I am looking for a CCW gun and have narrowed it down to 3 (I think).

I am looking at the PPK, S&W 442 or 642, and the Kel-Tec P11 for CCW use and range use.  I may get 2 of the 3 as well.  What do you think of them?  Accuracy, concealability, reliability etc..

Quoted: Does anyone have one of these in 380?  Is a good CCW gun and how is the accuracy? I am looking at the PPK, S&W 442 or 642, and the Kel-Tec P11 for CCW use and range use.  I may get 2 of the 3 as well.  What do you think?

I have one of the Interarms (now defunct) Walther PPKs in .380 and one of the "Smith and Walther" PPK/S' in .380 as well.  With either one, I very much prefer the magazines with the extended base pad because my hands are slightly large for them.

They've been very reliable for me and fit and finish on both is outstanding.  I carry the stainless versions of each in the summer time and conceal them under a golf shirt.  I carry the spare magazines in my shorts pockets a lot of the time!

I've found them to be fairly accurate, not exceptionally so, but acceptably for the ranges I anticipate an armed engagement to happen at for me.  I even have a photo of the pair in the Walther picture thread somewhere.  Overall, I love the PPK for the summer when I'm wearing too light of clothing where I don't want to carry a full-sized 1911.

Cheers,

kk7sm

ETA:  PPK/S has a slightly larger butt and holds an additional round.  It's also more comfortable for me.  FYI

I would recommend shooting them first at a range to test them out.  That .380acp has some pop to it in those PPs.  The Kel-tec I would suspect you'll find to have even more of a punch in recoil.  The S&W I don't know well enough.

I have a PPK and a PPK/s, both Walther made.  The new PPs by S&W in my opion are ugly (long tail) and they lack some little machining extras like smoothing the edges on the frame and slide.  Their actions are not as smooth as the older PPs made by Walther.  As far as accuracy, both PPs shoot very well.  Reliability, just don't limpwrist with a PPK because this can cause them to stovepipe, this happens partly because of the pop of the .380 in a small frame and partly due to poor grip.  

Ohh and also you can't get much smaller so concealability is easy.

The PPK is too expensive, too big, and too heavy for a .380, IMO. A Kahr is no larger, no more expensive, and much more powerful and user friendly.

In fact, a compact 9mm such as the Kahr offers the best of all three of your choices. The compactness of the Walther, the power of the Kel-Tec, and the point and shoot simplicity of the J-frames.

Quoted: The PPK is too expensive, too big, and too heavy for a .380, IMO.

Oddly enough, I love my PPK/S for those reasons. My previous carry gun was a USP .45F. I now use a Beretta 92FS in winter and heavy clothes, and the PPK/S otherwise.
Accurate shooter, feels good in the hand, I like the weight to it, since I'm used to full size weapons. I really like the extended magazines too, those are great. I love the PPK/S.

Anyway, the above is totally useless to you, FishEye, because you are not me. And what works for me may not work for you. Go shoot all three and then make a decision. You might not like any.  

I had a bad experience with a new S&W Walther PPK/S.  I wouldn't feed FMJ ammunition but seemed to be fine with Silvertips.  I was also not too impressed with the fit and finish of the pistol.

I still like the scale of the design and might try a real German Walther one day, but if the S&W version won't feed FMJ practice rounds, I can't use it.  I immediately traded it for a SIG 232 and couldn't be happier.

I've got a S&W 442 Airweight that I love.  Light weight, absolute reliability and 5 rounds of .38 special +P.  The .380 may carry an extra round or two of ammo but I think the .38 is a much more potent load.  I usually carry mine in a front pocket in a pocket holster.

Quoted:  I immediately traded it for a SIG 232 and couldn't be happier.

The 232 mag release weirds me out.

Quoted: Quoted:  I immediately traded it for a SIG 232 and couldn't be happier. The 232 mag release weirds me out.

For those of us raised on a Ruger Mk II pistol, it seems like old home week to shoot the SIG with that "European" magazine catch.

For me, the SIG has unusually comfortable "pointability" and therefore comes to target very smoothly and quickly.  It beats the pants off that PPK/S.