Ahern Under The
August 08 Blue Press 20-37 copy 6/13/08 1:51 PM Page 26 26 AhernAhern UnderUnder thethe GunGun By Jerry Ahern on the PP in .32, both accuracy and perform- Photos by Sharon Ahern ance should, logically, be better than in the In 2009, it will be 80 years since the first com- smaller vest-pocket-size pistols. mercially successful double action semi-automat- According to the Evan Marshall and Ed Sanow ic pistol ever designed was released to the mar- ballistic performance figures, 71-grain .32 ACP ketplace. The year was 1929 and the handgun Winchester solids have a 50-percent one-shot was the Walther PP, the letter designation stand- stop rating, while the Winchester Silvertip 60- ing for “Polizei Pistole.” The new pistol’s caliber grain bullet has a 63-percent rating. If you acquire was .32 ACP (which sounds much more formida- one of these superb little Walther pistols and it ble than 7.65mm doesn’t handle hollow Browning). points (I recommend The PPK of James experimenting with Bond lore is much the Winchester and more famous, to be the Federal variants), sure, PPK standing for take it to a competent “Polizei Pistole Krim- gunsmith. But, if inal,” the weapon you’re stuck with the shorter in overall .32 ACP solids, you length and overall could do a lot worse. height than the PP. Keep in mind that the The PPK was intend- longer sight radius, ed for use by under- the basic but ade- Right profile of the gently cover or plainclothes quate sights and – used Walther PP .32 ACP.
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