New Ranger made Interarms PPK on the way

Herr Michael

I'm afraid I only have fuzzy photos that were sent to me buy the seller, but it is someone I've known for almost 17 years and he was a licenced dealer until recently so I trust what he's sending.

I've been trying to find another PPK that I can carry and not worry about ruining the finish because they are so darned expensive, but I couldn't find a blue one that I can afford.

The price has skyrocketed on Walther, Manurhin, and even Ranger/Interarms made PPK's over the last ten years. Ranger/Interarms PPK's that are used are selling for more than they were new just 5-8 years ago before S&W started making the abomination they called a "PPK". I can't even believe Walther authorized that mess. Then they had a big recall on them because they thought 'change' was a good thing. They'd been drinking too much of Obama's kool-aide.

Anyway, this is a stainless steel version of the PPK in 9mmk, so not the correct finish/steel or caliber. But it is a first year production Ranger/Interarms PPK with serial numbers on both the frame and the slide. They stopped stamping the slide not long after mine was produced.

Stainless steel PPK's and PPK/S's were produced much more than the blued models were in the United States. Walther has never manufactured any handgun or rifle in stainless steel. US consumers thought it was good to have something that wouldn't rust easily (I guess because they neglect their firearms) and would not have any finish wear.

This stainless PPK though, it going to be changed to a blued model using Lauer Custom Weaponry Durablue coating. It will have a hi-polish blue/black finish, that if I prep for and apply correctly will be indistinguishable from a hot-salt blueing process. With any skill and luck anyway.

PPK 7.65mm

Great find, looking forward to seeing some pictures once you have it blued.

Cajun

Thanks for the lead for others thinking about doing this to theirs.

Any updates, Michael?

Herr Michael

I have not started on this project yet. The kit that I ordered I used on a SIG-Sauer P220 slide and small parts.

I was not impressed with the finish. I believe it was too windy when I shot this in the garage with the main door and the man door in the rear open. There was a lot of wind blowing that day and I believe the paint was drying as it hit the surface of the slide.

Not saying the product isn't any good, but I will have to re-evaluate whether or not I want to shoot this Interarms PPK with this material. In order for it to adhere properly the surface should really be bead blasted with about a 220 grit, which doesn't make for a very smooth surface for a high-gloss finish. If I left it as-is and shot it with the surface being polished, the finish would likely turn out the way I would like, but would not last as there is little roughness in the surface for this epoxy to adhere to.

The front edges on the P220 have already chipped in a very small area, and the high-gloss finish is wearing to a matt finish where the slide is in contact with the Galco Combat Master I use. This was touted as being a very resilient finish, supposedly better than the competitor's product because of it's elasticity to cope with small bumps and dings, but I'm finding that this isn't the case.

Pants-wetters beware, firearm photos are included below.

You can see the slight orange peel effect on the bottom of the slide where the guide rod and return spring is installed:



Here, it is more pronounced and very noticeable on the slab sides of the slide:





Small parts turned out the best and actually do look like a highly polished hot salts bluing job:

Asp9mm

That's terrible. I wouldn't let that go anywhere near your PPK.

Herr Michael

I'm thinking the same thing. The reason I used it on the P220 is because it needed refinishing. I was either going to do it myself (with another product) or send it to SIG-Sauer for their $99 reblue.

I may still send it, but I'll see how the rest of this holds up for awhile longer.

Herr Michael

I guess I never did post photos of the Interarms/Ranger model I received a couple of months ago.

Chriscoop

I've re blued and blued quite a few pistols and never got a finish like that. It almost looks like it's been sprayed in gloss paint.

Herr Michael

That is essentially what it is. A two-part epoxy in a rattle can with the activator in a separate canister within the can.

It is not blueing at all. Just a finish system made to resemble hot salts blue. Had it gone on smooth, it looks very good. I've seen photos of other firearms with this finish and it is nearly indistinguishable. There is something about the formulation that imparts a certain amount of depth to the finish that the eye picks up on.

