took it to the range and the slide locked back after every shot. Upon close inspection, I noticed that the slide stop spring was missing. A few days and $15 later I fixed it. It has been completely reliable. It does have a tendency the web of your shooting hand smart a bit. The only PPs I’ve seen anywhere are chambered in 32 ACP. The PPK/S are all chambered in 380 or 22LR. It’s one of those things I bought because I always wanted one. Thank you, Sean Connery!
Really enjoyable video. Thank you. My only experience of a this pistol (many many years ago) was with an original Walther PPK (German manufacture) that was just a beautiful piece of precision engineering. The pistol fitted my hand perfectly and I was able to shoot some impressively tight groups. I had no problems with the DA trigger on the first shot (my regular pistol was a Model 39 so no surprises there) and had no problems with either hammer or slide bite. Which proves the old adage that if a gun feels right in your hand it's probably going to shoot right. I hope you continue to be delighted with your new acquisition.
I've had an Interarms made PPK/S since the late 1990s. It's a bit ammo picky. When it likes the ammo, it functions perfectly. It is also very accurate. I don't think you will find a pistol in its size and weight class that is more accurate. Those tiny sights are very precise. And the single action trigger is almost on par with single action revolver pulls.
I have an Interarms PPK/S from about the same time period too. I remember watching a video on UA-cam regarding polishing up the feed ramp on the Interarms. The gentleman claimed it fixed all his feeding issues.
@@craigsavarese8631 The Interarms was built to the original design and has what I can best describe as a "step" on the frame going into the chamber. The new ones have a nicer feed ramp from the look of them. That helps with the hollow points. The lack of an external slide lock does make clearing malfunctions a pain. I've had to strip the magazine out on more than one occasion. Even so, I've carried that gun a lot and in a variety of situations. I have no plans of getting rid of it.
Very good video on the Walther PPK/S. I just bought the same gun but the newer one made in Arkansas and the blue version a couple of days ago. A tip I have learned to prevent scratching the frame on disassembling for cleaning is use a playing card between the trigger guard and frame. Thanks for the great viedo and Semper Fi from a former Marine🇺🇸🇺🇸👍
I use one of those plastic things you use to put screws in plaster wallboard. Pull trigger guard down and insert it. It will hold trigger guard in place.
I am a Private Investigator in NY. The PPK 380 (Smith and Wesson) was one of my first two guns (as a beginner). The other is the Ruger LC9. The Walther is my favorite. I carry the Walther daily and the Ruger sits in my gun box.
What really made this video for me was the obvious fun you were having! I'll never own one, will probably never get the chance to fire them, but I'm glad they're still out there...
I never had a problem with slide bite on the models with the original tang/beavertail length, but man are these things a literal pain to shoot. I had an Interarms model in 380ACP and after two magazines worth of ammo my hand was aching so much that I just didn't want to shoot it anymore. Though I loved the gun I sold it shortly thereafter and bought one of the new models in 22LR. I wish those were a little pricier so that they could be as nicely finished as the 380 models, but I'll take what I can get. Until Walther reintroduces a 32ACP model someday!
@@hrfunk I am not. You may as well have a Walther TPH chambered in .22 LR or .25ACP. .32 ACP is still the reigning champion for the chambering that most models of pistol have been chambered in, but there are several hundred if not thousands of very extremely obscure pistols made between 1909 and 1959 chambered in .32 ACP. Aside from that .32 ACP is just not a very effective round for defensive use. It's ranked down with .25 ACP and rim fire .22s. They can still all kill a person. The Walther 25 ACP TPH is a very rare, expensive and finely made German mouse gun. Most TPHs I see are chambered in .22 LR. Not a fan of rim fire reliability!
.25 ACP mouse guns are actually a lot of fun for me to shoot. The TPH in .25 ACP can cost north of $2000! They are NOT easy to shoot from any remotely appreciable distance. Shooting 5-7 yards with a Baby Browning is like 50 yards with a 1911. 1/10 the walking to paste up targets!
If you use a 7,65 Walther feed it FIOCCHI 60 GRAIN SJHP ammo, this really enhances its potential as a personal defense cartridge with M.E levels on par with some .380 rounds, but does represent a viable option in this cartridge, The 7.65 Browning AKA .32 ACP was the most produced and utilized caliber in the world from its introduction in the 1900 FN until after WW2 when the 9mm began to make inroads yet it took nearly 20 more years to surpass it in popularity as the most produced pistol caliber, where it stands today. If a company produced a pistol you can bet it was offered in the 7.65 Browning.
@@Satchmoeddie I had a Walther TPH .22 and it was simply excellent. Never failed in any way, even with very hot hollowpoints, and NO slide bite! If you need a REALLY small and slim reliable hideout gun, that TPH .22 is worth the money!........................elsullo
Another very interesting video. Takes me back to when I was young and immortal. I carried a PPK as a back up in addition to my duty weapon. My old partner talked me into selling it to him a few years ago. Blessings brother
Dear HR, thank you so very much for your wonderful presentation of my favorite pistol! You did a very thorough & accurate job in its history and usage as well. So glad to have found you and looking forward to following your page! Stay well & thank you again!
My favorite pistol as well. Mine is almost the same as the one in the video... just newer. I lost an eye some years back and also use the laser sight so I was really pleased to see this.
@@PiratePrincessYuki wow, I wasn’t aware that a laser was available for this. I’m very sorry to hear about losing your eyesight in one eye. Blessings to you and your family
I, too, had a hankering for a Walther PPK/S. I finally found one in stainless steel manufactured by Interarms. Well as soon as I bought it I was so anxious to shoot it. My expectations weren't that high, considering some of the you tube videos I watched. Much to my surprise it was 100% reliable with FMJ ammo both 90 and 100 grain billets The real surprise was it performed 100% with Hornady Critical Defense and especially so with Federal Punch which has a huge hollowpoint, once again 100% zero malfunctions. Now I'm sweating it out I ordered a spare magazine and I've read comments that the new magazines might not be reliable with the older licensed copies of the PPK/S.
I purchased my Interarms made PPK/S in 1982. I carried it as my backup weapon for close to 20 years. It was and still is extreamly accurate. The only feeding problems I ever had were when I used cheap practice ammo. I still have it and it is in my EDC rotation.
I watched the laser dot closely during that segment of your shooting. I want to tell you how impressed I am with the steadiness of your aim. Nice shooting Marine!
Dang you HR Funk! I have been loving that gun since my aunt gave me her entire collection of James Bond paperbacks when I was 10 years old. I got to shoot one regularly back in the 80s when a friend of mine owned one, but I never could get myself to pay the price for one either. That is a very beautiful gun and looks like a good one to pick up and go when time is tight. It was also interesting to see that your sight picture looks like mine even though you shoot a whole lot better than I do.
Wonderful and thorough review! Decades ago I lucked into one of the early American made (early 1968?) stainless INTERARMS licensed PPk pistols. Beautifully made, it has fired over four hundred faultless rounds, EXCEPT the first generation Federal Hydroshocks, because of their sharp lips snagging the top of the chamber. I don't know about the current generation of Hydroshocks. Mine is even ACCURATE! Also, since mine was a biter, I fixed the slide-bite issue with a slip-on rubber sleeve with finger ridges. The ridges give more leverage for the fingers to keep the web of my hand low and snug so that the pistol cannot rotate in my hand from recoil! NO BITE! A couple of wide rubber bands on top of each other has the same result. It fits most pants pockets perfectly! A wonderful pre-Nazi bit of German design and engineering!............................elsullo
Another excellent video. I think you captured the essence of these pistols. I have shot several of the PP-PPK-PPK/S series of pistols. All were excellent shooters. They also all shot high at 7-12 yards but pretty much right on at 25 yards. The one factory target I saw was for a European produced PP and was shot at 25 meters. The Mauser HSc, a similar pistol, I had came with a target shot at 15 meters and was high at that distance. A long way to say that I think they are zeroed at 20-25 meters and so high when we shoot them in closer.
Great video, thanks! Well, you've gone and done it; now I need to get one. Like you, I've waited forever to get a PPK/S, and also considered many lesser substitutes along the way but couldn't bring myself to get one. I realised I just needed to wait till the time and funds were right for pulling the trigger (pun intended) on the real deal. Your video has clinched it for me, now I'm really ready to spring for one. It really is an aesthetically beautiful pistol. Cheers!
I own two ppks. The first bought in 1982 made by Manhurin ( blued ) , my second is a Interarms in stainless steel , which I bought about 12 years later. As far as shooting both pistols, I prefer the Manhurin as the trigger is slightly smother . The Interarms is also a good gun, neither pistol has had any malfunction .. Both pistols served as my back weapon which I carried on my ankle, until I replaced them with a kel-tec p-11 .
These are the best looking firearms ever made imo. But because I've always wanted one of these, but could never justify the price, I now own 2 Bersa Thunder 380's. A single stack and a double stack. They are both 100% reliable, accurate and built like tanks. You should still consider a Bersa. Especially if you want to keep this beautiful firearm pristine.
