Looking for a litle help. Years ago, severed nerves and tendon in L hand. I REALLY have to concentrate to get enough grip to pull back the slide.

Is the spring stonger than needed? Is there a pistolsmith out there that can either offer guidance or willing to work on the gun

Not what you are asking but. Try holding the slid and pushing the grip forward. It seems to help me with my arthritic hands.

Thanks...I'll try that....

That is what a lot of instructors recommend for women who want to qualify with a semi=auto for their CCP.

compacts are the problem it requires a strong spring to function..S&W has 9mm that was designed for old curmudgeons and ladies, and it works great..I have a glock 43X that works pretty well for me..

Spring tension and the weight of the slide have everything to do with proper function of those little blow back semi-autos. Sometimes, the hammer spring weight can be reduced just a little, but you need to maintain proper function (so it doesn't effect ignition) every time. Maybe cock the hammer before 'jackin' the slide, but that's not ideal for a self defense pistol.

I have found the Walther PPK to be one of the hardest pistols to operate as far as racking the slide is concerned. Even the Kahr PM9 is easier to use in that regard.

The technique noted above definitely helps.

I think the difficulty is caused by the combination of the stout recoil spring - which seems necessary for durability and reliable functioning - and the small purchase available on that short, skinny little slide with its bumpy hammer dropping safety sticking out of the left side of it.

You kind of have to pinch it because it’s so hard to grasp.

Reduced power PPK recoil springs may be for sale out there somewhere (Wolff?), but I haven’t noticed any.

James Bond 007 didn't seem to have any problem operating his Walther PPK, perhaps if you have your martini shaken and not stirred you will find the strength to rack your PPK slide

If you haven't seen it already, the proper technique (assuming right handed) is reach over with the left hand and grasp so that fingers are on the right side of the slide and palm and thumb on the left. Bring into body (turning to the right so muzzle stays downrange) and then push the frame forward. Strongest leverage.

If you are not wedded to the PPK there are lots of options that are easier.

The little CZ 83 is another sweet .380, but it has a rather stout recoil spring, also.

quote:

If you are not wedded to the PPK there are lots of options that are easier.

Would be my solution.

I like my PPK but I hardly carry any more

As the owner of an ORIGINAL PPK in .380/9mm Kurz, with brown grips-that I carried as backup gun (BUG)
in Federal law enf for over 30 years, offer the following:

1. The PPK is an original 1930s quality German design.
It is a compact version of the Walther PP,
Pistole Polizei-police pistol. PPK stands for Pistole Polizei Krimnal, used by agents/investigators in many countries.

2. Practice with and without cocking the hammer.
Find the best or easiest method for YOU-then practice-practice-practice. PUSH out while you are pulling back on the slide.

3. Often overlooked: clean and re-lube with a quality synthetic gun oil. It won't dry out or get gummy. Put more on the recoil spring/barrel areas. This is where the resistance is located. Do not use any reduced power springs.

4. There is a difference between a PPK and PPK-S the PPK is a bit more demanding with a smaller grip area. (A stainless version may gall-can recommend only blue finished PPKs or hard chrome.)

I have 2 Kahr PM9s... but I still carry the PPK with old Super Vel 88 gr cartridges... in a SevenTrees
custom belt rig. The PPK just works.

As Silver's said, it's a straight blowback action. There's no locking mechanism (like with a Glock or 1911), so it's only the spring that manages the recoil of the cartridge. So I wouldn't try to reduce the spring strength.

Ok, the PPK is a design derived (scaled down) from another pistol; the Walther PP. The K stands for Kurz, meaning, short.
I hear this all the time, from people with hand injuries, arthritis, and women; I tell them to forget a semi auto pistol and get a revolver.
Or I can weld on a side bar and you can rack it on the door jam.

Many thanks to all of you....the martini idea seems te most apealing!. Perhaps jmust sticking to a revolver makes the most sense.

quote:

Originally posted by Duane Wiebe (CG&R):
Many thanks to all of you....the martini idea seems te most apeaaing!. Perhaps jmust sticking to a revolver makes the most sense.

