.380 - Walther PPK or Beretta

[BigV]

I have been looking for a good .380 auto for my wife as her CCW. I have narrowed it down to either a Walther PPK or a Beretta. I WAS leaning towards the Walther. A friend of mine who is a US Customs agent carries a Walther as a BUG. It was made sometime around 1985 and shoots flawlessly. Today at a gun shop in Cuyahoga Falls, OH. I was asking about a Walther and was told by 2 of the workers there to stay away from the new Walther. They claim to have sold 6 in recent months and have serious problems with all of them. Both FTF and FTE. He claims that they polished the feed ramps and could not make the guns reliable. Since I am not one to take the word of salesmen (they didn’t have a PPK, only had the Beretta) I figured I would toss the reliability question out here. Anyone have a newer Walther PPK and have problems? Any suggestions on which is the better gun Walther or Beretta? They are priced about the same. My intent is not to start an argument between Walther and Beretta owners so please don’t take it that way. I look forward to your responses. Thanks

[hpg]

PPK is the one I'd go with. I have owned 3 of them over the years and had no problems with any of them. hpg

[nemesis]

Blowback guns have notoriously strong recoil springs which make them unsuitable for many women due to the force required to rack the slide. .380 ACP ammo is considered by many to be the absolute minimum cartridge for defensive purposes and it is priced higher than 9mm.

Do her the courtesy of providing a quality compact 9mm gun such as a Kahr, SIG 239 or something similar.

[denfoote]

Mine works great!!
Salesmen are notorious for telling you anything to make that sale.
The part about the springs is true, however.
Before you buy, you may want to make sure she can rack the slide.
The same would be true of the Beretta.
There is nothing wrong with the 9mm kurz cartridge.
If she masters the gun and learns to put rounds where they need to go, then you need not fear. Shot placement is more important than caliber!!!

Now, about the PPK.
It has been around for quite some time. This means the bugs have been worked out. The pistol has been in use in Deutschland since about 1929. It became the standard for police pistols world wide.
Smith and Wesson does a good job with it. Better than the last one here to make it!!

I would advise it over the Beretta.

[Dead-Nuts-Zero]

Someone will say this sooner or later so I will toss it out. The Bersa .380 goes for about 200 bucks and is a Walther clone. I have one for over a year and almost 2000 rds. without a blink....other than a bad slide release at first that was repaired right away and perfect since. Lifetime warranty, parts and labor.

I intentionally left mine dirty from about 300 rds. of Magtech ammo then fired a mag full of Federal SD Hydra-shok loads. They fed perfect and shot quite well IMO. Recoil was slightly more than Magtech.

When I saw this gun on display I thought 200 bucks it must be junk. I researched it and found it to be considered one of the best gun buys avail. If you read about them, I think you will find that they are either loved or hated, much like a Glock (with many of the haters not owners).

If you/she likes the feel of the Walther, take a look at the Bersa. As for .380 for SD, I don't think it's too small. It's manageable recoil and I think that is very important. Just my opinion, and that's (the Bersa) what I CCW since I got it. Perhaps the .380 was the most popular BUG for many years, based only on what I read. And nothing wrong with the 9mm over the .380, as the 9mm is far more popular today. Bersa makes a 9mm too and it's on my list.

FWIW...my 2 cents.

[Wyo Cowboy]

"I'd advise the Walther over the Beretta."

Hm, seems I've heard the same advise given to Bond, some where.

[Tonyny]

Get a *GERMAN* PPK. Throw on some Nills to

[denfoote]

If you want a *Deutsch* PPK/S, it will cost you $995.

http://www.carlwalther.com/pp.htm

[Crue4]

I like the Walther b/c I am a Bond fan... but would probably go with the Beretta... (although the Bersa is more in my price range)

[Sir William]

I have Walthers, the true Walthers. If a Walther product says Smith & Wesson on it, don't buy it. Interarms and Manurhin Walthers are better quality. If you can, search for the Walther PP instead in 380. I think they are better all the way. Heavier and better mass in the slide, 3.9" barrel, larger frame and easier recoil. I like the older Walther PP 380 over the PPk with its smaller size, shorter barrel and grip/frame construction. The PPk is a neat compact pistol though. The PPks is just a hodge podge of PP and PPk parts to meet the GCA 68 size requirement.

[BIGR]

I have a PPKS .380 in stainless and it has been a number one. I would take it over the Beretta anyday.

[Dead-Nuts-Zero]

Sir William,
After reading your post, I remembered looking at an old catalog that mentions the older style. FWIW...thought someone may be interested it this.



I have a Walther 2003 catalog. Here is what it has to say...

Since 1931 the PPK has revolutionalized the pistol market with it's advanced mechanics and sleek design. In December 1999, Germany stopped production of the PP series. However, both models continue to be available from our USA production line.

