Your favorite Walther PP/PPK clone

[Whiterabbit]

Which is your favorite and why?

I sold my 32 cal PP (1940's) and I don't exactly regret it, but geometrically it is the perfect pistol for me. And after several rental range trips, I'm learning nothing else comes close. So, I need a replacement. But I'm not sold on an original Walther, though I'd be happy with one. All I know is I want it to be blue and be chambered in "not 32 acp". And not be a bersa thunder. And be a shooter (no $1500 safe queen I would be scared to shoot in fear of damaging the bakelite)

Other than that, I value every opinion you have.

[Outpost75]

Look at the SIG P230. https://www.gunbroker.com/Semi-Auto-Pistols/search?Keywords=P230&Sort=13

Lots of used ones out there, well made, modern .380 pistol, half the price of a Walther.

Very common police backup gun back in the day to carry under body armor.

Later P232 was stainless, bulkier grips, and MIM parts.

I prefer and have two of the original P230s which are my alternate carry if not toting a .357 wheelgun.

Most accurate .380 pistols I own. Not fussy on ammo.

[nicholst55]

Walther is (or very soon will be) producing the PPK in the US. If I wanted one, I'd take a look at a new one. My only 'Walther' currently is a Manurhin PP in .32 ACP - a surplused French police pistol. Carried a lot, shot a little. Produced on seized war-reparation Walther equipment by the French.

[samari46]

I have one of the French made Manhurin Walther pp's in 32 auto. Must have had it for a couple years before I shot it. had some old federal fmj ammo so decided to try it out. Was really suprised by the accuracy of the little auto. I sure wish someone would come up with a beavertail that can be installed as you kinda sorta have to be careful how you grip it otherwise the slide can do a number on your hand. And while I'm wishing here, someone should make a decent set of sights with an adjustable rear sight. Micro sight did make them but they have long been out of business. I did see a beavertail done by a custom smith which did involve some tig welding and machining and really was nice. But shudder to think what it all cost. Frank

[gnostic]

I have a stainless Interarms Walther PPK 380 that I shoot surprising well. I load a 90 grain HP bullet to 1100 FPS for my carry ammo and have great confidence in this pistol. Also, they sell for a lot less than $1500...

[9.3X62AL]

It is good to read that Walther PPK is set to be made in the USA soon.

My sole Walther in the safe is a 1964-made PP in 32 ACP. It is an accurate little critter. I did order and receive a set of springs from the Walther PP in 380 ACP in order to shoot some more stalwart loadings of the caliber as per Outpost75's writings on the subject.

[Outpost75]

Walther is (or very soon will be) producing the PPK in the US. If I wanted one, I'd take a look at a new one. My only 'Walther' currently is a Manurhin PP in .32 ACP - a surplused French police pistol. Carried a lot, shot a little. Produced on seized war-reparation Walther equipment by the French.

My experience with Interarms clone of PPK was NOT favorable. Never got gun to work reliably even with hardball and after factory-trained in Germany gunsmith replaced most of the parts which didn't gage up with German Walther parts. My two 1960s manufacture former German police PP .32 ACPs were totally reliable and accurate, but I replaced them with SIG P230s in .380 ACP for UC.

[gnostic]

To begin with Interarmes aren't clones, they're Walther made in America. They, unlike the S&W Walthers retain the original trigger design. My pistol is beautifully made, has a great trigger and shoots lead and jacketed bullets perfectly. It hasn't ftf, eject, or load a round, one time in 30 years...

[Petrol & Powder]

Look at the SIG P230. https://www.gunbroker.com/Semi-Auto-Pistols/search?Keywords=P230&Sort=13

Lots of used ones out there, well made, modern .380 pistol, half the price of a Walther.

Very common police backup gun back in the day to carry under body armor.

Later P232 was stainless, bulkier grips, and MIM parts.

I prefer and have two of the original P230s which are my alternate carry if not toting a .357 wheelgun.

