[DukeIronHand]

This may be a dumb question but I am not knowledgeable about the commercial gun pipeline.
See here that some folks have the new PPK/S (Stainless) that they bought at local gunshops yet none of the big online sellers or wholesalers apparently have them yet.
What determines who, and when, gets the new guns from Ft. Smith?

 

[olsoul]

I do so send me $100 in cash and I'll make sure you LGS get some PPK models soon... .

 

[DukeIronHand]

Nice! Appreciate it.
Only $100 though?

 

[gkuhlen]

My fee is $75.00 and whatever gun you're willing to trade in.

 

[Jimbo80]

The bigger dealers usually wait for production to ramp up to the point where availability is such that they are able to get quantity discounts. I doesn't pay for them to buy a few guns at higher prices.

As far as the manufacturers go it pays for them to go slow and let hype drive up prices thereby allowing them to sell at top dollar to the "Gotta Have It" crowd. The Sig P365 is a good example. Look how many people paid a premium for what is basically a $400 pistol.

 

[Jan whitaker]

I have a 68 ppk and an 78 ppks,looking forward to checking out the new ppks at the NRA convention in Indy next month. 9

 

[halfmoonclip]

...As far as the manufacturers go it pays for them to go slow and let hype drive up prices thereby allowing them to sell at top dollar to the "Gotta Have It" crowd. The Sig P365 is a good example. Look how many people paid a premium for what is basically a $400 pistol.

Concur entirely. And Gander must have jumped on a bunch of the P365s; (August born-on) our local shop had as many as you might care to buy, for what now seems the norm, $499.
Moon

 

[MGMike]

The short (and correct) answer to the OP's question: The national sales manager in Fort Smith decides.

And if you think that such a person --if he or she is halfway competent-- is going to send any pistols to some local gunshop in Podunk, Florida before sending a full case or two or three to his best customers --the large national distributors that he utterly depends on to move product--then you are truly delusional.

M

 

[DukeIronHand]

Yet people are buying them, and have been for 2 weeks, in “Podunk, Florida.”

 

[Tenbones]

I happened to check Davidsons Distributors, they are one of the bigger firearms distributors, and they show the blued version of the PPK/S to be 'Out of Stock', and the stainless model as "'Unavaliable'. This item is currently Allocated."

I take that to mean that their stainless models are already spoken for and will be gone as soon as they get them.

I am skeptical of claims that small, individual gun shops are already selling them because most major gun manufacturers do not deal directly with individual gun shops.

 

[Jimmo952]

I happened to check Davidsons Distributors, they are one of the bigger firearms distributors, and they show the blued version of the PPK/S to be 'Out of Stock', and the stainless model as "'Unavaliable'. This item is currently Allocated."

I take that to mean that their stainless models are already spoken for and will be gone as soon as they get them.

I am skeptical of claims that small, individual gun shops are already selling them because most major gun manufacturers do not deal directly with individual gun shops.

I dont claim to know the inner workings of gun distributors, dealers and manufacturers.

I did see a stainless PPK/S for sale at a smaller local shop in northern Illinois. It was the new Fort Smith addition and was brand new. I got to fondle it, remove the slide and look over fairly carefully.

I dont know where they got it from but I saw what I saw. 100% sure of it.

 

[halfmoonclip]

While I'm generally in agreement with Mike and Jimmo, it does seem individual examples of 'new' or particularly desirable guns pop up in odd places. Like anything else in this world, especially politics in Chicago, who you know may make a difference.
Moon

 

[Tenbones]

I dont claim to know the inner workings of gun distributors, dealers and manufacturers.

I did see a stainless PPK/S for sale at a smaller local shop in northern Illinois. It was the new Fort Smith addition and was brand new. I got to fondle it, remove the slide and look over fairly carefully.

I dont know where they got it from but I saw what I saw. 100% sure of it.

I don't doubt you. Obviously they got it from somewhere. I suspect it is a situation of, "I know someone who knows someone.....", and some lucky gun shops are able to get one, or two, ahead of everyone else.

Regardless, the end of March shipping date is almost here....

Ah, I see halfmoonclip pretty much said the same thing.

 

[Jimmo952]

No worries. At the time I saw it, I didn't realize I was looking at the proverbial unicorn.

Let's hope they soon become more available to anyone who wants one.

 

[Jimmo952]

While I'm generally in agreement with Mike and Jimmo, it does seem individual examples of 'new' or particularly desirable guns pop up in odd places. Like anything else in this world, especially politics in Chicago, who you know may make a difference.
Moon

Good comment about Chicago. The Jussie Smellit affair has given "The Chicago Way" some recent national exposure.

However that PPK/S ended up in Marengo, Illinois I'm sure it was more on the up and up than what happened with Mr Smullet.

 

[93978]

I won't be buying any more pistols, but in three-five years there will be some Fort Smiths available as used guns. I've always thought it's likely not uncommon for PPKS / PPK buyers to "give up" too early on their new Walthers because of slide/hammer bite or for being unable to get their blow-back Walthers to cycle properly, both because of improper grip. (The extended tang only minimizes the chance of slide/hammer bite.) This "give up" is most likely with 380.

 

[Kar98]

I won't be buying any more pistols, but in three-five years there will be some Fort Smiths available as used guns. I've always thought it's likely not uncommon for PPKS / PPK buyers to "give up" too early on their new Walthers because of slide/hammer bite or for being unable to get their blow-back Walthers to cycle properly, both because of improper grip. (The extended tang only minimizes the chance of slide/hammer bite.) This "give up" is most likely with 380.

I think that's how I got my PPS M1 so cheap. Looked like no more than 20 rounds got fired through it and never carried when I got it (it doesn't look like that anymore, LOL), totally mint looking, and it cost me like $175.
I'm suspecting the original buyer couldn't handle the paddle mag release or the looks/shape.

 

[volosong]

I am skeptical of claims that small, individual gun shops are already selling them because most major gun manufacturers do not deal directly with individual gun shops.

Yet here I sit with a Fort Smith stainless PPK/S on the chair beside me that was purchased from an independent sporting goods store located in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.

Black Sheep is located across the parking lot from the local Costco and I frequently stop in just to see if Ruger have finally decided to make a stainless version of the Mark IV standard, (nope, not yet). On one of my periodic visits several weeks ago, I saw a stainless PPk/S under the counter with the other .380 semis and knew exactly what it was. Told the counter fellow that I'd take it then and there.

I do not know from where the got it, nor do I care. I was happy that they had one available.

 

[MGMike]

Just because it's a stainless PPK/s and marked "Fort Smith" does not mean it's a new-issue gun (with that elusive German slide).

How about showing a photo of your acquisition --BOTH sides, WITH the serial number?

M

 

[halfmoonclip]

I won't be buying any more pistols, but in three-five years there will be some Fort Smiths available as used guns. I've always thought it's likely not uncommon for PPKS / PPK buyers to "give up" too early on their new Walthers because of slide/hammer bite or for being unable to get their blow-back Walthers to cycle properly, both because of improper grip. (The extended tang only minimizes the chance of slide/hammer bite.) This "give up" is most likely with 380.

As regards your first remark, many here have told that same lie. We won't hold you to it; your spouse may be another matter.


As regards the second, all you mentioned is no doubt true; they can be finicky eaters, but they feel so damned good in your hand at the gunshop. They just aren't much fun to shoot in .380; guns that aren't fun to shoot live in the safe or go back to a dealer.
Moon