PPK/S Info please
I have inherited a Walther PPK/S stainless in 380ACP, stamped 'Made in USA & Interams - Alexandria,VA. Ser#S0860xx. Has 2 clips, one with plastic grip extender, one without. Condition is near-new, less than 10 rounds fired. I have read most of the pertinent posts regarding this gun, but still have some questions:
1. Approximate value.
2. Approximate age/yr of manufacture.
3. I have read of feeding issues and 'hanging clip' problems (clip release problem noted on this gun on occassion). Is this gun a wise choice for CC? Should I have it 'tweaked' or just determine best ammo? or consider trading for more reliable (& lighter weight) weapon for everyday carry.
Don't want a 'maybe work ok' gun when chips are down. [V]
4. Lastly, some instructions for proper take-down for cleaning would be appreciated. I am familiar with procedures for Colt semi's but in the dark as to this weapon. [:(]
Thank you in advance for any information.
1. Approximate value.
2. Approximate age/yr of manufacture.
3. I have read of feeding issues and 'hanging clip' problems (clip release problem noted on this gun on occassion). Is this gun a wise choice for CC? Should I have it 'tweaked' or just determine best ammo? or consider trading for more reliable (& lighter weight) weapon for everyday carry.
Don't want a 'maybe work ok' gun when chips are down. [V]
4. Lastly, some instructions for proper take-down for cleaning would be appreciated. I am familiar with procedures for Colt semi's but in the dark as to this weapon. [:(]
Thank you in advance for any information.
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Instructions for disassembly, at this link.
http://www.marstar.ca/AssemblyWaltherPP.htm
It would date to the 80's/90's time frame. Interarms went out of business in the late 90's.
Try to test fire it to find out how reliable it is with different types of ammo. Specially H-P's you would normally use for CCW. We have no way of knowing how reliable it would be, only you can determine that.
Check out the auctions to see if any have sold recently, and for how much.0 -
Get rid of it and get yourself something more reliable with less sharp edges for concealed carry. I hate the PPK and PPK/s pistols! Jam-A-Matics! However, James Bond's PPK never jammed and he could hit a moving target at 300 meters with his pistol while hanging from a helicopter over a shark infested tank of water while wearing a blindfold. [:D] 0 -
Get rid of it for several reasons.
1. It's a jam-o-matic with anything resembling a hollow point
2. It's too heavy for the caliber
3. it's a straight blowback design limiting you to factory powered ammo
4. There are pistols more compact, lighter and built for more powerful cartridges.
When they came out, mine jammed.
A noted pistolsmith said he could make it feed an empty case by judiciously funneling the chamber. That may be an exaggeration but feeding probably can be greatly improved.
Because of 007 the value of these pistols is higher than it should be.0 -
I tend to agree with the above.
As a practical concealed carry gun, PPK is over-rated. This was potentially a reasonable pocket-type gun FORTY YEARS ago, but nowadays not so much. You can get .380 guns that are smaller, lighter, and more reliable with non-ball ammo.
(Whether or not you actually WANT to carry non-ball ammo in relatively weak caliber like a .380 is a whole other discussion). .
With the advent of the Kel-Tec 3AT, there has been an explosion in small light autos for concealed carry. For example, Smith and Wesson is about to introduce one with a locking slide, drift-adjustable sights and a built in laser, and that one is probably worth a good look when it comes out.
If you are enamored of the PPK design/appearance I'd suggest a SIG 232 instead, as "best of breed" for this type of design.
If you like the Colt semi-autos (as you suggest) Sig is now putting out a replica of the older Colt Mustang pocket .380, which is basically a miniature 1911 in .380, that's worth a look.
Back on the PPK, that gun was really never what it was cracked up to be based on the James Bond mythology. It becomes painfully obvious from reading his novels that Ian Fleming really knew nothing about guns. For example, Bond actually traded up to the PPK from a .25 Browning in the first novel. (You'd think that a super-agent who had a habit of getting into gunfights would probably want something a LITTLE better than a .25 auto!).
If there were really such a thing as a "license to kill" covert cold-war era British spy (and there never was), he'd probably have been carrying a snubnose .38, which was the standard carry gun for plainclothes detectives and bodyguards in that era (even in Europe), not some overpriced German auto of questionable reliability.0 -
I have a PPK/S that I've owned for about 25 years if I remember correctly. I'll agree that it isn't the smallest or lightest .380 around. It is flat and thin and conceals well, for me. It's outstanding feature has always been for me its accuracy. It is fun for plinking and practice, because it just seems easy to hit with.
It does like its round-nose bullets though. I don't recall ever having a failure to feed, or fire, or extract, with factory round-nosed bullets, to include both hardball and expanding bullets with a round nose profile. I have since relegated it to the safe in lieu of a Colt Mustang .380 which I carry when concealment is the most important issue, and I can't hide my Star PD .45 or Colt Combat Commander .45. The Mustang feeds well its favorite Federal Hydro-Shoks. But the "jam-o-matic" comments sure don't apply to my Walther experiences, and most judgements above seemed a bit harsh.0 -
I have Walther PP's, PPK/S's, and PPK's in 22, 32, and 380 and never had a problem, but they are all German/French made and I've never had a problem w/ FMJ or Silvertips. 0 -
I currently have one of the Interarms,,and mine is perfectly functioning firearm....I have owned "several" Walthers, German, French,USA ,and can't find any fault...But thats mine and thats me.[:)] 0 -
I just picked up an Interarms PPK and I am very happy with it. I bought it fun not for carry but it has feed perfectly for me in the 100 rounds I have put through it. The records are slim on the manufacture date. I have a few serial numbers tied to manufacture dates I will post for you. If yours falls in between a couple you can estimate the date. Do you have the test target with the gun? If so, it should have a date on it.
Model Finsh Caliber Serial Test Target Date
PPK/S Stainless .380 S044302
PPK/S Stainless .380 S101380 2/25/1993
PPK/S Stainless .380 S1598xx 6/24/19990 -
Hi....I, too, have an Interarms PPK/S, and handload for it. I use 95 gr. JRNs, and have had no feed problems. I've also smoothed the areas that "bite" the hand, and so have eliminated that problem. With stainless, I used very fine grained emory cloth, and one cannot notice where I've "worked" it. No "bite", and no problems! Plus, it's great for carrying. BT 0
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