I always like the S&W 36 or 60.

But the Ruger LCR in 9mm is a nice option, fugly, but effective.

https://ruger.com/products/lcr/specSheets/5456.html

I agree with the revolver idea. I carry a square butt model 37 S&W. It is an Airweight J-frame.

I love Walther PPK pistols but it has the same pros and cons as all semi-autos: Pros: small, light, thin, and very concealable; Cons harder to cock, you have to remember if it is cocked, locked, loaded, on safe or fire.

Revolver Pros: It is ready to go, just pull the trigger; Cons: Usually limited to 5 or 6 rounds, a bit thicker for concealing.

You're right, of course. One can tell if a revolver is loaded without touching it. Near as I can remem ber, the Luger is about the only auto wth the tell tale extractor position.

Don't work on handguns anymore, so info may be out of date

If you can't do it with 6 rounds you are in serious trouble. We aren't laying down a base of fire. Hopefully.
Other pistols have loaded chamber indicators.

Another piece of info concerning Bonds use of his PPK that did have some repercussions in real life. In one of the movies when being chased by baddies across roof tops he dropped his PPK and it discharged. I can't recall the significance of this in the movie, may have shot one of the baddies, but Walther apparently were not very happy about this as the PPK is designed to not discharge if dropped or bashed.
Some of you PPK owners can probably confirm if this is fact or fiction, make sure there are a few baddies around though

Never dropped my PPK to find out.

Personally I find the modern designs to be a bit more user friendly then the PPK series.

Some where I have a box of ordinal supper vel 88gr JHPs for reloading

Never have seen or heard of a PP-PPK firing if dropped. Mine has only fired normally. The PPK CAN be racked and chambered with the safety on. I leave mine in loaded condition, signal pin out. In German, it is a taschen pistole, or pocket pistol.
Also have a 1967 PP in 22lr which is relatively rare.
It is accurate and has never malfunctioned with all types of 22 ammunition.

Again, appreciate the heads up about the indicator pin.

Never heard about the the firing upon being dropped. But you never can know what (if any) modificaions were made by movie crew.

May give the PPK another serious consideration.. I like the double action first shot and the ease of decocking. ... Same as my CZ

quote:

Originally posted by Duane Wiebe (CG&R):
Again, appreciate the heads up about the indicator pin.

Never heard about the the firing upon being dropped. But you never can know what (if any) modificaions were made by movie crew.

May give the PPK another serious consideration.. I like the double action first shot and the ease of decocking. ... Same as my CZ

I think a few have slightly misunderstood my post re James Bonds PPK discharging when dropped. The discharge in the movie was only a special effect, obviously the actor, I don't remember which Bond actor it was, wouldn't have filming the action scene with a loaded PPK.

In real life a PPK would/could not discharge if dropped so the special effect discharge in the movie caused Walther some consternation in so far as it was bad advertising for the PPK.

Duane,
I went through this issue for the last 3 or 4 weeks with my KAHR, to the fact that I have it posted for sale, in the meantime and a stubborn nature I found a set of V shape hand exercisers and pushed myself every hour of the day off and on, and viola I woke up this morning and racked the KAHR..Hands need exercise just like the rest of the body and us curmudgeons with old injured hands just can't give up. Trust me on this, it works.

My wife shot a PPK/S for many years until the arthritis in her hands got too bad for her to operate that stiff slide. She still has the pistol, but now carries a Sig P238 that she can easily operate.

Ray: you're right, of course, Most gunsimths have a pretty fair grip..for me, it's the severed median nerve issue.

I can rack he slide by using the heel of my hand against the muzzle..but imagination kind of gets in the way of comfortably doing that.

THE 1911 colt showed up this week in 38 Super, and its super! easy to rack and loading the clip is do able, but not compact but hides well in my waist band..

