I shot my PPK 380ss for the first time, it racked me across the hand. I'm about to take a 12lber to it. any ideas on how to keep the slide from the top of my hand?
RMC
RMC
This is exactly the way to hold a Walther! I hold the 1911 and the M9 in the SAME type of grip.RMC, you've just experienced a "love bite" from your PPK. It's a common thing with this fantastic, wonderful handgun which certainly does not warrant a 12 pounder being anywhere near it. It bit you because you were not holding it right.
Try this. No, better yet, do this and both your hand and your PPK will thank you. Go ahead, go and get it. Yes, right now before you read this any further. Go get it and hold it in your shooting hand. I'll wait...
Got it there? OK, good. Hold it as if you're ready to fire. Now, stop right there and observe the position of your thumb. See that? That's not right - and you're going to get bit that way.
Now, slide your thumb down ever so slightly until it overlaps your middle finger slightly. Move your thumb down so the pad of your thumb lightly rests on the top edge of your middle finger. It might feel a little strange at first but that's the way one must hold their PPK or you're going to get it. Here's some pictures to demonstrate:
In this photo, you can see the "natural" way most people who haven't had much experience with PPKs hold their guns. It's a natural human grasp and feels normal. But the PPK was designed to be small and the fact that the barrel also acts as the guide rod (a genius of design) dictates a low slide. The design keeps things small, simple, and more in line with the radius bone of the forearm, which promotes accuracy. However, it also allows for "slide bite." The red arrow I put in the picture shows where the slide will get me if I hold my PPK this way.
Here's a view of the same grip. You can clearly see where I'd get a nice double bite if I held her this way. That slide comes back viscously and mercilessly when it cycles a round, and human flesh will suffer if it's in the way:
Now, if you hold your PPK the way I described above, with your thumb slightly overlapping your middle finger on the grip, it can't get you. Try holding your PPK like this:
Same grip method, from the back. As you can see, there's no way it can get you.
Your soft tender flesh is now out of the way of the unyielding steel and your PPK will now give you a lifetime of joy. I hope this helps.
-Pilotsteve
I personally think you are quitting to early on the PPK. My brother has very large hands. Because of that when he grabs his PPK his hand is more than adequate at controlling it with a 4 finger hold. The bottom of the grip mag sets right on his little finger. His thumb goes all the way around the second finger of his hand to the front of the gripjust under the trigger gaurd. He has such a grip on it, it looks like a hand with a gun built in! He has never had a slide bite from his PPK. If your concern is for a bigger gun that you can grip the whole thing easier you are going to give up a lot of conceal ability. The .380 has way enough knock down power for a short and life threatening situation. Making the gun bigger for you and staying with .380 might get the question why? If the .380 is to small in the first place check out the new Kimber super small .45. If you need a bigger grip fill it with bigger ammo.Nope, this PPK is to small, I need to replace it with a larger frame 380.
Looked at the Barretta couger 380, It would be allright but no stainless, S&W bodyguard380 might be ok. what ideas do you guys have?
RMC
Good advice, 1/2 Moon. Not only that, but there's no need for anything that powerful. The .380 is more than enough bullet for protection purposes. Too bad the original poster of this thread does not reply as often as he should. We're here to help him and I'm feeling the feeling that we're speaking to either deaf or inattentive ears.It is probably also a good idea to ask if the OP is an experienced handgunner. Small, powerful handguns are a hard way to get started. The .340 SC Smith with magnum loads is NOT the solution to this problem....
Moon
mehheh.The Race Gun Shooters are not combat shooters.
Yes, it's a German police surplus. LP By = Landespolizei Bayern (Bavarian state police).Also the 1955 Manurhin PP has two letter groups X out LP and By. Maybe Martin can tell me if these were police markings. The pp was exported to HK inc ARL VA 22201 on the strap