Really informative and entertaining video. Thank you hrfunk for taking the time to make it. Can't carry in Canada but a modern Walther USA black PPK in .380 Auto would absolutely be my go to urban edc. Having said that -> a pre-WW2 Luftwaffe (can't remember how to spell it at the moment...lol) PPK would be the holy grail PPK to own in a collection.
It is a classic gun, and you did a fine job of reviewing it. That slide bit only had to happen to me once..... ouch wtf? In comparison to the Sig P230, it has more recoil and “snap” so not my fav .380 to carry. Still great to have one. 👍
LOVE mine. Always like to carry a hammer-fired DA/SA when I can; my every day's a P365XL with a Holosun; but I like to carry my PpK on occasion. A lot of people call it a "mouse gun/expert's pistol" which I've never understood, coz I find mine a real joy to shoot and easy to do so accurately. Thanks Chief!
A lot of that depends upon you. I love my PPK/s and I accept it’s old world idiosyncrasies. The DA/SA trigger is an acquired taste that requires some work. The recoil is a bit snappy for a .380. The capacity is nothing to write home about (by today’s standards). The magazine release is not where you would expect to find it, and there’s no external slide stop. The 365XL is a more modern design in every sense. Even so, I would never trade my Walther for the Sig. My PPK/s has been utterly reliable, it’s extremely accurate, and it’s very,very cool. I’ll put in the work to master it.
My EDC is the Walther PPKs very controllable extremely accurate and fits inside my right pants pocket with no bulge 380 ammo has come a long way and defensive ammo readily available. Added plus Eastern European FMJ quite inexpensive.
I love the Walther PPK/S. I have one for my CCW. It always draws straight and hits whatever you point it at. As a bonus, it has the same controls and action as my Berettas. It is a little heavy and slightly large, but I make it work because it is the pistol I have to put the least thought to draw and aim. My only real gripe is the tail bite. The webbing of my hand hurts just thinking about it.
I gave my father ppk .380 for Christmas about 15 years ago I miss that handgun and he will not let it go either.. I bought my son the ppk/s in 22lr and it's 1 of my favorite to take out back and do some plinking with .. congrats on the find mr.funk.. I would definitely take the Walther over the bersa ( not that anything is wrong with a bersa) I think they are a good looking and well built handgun..
I owned one for a short period of time. It was the S&W version like yours. Beautiful gun but for some reason it cut Into my hand whenever I fired it so I traded it in. No other gun I've owned since has done that. Weird really. The gun I've always wanted but never did, has been the Beretta model 84 .380. One day I hope to get it.
I will never part with my PPK/S and have yet to have any issues firing it. This pistol was not made to sit and shoot 100’s of rounds at a range. It is made to unload 15 rounds at your enemy.
Great video. I have carried mine for years and enjoy the ability to conceal very easily. Bought mine off the internet for $500 and have never regretted the purchase. Yes it's heavier than a lot of the "plastic" guns on the market, but the added weight also seems to help with the recoil when shooting. Top it off with the fact that it is one sexy package (something I am not). Still my favorite weapon. Keep up the nice videos, you do a great job and come across nicely as someone that is both knowledgeable and not condescending to those of us without all the experience you have.
Excellent video and a beautiful pistol. I think you’re right about it smoothing up after a few 100 rounds. I guess you’re going to have to start reloading .380.
Good review as always Howard. I've watched it twice now, and in between I purchased a NIB PPK/S from my LGS. They ain't cheap, but then they never were I don't suppose. Like your's, no malfunctions, with either ball ammo, or again like you, some very limited shooting with NOVX 80 gr HP's. It just chugs along. Mine has a surprisingly good D/A trigger. Very much like a nice revolver (I'm a revolver guy at heart), very smooth, with no stacking. The S/A is even better...about 5 lbs, maybe a bit lighter depeding on the moon, stars, and stage of the tide for all I know. I found a nice Bianchi IWB holster (leather) to complete my "retro carry" package. Keep up the good work. Look forward to your next posting.
I've had one of these for a while. I have one of the new Arkansas Walther made ones, and its a great pistol. Mine was my backup carry until I switched to an SP101.
Hello to you, Today in my home town I came across this exact firearm, in remarkable condition. I have learnt a lot today with you on the S and W version of this model. Glad I was able to watch this. I am still thinking on getting it. I am subscribed with you and have always liked your clips, especially the Walter P99 Final Edition Thanks again
PPK/s ... Love 'em. The look and feel of these pistols is superb. I had an Interarms PPK/s years ago (380ACP), but like a dummy I traded it off for something. Never got another as they just got too pricey, and at the time S&W was making 'em, and they had some issues. Glad to see yours is apparently a good one, and very accurate. I used to plink rocks on the backstop/berm with mine out to about 50yds. If I didn't hit 'em, it came pretty close. I really liked the take down on these - just pull down and offset the trigger guard. Cool. Only thing I did not like was the very heavy dbl. action trigger pull - it was HEAVY. But the single action was light & "crisp" (grab a Pringle 😂) Now you got two good carry guns: the S&W CS9, and your PPK/s
A nice combo is a S&W 3913 with a 380 Ppk as backup. Instead of the new S&W mini 9 sa 1911, should have brought out a 10 shot CS9. Still prefer a da/sa pistol over a striker pistol
I bought mine over a decade ago. My PPK/s was manufactured for Walther by Smith & Wesson in Maine. Long prior to Walther moving to Arkansas. My only complaint is that the PPK/S is really heavy in an ankle holster. Oh, watch out for SLIDE BITE.
You’ll be driving an Aston Martin soon. Good video. Would like to have one of these or a Colt Mustang Pocketlite. I also would like to see it made in .32 acp.
As an aside, if you want to move up the power of the 380 in a Ppk, use Buffalo Bore . For plus p you should change recoil springs to a Wolff heavy, as well as firing pin springs but the 90 gr jhp from a Ppk will hit around 1200 fps, -100 gr hard cast fn1150. In standard pressure 90 gr jhp will go around 1025fps, hard cast 975. To me the best one without beating up your pistol is the standard pressure 100 gr cast. I am reloading the same bullet to around 950fps. Accurate and penetrates well .
That lever on the back of the slide is not considered a safety by Carl Walther. It is called a decocker. It is a way to safely uncock the firearm and then split it back up so you can carry it and that 20lb double action trigger pull is the safety mechanism. The Smith & Wesson's were identifiable by the longer beavertail they had below the hammer. The best load I ever came up with for that gun was a 90 grain Speer hollow point with 3.8 grains of 231. Nice load for that firearm. The Mauser HSC and 380 with automatically load the first cartridge into the chamber as soon as you put the loaded magazine into the firearm. That was nice
I still miss my Mauser HSc .380! Beautiful gun, perfect blueing and walnut grips, more accurate than I was! I traded it to get my Walther PPk! The Mauser had a remarkable design of a "delayed blowback" where the barrel stayed locked to the slide in recoil but did not tilt down, which probably added to accuracy. Ruger has revived that design with their Ruger 57 pistol, the 5.57X28 wonder gun; a delayed blowback just like Mauser made in 1932!...........................elsullo
I'm such a Walther fan. Such high quality, such originality. I don't get why this manufacturer isn't the top 2-3 favorite of the people?!?!?! You're gonna choose the most vanilla pistol manufacturer, Glock, over a PPQ a PPS or even these old PPK's? The trigger in a walther is the highest quality on the market now. HK, Smith, Canik all try to copy the trigger design.
Another fine video HR! I bought this same pistol about ten years ago and then bought the Crimson Trace grips for it. The laser isn't really useful in daylight as you found out. I found it kinda unpleasant to shoot. There was a recall on the S&W guns so you may want to check that out. I never had a problem with mine though. I bought a Remington RM380 for a pocket carry gun and I like it better. For self defense rounds in .380 check out the Underwood Ammo extreme penetrator ammo. Better performance than hollow points.
The Underwood "Extreme Defender" ammo might have a perfect penetration as is. Tests in silicone clear gel do not look too impressive, but that stuff is very elastic and shrinks back from the wound cavity produced to hide the damage. Rounds of the solid copper fluted bullets in organic gelatin show DRAMATIC permanent wound cavities, giving .380 ammo a whole new horizon!...............................elsullo
@@elsullo2 Thanks! As time goes by, I’m becoming less and less reliant on the results of ballistic gel testing. There are simply too many variables it can’t account for.
Really good shooting. It's not fashionable these days to refer to break in periods for pistols but there was a time when allowing for the mating of mechanical parts was expected. Could be the reason for the difference in the first two groups and for an expectation that the pistol will only get better in the future. I want one :). Never did before
I agree. All-steel pistols Probably still need a little bit of break in. Even so I think the difference between those two groups was shooter related not just all related. :-)
Thanks much for the very informative video. I have a S&W June 2007 PPK/S, that fell in the recall # range. Functioned flawlessly before & after recall mods. After ~100 rds functioning & trigger was slightly smoother, but was actually smooth when new. Flawless functioning w/both full patch & HP. I installed CT grips for very low light shooting capability, but I also like their feel vz. factory grips. I don't think S&W offered CT grips as a factory option, but you did mention that your Walther was purchased 2nd hand, so likely an after initial purchase addition. ..