Most accurate .380 pistols I own. Not fussy on ammo.

In today's world of compact pistols chambered in 9mm, I no longer recommend the .380 Auto BUT there was a time when the .380 ruled the pocket pistol world. I'll second Outpost75's recommendation of the SIG P230.

I owned a few of the early SIG P230 pistols and they are excellent guns. Back around the early 1990's the two top of the line small 380 pistols were the SIG P230 & the Walther PPK. During the Interarms era of Walther's the PPK pistols were either incredibly accurate or just adequate, depending on the individual pistol. The SIG P230 was always outstanding.
I've owned and shot P230 and PPK pistols side by side. They are both good pistols but I'll give the P230 the higher marks overall.

The exterior of the P230 is a bit more "snag-resistant" than the PPK. The P230 has a very good DA trigger (better than the PPK in my opinion) and the sights are very good. The factory grips of the P230 are a bit bulkier than the factory PPK grips but I find the P230 grips to be superior to the PPK grips.

I prefer the heel magazine release used on the P230 over the button release on the Walther for that class of gun. You don't need a fast reload on a gun like that but you do need that 1 magazine to ALWAYS be securely locked in the frame when you need that pistol.

The blued P230 had an aluminum frame and the stainless P230 had a stainless steel slide and frame. The stainless P230 weighed slightly more but was less prone to rust. The blued P230 was a bit lighter but the slide was more prone to rusting.

[jdfoxinc]

I own 2 FEG Walther clones. .32 & .380 ACP.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I've got a Hungarian APK, and like it. Nice blue finish, all steel, very reliable. .380 ACP. Should not be confused with the aluminum framed models that were imported as military surplus.

[Bigslug]

Typically, I prefer the old stuff that's made out of steel, but in the case of the Walther PP and it's spinoffs, I've come to consider them. . .maybe not dinosaurs, but certainly woolly mammoths that are on their way out.

The reason for this is that we now have a good selection of locked-breech, recoil-operated guns out there chambered for the classic pocket pistol rounds (Ruger LCP, Smith Bodyguard, Glock 42, etc...) as well as 9mm's that aren't a heck of a lot bigger. The blowback guns like the Walther, Sig 230, Colt 1903/08 are considerably snappier - especially in .380. While made to work in that round, I've come to feel that the .32 was really their better option. We now have options that both weigh less, kick less, and throw more bullet. Unless you insist on your martinis being shaken, not stirred, you have superior choices.

[Petrol & Powder]

It has long been accepted that about the upper limit for a simple blowback pistol is the .380 Auto or the 9 x 18 Makarov. Above those cartridges in terms of power you either need a lot of mass in the slide (A la' Hi-Point) or some type of locking system.

So for a long time the .380 Auto was the king of the hill when it came to small semi-auto pistols. If you wanted DA pistol and small size; your choices for a high quality pistol were pretty much Walther or SIG. There were some other pistols like the Mauser HSc and the Beretta DA pistols but some of those guns were pretty big pistols for a .380.

In a single action design you had the Beretta M1934 (a solid pistol !), the Colt 1908, the Colt Mustang and its variants, AMT backup (which could also be had in DAO) and many others with varying degrees of quality and overall size.

Bottom line - Prior to the mid 1990's there just wasn't a lot choices when it came to: High quality, DA, SMALL, .380 Auto pistols.

The Kahr K9 and MK9 were game changers in the mid 1990's. Those guns set the bar higher and other manufacturers finally started meeting the demands of shooters that wanted small, locked breach pistols, chambered in cartridges more powerful than the .380 Auto.
In the world of pocket pistols there is the Pre Kahr era and the Post Kahr era.
After the mid 1990's it was a totally different market.

So, going back to the OP's inquiry concerning pistols that are chambered in "something not 32 ACP" and around the size of a Walther PP and blued steel and not super expensive/rare...........
I'm STILL in the camp with Outpost 75 and his suggestion for a used SIG P230.


