Is a Walther PPK/S 380 a good choice?

me | 1/25/11 | freemike

[freemike]

Just curious what people might think. Everybody has opinions and I'm wondering about the Walther PPK/S 380. Want a nice simple dependable carry gun. Already have larger rounds, never had the 380 but just wanted the PPK.

[US Navy Vet]

As good as any. Round is kinda small.

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

I have no Walther experience, but, I have heard that one needs to be a mechanic to take one apart and put it back together for cleaning purposes....

[Mariner]

No. Finicky with which ammo you feed it. They jam.

Buy the Sig Sauer P230

[hflynn]

Only if shaken not stirred.

[OKSooner]

Far be it from me to criticize the Walther but there's a new generation of compact .380's available.

Lotsa folks like the new Kahr and the new Sig single-action. Also Colt is reintroducing their single-action .380.

This will be a good thread... :)

[yarddog]

It is about as good as any.

I have owned several and they are both accurate and reliable.

I once bought an American made Stainless WaltherPPK/s .380 which looked good and was accurate but it would jam regularly. I understand the American made ones are now much better.

Currently I have a couple of Hungarian copies (more or less) and they seem to be completely the equal of the Walthers except just a tiny bit less well finished.

[al baby]

just soak it in a can of wd -40 and blow it out with compressed air

[RC one]

high quality but low power. I think the smith and wesson titanium scandium M&P 340 revolver in .357 with a crimson trace laser grip is where it's at personally. New semi-autos are reliable but nothing is more reliable than a revolver with a shrouded hammer. And .357 versus .380? there's no comparison.

[Personal Responsibility]

I was wondering how many posts it would take to get to the James Bond reference. You win the prize!

[org.whodat]

Pretty good to shoot rats with, the four legged kind!!!

[mnehring]

Have one, love it.

[freemike]

This is a used Walther. The dealer said he knows the previous owner and it was hardly ever fired. Is there a way to find the age of the gun and a manual? It has two mags and looks brand new. 425.

[RobRoy]

I was looking at 380 for my wife in her purse. Pretty much every gun nut that chimed in on the subject seems to think any thing less than 9mm is a waste of gun - even on an all female gun site.

I dunno...

[MPJackal]

“And .357 versus .380? there’s no comparison.”

Depends on who is pulling the trigger.

[Osage Orange]

As a carry gun....it's a good fit for me.

I have a Sig P230SL....7 plus 1.

Hollow points make it better..I guess. But 8 bullets to the chest ought to do it..no matter what.

[panaxanax]

“...Walther...I have heard that one needs to be a mechanic to take one apart”

Not true. The P5 can be disassembled in less than 30 seconds.

[DainBramage]

While everybody is here....I bought a $290 dollar SW SIGMA .40 cal for a truck gun.
It shot fine for 300 rounds then I noticed It was drifting, then realised the rear sights had shifted a ton just due to jacking those rounds through it.

The rear sight slides with a little tap and will continually bother me setting it straight over and over.

Any ideas...anybody with the same prob?

[Frantzie]

Keep looking. I knew someone who owned one. It can pinch you between the thumb and index finger. I would probably go with the small Beretta .380 or SIG before that Walther.

[ReverendJames]

Springfield 1911A1 - .45cal is a definite stopper.