My grandpa made the ppk caliber mistake. I tried to tell him that it was a .380 and not a 9mm but he couldn't be told anything by a 10 year old so we had to go through the motion of picking up the wrong ammo and heading out to the field only to find that the ammo wouldn't fit in the magazine!
My first handgun was a German Walther Ppk/s , still have it , Carried it for years then replaced it with an Interarms USproduced Stainless ppk. Changed springs, smoothed trigger and had a custom ambi safety added for my left hand carry. Neither pistol ever jammed with ball , holllowpoints or my reloads. Still carry it but not as often. Replaced it with late production Colt Mustang Pocketlite fitted with ambi safety . Big plus is the 8 ounce lighter weight and locked breech action.To be competitive today the Walther Ppk should come with an alloy frame, night sights and an ambi safety. While large and heavy for its caliber, it conceals well , is reliable and accurate. With the proper ammo it is fine for personal defense, it is not a military combat pistol. To those who call the 380a mouse gun , I will end with this. I saw surveillance footage years ago of an armed robbery. The defender shot an armed robber with-a Walther 380 Ppk/s at close range, two shots in the chest with 95 grain ball ammo,next, he slumped to the ground . Fight over. Walther 380 did what it was designed to
My daily carry backup gun. Accurate and very dependable. Mine is a Interarms made under license from Walther. Also own it's little sister, .22 LR PPK/S.
I found the pistol uncomfortable to fire. The fellow that traded it to me told me that was why he was selling it. The pistol grabs the skin in the web area. 1911 is more comfortable to fire.
Was really good shooting with those sights. The Walther PP in 7.65mm (32acp) FMJ, was the Police pistol in Denmark until 1996 or so, when they upgraded to the H&K USP Compact in 9mm.
The rear site was the first thing I noticed on your pistol. I bought my S&W PPK/S in 2009 It`s been a reliable and accurate runner , the only issues I ever had with it were 2 stove pipes back in the day using Remington green box witch I also notice run a little dirty. With all the people talking down on the S&W models I hope you got yours for a good price as I find the price of the new ones twice what I paid for mine new. I never could get used to the OEM pinky extension on the mags so I bought a few of the mags without extensions, feels a lot better to me even though the pinky extensions on other pistols don`t bother me. I`m like a few out there I bought mine because of James Bond movies. Tip for those that don`t know a 9mm maglula loader will load the mags with no trouble as all the genuine Walther mags I have are pretty stiff to load. My only wish for the PPK is that some day Walther would come back out with the PPK in 9x19 witch they did make in the 40`s.
As a matter of fact, I got what I would consider a very good deal on this pistol. I am quite happy now that I have shot it, and found that it is accurate and reliable.
I own one of the .32 ACP versions from the 1930s. I'm happy to have it in my collection it is the only historic military firearm I own. A bit more discussion of the various military manufacturersduring and after WW2 would be interesting to fill in the back drop of such a historic pistol.
I thought about going into the history of the various manufacturers, but I opted to abbreviate that segment. Maybe I’ll do a stand alone video on that topic in the future.
The fixed barrel makes this little pistol very accurate. The slightly larger CZ83 , is a similar pistol , larger but hold 12plus one weighs around four ounces more , ambi safety and mag release. Another classic , accurate 380. Showing up as used surplus for reasonable prices. I picked up a satin nickel Israeli Surplus a couple of years back
Still have my (purchased new/about 217.00$) 1976 "W Germany" 380 PPK/S. Carried it off-duty & once in a while as a back-up. Only negative I could find is that terrible over 12lb. first DA trigger . I ran three different magazines of Hornady Critical Defense at the range recently. It functioned flawlessly. The "W Germany" on the slide brings back many of the years during the "Cold War"......Have talked to a couple reputable gunsmiths & neither would work on that DA trigger .
I think the trigger is going to be an acquired taste. It’s one of the reasons I mentioned that the PPK is not a good pistol for a beginner. It’s going to take a bit of work and experience to master that trigger.
I owned one of the earlier production PPK/S models in .32 ACP for quite a few years back in the 90's and quite liked it, though even with my smaller hands, hammer bite was still a problem when employing a modern shooting grip. I did have the opportunity to fire one of the early .380 examples, but found it very snappy... I figured the round was actually just a bit hotter than the design was originally intended for. I'm guessing the redesigned tang alleviates this issue. I DID find it just a little difficult to conceal due to it's grip length in comparison to it's overall length... but you just have to set up your carry accordingly. I found the appendix carry position (which has since, of course, become VERY popular) to be the most effective with this pistol.
I absolutely love the look of the PPKs, like jewelry, unfortunately that's where it ends. I have owned three in the past, mid 90s, and got rid of them because of inaccuracy and unreliability with constant jamming. but it is a beautiful looking handgun.
Had one (380acp) 15 years a ago Ppk/s. Made under license by SW(they even had recall). Needed dry lube to feed hollow points. I shot the heck out of it. Very accurate blowback. Shot it so much eventually needed SW to replace with new slide; FTF/FTE. Metal backstrap frame always caused bleeding in web of hand. Sold it after a year. went to HK DA/SA in 9 and 45. Have never looked backed. Today’s modern BUG makes the mystique and old technology of PPK/s, overpriced, obsolete nostalgia.
Couldn't drag my tired behind out of the bed this morning haha! Great video and review on the PPK "sporting" model handgun. Doesn't get much better quality than Walther, especially the older production one's. The newer ones including yours is still a fine looking firearm. Also, Howard I like the fact you include much of the History of any firearm you handle. Well done! Nice acquisition in your sporting model!
Excellent Review and shooting, even though you did not hit the Tack! Congratulations on finally getting a Walther PPK/S .380! I have an older blued sample, made in West Germany.
Note that the iron sights and laser both printed high and right. I suspect it was fired by the previous owner and he/she adjusted the sights to compensate for the way they were shooting it. Now that you're shooting it and you hold it better than they did you had to move the rear sight back to center.
As I listen to your slow fire shooting, one thing keeps echoing in my mind: B R A S S ! Only a Marine will understand what that actually stands for! Great shooting!
Damn, I know this was year ago but this is excellent work. Great information. Very precise. Instant subscribe, keep working 👊 Looking for a PPK because of my grandfather, this was awesome.
I’ve had one for years. It has taken several vacations to New Hampshire for spa treatments at the mothership. It’s a classic…its cool but its also junk. Not in the least dependable. But its cool to have.
Nice piece! Both of them. I was never bitten with the PPK bug, but I was attracted to the slightly longer PP. I don’t have one, but I do have the Hungarian PA-63 which is almost a clone in external appearance to the PP and a pretty good pistol in it’s own rite.
I have enjoyed your videos for quite a while. I have a FEG PA63 in 9mm Makarov which is a clone of the Walther PP. After replacing the springs and horrible sights, it is a dream to shoot. I had the opportunity once to purchase a real Walther, but turned it down because of the heavy trigger and lack of accuracy. It looks like you got a very nice pistol there.
Very nice video, Howard, THANK YOU. The fact is, I’ve never fired any Walther PP-series firearm. But I’d offer - just for grins - a few thoughts. 1. I’m not a proponent of the.380 ACP (9x17mm) for defensive purposes. IMHO, it’s right at (or below) the margin for being potentially ineffective as a “rapid stopper” (as, imho, are standard pressure .38 Special rounds). Of course, solid center of mass hits from either of these calibers can be effective - for that matter .22LR rounds work - but how rapidly they do so is (again, imho) a very germane issue. 2. With that said, one of my prized sidearms was my dad’s Colt/Browning 1908, chambered in .380. He often carried it for “routine” FBI duties - with his issued 3.5 inch barrel, .38 (+P, although that terminology had not yet been created) on a 44 (N) frame readily available - for times when he wasn’t “interviewing bankers.” I fire this 1908 occasionally, it’s totally reliable, reasonably accurate (the sights are poor by modern standards), and it’s 3.8 inch barrel length provides somewhat enhanced muzzle energy and velocity compared to most modern .380’s. 3. I like Walther’s current CCP/M2, chambered in 9x19. Like the PP-series, it has a fixed barrel (which, I believe, can improve accuracy) and its a VERY soft shooter, with very light recoil and a very low-pressure recoil spring. The barrel length is 3.54 inches (enhanced muzzle velocity and sight radius) and it has an 8+1 capacity. To me, these are slight improvements over the popular ~3 inch, 9mm, mico-compacts (such as the P365 and the Hellcat), but the CCP is small, light and very concealable. It was interesting to note several of the design features that were carried forward from the PP-series to the CCP/M2, although - obviously - there are major differences, since the CCP is a striker fired 9mm (not a DA/SA .380) design.
Thanks Roy. I agree, for all practical purposes there are many modern compact 9mm pistols that do everything the PPK/s will do. They will also do those things better, more efficiently and offer improved stopping qualities. Even so, once in a while it's fun to carry a classic. Maybe occasionally, when I dress nicely for an evening out with my wife, the PPK will find its way into a shoulder holster. On those occasions, I'll also have my martini shaken not stirred.
