Tag Archives: handguns

Hate to Say, “I Told You So,” But . . .


Actually, I do enjoy saying it.

Remember this little satirical gem?  Link:  When Will We Rein in these Deliverers of Death?

Well, it’s happened again.  This time an incredible sixty people were wounded, some critically.  Three had to be helicop0tered out of the carnage, and another dozen or so were transported to hospitals by ambulance.  Here’s the gory story in all its glory:  Up to 60 Injured After Car Drives into Va. Parade

Seeing as how we’re frequently told by some of our elected nannies . . . er, officials . . . that we can’t be trusted with these:

Or especially one of these:

Then by the same logic, and taking into consideration the vastly higher injury and death rate associated with automobiles, I’m sure it’s only a matter of days before Senator Dianne Feinstein and others take action to outlaw these from falling into the wrong hands (meaning your hands):

A Vehicle of DEATH

This is not hyperbole, my friends.  The argument for depriving you of one also justifies depriving you of the other, or perhaps taking away your access to fast food hamburgers and fried chicken, or denying to you large soda drinks at the theater, or stripping you of that swimming pool in your backyard.

You may not own a firearm.  You may have no desire to do so.  You may even fear and loathe them.  But remember this:  Whenever an elected official tells you — a law abiding citizen with a clean record of responsibility — that you cannot be trusted with something and that they’re limiting your access for your own good, don’t expect them to stop short at just those items with which you personally disagree or don’t own.  They won’t.  New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has proven that point quite conclusively (“Okay, scum — this is the NYPD.  Slowly put down that Big Gulp and very carefully back away.  Let us see your hands at all times, dirt bag.”)

Indeed, as a rule of thumb, you should not trust with your vote any elected official who expresses a distrust in you.

By the way, the so-called “assault rifle” pictured above is a 9mm Beretta Cx4 Storm.  It can also be purchased chambered for the .40 S&W and .45 ACP, which like the 9mm are pistol rounds that are less damaging to living tissue than the .223 round commonly used in more traditional semiautomatic rifles, including so-called “assault” weapons.  That Cx4 is on Senator Feinstein’s list of proposed banned weapons.

Now take a look at the following two rifles:

.223 Caliber Ruger Mini-14 Ranch Rifle

.223 Caliber Ruger Mini-14 Tactical Rifle

Both are functionally the same.  Both employ the exact same firing and chambering mechanisms.  Both use the same caliber round.  Both fire at the same rate — one bullet each time the trigger is squeezed (the definition of “semiautomatic” as opposed to “automatic,” which can fire multiple rounds with one squeeze of the trigger).  Both will accept so-called “high-capacity” magazines.  One is on the proposed banned list, the other is not.  Now, quick, what’s the difference that justifies that?

Answer:  The second rifle magically transformed itself into an “assault weapon” when Ruger added that recoil compensator on the firing end of the barrel.  That’s it.  No other modifications whatsoever.  In other words, the Mini-14 Tactical is on the banned list because of one thing, and one thing only — it looks scarier than the Mini-14 Ranch Rifle pictured above it.

And that Cx4 that fires the much more modest 9mm pistol round?  Why was it singled out for banishment, you ask?  Has absolutely nothing to do with function, capability, or destructive potential.  Once again this rifle finds itself on the list because it looks scary — it has a pistol grip and comes with multiple Picatinny rails that can be used to attach to the carbine anything from an optical sight or tactical flashlight to a laser for better target acquisition (which I would think is a good thing — who wants someone using a rifle to accidentally shoot something or someone at which they’re not aiming?)

This is but one reason why Senator Feinstein, Mayor Bloomberg, and others are simply not taken seriously by those who know, understand, and use firearms.  Their demonstrable ignorance on the subject would fill a book.  Indeed, Mayor Bloomberg was just a few months ago positively humiliated on ABC’s Nightline when Cynthia McFadden had to stop the interview to correct him on his insistence that semiautomatics fire multiple rounds for as long as the trigger was pulled.

Remember this level of ignorance the next time you listen to the gun control debate.  Then, the next time you’re at the airport removing your shoes, belt, and then entering a scanner for a virtual strip search, I want you to consider this:  When did you become the threat to national security while Congress’ laws allow real terrorists unfettered access to the our nation under the guise of “asylum,” are then given taxpayer funded assistance, and then turned loose unsupervised so that they may plant bombs at marathons?  And these same elected officials want to then disarm you because you’re the threat?

Really?

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A Rare Find — Walther PP .32 ACP Made in Post-War Germany


Walther PP in 7.65mm (.32 ACP)

Walther PP in 7.65mm (.32 ACP)

Because of the popularity of a certain fictional English spy, many people in the U.S. are familiar with the German Walther PPK — a very compact, highly concealable handgun originally designed around the .32 ACP (7.65mm) cartridge.  What is lesser known is that the PPK, originally produced in 1931, was in turn a redesigned, more compact version of the 1929 Walther PP, and that the Walther PP was one of the most popular police weapons ever produced.  Indeed, only recently have some national police departments discontinued their use and, yes, believe it or not Wikipedia still lists the PPK variant as being in service at MI6.

A third variant, the PPK/S, mates the larger PP frame to the smaller PPK slide and barrel, and has been exceedingly popular in this country since its inception in 1968 (in response to the ill-conceived and poorly written Gun Control Act of that year).  It is still produced to this day by Smith & Wesson in both .32 ACP and .380 ACP (9mm kurz).

