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James Bond's Walther PPK

For all the fans of James Bond out there, you have certainly heard one or more of the Bond actors casually mention their Walther PPK. If you don't know much about this particular gun model, it is a blowback-operated, semi-automatic pistol. The Walther PPK is manufactured in Germany by Carl Walther as well as in the United States and France under license from Walther. The details of the Walter PPK include an exposed hammer, a fixed barrel, single-column magazine, and a double-action trigger mechanism. As a little history of the Walther PPK in the Bond series, in From Russia With Love, M insisted Bond find a new favorite gun after his Berretta misfired, almost causing his death-in the book at least! Bond received his Walther PPK before he left for Jamaica, and the new gun became his new gun of choice for the next thirty-three years. Although Bond eventually replaced the Walther PPK with the Walther P99, the PPK remains a Bond tradition, along with his "shaken, not stirred," vodka martini.

The Design of the PPK

The trim and relatively flat dimensions of the Walther PPK make it ideal for its ability to be concealed under clothing. The finish of the Walther PPK is polished stainless steel, while the frame is made from a different steel alloy. Walther has instituted a wavy pattern which is machined on the top of the slide in order to prohibit glare when sighting the gun. The remainder of the PPK slide is finished in matte to further reduce glare. The standard front post with rear notch sights are incorporated into the PPK, although the front sight is stamped with an orange dot. The rear sight offers an adjustable drift, and the Walther boasts a smooth and slightly rounded trigger guard. The trigger is vertically grooved to add finger friction during pull, while the hammer spur was designed to prevent catching on clothing-it is round and smooth.

If you look to the left rear slide of the Walther PPK, you will see the safety lever-a hammer-dropping style. Once the lever is in the down position, the pistol is effectively on safety, leaving the hammer un-cocked. When the lever is pushed to the up position, it is then ready to fire. The firing pin of the Walther PPK is kept from moving by the safety lever, although there is not a passive firing pin block. Another internal safety incorporated into the Walther PPK is an automatic safety which is independent of the safety lever position, and remains continuously engaged until the hammer is cocked, or the trigger is pulled to the farthest back position. If you drop the Walther PPK with the safety off and the muzzle down, it is possible the firing pin against the return spring could cause it to accidentally fire, however if the resting hammer merely is hit from the rear, it is unable to hit the firing pin and cause the pistol to fire.

Some people with weaker fingers, perhaps women, might have some trouble pulling the double action trigger or racking the slide, as the pull of the single action Walther PPK is crisp, with little slack. Ranger Manufacturing of Gadsen, Alabama was licensed, in 1978, to manufacture the Walther PPK, although the license eventually was cancelled. 2007 brought licensing of the Walther PPK to Smith and Wesson, and as of today, the United States is the only viable source for the newer PPK pistols.