@@hrfunk Ha, ha, ha! Yes, indeed, I wholly agree with you. Much akin to the “barbecue sidearms” (often very expensive and ornate, with elegant holsters and belts) that appear at Texas social gatherings.
Early '90s needed an affordable Pocket gun purchase the American arms PX22 (originally made by Iver Johnson) it was like a shrunk down 22 PPK... Later on in the late 90s I couldn't afford a PPK I purchased the f e g ..SMC ..380 . PPK clone made and Hungry...$200 NEW !!!.. it was actually better than the PPK with aluminum alloy frame only weighs 17 Oz. & more rounded edges than the PPK... drop dead accurate! drop dead reliability.! .$200 NEW!! Unfortunately KBI only imported them for 3 years 😢.. it was the smallest gun ever to pass the 1968 import restrictions! To do this the plastic grips had a thumb rest that made it just wide enough to pass the import restrictions.... I still own this gun although I'm carrying j frames and smaller 380 pocket pistols nowadays.. the quality controllability and accuracy of this PPK clone made in hungry is fantastic
I remember the advertisements for FEG firearms in some of the old gun magazines. From what I know, the products they manufactured were pretty good. I have a Charles Daly branded P - 35 high power clone, that is a very good pistol. FEG made the parts kit for that pistol. It was then assembled and the final machining was done here in the USA.
I like them, especially .32, and PP more than PPK etc, but they (and the Sig) bite the shit out of me and the DA trigger is awful. They can be ridiculously accurate. I love little.32s and have shot all of them. Give me a Beretta or even a KelTec P32. None are my 1st choice for EDC but if accurate enough and with a decent trigger, are a wonderful field piece, superior to a .22.
It’s interesting because in my opinion the Bersa is superior to the real McCoy in a number of ways, possibly in accuracy, in price, in convenience of improvements over the PPK, and ergonomics, not to mention 15 round plus magazine in the Thunder plus, and other improved perks like easier take down and lighter trigger pull with clean break, better sites that are adjustable by a mere screw,, and virtually identical in appearance and form to the Walther PPK, with a better natural hold and point. Just better all around, and a tad less recoil in this 20 oz. Pistol that actually weighs less than the PPKS but has a tad longer barrel at 3.54 inches. If you want the looks of the PPK with overall better ergonomics and performance at a much better price without sacrificing quality I would say go with the Bersa.
I have the Smith and Wesson PPKS and it's been a fantastic gun, it did take a little bit to break in as the manufacturing tolerances were a but tight but it's been flawless since. My only two gripes are the edges of the tang have edges that should have been smoothed out before sending off for finishing, if you shoot a lot of rounds it will cut up the webbing between your thumb and index finger. This can be reduced with a rubber wheel but you can damage the finish. The other issue is they haven't modernized the sights, I think there is wa way they could have milled out the front to put in a night front sight and still keep the classic look.
Since the S&W produced pistols were manufactured under license from Walther, the design could not be altered unless Walther signed off on the change. Aparently they were OK with the tang being lengthened, but they wanted the sights to remain the same.
@@hrfunk The tang in itself isn't a problem. If you hold a Ranger or Interarms version, the edges aren't as sharp. I can't see Walther giving them issues with a slight smoothing of the edges as it's more in line with the original PPK line.
I carry one ! Not cheap, but dang, it will never need a gun smith and will last 500 years.
Mine has been in the family since the early 90s and is a beautiful gun and very accurate but mine is just not reliable. My brother had a bersa 380 of the same vintage and his runs like a top..... Just my luck lol. Mine is a blued interarms import ppk/s we call it Bob Marley because it be jammin
@@bowlofrice8 get the new one made by Walther !! Runs like a champ. The interarms isn't a true Walther.
@@bowlofrice8 they weren't allowed to be imported after 1968 Smith and Wesson and interams made them in their factory using the Walther blue prints but they werent the same cuz it's really hard to re make a German gun.
@@bowlofrice8 Have you tried polishing the ramp and upper side of the chamber where the bullet slides? Or tried ammo of different bullet shapes? Most of the Interarms pistols work very well with a little love. Mine even has no problem with hollowpoints, except early Hydroshocks. Also, be sure to use a higher pressure range ammo, not the bargain stuff. European guns are designed for hot ammo....................elsullo
@@snaponsocksdotcom3360 Interarms followed the Walther design exactly, and most of their pistols were perfect and reliable. Smith and Wesson simplified the Walther design with fewer parts, which was not smart---every single early S&W PPKS had to be recalled to the factory for a defective safety!............................elsullo
When working CID ROBBERY all of our investigators ALWAYS CARRY TWO HANDGUNS, many packed the WALTHER PPK or PPK/S. I use one to this day, both blue and stainless older guns, not the newer guns, favor the pistols without the extended beavertail. Great for our hot and humid summers, even all the time really. Looking forward to Saturday and this review, true classic and a pistol I still favor in both .380 and even 7.65 with FIOCCHI 60 grain SJHP which is hot and likely the best load in this caliber.
Drinking coffee and really enjoying seeing you have fun with a classic. I also agree with your idea it is an experienced shooter's gun.
It is also a lot of fun. Thanks for watching and enjoy your coffee. (I think I need another cup myself!)
yup! its most likely the best designed pistol out there!
Its is not for the weak! This firearm is forever!
I am beyond grateful for this gift ! My son and I both are strapped and love a long life with Walther Just the best!!!!
HR welcome to the world of the PPK/s I’ve enjoyed mine for about 15-20 years. The performance of your S&W version mirrors my own. It has Fed every bullet weight, type and brand of 380 ammunition that I’ve put thought it, without a failure or any kind. It’s my EDC, in my front right pocket in a Don Hume holster.
Really enjoy your review, looking forward to more Devil Dog .
Thanks Vito, and Semper Fi!
I remember as a kid in the 90s i endedup seeing a walter ppk i think in 32acp it was on tv show guns and ammo.
Decades later now 35 i just bought mine yesterday.😂
Mine is the 22lr in black
The james bond gun is so cool 👍👍👍
Great video!! I bought a used Walther PPKS that was from Interarms. It wasn't extracting or ejecting properly, so I contacted Walther in Ft Smith, AR. They paid for the shipping, and actually replaced my gun with a brand new one, no charge. The new one was a definite upgrade with a full grip tang, slightly better machining, and a beautiful case. Great gun! Funny thing is, it doesn't deliver more combat accuracy than my S&W Bodyguard. Still love it though.
I’m in the same boat. I just like the little thing. My has functioned flawlessly since I purchased it, and it is extremely accurate. I’m glad to hear that Walther treated you so well! Thanks for the comment.
Hey Howard! I have the Interarms version I bought a couple of years ago for 6 bills. I took it to the range and the slide locked back after every shot. Upon close inspection, I noticed that the slide stop spring was missing. A few days and $15 later I fixed it. It has been completely reliable. It does have a tendency the web of your shooting hand smart a bit. The only PPs I’ve seen anywhere are chambered in 32 ACP. The PPK/S are all chambered in 380 or 22LR. It’s one of those things I bought because I always wanted one. Thank you, Sean Connery!
And thank you Ian Fleming! I really like this little pistol.
@hrfunk does the extended beaver tail help totally prevent slide / hammer bites? Or does it just reduce them?
I’ve Beverly experienced any sort of bite or discomfort.
@@hrfunk thanks
Another very good video Howard. I had a PPK for years till my daughter turned 21. It was at that time that I gifted it to her. She regularly cc it.
That was a very thoughtful gift. My daughter might be about the only one who would ever end up with mine!
Really enjoyable video. Thank you. My only experience of a this pistol (many many years ago) was with an original Walther PPK (German manufacture) that was just a beautiful piece of precision engineering. The pistol fitted my hand perfectly and I was able to shoot some impressively tight groups. I had no problems with the DA trigger on the first shot (my regular pistol was a Model 39 so no surprises there) and had no problems with either hammer or slide bite. Which proves the old adage that if a gun feels right in your hand it's probably going to shoot right. I hope you continue to be delighted with your new acquisition.
Thanks Alan. So far, I couldn't be happier. In fact, I think I'll carry it with me later when I run out to the store.
I've had an Interarms made PPK/S since the late 1990s. It's a bit ammo picky. When it likes the ammo, it functions perfectly. It is also very accurate. I don't think you will find a pistol in its size and weight class that is more accurate. Those tiny sights are very precise. And the single action trigger is almost on par with single action revolver pulls.
I have an Interarms PPK/S from about the same time period too. I remember watching a video on UA-cam regarding polishing up the feed ramp on the Interarms. The gentleman claimed it fixed all his feeding issues.
@@craigsavarese8631 The Interarms was built to the original design and has what I can best describe as a "step" on the frame going into the chamber. The new ones have a nicer feed ramp from the look of them. That helps with the hollow points. The lack of an external slide lock does make clearing malfunctions a pain. I've had to strip the magazine out on more than one occasion. Even so, I've carried that gun a lot and in a variety of situations. I have no plans of getting rid of it.
Very good video on the Walther PPK/S. I just bought the same gun but the newer one made in Arkansas and the blue version a couple of days ago.