S&W Versions of the PPK (.32 ACP) and PPK/S (.380 ACP)

PP, by the way, is short for Polizei Pistole (which translates to “police pistol”), and PPK is Polizei Pistole Kriminal (meaning police pistol detective model).

Shorter, lighter PPK frame on left; larger, heftier PP frame used by the PPK/S on right

After World War II until 1986, all .32 ACP and .380 ACP Walther-authorized European-made PP-series pistols were produced by Manurhin of France.  That includes even those Walthers with West German proof marks.  Walthers displaying West German proofs were in fact shipped from Manurhin to Ulm for final assembly and testing.  Only from 1986 onward, until the late 1990s, were Walther PP-series pistols once again made in Germany — at Walther’s manufacturing facility in Ulm.  (see:  Fun Photo Friday — 1940 Zella-Mehlis Walther PP for an earlier all-German Walther PP)

Walther PP in 7.65mm (.32 ACP)

Walther PP in 7.65mm (.32 ACP)

That means that most post-war PP-series pistols in the U.S. were either made in the U.S., first by Ranger Manufacturing for the now-defunct Interarms Company and later by S&W, or are of either German or French manufacture.  Other variants exist (many being illegal copies, especially from the former Soviet Block countries), but those are exceedingly rare here.  As for pre-war versions, those are all exclusively from Germany, and many were brought to the U.S. by returning servicemen or imported by Sam Cumming’s International Armament Corporation (Interarmco, and later Interarms) before he acquired the rights to manufacture here in the U.S. under the Walther banner the PPK and PPK/S versions.

German Proof Marks

German Proof Marks

On a side note — Sam Cummings was quite a character, and it’s reputed that his Interarms was initially a front company for the CIA.  Sam Cummings (more on him here) was the inspiration for the character of Sterling Heyward (and his father) in my murder mystery The Globe, and Interarms was the basis for the fictional InterGlobal Armaments mentioned in the same book.

German Proof Marks — Closeup; the “KC” code indicates a 1992 manufacture date

So, why am I bringing up this firearms history lesson?  Blame Saturday, and blame my favorite local gun store.

Post-war PPK and PPK/S pistols may be found practically everywhere in the U.S. (mostly of U.S. manufacture).  The post-war PP is a bit more of a challenge, as none were produced in this country.  Finding a true, post-war, West German-manufactured Walther PP is flat-out difficult.  Finding one without any import markings is even harder.  Finding one in .32 ACP (never a very popular round in the U.S. where caliber is king and .380 ACP is deemed by many to be the minimum cartridge suitable for a defensive round) is indeed rare.  Finding one in near pristine condition is practically impossible.  Finding one at an affordable price . . . well, forget it.  Or so I thought.

Here’s what my good friends at El Paso’s Collectors Gun Exchange were dying to show me the moment I walked into the store:

Original Box

Original Box

Post-war Walther PP in case

Post-war Walther PP in case

How good a deal was it?  I snagged this remarkable example for less than the suggested retail price of a new S&W PPK or PPK/S.

Expect a full review once I get this gem out onto the range.  As an added bonus, I’ll be comparing it to an Interarms PPK/S (.380 ACP), a Smith & Wesson PPK/S (.380 ACP), a European PPK/S (.22 LR), and a Smith & Wesson version of the iconic PPK in .32 ACP.

Interarms-imported, German-proofed Walther PPK/S in .22 LR

And now a mystery:  The Berlin Wall came tumbling down in early November, 1989.  The reunification of Germany became official on October 3 the following year.  So, why does a Walther made in 1992 bear the mark “W. Germany” on the slide?

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New in Collection—Yeah . . . It’s Another Walther


But this is a fairly rare one.  First, it’s a true West German-made version of Walther’s iconic PP-series—in this case the PPK/S.  Second, it’s chambered in  .22 LR (5.6mm).  The only thing rarer would be one chambered in .25 ACP (6.35mm ).  And finally, this one comes with the original Interarms case, factory target, owner’s manual, and tools.  You won’t find that combination very often.

We’ve discussed the PPK/S and PPK before, but those pistols were chambered for the .380 ACP and .32 ACP.  And as you’ll recall from that blog article, the PP-series was originally designed for the .32 ACP.  All other subsequent chamberings were afterthoughts to the original intent of the design.

Being a used gun, this one has seen a bit of wear and shows traces of neglect.  I’ve pointed out some of the flaws in the photographs below.  But don’t fear.  There’s a rebluing in this gun’s future.  After that it should regain much of its lost luster.

Just for fun, I also included a comparison photograph next to a Walther P99c AS—the compact version of Walther’s incomparable P99 with it’s revolutionary AS (Anti-Stress) double-action/single-action trigger set in a polymer-framed, striker-fired pistol.  These two weapon designs are separated by sixty-four years of progress (the P99 was designed beginning in 1993 came out around 1997 or so).

The original Walther PP came out in 1929, followed by the smaller PPK version in 1931.  The PPK/S variation dates back to 1968, and is basically a PPK barrel and slide mounted atop the larger PP frame.

I’m so far very happy with this addition to my collection.  I’ll be even happier, I’m sure, when I get to actually fire it and after I’ve had it reblued.

And here are the obligatory photographs:

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