[gokyo]

I was at a shop today looking at a PPK in .32 I used to have a german PP in .32 and I really liked it. However I always wished that it had been a PPK.

Anyway this ppk I was looking at had a pretty horrible trigger. I honestly do not remember are they all really this bad. The DA was gritty and really heavy. While the SA was as heavy as I would have expected the DA to be. Can this be improved (question 1)?

Also the extended beaver tail is huge. I was thinking if I got one I would probably have to carve it off. Anybody ever see something like this if so where can I find some pictures (question 2)? Also does the stainless weigh a lot more? (question 3)?

The price was 480 +tax. Is this good or bad (Question 4)? Finally are the S&W anything close to the Germany quality or are they POS (Question 5)

 

[mm6mm6]

#1) Sure, a quality gunsmith can improve any trigger and I'm sure the S&W PPK trigger can be made light and butter smooth. But it will cost some money.

#2) I've never seen anyone pare down the S&W grip tang. Most who have shot it, like it. Eliminates any slide bite. But one person here said the S&W tang caused a bit of bruising to his hand which hurt more and longer than the old fashioned slide bite.

#3) Stainless doesn't weigh more in a PPK than blued carbon guns.

#4) $480 + tax is about right. Check www.GunBroker.com and you'll probably find that with shipping and an FFL transfer fee, you'll come in around $450 if you find the right deal.

#5) My opinion only and many here who own a S&W PPK will disagree, but I don't believe the S&W guns are anything close to German or even Interarms quality. However, they are also not POS guns. The Walther design has been around since 1929 virtually unchanged for a reason. It's an outstanding design.

If you are concerned about the S&W, maybe you should check more into a German or Interarms version.

You were willing to pay $500 (with tax) for the S&W version which I doubt will increase in value any time soon.

Would you pay the same or maybe $600 for an Interarms version which is holding value or going up due to the concerns about the current S&W version?

Would you pay $800-$1000 for a pre-WWII .32 that will most certainly rise in value? Is it to be a carry piece or an occasional shooter? If it won't aquire additional outer wear (carrying daily), a $900 PPK off GunBroker will only go up.

If you were to buy the new S&W and get a trigger job and re-contour the grip tang, you're looking at $700 invested easily.

 

[Deputy]

If possible I would shoot a new S&W PPK and an older PPK before cutting down the tang. I have a new PPK and that tang really does a great job as far as recoil control and shooting comfort (I have never experienced hammer/slide bite in any previous Walther I owned, nor in this one). Some other advantages of the S&W PPK are an improved feed ramp that makes it more hollow point-friendly. My trigger pull feels exactly as I expect a pistol of this size to feel. This is not a 1911A1 where you just nudge the trigger and it fires. As mm6 says, if you want to improve it, I'm sure a gunsmith can do so. Just make sure you don't alter the reliability of the pistol in the process. Personally, I can't see the justification in paying more for the Interarms version, other than it's cosmetics being more pleasing to the eye. S&W has excellent customer service, so any issues that might come up are immediately addressed by them. If you buy an Interarms gun, your only choice for work to be done on the gun is a gunsmith. And that will come out of YOUR pocket.

Dep



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[153]

Reading between the lines it really sounds like you want to buy an Interarms Model. They are nicer looking, and I think a bit better made than the S&W, as mm6mm6 points out the PPK is a great design and will work barring a major gaff on the production line.

If you are getting the .380, then that extended tang makes sense. My Interarms .380 chewed my hand up as if that was it's secondary purpose. But I have come to realise a thicker, checkered, wood grip would have made all the difference.

As Deputy has shown the S&W grips seem to be Chinese made of old toxic tires. So a prudent person would replace them anyway.

So if you want factory service, go with S&W. Otherwise get the older Interarms.....whichever you choose, you can always get the other model later. One thing for sure, you WILL have fun in the process!!!

 

[Deputy]

I agree with 153 that it sounds like you want a Pre-S&W version. But I don't agree with 153 about them being better made. Only real crap on the S&W for me has been the slave labor Chinese grips that keep melting whenever I get a smidgeon of any type of lube on them. I solved that weird problem by replacing them with some excellent Hogue wood grips. Otherwise, the S&W PPK has been flawless for me.

Dep



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[searcher451]

I agree with 153 that it sounds like you want a Pre-S&W version. But I don't agree with 153 about them being better made. Only real crap on the S&W for me has been the slave labor Chinese grips that keep melting whenever I get a smidgeon of any type of lube on them. I solved that weird problem by replacing them with some excellent Hogue wood grips. Otherwise, the S&W PPK has been flawless for me.

Dep

+1 on Dep's comments regarding the S&W version of the PPK. Mine has been 100 percent reliable, a joy to shoot, accurate out of the box, and easy to control. The original grips have been a fine performer for me, but a variety of options for the gun are out there from a variety of custom manufacturers. And S&W's customer service is second-to-none in the industry. Last time I checked, the customer service for Interarms was, ah, spotty at best. I have recommended the S&W version on a number of occasions on this forum and do it again here, without reservation.

 

[SELFDEFENSE]

My S&W has a heavy DA pull, but a light SA pull. The beavertail is nice for insuring against Walther bite, especially in the .380. German & Interarms are better, but I have about 800 flawless rounds thru my S&W.

 

[PanaDP]

I like mine. Still breakin in but no major problems thus far. A couple wierd failures to eject with corbon +P JHPs but I chalk that up to still needing some break-in. See my range report to see how she shoots. Not bad for a little pocket pistol and fairly new-to-handguns shooter

 

[KeeperoftheH]

I may be wrong, but didn't Cylinder & Slide have a picture a while back of a PPK or PPK/s that they customized that had wood grips and a shaved-down beaver-tail?

 

[mm6mm6]

Keeper: I think I put up that pic awhile ago. I believe it was an Interarms gun and they slightly extended the grip tang so it wouldn't bite. This post is the first I've ever heard of someone desiring to shorten the S&W PPK tang.

 

[mm6mm6]

Yep, definitely an Interarms gun. The grip tang is actually very extended but also upswept.
Here's the link to the pictures: http://www.cylinder-slide.com/walthercustom.shtml

 

[searcher451]

FWIW, took the S&W PPK/S to the range today and fired 100 rounds of .380 Winchester white box FMJ through it. Once again, the gun performed flawlessly ... and accurately. Regardless of what you might think about the looks of the extended beavertail, it does the job beautifully: This model is a pleasure to shoot, time and again.

As a side note to this, I also ran 100 rounds of Winchester white box 115 grain FMJ through a P99c AS 9mm. The felt recoil on this gun, despite the slightly heftier round, is not as great as the PPK/S.

 

[MGMike]

As a side note to this, I also ran 100 rounds of Winchester white box 115 grain FMJ through a P99c AS 9mm. The felt recoil on this gun, despite the slightly heftier round, is not as great as the PPK/S.

This is a very common perception when shooting the PPK/S .380 against almost any comparatively-sized 9mm Para pistol. The muzzle blast and grip sting makes it a nasty pistol to shoot with the factory grips. Custom grips help somewhat, but they are more rewarding on a PPK because one is not stuck with the backstrap contour of the PPK/S. With either model, however, if you are going to put up with that kind of recoil, you might as well be shooting a 9mm Para--which is not just slightly heftier, but in a different order of magnitude.

I have always thought that the PP-series Walthers made the most sense in
.22 rimfire.

M