A tip I have learned to prevent scratching the frame on disassembling for cleaning is use a playing card between the trigger guard and frame. Thanks for the great viedo and Semper Fi from a former Marine🇺🇸🇺🇸👍
Thanks and Semper Fi!
I use one of those plastic things you use to put screws in plaster wallboard. Pull trigger guard down and insert it. It will hold trigger guard in place.
I know these pistols aren’t as popular with the current market as when they first came out, but I love these guns. Classics!
I really like mine. It’s accurate, easy to carry, and exceptionally accurate.
@@hrfunk I need to bite the bullet and get one. It’s a fantastic bit of history and a beautiful firearm.
I am a Private Investigator in NY. The PPK 380 (Smith and Wesson) was one of my first two guns (as a beginner). The other is the Ruger LC9. The Walther is my favorite. I carry the Walther daily and the Ruger sits in my gun box.
It’s a classic handgun that’s been keeping people safe for decades. If you’ve got one that runs well, I think you’re pretty well armed.
Cool video. I have had my PPK/S since 1985. Mine was made by Interarms (Ranger). Excellent pistol.
I love mine. It’s been a great pistol and it’s just cool!
What really made this video for me was the obvious fun you were having! I'll never own one, will probably never get the chance to fire them, but I'm glad they're still out there...
It really is a fun little pistol. I hope you DO get the chance to fire one some day.
I had no clue that I would have been so interested in this weapon. Thanks for this video. Very informative.
You’re welcome. Thanks for watching!
I never had a problem with slide bite on the models with the original tang/beavertail length, but man are these things a literal pain to shoot. I had an Interarms model in 380ACP and after two magazines worth of ammo my hand was aching so much that I just didn't want to shoot it anymore. Though I loved the gun I sold it shortly thereafter and bought one of the new models in 22LR. I wish those were a little pricier so that they could be as nicely finished as the 380 models, but I'll take what I can get. Until Walther reintroduces a 32ACP model someday!
I'm surprised they are not making the .32 now.
@@hrfunk I am not. You may as well have a Walther TPH chambered in .22 LR or .25ACP. .32 ACP is still the reigning champion for the chambering that most models of pistol have been chambered in, but there are several hundred if not thousands of very extremely obscure pistols made between 1909 and 1959 chambered in .32 ACP. Aside from that .32 ACP is just not a very effective round for defensive use. It's ranked down with .25 ACP and rim fire .22s. They can still all kill a person. The Walther 25 ACP TPH is a very rare, expensive and finely made German mouse gun. Most TPHs I see are chambered in .22 LR. Not a fan of rim fire reliability!
.25 ACP mouse guns are actually a lot of fun for me to shoot. The TPH in .25 ACP can cost north of $2000! They are NOT easy to shoot from any remotely appreciable distance. Shooting 5-7 yards with a Baby Browning is like 50 yards with a 1911. 1/10 the walking to paste up targets!
If you use a 7,65 Walther feed it FIOCCHI 60 GRAIN SJHP ammo, this really enhances its potential as a personal defense cartridge with M.E levels on par with some .380 rounds, but does represent a viable option in this cartridge, The 7.65 Browning AKA .32 ACP was the most produced and utilized caliber in the world from its introduction in the 1900 FN until after WW2 when the 9mm began to make inroads yet it took nearly 20 more years to surpass it in popularity as the most produced pistol caliber, where it stands today. If a company produced a pistol you can bet it was offered in the 7.65 Browning.
@@Satchmoeddie I had a Walther TPH .22 and it was simply excellent. Never failed in any way, even with very hot hollowpoints, and NO slide bite! If you need a REALLY small and slim reliable hideout gun, that TPH .22 is worth the money!........................elsullo
M first gun was a PPK/S, from Interarms. Bought it in 1987, if I remember correctly. Shoots very straight and is quite reliable. I’ll never sell it.
That reflects my same sentiments regarding the pistol in the video.
One Thing you didn't mention S&W also change the feed ramp design. It makes easier feeding for hollow points. Enjoy your PPK/S
I don't think I knew that. Thanks for the info.
Another very interesting video. Takes me back to when I was young and immortal. I carried a PPK as a back up in addition to my duty weapon. My old partner talked me into selling it to him a few years ago. Blessings brother
Thanks Woodrow!
Dear HR, thank you so very much for your wonderful presentation of my favorite pistol! You did a very thorough & accurate job in its history and usage as well. So glad to have found you and looking forward to following your page! Stay well & thank you again!
Thank you for watching Matthew. I’m glad you enjoy my content.
My favorite pistol as well. Mine is almost the same as the one in the video... just newer. I lost an eye some years back and also use the laser sight so I was really pleased to see this.
@@PiratePrincessYuki wow, I wasn’t aware that a laser was available for this. I’m very sorry to hear about losing your eyesight in one eye. Blessings to you and your family
@@matthewmushlin13 yeah, it’s actually mounted to the grip.
@@PiratePrincessYuki might I ask you for the name of the manufacturer? Thank you 🙏🏻
I, too, had a hankering for a Walther PPK/S. I finally found one in stainless steel manufactured by Interarms. Well as soon as I bought it I was so anxious to shoot it. My expectations weren't that high, considering some of the you tube videos I watched. Much to my surprise it was 100% reliable with FMJ ammo both 90 and 100 grain billets
The real surprise was it performed 100% with Hornady Critical Defense and especially so with Federal Punch which has a huge hollowpoint, once again 100% zero malfunctions. Now I'm sweating it out I ordered a spare magazine and I've read comments that the new magazines might not be reliable with the older licensed copies of the PPK/S.
I think you’ll be OK, I’m no aware of any changes to the magazines. You could alway call Walther USA and ask them.
I purchased my Interarms made PPK/S in 1982. I carried it as my backup weapon for close to 20 years. It was and still is extreamly accurate. The only feeding problems I ever had were when I used cheap practice ammo. I still have it and it is in my EDC rotation.
Same here and I killed already two bimbos.
I watched the laser dot closely during that segment of your shooting. I want to tell you how impressed I am with the steadiness of your aim. Nice shooting Marine!
Thanks Troy, Semper Fi!
AS always, great video. So enjoyable to watch videos without cussing and vulgarity. Thanks again Harold!
You're welcome! Thanks for watching.
Dang you HR Funk! I have been loving that gun since my aunt gave me her entire collection of James Bond paperbacks when I was 10 years old. I got to shoot one regularly back in the 80s when a friend of mine owned one, but I never could get myself to pay the price for one either. That is a very beautiful gun and looks like a good one to pick up and go when time is tight. It was also interesting to see that your sight picture looks like mine even though you shoot a whole lot better than I do.
I love the PPK and PPK/s, but I never cared for James Bond films .But That was decades ago .Maybe they deserve another look .
Wonderful and thorough review! Decades ago I lucked into one of the early American made (early 1968?) stainless INTERARMS licensed PPk pistols. Beautifully made, it has fired over four hundred faultless rounds, EXCEPT the first generation Federal Hydroshocks, because of their sharp lips snagging the top of the chamber. I don't know about the current generation of Hydroshocks. Mine is even ACCURATE! Also, since mine was a biter, I fixed the slide-bite issue with a slip-on rubber sleeve with finger ridges. The ridges give more leverage for the fingers to keep the web of my hand low and snug so that the pistol cannot rotate in my hand from recoil! NO BITE! A couple of wide rubber bands on top of each other has the same result. It fits most pants pockets perfectly! A wonderful pre-Nazi bit of German design and engineering!............................elsullo
Another excellent video. I think you captured the essence of these pistols. I have shot several of the PP-PPK-PPK/S series of pistols. All were excellent shooters. They also all shot high at 7-12 yards but pretty much right on at 25 yards. The one factory target I saw was for a European produced PP and was shot at 25 meters. The Mauser HSc, a similar pistol, I had came with a target shot at 15 meters and was high at that distance. A long way to say that I think they are zeroed at 20-25 meters and so high when we shoot them in closer.
That may well be. Truthfully, for its intended role, I think the point of impact is fine.
Great video, thanks! Well, you've gone and done it; now I need to get one. Like you, I've waited forever to get a PPK/S, and also considered many lesser substitutes along the way but couldn't bring myself to get one. I realised I just needed to wait till the time and funds were right for pulling the trigger (pun intended) on the real deal. Your video has clinched it for me, now I'm really ready to spring for one. It really is an aesthetically beautiful pistol. Cheers!
Good luck! I hope you find one. Now that I think about it, I haven’t carried mine recently. I might just have to go pull it out of the safe.
I own two ppks. The first bought in 1982 made by Manhurin ( blued ) , my second is a Interarms in stainless steel , which I bought about 12 years later. As far as shooting both pistols, I prefer the Manhurin as the trigger is slightly smother . The Interarms is also a good gun, neither pistol has had any malfunction .. Both pistols served as my back weapon which I carried on my ankle, until I replaced them with a
kel-tec p-11 .
These are the best looking firearms ever made imo. But because I've always wanted one of these, but could never justify the price, I now own 2 Bersa Thunder 380's. A single stack and a double stack. They are both 100% reliable, accurate and built like tanks.
