[b said:
Quote[/b] (limeyinaz @ April 24 2003,9:15)]Herr Walther,
If you glance at the picture of the 230XXXk serial numbered PPK in one of the threads below you will note that it is a pre April 1940 weapon, it also has the serial number on the slide - which then disputes your second statement.
Your first statement please clarify. Are you (or Mr. Marschall) saying that they produced 60 and 90 degree safety model pistols consecutively for a couple of years (before phasing out the 90 degree models)?
It is possible that your slide was not mated to a frame until after 1941, which according to Marschall is when serial numbering began for slides. It's also possible that your slide was proofed and then stored or was otherwise "on the shelf" until this time when it was used for a frame and then serial numbered for it's frame.
It could have been sent to Walther for repair after the sale and they decided to roll mark the serial number for the customer. Your PPK is a pre-Wehrmacht delivery by about 40K pistols.
It's also possible Dieter Marschall was not seen an example of one this early with the serial number roll marked onto the slide.
No. I'm saying that the pistol for sale is 11,185 PPK's past the range that the 60 degree safety started to be incorporated into the design. Why is there any question about the safety?
Not every collector or author has seen every PP and PPK in collections or circulation. There may be variances to what is published.
I believe the PPK that is for sale to be legitimate, though I still wonder about the grip wear not matching the rest of the pistol.
You should e-mail Dieter Marschall and inform him of what you have. I'm sure he would be very interested and he will reply. As collectors, we need this information to further the hobby.
He replied to me the other day about my Danish contract PP with the replacement slide. 1500 made and he confirmed my research.