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$1K for a PPK, really? Seriously, really?


Iron Pony

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Have been catching up on some Jack Higgins thrillers recently and walked into a LGS and there in the case was a PPK, which model is featured in many of his books in the hands of both good and bad guys.  Have never owned one and thought, "hmm, might be fun" so inquired as to the price and as you might guess from the thread title it was $1K, well truthfully $999.  Didn't appear to be new, was stainless, in a fitted case with one finger rest mag and one flush bottom.  Didnt ask if it was one of the interarms US produced or German made.

 

OK, I know prices have gone nuts but a thousand dollars for a Walther PPK?  Really?

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If it was stainless I am pretty sure it was not a German made one.  I agree it seems high, but again that's simple economics.  Supply and demand.

 

I love James Bond films and always wanted a Walther, but could never justify the price even a few years ago.  I had a Sig P230 which satisfied that itch for a while, but in the end I sold it off in favor of more modern 380s.

 

 

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As to the price, everything is inflated right now, the all steel construction increases manufacturing costs and it being  a "Walther PPK" adds a bit to the cost as well.

 

It may have been a great gun when first introduced, but I've fired a Walther PP in .32 ACP and aside from it's accuracy I was not impressed.  The double action trigger pull is very heavy, the gun itself is heavy for it's size and unless I was careful with my grip, the serrations on the slide would cut the fleshy part of the web of my hand.

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Everything that launches a bullet is sky high now.

 

 

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1 hour ago, Iron Pony said:

Have been catching up on some Jack Higgins thrillers recently and walked into a LGS and there in the case was a PPK, which model is featured in many of his books in the hands of both good and bad guys.  Have never owned one and thought, "hmm, might be fun" so inquired as to the price and as you might guess from the thread title it was $1K, well truthfully $999.  Didn't appear to be new, was stainless, in a fitted case with one finger rest mag and one flush bottom.  Didnt ask if it was one of the interarms US produced or German made.

 

OK, I know prices have gone nuts but a thousand dollars for a Walther PPK?  Really?

Take a look at Gunbroker - they've got Blue PPk's going from 750 - 1500 and Stainless pretty close to that.  There are even some blue C&R guns from pre-'68 going in the 2K range.  Might have to give some serious thought to selling mine!  Then again I've always had one around since 1976.

 

SC

 

 

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Bought mine during the assault weapon ban. 96 or 7. Used at a pawn shop. $400 along with a half a box of magtech ball ammunition. Interarms stainless 380. Once I replaced the main spring, that some previous owner had cut four coils off of, it would shoot anything. And once I took a Dremel to the bottom of the right slide serrations, it quit slicing my hand.

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much like colt - the name has a lot to do with valuation , too many other things to spend on these days , i dont need another walther - i wasnt real hapy with my first one and traded it for a colt back in 68 ---yes last century and never looked back

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A compromise? The Yugo Zastava M70 in .32 ACP. Entirely single-action.

 

Almost no  recoil from what I can tell. Smooth trigger with just a tiny bit of play.

 

I got it for about 270. I’ve since replaced the import marker ‘target sight’ for a real dovetail again from the gunsmith. It got me through my CCW qualification.

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I appreciate the current state of affairs and supply/demand economics that raise prices or cause temporary shortages.  July I didnt note the Interarms markings on the slide but I agree it is probably US made.

 

Don't "need" a 380 or 32 for that matter and ref alternatives a 9mm Makarov I bought years ago is pretty much a clone with a little more juice.  Plus the double action trigger pull on it absolutely, positively, no doubt prevents ADs.

 

Besides if I want to spend $1k on something in that shop they have a mid-90s, unfired, in the box, 700BDL varmint special in 223 in the rack.  It calls out to me every single time I drive by and had it been a 222Rem would long since have been added to my inventory.

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14 hours ago, July Smith said:

If it was stainless I am pretty sure it was not a German made one.  I agree it seems high, but again that's simple economics.  Supply and demand.

 

I love James Bond films and always wanted a Walther, but could never justify the price even a few years ago.  I had a Sig P230 which satisfied that itch for a while, but in the end I sold it off in favor of more modern 380s.