You should still consider a Bersa. Especially if you want to keep this beautiful firearm pristine.
I really like mine, and it's light weight being aluminum. I also have a Thunder 9 and enjoy it also.
@@chrislj2890 I've been looking hard at the TPR9 lately. Compact or full size.
@@scottallen6664
Mine is the Ultra Compact, and it's a perfect size and weight for me.
Really informative and entertaining video. Thank you hrfunk for taking the time to make it. Can't carry in Canada but a modern Walther USA black PPK in .380 Auto would absolutely be my go to urban edc. Having said that -> a pre-WW2 Luftwaffe (can't remember how to spell it at the moment...lol) PPK would be the holy grail PPK to own in a collection.
That WOULD be extremely cool. Thanks for watching!
It is a classic gun, and you did a fine job of reviewing it. That slide bit only had to happen to me once..... ouch wtf? In comparison to the Sig P230, it has more recoil and “snap” so not my fav .380 to carry. Still great to have one. 👍
LOVE mine. Always like to carry a hammer-fired DA/SA when I can; my every day's a P365XL with a Holosun; but I like to carry my PpK on occasion. A lot of people call it a "mouse gun/expert's pistol" which I've never understood, coz I find mine a real joy to shoot and easy to do so accurately. Thanks Chief!
You’re welcome Matt. Thanks for watching!
I have a p365xl and I’m debating on switching to a Ppk/s for my primary carry gun. Thoughts?
A lot of that depends upon you. I love my PPK/s and I accept it’s old world idiosyncrasies. The DA/SA trigger is an acquired taste that requires some work. The recoil is a bit snappy for a .380. The capacity is nothing to write home about (by today’s standards). The magazine release is not where you would expect to find it, and there’s no external slide stop. The 365XL is a more modern design in every sense. Even so, I would never trade my Walther for the Sig. My PPK/s has been utterly reliable, it’s extremely accurate, and it’s very,very cool. I’ll put in the work to master it.
My EDC is the Walther PPKs very controllable extremely accurate and fits inside my right pants pocket with no bulge 380 ammo has come a long way and defensive ammo readily available. Added plus Eastern European FMJ quite inexpensive.
Given the recent ammunition restrictions, I am not sure how much more of that eastern European ammo we are going to see.
I have a stainless PPK/s and a PPK and I really like them .I also carry a Ruger LC9 ,dao,and a Colt Mustang and various 9mm ,and .38 revolvers.
I got some real nice checkered wood grips from CDNN some years ago .so you can always swap them .
I love the Walther PPK/S. I have one for my CCW. It always draws straight and hits whatever you point it at. As a bonus, it has the same controls and action as my Berettas. It is a little heavy and slightly large, but I make it work because it is the pistol I have to put the least thought to draw and aim. My only real gripe is the tail bite. The webbing of my hand hurts just thinking about it.
That’s one of the nice things about mine. Since it’s one of the newer pistols, it has the extended grip tang which mitigates the bite.
I carried a Sig P230 and then a P232 .380 (Walther PP sized clone) as a back up/off duty pistol for many years. I've never had a problem with it.
My former Chief carried a 230. I always thought it was a nice pistol.
The 7 round clip for the PPK/S works fine in the PPK, at least with the Smith and Wesson model.
I gave my father ppk .380 for Christmas about 15 years ago I miss that handgun and he will not let it go either.. I bought my son the ppk/s in 22lr and it's 1 of my favorite to take out back and do some plinking with .. congrats on the find mr.funk.. I would definitely take the Walther over the bersa ( not that anything is wrong with a bersa) I think they are a good looking and well built handgun..
There is just something about the real Walthers.
That first long trigger pull is a built in last safety feature to make you really think if you want to kill the suspect.
Well said, I had this gun in my hand today and realized you have to really want to pull that trigger. Thanks
Excellent review!👍
Now I miss the German built model PP I had back in the 70's.😢
Thank you. Too bad that one got away.
I owned one for a short period of time. It was the S&W version like yours. Beautiful gun but for some reason it cut Into my hand whenever I fired it so I traded it in. No other gun I've owned since has done that. Weird really.
The gun I've always wanted but never did, has been the Beretta model 84 .380. One day I hope to get it.
Those are sexy pistols in their own right.
I will never part with my PPK/S and have yet to have any issues firing it.
This pistol was not made to sit and shoot 100’s of rounds at a range.
It is made to unload 15 rounds at your enemy.
15? Mine is 10 + 1 (a .22LR, sorry)
@@rapidrrobert4333
Two 7 round and one in chamber.
Great video. I have carried mine for years and enjoy the ability to conceal very easily. Bought mine off the internet for $500 and have never regretted the purchase. Yes it's heavier than a lot of the "plastic" guns on the market, but the added weight also seems to help with the recoil when shooting. Top it off with the fact that it is one sexy package (something I am not). Still my favorite weapon. Keep up the nice videos, you do a great job and come across nicely as someone that is both knowledgeable and not condescending to those of us without all the experience you have.
Thank you!
Excellent video and a beautiful pistol. I think you’re right about it smoothing up after a few 100 rounds. I guess you’re going to have to start reloading .380.
Ha, ha! I guess so!
Good review as always Howard. I've watched it twice now, and in between I purchased a NIB PPK/S from my LGS. They ain't cheap, but then they never were I don't suppose. Like your's, no malfunctions, with either ball ammo, or again like you, some very limited shooting with NOVX 80 gr HP's. It just chugs along. Mine has a surprisingly good D/A trigger. Very much like a nice revolver (I'm a revolver guy at heart), very smooth, with no stacking. The S/A is even better...about 5 lbs, maybe a bit lighter depeding on the moon, stars, and stage of the tide for all I know. I found a nice Bianchi IWB holster (leather) to complete my "retro carry" package.
Keep up the good work. Look forward to your next posting.
Will do. Enjoy that classic pistol!
I've had one of these for a while. I have one of the new Arkansas Walther made ones, and its a great pistol. Mine was my backup carry until I switched to an SP101.
Hello to you,
Today in my home town I came across this exact firearm, in remarkable condition. I have learnt a lot today with you on the S and W version of this model. Glad I was able to watch this. I am still thinking on getting it. I am subscribed with you and have always liked your clips, especially the Walter P99 Final Edition
Thanks again
Thank you!
PPK/s ... Love 'em. The look and feel of these pistols is superb. I had an Interarms PPK/s years ago (380ACP), but like a dummy I traded it off for something. Never got another as they just got too pricey, and at the time S&W was making 'em, and they had some issues.
Glad to see yours is apparently a good one, and very accurate. I used to plink rocks on the backstop/berm with mine out to about 50yds. If I didn't hit 'em, it came pretty close.
I really liked the take down on these - just pull down and offset the trigger guard. Cool.
Only thing I did not like was the very heavy dbl. action trigger pull - it was HEAVY. But the single action was light & "crisp" (grab a Pringle 😂)
Now you got two good carry guns: the S&W CS9, and your PPK/s
Yep! Neither one of those two will ever leave my collection.
A nice combo is a S&W 3913 with a 380 Ppk as backup. Instead of the new S&W mini 9 sa 1911, should have brought out a 10 shot CS9. Still prefer a da/sa pistol over a striker pistol
I bought mine over a decade ago. My PPK/s was manufactured for Walther by Smith & Wesson in Maine. Long prior to Walther moving to Arkansas. My only complaint is that the PPK/S is really heavy in an ankle holster. Oh, watch out for SLIDE BITE.
I’m surprised it’s biting you since S&W lengthened the grip tang.
@@hrfunk I just think that I had a bad grip that day. Only has happened to me once.
You’ll be driving an Aston Martin soon. Good video. Would like to have one of these or a Colt Mustang Pocketlite. I also would like to see it made in .32 acp.
Thanks Alan. I'm surprised Walther is not making it in .32 currently.
Colt , not satisfied with discontinuing the Mustang pocketlite once, has discontinued it a second time. What a bunch of losers
As an aside, if you want to move up the power of the 380 in a Ppk, use Buffalo Bore . For plus p you should change recoil springs to a Wolff heavy, as well as firing pin springs but the 90 gr jhp from a Ppk will hit around 1200 fps, -100 gr hard cast fn1150. In standard pressure 90 gr jhp will go around 1025fps, hard cast 975. To me the best one without beating up your pistol is the standard pressure 100 gr cast. I am reloading the same bullet to around 950fps. Accurate and penetrates well .
Thanks Michael. I’ve got mine loaded with Hornady Personal Defense at the moment. I might look into the Buffalo Bore in the future.
That lever on the back of the slide is not considered a safety by Carl Walther. It is called a decocker. It is a way to safely uncock the firearm and then split it back up so you can carry it and that 20lb double action trigger pull is the safety mechanism.
The Smith & Wesson's were identifiable by the longer beavertail they had below the hammer.
The best load I ever came up with for that gun was a 90 grain Speer hollow point with 3.8 grains of 231. Nice load for that firearm.
