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View Full Version : Strange question about my PPK/S.


denfoote
March 1, 2007, 02:53 AM
As most of you know, I have a PPK/S.
It's not rollmarked Interarms nor Smith and Wesson.
Instead, it has Walther USA LLC, Springfield MA!!!
Of late, I've been trying to find out just who made my gun!!
I always assumed it was S&W, but it's blue not stainless and I don't think Smith made any blued guns.
Does anybody know anything about the transition period between Interarms and Smith who can tell me who made this critter!!

Bart Noir
March 1, 2007, 02:42 PM
All the S&W -made ones, that I have seen at least, have a noticably longer tang on the frame. This protects against the famous Walther PP slide-bite event.

Bart Noir

RJay
March 1, 2007, 06:32 PM
In the 90s Interarms imported the parts and the Walther was assembled in the USA. I don't have the exact dates.

hpg
March 1, 2007, 06:50 PM
I think that Walther USA=S&W.......hpg

Dfariswheel
March 1, 2007, 07:38 PM
Your PPK/s was made by S&W.

Interarms NEVER "imported parts" and assembled them.
Interarms originally imported finished guns from Walther, then in the 1970's, Interarms began to produce the guns here.
The actual manufacture was done by Ranger of Alabama, FOR Interarms under license of Walther.

In the late 1990's Sam Cummings, owner of Interarms died, and his daughter didn't want to continue the company.
S&W had entered into an agreement with Walther to jointly produce some guns, and S&W would also act as Walther's American importer.
Once Interarms dropped the PP series guns, S&W picked up the license from Walther and began to produce the PP series.

denfoote
March 1, 2007, 10:31 PM
Thanks DFW.
I kinda figured it was a Smith made gun, but there was the chance it might have been a left over Ranger!!
What got me thinking was the fact that all the Smith made guns are so marked!!

michael t
March 1, 2007, 10:42 PM
I thought these were the pistols that Smith made with the Interarm parts. while they were setting up for the new ones with the silly tang.
Inother words you have a interarms built by Smith.

kennybs plbg
March 2, 2007, 10:43 AM
Dfariswheel had an excellent post explaining the history of Walther here:

http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/...d.php?t=158522

I can't get the link to work but it's on page 249 of the semi auto forum.

kenny b