 

 

I have a really nice PPKS that is brushed stainless and is made in Germany.

kR

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Howdy,

This might not be the best time to get an  Always Wanted anything.

I had a ppks in .22 that was fun to shoot. 

A friend had to have it and he sure did pay for it.

I also had one in .380.  real heavy for carry.

NOT very accurate.  Found it a new home.

Hey stick it in someones ribs and you wont miss, right?

Best

CR

 

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13 hours ago, Phantom, SASS #54973 said:

Just to let you guys know...that think ALL guns are at elevated prices...they are not.

 

Sorry.

 

Phantom

All those that I would like to have are..... :lol:

 

P.S. - Walmart had some 100 round packs of CCI LR HP this morning for $7.82

I was surprised.  The employee told me that Walmart is starting to get more ammo and

has no plans to "elevate" the prices.

 

..........Widder

 

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Howdy

My walmart had cci for 7.82 and some winchester.

But I have had w jam a bit on me....too big to go in the chamber.

NOT good.

Best

CR

 

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To the veterans out there, do any of you all recall these, the German made ones, being available through AFES or base/post Rod and Gun clubs?  This would have been long ago and far away (if its not a faulty recollection) and the cost was approx $200.  

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PPK's have not been inported since GCA '68.  They are too small to get by the "saturday night special" restrictions.  They have been inporting the PPK/S, a PPK slide and barrel on a PP frame, to meet size requirements.

PPK manufacturing was started in the U.S. when Smith and Wesson took over 10 or 15 years ago.  Since then Walther USA has made them here.

Glock, SIG, Beretta and others all must make their smallest models here too.

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1 hour ago, Joke 'um said:

PPK manufacturing was started in the U.S. when Smith and Wesson took over 10 or 15 years ago

Actually (per wiki)

 

 

In 1978, Ranger Manufacturing of Gadsden, Alabama was licensed to manufacture the PPK and PPK/S; this version was distributed by Interarms of Alexandria, Virginia. Ranger made versions of the PPK/S in both blued and stainless steel and chambered in .380 ACP and only made copies chambered in .32 ACP from 1997 to 1999. This license was eventually canceled in 1999. Walther USA of Springfield, Massachusetts briefly made PPKs and PPK/Ss directly through Black Creek Manufacturing from 1999 to 2001. From 2002, Smith & Wesson (S&W) began manufacturing the PPK and PPK/S under license at their plant in Houlton, Maine until 2013. In February 2009, S&W issued a recall for PPKs it manufactured for a defect in the hammer block safety.[23] In 2018 Walther Arms began producing them again at their new US manufacturing plant in Fort Smith, Arkansas and new ones are being shipped as of March 2019.

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Unless I have to have it, or have been looking for a very long time, I will just pass.

Some of the asking prices are simply obscene. 

If left to me, they would be rusting on the shelf. 

I know about the laws of economics, and supply and demand. What I am witnessing now, is ridiculous to the dogs.  

 

I recently sold eleven of my toys on one of the major gun sites. 

One of toys I sold I had nicknamed: "the saltwater boat anchor", because it was such a piece of....er...junk. Yet it sold first. :blink:

Several were purchased at the "buy it now" price.

I was happy to get what I got, but at the same time, I was amazed at the feeding frenzy. Several had over 15 bids on them!  

Most of the one's, I sold, were sold to rookie bidders, from the number of times they had won an auction (1, or 2). Seemed to me that they had no clue as to what anything was really worth, they just bid to get it before it was gone, or because they could not readily find it anywhere. This generation has no patience.  

They seemingly did not have a clue, and thus, they either paid the higher "buy it now" price, or, bid it up past the "buy it now" price.

 

Yeah, I liked that I sold them all, within a few days, but I have mixed feelings about how they were sold. I may have seen a troubling trend. 

Money is fine, and all, but I just wonder about the long term repercussions...of this, and many other things, going on right now. 

 

The future sure ain't what it used to be.

 

My opinion.

W.K.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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i have an IWI jericho 941 F that has turned out to be a fine pistol , think its a CZ75 redesign but its one fine functioning pistol , leave it to the isrealis to make things work well - life depends on it 

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