The Mauser HSC and 380 with automatically load the first cartridge into the chamber as soon as you put the loaded magazine into the firearm. That was nice
I still miss my Mauser HSc .380! Beautiful gun, perfect blueing and walnut grips, more accurate than I was! I traded it to get my Walther PPk! The Mauser had a remarkable design of a "delayed blowback" where the barrel stayed locked to the slide in recoil but did not tilt down, which probably added to accuracy. Ruger has revived that design with their Ruger 57 pistol, the 5.57X28 wonder gun; a delayed blowback just like Mauser made in 1932!...........................elsullo
Man I already know this video is going to be a good one. 40 hours can't pass by soon enough
Great video Chief, thanks. Beautiful modern classic. Gotta ditch that crimson grip though and keep it classic 😉.
Thanks Keith!
I carry a Walther PPS in my pocket all the time it's Slimmer pistol and it's a 9 millimeter perfect modern James Bond gun
Same here. With all my others. Some how it still remains my 1st choice.
I'm such a Walther fan. Such high quality, such originality. I don't get why this manufacturer isn't the top 2-3 favorite of the people?!?!?! You're gonna choose the most vanilla pistol manufacturer, Glock, over a PPQ a PPS or even these old PPK's? The trigger in a walther is the highest quality on the market now. HK, Smith, Canik all try to copy the trigger design.
i got one of them many years ago at that time i paid $422.00 for it it’s a little heavy to conceal carry but overall a great gun!!!
I agree!
Another fine video HR! I bought this same pistol about ten years ago and then bought the Crimson Trace grips for it. The laser isn't really useful in daylight as you found out. I found it kinda unpleasant to shoot. There was a recall on the S&W guns so you may want to check that out. I never had a problem with mine though. I bought a Remington RM380 for a pocket carry gun and I like it better. For self defense rounds in .380 check out the Underwood Ammo extreme penetrator ammo. Better performance than hollow points.
Thanks! I’ll check out that ammo. Just FYI, my pistol was manufactured after the recall. Thanks for watching!
The Underwood "Extreme Defender" ammo might have a perfect penetration as is. Tests in silicone clear gel do not look too impressive, but that stuff is very elastic and shrinks back from the wound cavity produced to hide the damage. Rounds of the solid copper fluted bullets in organic gelatin show DRAMATIC permanent wound cavities, giving .380 ammo a whole new horizon!...............................elsullo
@@elsullo2 Thanks! As time goes by, I’m becoming less and less reliant on the results of ballistic gel testing. There are simply too many variables it can’t account for.
Really good shooting. It's not fashionable these days to refer to break in periods for pistols but there was a time when allowing for the mating of mechanical parts was expected. Could be the reason for the difference in the first two groups and for an expectation that the pistol will only get better in the future.
I want one :). Never did before
I agree. All-steel pistols Probably still need a little bit of break in. Even so I think the difference between those two groups was shooter related not just all related. :-)
@@hrfunk You would be the one to know. You know what they felt like when you sent them on their way
Thanks much for the very informative video. I have a S&W June 2007 PPK/S, that fell in the recall # range. Functioned flawlessly before & after recall mods. After ~100 rds functioning & trigger was slightly smoother, but was actually smooth when new. Flawless functioning w/both full patch & HP. I installed CT grips for very low light shooting capability, but I also like their feel vz. factory grips. I don't think S&W offered CT grips as a factory option, but you did mention that your Walther was purchased 2nd hand, so likely an after initial purchase addition. ..
I would have to sort back through my old catalogs, but I believe that was a factory option. In any case, thanks for watching!
Beautiful pistol. Congratulations on your addition.
Thank you!
Good marksmanship after tweaking the rear sight.
My grandpa made the ppk caliber mistake. I tried to tell him that it was a .380 and not a 9mm but he couldn't be told anything by a 10 year old so we had to go through the motion of picking up the wrong ammo and heading out to the field only to find that the ammo wouldn't fit in the magazine!
He's not the only one who's ever done that. the disturbing thing is that someone working at the store where he purchased the ammo should have known.
As an owner of both a new production Walther PpK and an older S&W like this one...Yeah Chief I highly doubt that's ever been fired!
It has been now! And it’s running like a top. I really like it.
My first handgun was a German Walther Ppk/s , still have it , Carried it for years then replaced it with an Interarms USproduced Stainless ppk. Changed springs, smoothed trigger and had a custom ambi safety added for my left hand carry. Neither pistol ever jammed with ball , holllowpoints or my reloads. Still carry it but not as often. Replaced it with late production Colt Mustang Pocketlite fitted with ambi safety . Big plus is the 8 ounce lighter weight and locked breech action.To be competitive today the Walther Ppk should come with an alloy frame, night sights and an ambi safety. While large and heavy for its caliber, it conceals well , is reliable and accurate. With the proper ammo it is fine for personal defense, it is not a military combat pistol. To those who call the 380a mouse gun , I will end with this. I saw surveillance footage years ago of an armed robbery. The defender shot an armed robber with-a Walther 380 Ppk/s at close range, two shots in the chest with 95 grain ball ammo,next, he slumped to the ground . Fight over. Walther 380 did what it was designed to
I believe it.I have seen more than one corpse attributable to the .380 ACP.
My daily carry backup gun. Accurate and very dependable. Mine is a Interarms made under license from Walther. Also own it's little sister, .22 LR PPK/S.
Now that I have the .380, a .22 seems like a good companion for it!
I found the pistol uncomfortable to fire. The fellow that traded it to me told me that was why he was selling it. The pistol grabs the skin in the web area. 1911 is more comfortable to fire.
As I mentioned in the video, the newer ones have an extended grip tang that goes a long way toward making them more comfortable to shoot.
Was really good shooting with those sights.
The Walther PP in 7.65mm (32acp) FMJ, was the Police pistol in Denmark until 1996 or so, when they upgraded to the H&K USP Compact in 9mm.
Thanks for the info. I didn't know that.
German too until early 90s
The rear site was the first thing I noticed on your pistol. I bought my S&W PPK/S in 2009 It`s been a reliable and accurate runner , the only issues I ever had with it were 2 stove pipes back in the day using Remington green box witch I also notice run a little dirty. With all the people talking down on the S&W models I hope you got yours for a good price as I find the price of the new ones twice what I paid for mine new. I never could get used to the OEM pinky extension on the mags so I bought a few of the mags without extensions, feels a lot better to me even though the pinky extensions on other pistols don`t bother me. I`m like a few out there I bought mine because of James Bond movies. Tip for those that don`t know a 9mm maglula loader will load the mags with no trouble as all the genuine Walther mags I have are pretty stiff to load. My only wish for the PPK is that some day Walther would come back out with the PPK in 9x19 witch they did make in the 40`s.
As a matter of fact, I got what I would consider a very good deal on this pistol. I am quite happy now that I have shot it, and found that it is accurate and reliable.
I own one of the .32 ACP versions from the 1930s. I'm happy to have it in my collection it is the only historic military firearm I own. A bit more discussion of the various military manufacturersduring and after WW2 would be interesting to fill in the back drop of such a historic pistol.
I thought about going into the history of the various manufacturers, but I opted to abbreviate that segment. Maybe I’ll do a stand alone video on that topic in the future.
The fixed barrel makes this little pistol very accurate. The slightly larger CZ83 , is a similar pistol , larger but hold 12plus one weighs around four ounces more , ambi safety and mag release. Another classic , accurate 380. Showing up as used surplus for reasonable prices. I picked up a satin nickel Israeli Surplus a couple of years back
Still have my (purchased new/about 217.00$) 1976 "W Germany" 380 PPK/S. Carried it off-duty & once in a while as a back-up. Only negative I could find is that terrible over 12lb. first DA trigger . I ran three different magazines of Hornady Critical Defense at the range recently. It functioned flawlessly. The "W Germany" on the slide brings back many of the years during the "Cold War"......Have talked to a couple reputable gunsmiths & neither would work on that DA trigger .
I think the trigger is going to be an acquired taste. It’s one of the reasons I mentioned that the PPK is not a good pistol for a beginner. It’s going to take a bit of work and experience to master that trigger.
I owned one of the earlier production PPK/S models in .32 ACP for quite a few years back in the 90's and quite liked it, though even with my smaller hands, hammer bite was still a problem when employing a modern shooting grip. I did have the opportunity to fire one of the early .380 examples, but found it very snappy... I figured the round was actually just a bit hotter than the design was originally intended for. I'm guessing the redesigned tang alleviates this issue.
I DID find it just a little difficult to conceal due to it's grip length in comparison to it's overall length... but you just have to set up your carry accordingly. I found the appendix carry position (which has since, of course, become VERY popular) to be the most effective with this pistol.
Thanks Dale. I'm surprised to know that these were legal in Canada. Was that before some of the current legislation came into effect?
I absolutely love the look of the PPKs, like jewelry, unfortunately that's where it ends. I have owned three in the past, mid 90s, and got rid of them because of inaccuracy and unreliability with constant jamming. but it is a beautiful looking handgun.
That’s too bad. I’ve experienced neither of those issues with my pistol.
As always, your presentation and knowledge are first rate.
Thank you Rick!
