[tda003]

Hello all. I'm brand new to this forum and this is my first post. I apologize in advance if I have violated any protocol with this post and promise to do better in the future as I learn the rules.

I have a German made PPK with what appears to be a lanyard loop on the butt. It came with an Interarms plastic box matching the serial number, manual and cleaning rod, but no target. Imported by Interarms. It is blued and in exceptionally good condition with all of its bluing. Serial number is 242049A. I'm guessing it's pre Gun Control Act as it's an import. There is no "Made Under License to" on the slide. What can you tell me about it. I have no pictures and am going out of town for five days starting now. However, I will take pictures upon my return and post them if there is any interest and if someone will direct me to a post on how to accomplish that.

I'd like to learn more about it including manufacture date, etc.

Thank you in advance.

 

[93978]

-- Just below the slide on the right side of the frame you'll see and Eagle over N, then a two letter code, and then an antler symbol. The two letter code is the date code: A=0 / B=1 / C=2 / D=3 / E=4 / F=5 / G=6 / H=7 / I/J=8 / K=9
-- So if your date code is IA, then your pistol was made in 1980.
-- If your pistol is 1969 or later, your grips are likely black.
-- If your pistol is 1968 or earlier, you'll likely see the year of manufacture on the barrel visible through the ejection port when the slide is closed.
-- If your pistol is 1968 or earlier, your grips are likely brown.

 

[tda003]

Thanks very much. The letters are "HK", so I'm thinking that makes it a 1979 made pistol.

 

[ViperR]

And that lanyard loop below the grip is actually a stamped & folded part that holds the hammer spring/guide in a slot in the rear of the grip frame. You will see how it works when you take the grips off.

 

[Balogh]

I would like to make a few refinements when we talk about Ulm marked PPK models:

A commercial proof mark never shows the year itself, but rather a two-digit date code, that was introduced in 1961. Until 1977 a two-digit number code was used (the two numbers correspond to the last two digits of the year), then the two-digit letter code as described in post #2. The date code was always stamped on the frame (visible through the ejection port until about 1980 and then later on the same side but just below the slide near the trigger).

Around 1979/1980, Walther Germany switched from the brown to the black grips.

 

[MGMike]

That is almost surely a PPK that was imported for law enforcement sale only. The ins & outs of this have been covered in many previous threads; suffice to observe that many of these guns eventually found their way into the second-hand market.

M

 

[93978]

Thanks for clarifications.

 

[Kar98]

Around 1979/1980, Walther Germany switched from the brown to the black grips.

My made in December 1977, proofed in January 1978 PPK/S came with black grips.

 

[93978]

PPK question for PPK owners. Do you take the grips off during every cleaning? I've always done so when cleaning the PPK/S because I've believed it's likely easier for moisture to sneak in given the backstrap is exposed, but I wonder if the same is necessary with the PPK.

 

[Redcat94]

PPK question for PPK owners. Do you take the grips off during every cleaning?

If I haven't shot it in a while I'll take the grips off just to put some oil on the mainspring and hammer strut.

 

[Balogh]

My made in December 1977, proofed in January 1978 PPK/S came with black grips.

Yes, all the PPK/S came with black grips. The switch from brown to black grips was on PPK models only. Also it wasn't a hard switch because there was a certain transition time.

 

[tda003]

Thank you very much for all of your help. My PPK h sa as black grips, although I have no idea if they are original to the pistol. I am out of town for a while, but will check the pistol when I get back. This is a very nice pistol. It's very close to "as new". Someone has taken extremely good care of it. I traded a S&W made PPK for it some years ago. It was an even swap. The S&W was just back from the recall. Too bad that I don't know a "pistol whisperer". I'd like to be able to learn this pistol's history.

 

[93978]

Thanks, that will be my approach. At least with Ulm / Interarms / S&W the PPK's grips are so much easier to take off & put on than pre-war & wartime.