The Pre-Eminent Pocket Pistol: The Walther PPK

By Garry James

It’s hard to believe, but in a couple of years, the vaunted Walther PPK turns 90. Still, for an almost-­nonagenarian, the little chap’s looking pretty spry. Without question, this very pocketable double-­action (DA) semiautomatic is one of the top three or four most recognizable and esteemed hideouts and has a respectable ranking in the pantheon of top self-­loading handguns ever.

The PPK is certainly one of the most storied and famous members of its clan, probably best known to the greater majority of people — even nongun types — as the trusty companion of author Ian Fleming’s master-­spy “James Bond”. The pistol has also been, by choice or issue, the sidearm of countless military personnel, police and civilians. Most importantly, according to some accounts, it performed the world an inestimable service by being the instrument with which Nazi dictator Adolph Hitler sent himself into the underworld. Starting out strong, even with the appearance of more modern, powerful carry autos, this seemingly timeless standard still has a very devoted following.

However, the PPK did not spring fully formed from the sky but rather evolved from a slightly earlier DA — the PP (Polizeipistole or “Police …Read the Rest

Source:: Guns and Ammo