Had one (380acp) 15 years a ago Ppk/s. Made under license by SW(they even had recall). Needed dry lube to feed hollow points. I shot the heck out of it. Very accurate blowback. Shot it so much eventually needed SW to replace with new slide; FTF/FTE. Metal backstrap frame always caused bleeding in web of hand. Sold it after a year. went to HK DA/SA in 9 and 45. Have never looked backed. Today’s modern BUG makes the mystique and old technology of PPK/s, overpriced, obsolete nostalgia.
Couldn't drag my tired behind out of the bed this morning haha! Great video and review on the PPK "sporting" model handgun. Doesn't get much better quality than Walther, especially the older production one's. The newer ones including yours is still a fine looking firearm. Also, Howard I like the fact you include much of the History of any firearm you handle. Well done! Nice acquisition in your sporting model!
Thanks David! I got lucky with this one!
My carry gun is an Iver Johnson TP22. A stone cold copy of a PPK. I love it!!!
Excellent Review and shooting, even though you did not hit the Tack!
Congratulations on finally getting a Walther PPK/S .380!
I have an older blued sample, made in West Germany.
Thanks! Some days I’m the bullet, some days I’m the tack!
Excellent review. Considering purchasing the ppk/s and previously owned one 15 years ago and sold it. Still undecided whether to unload the $900 cost
I know. They’re not cheap. For once, I got lucky when I found mine.
Note that the iron sights and laser both printed high and right. I suspect it was fired by the previous owner and he/she adjusted the sights to compensate for the way they were shooting it. Now that you're shooting it and you hold it better than they did you had to move the rear sight back to center.
Possibly, but the laser was farther off than the mechanical sights.
As I listen to your slow fire shooting, one thing keeps echoing in my mind: B R A S S ! Only a Marine will understand what that actually stands for!
Great shooting!
Thank you Skip! My new microphone seems to pick up my breathing a lot more than my old one did, ha ha!
I've also wanted one of these for years. Thanks for the thorough review!
You’re welcome!
Damn, I know this was year ago but this is excellent work. Great information. Very precise. Instant subscribe, keep working 👊 Looking for a PPK because of my grandfather, this was awesome.
Thank you for the sub and welcome aboard!
I’ve had one for years. It has taken several vacations to New Hampshire for spa treatments at the mothership. It’s a classic…its cool but its also junk. Not in the least dependable. But its cool to have.
Sorry to hear that. Mine has been running very well.
@@hrfunk you are a lucky man. Never sell that one.
Nice piece! Both of them. I was never bitten with the PPK bug, but I was attracted to the slightly longer PP. I don’t have one, but I do have the Hungarian PA-63 which is almost a clone in external appearance to the PP and a pretty good pistol in it’s own rite.
Love my Walther PPK/s, only trouble the safety is really hard to use and seems raggedy!
I have enjoyed your videos for quite a while. I have a FEG PA63 in 9mm Makarov which is a clone of the Walther PP. After replacing the springs and horrible sights, it is a dream to shoot. I had the opportunity once to purchase a real Walther, but turned it down because of the heavy trigger and lack of accuracy. It looks like you got a very nice pistol there.
I couldn't be happier with it. Enjoy your FEG (they made great pistols in their day!)
Very nice video, Howard, THANK YOU. The fact is, I’ve never fired any Walther PP-series firearm. But I’d offer - just for grins - a few thoughts.
1. I’m not a proponent of the.380 ACP (9x17mm) for defensive purposes. IMHO, it’s right at (or below) the margin for being potentially ineffective as a “rapid stopper” (as, imho, are standard pressure .38 Special rounds). Of course, solid center of mass hits from either of these calibers can be effective - for that matter .22LR rounds work - but how rapidly they do so is (again, imho) a very germane issue.
2. With that said, one of my prized sidearms was my dad’s Colt/Browning 1908, chambered in .380. He often carried it for “routine” FBI duties - with his issued 3.5 inch barrel, .38 (+P, although that terminology had not yet been created) on a 44 (N) frame readily available - for times when he wasn’t “interviewing bankers.” I fire this 1908 occasionally, it’s totally reliable, reasonably accurate (the sights are poor by modern standards), and it’s 3.8 inch barrel length provides somewhat enhanced muzzle energy and velocity compared to most modern .380’s.
3. I like Walther’s current CCP/M2, chambered in 9x19. Like the PP-series, it has a fixed barrel (which, I believe, can improve accuracy) and its a VERY soft shooter, with very light recoil and a very low-pressure recoil spring. The barrel length is 3.54 inches (enhanced muzzle velocity and sight radius) and it has an 8+1 capacity. To me, these are slight improvements over the popular ~3 inch, 9mm, mico-compacts (such as the P365 and the Hellcat), but the CCP is small, light and very concealable. It was interesting to note several of the design features that were carried forward from the PP-series to the CCP/M2, although - obviously - there are major differences, since the CCP is a striker fired 9mm (not a DA/SA .380) design.
Thanks Roy. I agree, for all practical purposes there are many modern compact 9mm pistols that do everything the PPK/s will do. They will also do those things better, more efficiently and offer improved stopping qualities. Even so, once in a while it's fun to carry a classic. Maybe occasionally, when I dress nicely for an evening out with my wife, the PPK will find its way into a shoulder holster. On those occasions, I'll also have my martini shaken not stirred.
@@hrfunk
Ha, ha, ha! Yes, indeed, I wholly agree with you. Much akin to the “barbecue sidearms” (often very expensive and ornate, with elegant holsters and belts) that appear at Texas social gatherings.
Early '90s needed an affordable Pocket gun purchase the American arms PX22 (originally made by Iver Johnson) it was like a shrunk down 22 PPK... Later on in the late 90s I couldn't afford a PPK I purchased the f e g ..SMC ..380 . PPK clone made and Hungry...$200 NEW !!!.. it was actually better than the PPK with aluminum alloy frame only weighs 17 Oz. & more rounded edges than the PPK... drop dead accurate! drop dead reliability.! .$200 NEW!! Unfortunately KBI only imported them for 3 years 😢.. it was the smallest gun ever to pass the 1968 import restrictions! To do this the plastic grips had a thumb rest that made it just wide enough to pass the import restrictions.... I still own this gun although I'm carrying j frames and smaller 380 pocket pistols nowadays.. the quality controllability and accuracy of this PPK clone made in hungry is fantastic
I remember the advertisements for FEG firearms in some of the old gun magazines. From what I know, the products they manufactured were pretty good. I have a Charles Daly branded P - 35 high power clone, that is a very good pistol. FEG made the parts kit for that pistol. It was then assembled and the final machining was done here in the USA.
My dad was a police, he was telling me he had one and wished he never sold it...
I like them, especially .32, and PP more than PPK etc, but they (and the Sig) bite the shit out of me and the DA trigger is awful. They can be ridiculously accurate. I love little.32s and have shot all of them. Give me a Beretta or even a KelTec P32. None are my 1st choice for EDC but if accurate enough and with a decent trigger, are a wonderful field piece, superior to a .22.
You might want to try a newer Walther with the extended grip tang. That really helps eliminate the “biting.”
Great review! Where did you buy the safari jacket you're wearing in the video???
Cabelas had them a few years ago, but they were being clearanced.
It’s interesting because in my opinion the Bersa is superior to the real McCoy in a number of ways, possibly in accuracy, in price, in convenience of improvements over the PPK, and ergonomics, not to mention 15 round plus magazine in the Thunder plus, and other improved perks like easier take down and lighter trigger pull with clean break, better sites that are adjustable by a mere screw,, and virtually identical in appearance and form to the Walther PPK, with a better natural hold and point. Just better all around, and a tad less recoil in this 20 oz. Pistol that actually weighs less than the PPKS but has a tad longer barrel at 3.54 inches. If you want the looks of the PPK with overall better ergonomics and performance at a much better price without sacrificing quality I would say go with the Bersa.
I have heard and read a lot of good comments about them over the years. Maybe someday, I will get a hold of one to use for a comparison video.
I have the Smith and Wesson PPKS and it's been a fantastic gun, it did take a little bit to break in as the manufacturing tolerances were a but tight but it's been flawless since.
My only two gripes are the edges of the tang have edges that should have been smoothed out before sending off for finishing, if you shoot a lot of rounds it will cut up the webbing between your thumb and index finger. This can be reduced with a rubber wheel but you can damage the finish.
The other issue is they haven't modernized the sights, I think there is wa way they could have milled out the front to put in a night front sight and still keep the classic look.
Since the S&W produced pistols were manufactured under license from Walther, the design could not be altered unless Walther signed off on the change. Aparently they were OK with the tang being lengthened, but they wanted the sights to remain the same.
@@hrfunk The tang in itself isn't a problem. If you hold a Ranger or Interarms version, the edges aren't as sharp. I can't see Walther giving them issues with a slight smoothing of the edges as it's more in line with the original PPK line.
I was talking more about the sights. For whatever it’s worth, I don’t notice any sharp edges on mine.
@@hrfunk My bad.
Do you know if the detectives preferred the blued or stainless version for concealment?
That probably depends upon the detective you ask and the era/area in which they worked.
You have an awesome channel with great content. You are highly educated in firearms. You definitely know your stuff.
Thank you!