Other pistols that feel like a PPK?

[Tim-Gabz]

I have a hate for the 454 Casull. I could take a wounded (.303) warthog down with a .45ACP G21, if the first hotload round didn't work then the next 12 did nicely thank you very much. The casull was too hot for me to provide follow up shots.

The .32ACP was a neat round. My dad had it in CZ and Astra (PPK copy). They used to work well with ball but not reliable in hollow point. My 1942 Beretta .32 was reliable and very easy to carry. Difficult safety and needed more rounds but never misfired or jammed. Could never lay my hands on a newer version with better safety and more capacity.

 

[Kilroy Higgins]

It seems the idea of a less than 9mm calibre pocket pistol has fallen rather out of style with the advent of soft armour. As it is, more and more companies these days (with some exceptions) are trying to make a new series of pocket wonder-nines to out do each other.

 

[SIFU1A]

You friend is not the only one, I suspect. There are folks who think that .375 H&H is a good starting point for big coastal browns. He is probably adeqautly armed for most situations with the Casull. I think Alaska was one of the places that Mr. Linebaugh was thinking about when he started playing around with his original hot loaded 5 shot .45 LC's and the Casull is essentially a safer stretched version of that type of round.

he only packs the 454 when he is fly fishing, wears it in a shoulder holster, when actually hunting them he does use a .375 H&H FWIW, says that the .375H&H is really popular up there, all his "neighbors" (i say that loosely as the closest one is several miles away lol) are hunting and fishing guides and all except one carries the .375H&H, the one who doesnt carries a .458 win mag lol.

 

[SIFU1A]

It seems the idea of a less than 9mm calibre pocket pistol has fallen rather out of style with the advent of soft armour. As it is, more and more companies these days (with some exceptions) are trying to make a new series of pocket wonder-nines to out do each other.

i think it has more to do with the fact that a kahr PM9, for example, is as small as a lotta .32/.380's, i know i dont worry about getting it on with anyone with body armor as i dont intend to have a shoot out with LEO's, not many folks other than LEO's wear armor, oh i suppose a few do but the great majority do not,

but a lotta folks are coming out with smaller stuff for edc use i suppose since so many states have CCL's now, its a big market.

 

[Kilroy Higgins]

i think it has more to do with the fact that a kahr PM9, for example, is as small as a lotta .32/.380's, i know i dont worry about getting it on with anyone with body armor as i dont intend to have a shoot out with LEO's, not many folks other than LEO's wear armor, oh i suppose a few do but the great majority do not,

but a lotta folks are coming out with smaller stuff for edc use i suppose since so many states have CCL's now, its a big market.

True, but it's just that back in the day (Far before my time anyhow) It was proper to slip a nice .32 revolver or the like into one's coat pocket as you left the house, and that was considered enough to stop any rapscallion who would accost you for your money. These days we've got huge discussions on .45 ACP versus 9mm Luger, and a general crying out that .380 ACP just isn't sufficient any more. Most certainly I'm pretty sure I'd never run into anyone wearing soft armour or the like if I were to ever need to discharge a weapon at them, but the idea that if I was carrying a .380 someone would say that it "wasn't enough" for the situation makes me question the market trend a bit.

 

[SIFU1A]

hey this is the information age lol, but really the .25/.32/.380 have always been considered a bit lacking for SD use, even back in the '70's jeff cooper (and others) were touting larger calibre stuff for seriuos biz, so imho thats nothing new, imho the stuff "they" tout now is getting smaller with the advent of ammo which actually works, i remember back in the '70s everyone said only a .45ACP was really suitable for SD use, while now its shrunk down all the way to 9MM, but like i say the smaller stuff has been criticised for a while now, decades in fact,

 

[Tim-Gabz]

I have serious reservations about the .25. I found the .32auto to be very easy to carry on a narrow waist. My bitch about .32 was they were all basic blow backs and not the browning action.

 

[jdm61]

I have serious reservations about the .25. I found the .32auto to be very easy to carry on a narrow waist. My bitch about .32 was they were all basic blow backs and not the browning action.

Not all. The 1903/1908 pocket pistols had the early version of the Browning system.

 

[holygoat]

Meta point: this thread is fantastic — lots of experience being written down! Thanks all

 

[Bruise Lee]

Makarovs are really just a clone of the Walthers and offer really good value for the money. Try to get one in a .380 rather than the 9mm Makarov--they're available and the same magazine works for both calibers.

Why pick the .380 over the 9mm Makarov? The 9mm Makarov has more punch. It's the cartridge the gun was originally designed for. There is no size advantage going down to the .380. There are way more Makarovs in 9mm than in .380 if parts and magazines ever becomes an issue. Plus, the 9mm was the standard sidearm for the Soviet Bloc countries for years.

Just wondering what your reasoning is in picking the .380 version.

 

[zenheretic]

Why pick the .380 over the 9mm Makarov? The 9mm Makarov has more punch. It's the cartridge the gun was originally designed for. There is no size advantage going down to the .380. There are way more Makarovs in 9mm than in .380 if parts and magazines ever becomes an issue. Plus, the 9mm was the standard sidearm for the Soviet Bloc countries for years.

Just wondering what your reasoning is in picking the .380 version.

Maybe he was thinking of ammo availability. 9mm kurz is more avail. than 9mm Makarov.

 

[SIFU1A]

you have a lot broader choice of ammo in .380 vs 9MM mak, does anyone even make good expanding ammo for the mak anymore, i know corbon did at one time, i still have a few boxes from back when i packed a mak, but i havent seen any in a while, while a lotta folks make good ammo for the .380.

the .380 and the mak are pretty close ballistically IIRC, but the mak is a little hotter.

that said when i bought one i got it in 9MM mak, i'm a traditionalist lol.

 

[jdm61]

Why pick the .380 over the 9mm Makarov? The 9mm Makarov has more punch. It's the cartridge the gun was originally designed for. There is no size advantage going down to the .380. There are way more Makarovs in 9mm than in .380 if parts and magazines ever becomes an issue. Plus, the 9mm was the standard sidearm for the Soviet Bloc countries for years.

Just wondering what your reasoning is in picking the .380 version.

Actually, the PP series was originally designed for .32 ACP/7.65 Browning. The PPK that fired the 9x18 Makarov type cartridge is a larger version. Walther does not make a pistol in 9x18 to the best of my knowledge. The big problem with the Makarov would likely be that pretty much all post 7.62 x 54R Russian ammo tend to fall into the POS category as far as accuracy goes. Plus, you are at the upper limits as far as power/pressure for a pure blowback pocket pistol.