Its always a compromise! racking from the barrel is a touch scary, one might lose a wrist then an elbow to maybe a shoulder and last of all an ear

One of my favorites that has a loaded chamber indicator, and is light weight, easier to handle is a Ruger SR9. They also make it in a compact in case one has smaller hands. Or, if you just prefer to have a smaller pistol. You can read up on it HERE. I have the full size SR40 that I like. They also made it in a 45 Auto, but that has too much kick back for my taste...

Thanks..read the review. Sems the writer was really sold on that pistol...Now...How to get my head wrapped around a plasic frame...HAR!

Duane, Beretta used to make a double action pistol with a tip up barrel. You could open the hinged breech and insert the first round which eliminated racking. Then you could shoot that first round single or double action. I think they came in 22 and 380; not sure of other calibers. To be honest a 22 LR has as much or more oomph than a 32 ACP.

Duane,

To most of my older customers who have had this issue I have recommended the S&W M&P 9 Shield. It makes a nice carry gun and is much easier to manipulate.

Personally I like it better than some of the other options by Ruger etc.

I would not recommend a revolver to anyone that I wish to continue living, a cursory glance at the last 100 years is pretty self explanatory.

For close-up personal protection nothing beats a good revolver. Foolproof, accurate, effective.
S&W Model 13, 3",.357.
The only missfire I ever experience was with a Walther clone.

Can you explain "To be honest a 22 LR has as much or more oomph than a 32 ACP." to me please?

and the russian copy, the makarov, feels 5x worse!

quote:

Originally posted by Jiri:
Can you explain "To be honest a 22 LR has as much or more oomph than a 32 ACP." to me please?

The standard loading of 32 ACP is a 71 grain RN bullet. Walther PPK's were designed around that round and from experience most older PPK's do not like other bullet profiles as far as feeding reliably. Muzzle energy is typically 158 ft pounds.

Plain jane 22 LR high velocity 40 grain bullets typically have 131 ft pounds of muzzle velocity with many loadings going well over 200 foot pounds of muzzle energy.

quote:

Plain jane 22 LR high velocity 40 grain bullets typically have 131 ft pounds of muzzle velocity with many loadings going well over 200 foot pounds of muzzle energy.

Yes. Sure. In 15" barrel or so.


BTW nice REAL PISTOL BARREL ballistics is done by North American Arms.

Here is a link for 32 ACP from 2,5" barrel:
(for pistol, chamber length is included in barrel length)

https://www.northamericanarms....llistics/ball-32acp/

And here .22 LR from 4" barrel
(for revolver, cylinder length is excluded from barrel length)

https://www.northamericanarms....ballistics/ball-mml/

BTW it is common misunderstanding comparing 22 LR rifle velocities and energies to .25 or .32 ACP pistol velocities and energies.

From short barrel pocket pistol, even .25 ACP has higher muzzle energy than any HV .22 LR.

Walther PPK .32 ACP will shoot 80gr bullet at ~970 fps - https://www.ammoforsale.com/am.../walther-ppk-review/

On the other hand, here are .22 Results in fps. Look for 3.5" barrel - http://www.ballisticsbytheinch.com/22.html

Muzzle energy vs. barrel length, original picture:


Here I added real world 32 ACP ammo in Walther PPK:


Actually, that 102 ft-lbs is exaggerated, because they measured real world Walther P22 with 3.5" barrel 88 ft-lbs muzzle energy (998 fps with 40gr bullet - the most powerful of tested .22 LR loadings).


Jiri

Who cares?

Neither a .22 or a .32, or even a .380, is what you want in your hand when the chips are down.

But I would sure as hell not want to be shot by any of them!

Any gun is better than none, as they say.

Nowadays, however, with the many available micro nines, ALL of the lesser rounds have been relegated to a far distant second place.

And as the great Bill Jordan said, in gunfighting, there is no second place winner.

...and Bill was shooting a 6 shot S&W Model 19. No Second Place

quote:

Nowadays, however, with the many available micro nines, ALL of the lesser rounds have been relegated to a far distant second place.

I would say with a majority of states that have permitless carry and reasonable carry laws.

The need to carry conceal micro handguns is very small.

The smallest handgun I carry now days is a Glock 23.