Posted: 4/21/2009 6:29:06 PM EDT
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Is it possible to get a PPK/S that is a genuine Walther-manufactured version and not a licensed S&W version?
ETA: New pistols, not looking for older ones. |
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Quoted:
Is it possible to get a PPK/S that is a genuine Walther-manufactured version and not a licensed S&W version? ETA: New pistols, not looking for older ones. Couple years ago you could buy .32s manufactured by Manhurin. I bought one pretty cheap about $260 they were German Polezie trade ins very good shape, mine is as new. |
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Unless you can find an older one at a gun show or on an auction site in new/like new condition, there is no new production in Europe.
Walther shut down production in Europe of the PP series and no longer imports them, so you can't buy a factory new one. Your choices for finding a new/like new PPK/s are as follows: A Genuine Walther-marked gun stamped "Made in Germany". Truth: From 1945 to the end of production virtually all Walther PP series pistols were actually manufactured in France by Manurhin since Walther didn't have a factory after the war for some years . Early models were stamped as "Made in France" and as Manurhin manufacture under license of Walther. Sometime in the 1950's Walther started having the guns made in France shipped to Germany where they were proof fired, blued and stamped as "Made in Germany". Manurhin had done such a nice job at such a good price to Walther that Walther decided to keep most PP series production in France. To be fair, in Europe, the country that does the "official" proof firing is considered to be the county of manufacture, so legally they could stamp the guns as "Made in Germany". A Manurhin gun. In the 1980's, Walter's contracts with Manurhin expired and Manurhin began importing PPK/s pistols with their own markings. Walther started a gun magazine ad campaign stating that "ONLY genuine Walther stamped guns were the real thing". Manurhin responded with ads stating that since THEY had actually manufactured the guns all along, THEY were the "genuine" gun. Finally, after a couple of years Walther and Manurhin came to some agreement and Manurhin stopped importing PPK/s guns. These Manurhin marked guns were EXACTLY like the so called "German made" guns, right down to the same machine marks and owner's manual, only with Walther markings airbrushed out and re-done with Manurhin marks in the pictures. The guns were very obviously produced on the same production lines by the same people in France so Walther's case was weak. An Interarms gun. In the 1950's and 60's Interarms was Walther's importer. These guns were made in Europe and stamped with Interarms logos as importer. In the early 1980's, Walther licensed Interarms to actually make the PPK/s here in America. Interarms actually had the guns manufactured in Alabama by the Ranger Company. These guns were offered in blue and in stainless steel, and as PPK or PPK/s models. Early Interarms produced guns are marked as "Made in the USA" under license and were very good quality guns. Later guns quality may have fell according to some people. So, try to find a PPK/s marked as a German made Walther, one imported under the Manurhin company, or a American made Interarms gun. The Walther and Manurhin made guns were produced in the same plant in France and are of the exact same quality. The Interarms produced guns are good but "possibly" not up to the same standard. You will have a much better chance of finding an Interarms gun New in the box. |
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Stumbled over this site while looking for a dealer to import some guns for me,
don't know if they have any new guns, but they might be worth checking out.. Simpson Limited |
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Quoted:
Stumbled over this site while looking for a dealer to import some guns for me, don't know if they have any new guns, but they might be worth checking out.. Simpson Limited One thing you can always trust, Simpson's to be is overpriced. I have relatives in Galesburg, and I visit their shop from time to time when I'm down there. Their prices are always as high or higher than you could usually find in large metro areas here in IL. |
| To add to what dfariswheel wrote, without having access to Walther sn data, there is no way to be sure that a PPK/s marked "Made in Germany" was actually made from start to finish in Germany. The last German made PPK/s was made @ 1982. The last French made "Made in Germany" marked, proofed, assembled in Ulm was made @ 1986. |