Please educate me on the Walther PP 32acp

[Ballistics in Scotland]

They are extremely well made pistols, and most "improvements" since their introduction have only been production economies. It always puzzles me that with CNC machining capable of doing such good work, manufacturers seem to shun milling from the solid as they didn't in days of yore. James Bond has a lot to answer for, since the PP is easier to shoot accurately than the smaller PPK, and the difference in portability or concealment is of little significance.

[MtGun44]

Lots of recoil for caliber due to blowback. Locked breech designs have much less
recoil, although it is just a .32 ACP. Also really, really heavy for that cartridge.

Bill

[Captain O]

I'll take a stainless Fort Smith Arkansas Walther PP in 7.65mm Browning if you please. I want one of these as a carry piece. A spicy .32 ACP will get the job done.

Remember,

1. Shot placement is king,
2. Penetration is queen.
3. Everything else is 'angels dancing on the heads of pins'.

Film @ 11:00.

[stubshaft]

I carry my old Walther PP when travelling and have no problems whatsoever. I agree 110% with Captain O that accuracy is king!

[imashooter2]

I have this old .32 PP. It’s from 1930, second year of production. I shot it quite a bit and carried it some when I didn’t have any better options. They’re a little large for pocket carry. Since they’re all steel, they’re pretty heavy too. With the weight there isn’t much recoil to speak of. Plenty accurate even with the small fixed sights. I found the trigger smooth enough, but the long DA first pull followed by the long take up of the rest of the magazine made it a gun that needed a lot of practice to be fast and consistent. I carried the old Winchester Silver Tip hollow points. I reloaded it with a Hornady 100 grain swaged SWC and loaded a few thousand on the kitchen table with an old school Lee Classic Loader. I used the enclosed scoop with Herco powder. I can’t remember what the charge was supposed to be. I didn’t have any tools besides the loader and a plastic hammer at the time. Good times.

[rintinglen]

A lot has happened since last I visited this topic: I sold my PPKS 380 and I bought a 7.65 Manurhin PP. In my view, the PP is much the better gun. The 380 had an unpleasant kick for such a small cartridge, while the PP in 32 is much more mannerly. Although any 32 is a weak reed to rely on, the PP is very easy to shoot well, once you get past the 1st heavy DA trigger pull. I think it is one of the best of the older pocket pistol designs, and should you find a good deal on one, it would be worth buying. I have carried mine on occasion and while it is a bit heavy for pocket carry, it is great in a pancake or IWB holster. It also works well in a shoulder holster, should you have a Scottish accent.

[pworley1]

I enjoy shooting mine very much, but it is not my carry gun. https://gunsmagazine.com/our-experts...olizeipistole/

[rintinglen]

There is more errors in that article than I care to see. Tinted lenses were in use long before Sam Foster sold a single pair of Foster Grants. It was authoritatively stated by an official in the Walther concern nearly 50 years ago in a letter in response to a query from Handguns that the "K" in PPK stands for Kurz, meaning short, not "Kriminal." Most European Police Officers were carrying SA 32 Autos by 1929, not revolvers, and that remained the case for some years. Typical gun rag nonsense.

[Pinfire]

A lot has happened since last I visited this topic: I sold my PPKS 380 and I bought a 7.65 Manurhin PP. In my view, the PP is much the better gun. The 380 had an unpleasant kick for such a small cartridge, while the PP in 32 is much more mannerly. Although any 32 is a weak reed to rely on, the PP is very easy to shoot well, once you get past the 1st heavy DA trigger pull. I think it is one of the best of the older pocket pistol designs, and should you find a good deal on one, it would be worth buying. I have carried mine on occasion and while it is a bit heavy for pocket carry, it is great in a pancake or IWB holster. It also works well in a shoulder holster, should you have a Scottish accent.

I have a .32 PP made in the Zella-Mehlis factory in 1936. I think they are a beautiful design and that probably helped their popularity, especially among officers who wanted a light carry piece who didn't see much need for a 9mm. I also prefer the .32 over the .380, a lot of .380 pistols tend to be PP sized or smaller and I find it a bit too snappy for the weight of them.

[K43]

007 carried a Beretta 418 in 25 ACP until he was forced to use the PPK by the boss.

[Captain O]

The PPK in .32 ACP (7.65mm Browning) is better than the .380 (9mm Browning). The PPK was originally chambered for the 7.65mm Browning. "Shoehorning" the .380 into the PPK/ PPK/s was an "afterthought" (and a poorly executed idea at that).

The problem is that the .380 causes the pistol to be "picky" about the ammunition it will feed. When the "feces impacts the air motivator" ANY potential malfunction may result in an unwanted outcome during a potentially lethal encounter.

Take that into consideration when you think about purchasing a PPK or PPK/s for personal defense. If it jams at an inopportune time, you may wind up dead.

[stubshaft]

007 carried a Beretta 418 in 25 ACP until he was forced to use the PPK by the boss.

BUT, if you look closely you will see that he is actually carrying a prop WaltherPP!

[charlie b]

Does anyone know if the PPK .32 and .380 barrels/magazines can be swapped? Bersa Thunder same question?

[rintinglen]

You may be able to swap a 32 bbl + mag into a 380, but not the reverse on a pp/PPK. I can't say for sure on a Bersa, haven't worked on one, but the magazines appear to be sufficiently alike to work. The mags are different, though, on the Walthers, requiring modification of the 32 frame to accommodate the rib on the 380 mag.

[Eddie Southgate]

Do not put total trust in the hammer drop safety, they do not always work. Always be aware of where it's pointing when you use the lever.

[rbuck351]

I have a prewar ppk in 32 that dad brought home from WWII. I rarely shoot it as recovering the brass can be difficult. I shoot a 93gr boolit that I also use in a Russian Tok which was also brought back by dad.