Does the Walther PPK still hold up?

By Francis Borek

First appearing in 1962’s Dr. No to replace a Beretta M1934, legendary spy James Bond carried the Walther PPK until 1997’s Tomorrow Never Dies – give or take a film or two – when it was replaced by the Walther P99.
Much like Bond, the Walther PPK is shrouded in legend and hyperbole with many making the claim that it is the greatest compact pistol ever made. Perhaps it is, but, then again, perhaps it isn’t. Certainly, the star power of some of the finest movies ever made helps the legend, but does the legend still ring true today?
The Walther PPK above the film that introduced it in Bond’s world. (Photo: Francis Borek/Guns.com)
The Walther PPK is an old design. Based off of the larger Walther PP, it was designed in 1929 as a simple and durable police service pistol with the designation PP standing for ‘Polizei Pistole’. It was an age of hope for the German people who, at the time, were slowly crawling their way out of the mess of post-World War One Germany. Industry was starting back up, and Walther was not as badly damaged from the war as many other gun companies. The PP was innovative for the time,

Source: Guns.com