Description

In the past, the PPK version has been manufactured by Walther in its own factory in Germany, as well as under licenses by Manurhin in France; Interarms in Virginia and by Smith & Wesson in Maine. Since 2018, PPK and PPK/S models have been built at the factory of US-based subsidiary Walther Arms, Inc.^[12][13]

PPK

The most common variant is the Walther PPK, a smaller version of the PP with a shorter grip, barrel and frame, and reduced magazine capacity. A new, two-piece wrap-around grip panel construction was used to conceal the exposed back strap.^{[clarification needed]} The smaller size made it more concealable than the original PP and hence better suited to plain-clothes or undercover work. It was released in 1931.^[14]

“PPK” is an abbreviation for Polizeipistole Kriminal (literally “police pistol criminal”), referring to the Kriminalamt crime investigation office. While the K is often mistakenly assumed to stand for kurz (German for “short”), as the variant has a shorter barrel and frame, Walther used the name “Kriminal” in early advertising brochures and the 1937 GECO German catalog.^{[15][full citation needed]}

The PPK saw widespread use. Adolf Hitler killed himself with his PPK (.32 ACP/7.65mm) in the Führerbunker in Berlin.^[16] A Walther PPK .32 (gun number 159270) was used by Kim Jae-gyu to kill South Korean leader Park Chung-hee.^[17] A PPK carried by Princess Anne’s personal police officer James Beaton infamously jammed during a kidnapping attempt on the princess and her husband.^[18]

The fictional secret agent James Bond used a Walther PPK in many of the novels and films: Ian Fleming‘s choice of Bond’s weapon directly influenced the popularity and notoriety of the PPK.^[19][20] Fleming had given Bond a .25 Beretta 418 pistol in early novels, but switched to the PPK in Dr. No (1958) on the advice of firearms expert Geoffrey Boothroyd.^[21] Although referred to as a PPK in the film adaption of 1962, the actual gun carried by actor Sean Connery was a Walther PP.^[20][21][22]

Actor Jack Lord, who played Felix Leiter in Dr. No, was presented with a gold-plated PPK with ivory handgrips, given to him by his friend Elvis Presley. Presley himself owned a silver-finish PPK, inscribed “TCB” (“taking care of business”).^[23]