Now, if the OP can tolerate a larger pistol and still wants a .380 Auto (I'm assuming that's the cartridge he wants based on his comments) then the Beretta 80 series pistols (83, 84, 85, ) are good guns, albeit a bit large to be called pocket pistols.

If a single action design is OK, the old Colt 1908 pistols are nice but getting obscenely expensive for good example. The Beretta model 1934 is a great little pistol if you don't mind the operating system.
But overall, I think the SIG P230 meets the OP's criteria.

[Outpost75]

I am also a fan of the Beretta M1934. It has fewer parts than an M1911 and is built like a little tank.

234785

The thumb safety mounted well forward on the left side of the frame, requires a full 180-degree rotation. This is less ergonomic than a slide-mounted, hammer-dropping safety, as used on the Walther. The Beretta safety only blocks the sear, not the hammer, so when engaged on a loaded chamber, the pistol is not “drop safe.”

The Beretta safety functions best as a slide lock and takedown lever only. “Condition 3” in which the pistol is carried with chamber empty and safety off, or optionally “Israeli Carry” with the hammer cocked over the empty chamber to ease cycling the slide to chamber a round, is the safest carry.

Upon firing the last round, the magazine follower holds the slide open. I was coached by an Italian carabinieri veteran of many UN peace missions that before removing the empty magazine to reload, retract the slide back a fraction of an inch and to then engage the safety. The safety then holds the slide open.

Only after doing so, sould you actuate the butt release to withdraw the magazine. When done this manner, the safety positively holds the slide, so that you can insert a loaded magazine easily and then release the slide by disengaging the safety with the supporting hand thumb to chamber a round, in exactly the same manner as for an M1911 pistol.

It takes a little practice to learn this, but becomes second nature after a while.

[Reverend Al]

I like the originals and have a .22 LR PPK and an original pre-WW II in .32 ACP ...

[Texas by God]

FEG.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[charlie b]

Not exactly a clone, Radom P-64. Mine was cheap and has been flawless. Even double action is reasonable once a set of Wulff springs is installed. I've fired less than 1000rounds through it but have never had a malfunction or broken part. I like the 9x18 better than the .380 because slightly better velocity and cause it is cheaper but a bit (I do not hand load for it). It is also more accurate than you would expect for such a cheap pistol.

[rockrat]

I have an interarms Constable in 22lr, blue. Also have a stainless PPK/s in 22lr. that I carry concealed at times and the wife has one in 380. Never had any problems with either

[bob208]

check out a Hungarian pa 63. I got one for the wife. it is 9x18 which has more punch then the .32. you can still get one for $250 or less.

[FergusonTO35]

Somewhat off topic, but awhile back I decided I wanted a pocket .380 based on a big gun design and not a tiny DAO (Kel-Tec, LCP, etc.). I did consider the PPK but the weight was a turn off, actually 8 oz. more than my S&W 637 .38 Special. Got a Kimber Micro .380 stainless and am very happy with it. 13 oz., locked breech, very accurate, and just as easy to carry as the little DAO pistols.

[RED BEAR]

I like my cz50 may not exactly be a pp clone but close. The ppk to be made in the us is a ppks not a ppk it has the long grip. I have wanted a ppk in 32 acp for a long time looking at current prices it will be a lot longer. But someday.

[Petrol & Powder]

The PPK/S was a way to get around the 1968 GCA point system that restricts imports of small pistols.
The PPK/S was a PP frame with a PPK length slide/barrel.
The Interarms marketed PPK was made in America so it was not subject to import restrictions. But the Walther made PPK was too small to make the "sporting" requirement of the GCA and could not be imported. So, Walther put the short slide/barrel of the PPK onto the longer PP frame and created the PPK/S which did meet the import requirements.

The three variations are the PP, PPK and PPK/S.

[FergusonTO35]

Anybody have experience with the current PPK/S .22 LR? They sure look neat.

