Walther PP .380 ACP Pistol, a Classic Revisited | Review

I can’t help it. I’ve been a James Bond movie fan for a long time. My first experience with a Bond film was when my brother and I watched, in a theater, “Goldfinger” when it came out in 1964. What fascinated me even then was the super spy’s use of what I saw as a cool pistol, the Walther PPK, in several of his celluloid exploits. But the slightly larger PP appeared, too. The PP was featured in the first Bond film, Dr. No, although it was referred to as a PPK. One or the other of these pistols was used in several Bond movies, not to mention many others. They became a movie icon.

I had requested, from Walther, several months ago a PP to review. They were hard to get. I think that was due, in part, to the fact that they were out of production from 1999 – 2024. I might’ve gotten one of the first ones off the reinvigorated line. 

Why did I not request a PPK? My thoughts were that the PPK was most likely the more commonly seen of the two. So, I thought why not get something that many shooters may not have experience with? You know, something a bit different. After all, the PP was the first of the series to be released in 1929, with the “K” version coming two years later. 

What do the letters mean? “PP” means, in English, police pistol… or, in German, Polizeipistole. The “K” stands for kriminal (short for kriminalamt). This would be the criminal investigation office (think CSI). Thus, the PPK was a slightly smaller-framed pistol made for what we would call plain-clothes detectives. That’s the one that gets the most attention, but I still like its slightly larger and older brother, the PP. The PP was carried by many German police departments and the military… it was also popular with civilians when they could own them. Interestingly, It was equally popular in its .32ACP version. They sold a bunch of them. They even had them manufactured for a while under license in France by Manurhin. Heck, even Smith and Wesson made them under license for a while. They had to meet the demand.

Walther PP .380 ACP Pistol

Live Inventory Price Checker

	Mec-Gar Walther PP .32 ACP 8 Round Magazine with Finger Rest - Black	The Mag Shack	$ 34.99
	Mec-Gar Walther PP .32 ACP 8 Round Magazine - Black	The Mag Shack	$ 34.99
	Walther PD380 .380 ACP 3.7" 9rd Pistol, Black - 5050508	Palmetto State Armory	$ 540.99 $ 399.99
	Walther PPK/S .380 ACP Pistol 3.3" 6rd, Blue/White - 4796015	Palmetto State Armory	$ 999.99 $ 799.99

This particular pistol is a thing of beauty… I hope my photos will reveal that. Its polished stainless steel accentuates its classic lines. In terms of operation, what is striking about this pistol is that it doesn’t use a locked breech, but is blowback-operated. The barrel is fixed, with the recoil spring around it. The slide-mounted safety also functions as a decocker, allowing you to safely drop the hammer on a loaded chamber. 

Speaking of loaded chamber, another interesting feature is the loaded chamber indicator. It’s a rod that protrudes just above the hammer if there’s a round in the chamber. You can see it, or just feel it if it’s dark, and thereby know if you are good to go.

Specifications

Let’s look at the specifications from Walther’s website.

Warranty: As a final part of the specifications, the warranty is called the Legendary Lifetime Limited Warranty. It applies to pistols made after 1993 and covers the gun for its lifetime, and not just with the original owner. It simply covers the gun as long as needed. There are limitations, of course, as with anything but they want their guns to function no matter who owns them.

Another interesting aspect of the warranty is their 30-day money-back guarantee. If you don’t like your PP (or most other Walther models), you can return it for a refund within 30 days. That’s something you don’t usually see.

We see that we have a DA/SA 24-ounce pistol that holds 7+1 rounds of .380. The gun is made in what I’ll call an old-school way where the grip and frame edges are sharp, it uses replaceable grip panels, and the magazine release button is behind the trigger but way up high. 

The sights are milled into the slide and are not adjustable. To sum up, the gun is heavy-for-caliber with no de-horning, has what is considered a low capacity these days, and has rudimentary sights. And, as mentioned, it’s a traditional DA/SA design with a slide-mounted safety/decocker and a hammer block… no striker here! But… it works. They can’t make them fast enough, so that says something about its old-timey design still being in demand.

Popularity

These pistols are more popular today than a fresh bowl of shrimp at an all-you-can-eat buffet. So… why are these pistols so popular? I think it’s because of their history, and the fact that they are an iconic design. Many other companies around the world have copied the PP’s design, almost to the point of patent infringement. It is, to put it simply, a classic that has sold well for almost a century. 

The gun’s popularity is also based on another factor… it’s a well-made and very reliable pistol. The thing ticks along like a German cuckoo clock. The machining is excellent, with no stray marks anywhere. Correspondingly, the pistol’s parts fit together like they were carved from one piece of steel. And the finish is something to behold. The stainless steel slide is polished where it needs to be but has wavy striations cut along its upper surface to break up glare between the sights. 

You can almost see yourself in the trigger’s polished face. The grip’s front and back straps are smooth… I am not sure I like that, but it works with this pistol, keeping the lines flowing. It looked so fresh and clean out of the box I almost didn’t want to spoil it by shooting it. For a 1929 design, it was light years ahead of its time.