[miconoakisland]

I have a Bersa Firestorm .380 and carry it regularly.
It has finger grips and has been 100% reliable!
I got it for $220.
Feeds anything/everything.
And the slide isn't too bad either, considering.
Just make sure, which ever firearm you get your wife, she knows how to disengage the safety during draw and fire drills.
I keep my safety on, unless I'm in a parking lot or other sketchy places. ( I don't trust myself to draw, disengage and fire quickly enough). My other carry guns have no external safety (XD40 and Kel-Tec P3AT).

[kentak]

Obviously, some people have had positive experiences with their PPK. I had a PPK/s for many years, but eventually decided to get rid of it. Couple of things to keep in mind regarding suitability for your wife. The recoil spring is quite stiff and requires a firm grip and steady strength to rack the slide. The DA trigger pull is pretty heavy and (for me) was pretty much of a throw-away shot. The felt recoil is sharp.

How about a Kahr P9 or MP9, which is about the same size as the PPK, but lighter? I find it easier to shoot well than the Walther. And, you get 9mm power.

K

[45-70]

I have had a Walther PPK/S for 15+ years, put thousands of rounds through it, and used it for a carry gun for a long time. Like any small pistol, it takes practice to shoot well. It also has a snappish recoil that many find unpleasant. If you look at an older, non-S&W model you should also consider slide bite. The first thing I learned about shooting one was that if you take a high grip on it, it will slice two parallel lines between thumb and forefinger -- every time you pull the trigger.

The new S&W versions have cured that. With an older model you may find she will not find it pleasant and may even be reluctant to shoot it, which defeats the purpose. (Unless you really want one for yourself.) She might like the Beretta as a shooter, in place of an older PPK/S.

I suggest finding a range where you can rent a choice of guns for the wife to try out, and let her see what she likes. My suggestion, like others, is to let her try some 9mm pistols, too. I'd even go so far at to suggest a 4-inch .38 or or a Commander-sized .45 ACP.

I don't carry the .380 much anymore simply because I started comparing ballistics and decided that most places I go, I can easily conceal a bigger gun. But it is better than nothing. And oh, yes. I would buy the new S&W model and not worry about it. The warranty will cover any problems. I don't suppose the gun shop guys mentioned what happened when those guns were sent back?

[JR47]

My wife carries a .380 as her CCW. She likes my Colt Government Model .380. It's a locked breech weapon, with an attendant less difficult to manage recoil spring. They are discontinued, but used versions are fairly plentiful. The same weapon, omly smaller, is available as the Mustang.

Have you looked at the SIG P232? It, and the earler P230, were nice little .380 pistols.

[scaryFORDman]

I like my little Bersa very much.........and the price of $220 is great, too.

[michael t]

PPK/S in my pocket as I type, its my main carry. I would never carry a PPK/S with safety on. Way to slow into action .Thats what the long DA trigger for. People I know don't safety on either. Bersa a fine pistol but just a tad bigger than PPK/S and that trigger guard does't help when Looking for holisters. I have both and enjoy shooting both .But PPK/S is my carry gun.

[WillBrayjr]

My choice is the Beretta M85 Cheetah. I don't think the Cheetah is blow back designed. You're going to pay around $450.00 for the Beretta and Walther. The Sigarms P232 is in the same price range. I still prefer the Beretta due to its features.

[fairview mick]

Big V.
Before you buy, just try a Bersa. I was looking for a smaller carry gun for my wife, and the gun store manager took me out of a more expensive gun and put me on a Bersa. The range had one and I got to shoot it before buying. Not bad at all. $210.00- And my wife can shoot it quite well. She's very small, but handles the gun nicely.Not telling you to buy, just try it and MAKE SURE YOU USE GOOD AMMO.
I bought some Wolf because it was cheep. The gun jammed constantly. I use Mag tech at the range and Federal Hydra Shock for p/p.
Mickey

[vtfire]

Won't try to sway you either way, only tell you about my PPK/S. Bought it new 3months ago, fired 500 wwb rnds. through it and 100 fed. hydra shocks. So far, no FTF or FTE's. I heard all the horror stories about the new Walthers, but this is quickly becoming my favorite carry gun.

Let her try the differnt handguns, and pick out the one she likes. She will be more apt to shoot it on a regular basis.

[eagle24]

My dad has a new PPK that has so far been anything but reliable. He has tried all kinds of factory ammo including ball and can't get it to go through a clip without a malfunction. I have looked at the gun and don't see anything that jumps out as the culprit. I promised him that when the weather gets a little better this spring we will feed it a large diet of everything and see if we can get it straightened out. Not what you expect from this priced gun.

[porkskin]

i've had both and prefer the beretta for its lower recoil, better trigger, better safety, and ergonomics. however, it will not be a pocket gun as the walther will. i truly recommend an airweight s&w bodyguard if a reliable pocket weapon is needed.

[Fer]

Go Beretta M84, I have heard many complains on the PPK also good reviews on it, but I have not heard bad comments on the M84, plus it carries more ammo than the PPK.

[mitchcoyote]

Save yourself some money and get a Bersa Thunder. Mine has been flawless, fun to shoot, and only 218 dollars.