[9.3X62AL]

My current Walther PP x 32 ACP is one of the West German retired police sidearms. Utterly reliable, and small-game/varmint-capable. Ground squirrels and jackrabbits loathe that pistol with depth and vigor.

The SIG P-230 is a fine pistol. There were a number of those scattered among my old shop's personnel, they ran well and were popular among admin staff and as back-up arms. One range rat/former Marine I worked with used to crack jokes about the 380 pistols when people qualified with them--"Be careful with that thing--it can raise quite a welt!" Requiescat in Pacem, Sgt. Charlie Varga.

Bigslug is correct--lots of mastodons still hanging on like California condors in an era that is striker-fired and plastic-framed. Ruger Blackhawks and 1911A1-series clones still sell well. Clint Eastwood and Sean Connery have sold their share of Model 29 and PPK sideiron, for sure. The key is to make the product with some quality, and to finish building it before sending it out to customers. I didn't mind honing the throats of my Bisley Blackhawk x 45 Colt to get them correct, but price and sell the unit like the "revolver kit" that it is. Nicely enough, my newest fleet addition (Ruger Bisley Hunter in 44 Magnum) is VERY well-finished and its dimensions are well-nigh perfect.

[osteodoc08]

I bought my ex a P230SL when we first started our family. It is probably my favorite clonish Pistol. Accurate, reliable and just plain fits well for a smaller handgun (at the time).

[Tackleberry41]

Are times I wish had not sold the old Walther PP I had. One day the safety broke and flew out of the slide, replaced it then sold the gun not long after.

Still wish I had the 1934, neat little gun. But a bit heavy compared to modern 380s.

Was a time the Walther pp/ppk was a really good design. But there are way smaller and lighter pocket guns to buy now.

[Outpost75]

Are times I wish had not sold the old Walther PP I had. One day the safety broke and flew out of the slide, replaced it then sold the gun not long after.

Still wish I had the 1934, neat little gun. But a bit heavy compared to modern 380s.

Was a time the Walther pp/ppk was a really good design. But there are way smaller and lighter pocket guns to buy now.

Safety is weakest link because German police doctrine was to use the safety to drop the hammer on a loaded chamber and this got done several times daily, and over many years of service the part will embrittle and break off. In years of experience with these, this is the only part which breaks on them.

In the former German police guns if you intend to carry them for SD, if you don't have the ability to ultrasonic test, xray or Magnaflux the safety, replace it with a NEW one from Walther, NOT a used one you got from Numrich!

234828

[RU shooter]

check out a Hungarian pa 63. I got one for the wife. it is 9x18 which has more punch then the .32. you can still get one for $250 or less.
I'll second that . I've had a couple over the years . Never had a lick of trouble with them in the original 9 x18 makarov chambering and they were lighter and more accurate than my real Russian or EG maks

[Tackleberry41]

Yea it was an old police gun, why I stopped using the drop safety on guns anymore. Bought a p1 recently, not going to drop the hammer with the safety ever if I can help it.

[Wayne Smith]

If you don't mind the weight CZ82's are still available. Very nice guns, and mine was unfired when I recieved it years ago.

[Divil]

Another Fan of the PA-63. Preferably in 7.65mm.

[charlie b]

Is the Walther safety like the P-64, ie, does the hammer follow the slide when safety is on?

I almost never drop the hammer with the safety. I put the safety on and then chamber a round. The hammer goes down as the slide goes forward. No impact on the safety and it does the job nicely. I have not seen a reason to drop the hammer. I guess if you have fired it and want to apply the safety? Have not done that either. If I am firing it I usually empty the magazine :)

Sent from my SM-P580 using Tapatalk

[Themoose]

Another vote for the Radom P64... changed out the springs and replaced grips and it is a great shooter. Solid and have not experienced any issues with cast or jacketed handloads... only issue I had was with factory ammo made by PPU it bulged, but fired ok... I now use 9mm american mfg brass and resize to 9x18 Makarov.