Walther PPK Semiautomatic. The Legendary pistol that started in WWII Germany, and went to James Bond and Beyond.
The Walther PPK had plenty of company
during
Germany's massive military buildup in the 1930's. Its own
kin, the P38 was succeeding older classics such as the Luger P08
Parabellum, Mauser C96, Sauer, and neighboring Hungary and
Czechoslovakia were producing many other models. Many pistols
resemble the PPK in its sleek, streamlined appearance, but runaway
popularity and success has made it a legend in a class of its own, head
and shoulders above the rest.. The PPK was (and still is)
made of very high-quality materials, and known for its accuracy and
durability, and its appearance has changed little from the 1931
original. Classic German engineering has again produced an
object of desire among those who can appreciate it.
Currently, the PPK is available in .32 ACP, and .380 ACP caliber, and
there are many variations and finishes.
The Walther PPK is one of the most famous pistols of all time, and
takes its rightful place in history. As the favored pistol of Ian
Fleming's fictional British Secret Agent, James Bond, it's also the
pistol that Adolf Hitler used to commit suicide in the Furherbunker as
the Soviet Red Army was mercilessly closing in on the Reichschancellory
on April, 30, 1945. This was one of the defining moments of
20th Century history, and the Walther PPK played a part. By
most accepted historical accounts, he bit into a glass ampoule of
cyanide and pulled the trigger against his temple
simultaneously. His wife and former mistress, Eva Braun, whom
he had wed some
2 days earlier, committed suicide with him, followed by several of his
top staff, notably Joseph Goebbels, his wife and their six
children. All of their bodies were burned in a bomb crater
outside one of the bunker's doors. Thus ended one
of history's most notorious regimes, and the result had a profound
impact on the future of Europe and the world for decades to
come.
The designation PPK is commonly known as Polizeipistole Kriminalmodell (Police Pistol Detective Model) or Polizeipistole Kurz (Short Police Pistol). Whichever designation is preferred, both would be accurate. Production of the Walther PPK began in 1931 by Carl Walther Waffenfabrik in the German state of Thuringia, and was sold commerically to civilians, as well as issued to the Reichswehr/Wehrmacht, Luftwaffe , various police forces and government officials. In 1945, the Thuringian factory was destroyed by allied bombing, and the postwar occupation of the newly divided Germany and reparation restrictions imposed by them forced Walther to license and shift production to a French company, Manurhin (Manufacture de Machines du Haut-Rin). In 1953, production was resumed by Walther in Ulm, West Germany, although it also continued in France for decades. Today, through a number of mergers and licensing agreements with Smith & Wesson, Colt, and Umarex Sportwaffen GmbH, the Carl Walther Sportwaffen GmbH name lives on, and continues to produce some very futuristic products, that are moving into the 21st Century--and very much look the part!--and best of all, they still make the legendary PPK.
Firearm Type:
Blowback-Operated Semi-Automatic Pistol
Nation Of Manufacture: Germany, France
(1945-1986), USA
Military Service Dates : 1935-Present, and
Used by Police Forces
Variations: PPK, PPK-L, PPK/S, PPK/E,
PP-Super
Ammunition: .380 ACP, 7.62mm, .25 ACP,
22LR, .32 ACP
Wars: World War II
Recent Prices at Auction for Originals: US
$500-$2,000+ (depending on age etc.)
Here is our authentic
replica Walther PPK semiautomatic pistol.
We also offer a Blank-Firing replica Walther PPK
semiautomatic pistol, in blued or nickel-plate finish.