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- WALTHER PPK
-
- As any fan of the classic
- James Bond films knows, agent
- 007's constant shoulder holster
- companion on dangerous missions
- was the slick little Walther PPK
- automatic. Purists might point
- out that the Bond of Ian
- Fleming's novels much preferred
- the pipsqueak .25 caliber
- Italian Beretta to its
- marginally larger Teutonic
- cousin; nevertheless, to
- millions of movie-goers, the PPK
- and Sean Connery (in the guise
- of Mr. Bond) are indelibly
- linked.
-
- Released to the civilian and
- police markets in 1931, the PPK
- (like its companion model PP)
- was a double action, blowback
- operated self-loader of pocket
- proportions. In the original
- 7.65mm (.32 caliber) chambering,
- the efficacy of such a piece in
- a defensive role is highly
- suspect in any but the hands of
- a marksman of preternatural
- ability (i.e., James Bond).
- Later units were offered in
- calibers ranging from .22 to
- .380 (9mm Kurz).
-
- Only when loaded with one of
- today's advanced ammunition
- designs could the PPK - in even
- its largest caliber choice - be
- considered a marginally
- effective manstopper. Still,
- its clean lines, simplicity of
- operation and celebrity status
- mark it as a classic handgun.
-