I tried to determine where this pistol was made. The PPK variant has been built in Walther’s Arkansas plant since 2018. But I’m not sure if the PP is made there, too. Here’s the pistol’s engraving on the left side of the slide…

Taking The PP Apart

It’s pretty easy to field-strip the PP/PPK. First, rotate the safety down to the “safe” position and remove the magazine. Pull down on the front of the trigger guard and push it to the side so it rests on the frame or block it open with something, to keep it out of the slot. Then, draw the slide back to the rear and lift the back of the slide off the frame. You can then remove the slide and the recoil spring to clean. 

To put things back, simply reverse the process – put the recoil spring back over the barrel, small end first, and run the slide over it, pulling it all the way to the rear. (It does add that the thumb safety should be engaged during re-assembly). Finagle the slide around until it seats on the frame by mating the grooves in the slide to the rails on the frame, let it go forward, and replace the trigger guard. That’s it. If you get stuck, a link to the manual that comes with the gun is here. Taking the pistol down and reassembling it is covered on pages 24-26. It’s for a PPK, but the drill’s the same.

Shooting The PP

I received the pistol on a Thursday, and I typically like to “get with the program” and shoot it as soon as I get it, but the weather changed that plan. My former-deputy friend Ed volunteered to do some of the shooting, as the older I get, the less I like the cold, and my OEM eyeballs aren’t the best with open sights. I manned the camera and shot a bit. It was about 20 degrees with a stiff west breeze, but that didn’t bother him. We’ve had a true January winter here in the Hoosier state, with about a foot of snow and temps that had all the brass monkeys being brought inside…  

We set targets up on my Caldwell Ultimate Target Stand at 15 yards. The ground was frozen, so we propped the stand against a 5-gallon bucket. I brought out three .380 FMJ loads that I had on hand. 

Let me say up front that I do believe we could’ve done better on a day more conducive to not freezing your toes off, but as the saying goes, the show must go on. I’m not making excuses… it was just darned cold and blowing. 

The first load we shot was the Fiocchi 95-grain FMJ load. It didn’t do so well. All the loads shot high for Ed and me, including this one. Being a former cop, he is used to covering the target with the front sight – in essence, a center hold. I was taught, years ago, to use a 6-o’clock hold, like bullseye shooters use. I do use a center hold when I’m shooting self-defense pistols with red dots, or even iron sights, as that seems to be where they are regulated to hit. I’ve adapted but I’m not sure the Walther had adapted. I think it was regulated for a 6-o’clock hold. I’m not sure, but that would explain why everything shot so high. The Fiocchi load wasn’t interesting, so we went with the second load I had,

Here’s a representative target from the Seller & Bellot 95-grain FMJ load. I’ve had good results from S&B factory .380 loads in other guns, so I was hopeful. This load was the best of the S&B loads we put on paper that day. It would at least suffice as a starting point in your ammo search,

Here’s a target from our third load, CCI’s 95-grain FMJ, that I shot:

All the groups were high and represented patterns more than groups. I am not the best handgun shot in the world, but I do OK usually. (I’ve had plenty of success, hunting deer with open-sighted revolvers). Two different, experienced shooters, shooting different loads, and none of the loads are close to the point of aim or that accurate. You would think that a $900 gun would have its sights regulated more closely … the loads we shot were plain-jane 95-grain FMJ loads. Even considering the weather, we were not happy with the results.

None of the loads would have me writing home, but with all the 380 ammo on the dealer’s shelves today, you would hopefully find something that grouped well. I’ve been wanting to try some of the new defense loads but haven’t had the chance yet. With the right load, the PP would make a decent carry gun. You would need a holster, as it is not light like a polymer-framed pistol and wouldn’t do well in a pocket, but there have been holsters around for these for decades.

Both the PP and PPK are known for their accuracy, so please don’t let these targets put you off. Conditions were terrible, but the gun should perform, with the right ammo… that’s not an issue. As I said, with more time, money, and targets, I would find a load that grouped well and would be effective to carry in this gun. 

Summing Up

This gun, as I said, is a classic. It is not cheap – nothing of value is – but it looks great, it felt wonderful in the hand, and it functioned very well. I could see the pistol being used for concealed carry, once the right ammo was found. With the two seven-round magazines that come with it, you would be well-armed.

The gun also comes in .32ACP, but I figured that .380 would be a bit more effective.  This pistol will perform well with the right loads. We just didn’t happen to have those right loads at the time of shooting. 

This is a niche gun. Not every shooter today would want to adopt a steel-framed, 7+1-round-capacity .380. But, if you like old-school guns and are a DA/SA fan, this gun’s for you. If you are looking to add a classic icon to your collection, give the PP (or PPK) a look.

As I said, it’s not cheap (I’ve seen it for $850), but it IS quality – there is a whole lot of hand-fitting and finishing here. I see no reason why this gun would not appreciate over the years. I know it would be the centerpiece, the focal point, in my gun safe. This old police pistol is still viable in the 21st century and makes an effective carry piece. After all, James Bond was a believer! 

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About Mike Hardesty

With experience spanning over 45 years, Mike Hardesty has long enjoyed shooting and reloading. An inveterate reloader, he casts bullets and reloads for a diverse array of firearms, each handled with long-practiced precision. Living in rural Indiana, his homestead boasts a personal 100-yard range where he shares his love for guns to his four sons, their wives, and eleven grandchildren. As a recognized author, his writings have been featured in notable platforms like Sniper Country, Bear Creek Arsenal Blog, Pew Pew Tactical, TTAG, Dillon Precision’s Blue Press, and Gun Made, revealing his ongoing passion for firearms at the age of 72.