I still think it was too windy that day.

Chriscoop

Herr Michael wrote:

I guess I never did post photos of the Interarms/Ranger model I received a couple of months ago.

That's much better looking than that monstrosity ppk/s with the beaver tail.

Herr Michael

Much better. I wouldn't own one of those.

And now Walther USA is going to be producing the same ugly pistol. I find it hard to believe Walther GmbH even approved that.

Cajun

Thanks for the update and pics.

Not exactly bluing, but Robar does a durable blackened finish specifically for stainless guns. Keeping in mind that a satin stainless surface also affects the refinished appearance:

https://www.mdshooters.com/showthread.php?t=164359

DUBL_OH

Some things to consider. The "beaver tail" was on the PPK/S from Skyfall and the PPK from Spectre. It is there to help reduce the chance of "slide bite". The internals use a more finely polished one piece feed ramp that better handles modern hollow point ammunition rather than a two piece feed ranp that older styles use.

Herr Michael

Not sure what you mean by a two piece feed ramp. My PPK and PP both have the feed ramp as part of the frame. If you mean the chamfer around the barrel chamber opening then I understand, but that is not part of the feed ramp. Are you talking about a Zella Mehlis PPK/PP?

The PPK used in both movies used a grip that made up the beavertail. It was not as the abomination from S&W manufactured firearms.

DUBL_OH

The PPK from SPECTRE is definitely the Blued S&W model and can clearly be seen on the platter while in a RHD Vega Holster.

Chriscoop

I was referring to the extended beavertail


Which I think ruins the aesthetics and also proportions of the gun.


I have big hands and have never suffered slide bite on the webbing of my hand while firing a ppk. The s/w version has mixed reports on reliability, some have no problems others have been recalled and a lot suffer feed jam though that depends on what ammo is being used.

Asp9mm

DUBL_OH wrote:

Some things to consider. The "beaver tail" was on the PPK/S from Skyfall and the PPK from Spectre. It is there to help reduce the chance of "slide bite". The internals use a more finely polished one piece feed ramp that better handles modern hollow point ammunition rather than a two piece feed ranp that older styles use.

It isn't actually a beaver tail on the PPK/S in SKYFALL. Unlike the S&W PPK it's an extension of the grip rather than the frame. That particular prop was originally designed for the LED housing to slide off via the two switches each side. In the end it is a fixed one piece unit which looks similar to the beavertail on the S&W piece, but is completely different.





In SPECTRE, the only time a S&W PPK is used, is when Bond puts it on the tray (as you noted). In all of the other scenes, it is a ULM made German PPK. This is the only scene in any of the Bond films where he uses a S&W manufactured PPK.

Herr Michael

DUBL_OH wrote:

The PPK from SPECTRE is definitely the Blued S&W model and can clearly be seen on the platter while in a RHD Vega Holster.

I haven't seen that. I'll have to take a look.

Chriscoop

Asp9mm wrote:

DUBL_OH wrote:

Some things to consider. The "beaver tail" was on the PPK/S from Skyfall and the PPK from Spectre. It is there to help reduce the chance of "slide bite". The internals use a more finely polished one piece feed ramp that better handles modern hollow point ammunition rather than a two piece feed ranp that older styles use.

It isn't actually a beaver tail on the PPK/S in SKYFALL. Unlike the S&W PPK it's an extension of the grip rather than the frame. That particular prop was originally designed for the LED housing to slide off via the two switches each side. In the end it is a fixed one piece unit which looks similar to the beavertail on the S&W piece, but is completely different.





In SPECTRE, the only time a S&W PPK is used, is when Bond puts it on the tray (as you noted). In all of the other scenes, it is a ULM made German PPK. This is the only scene in any of the Bond films where he uses a S&W manufactured PPK.

I've always wondered what those two catches were for, I couldn't work it out given all the traditional catches are present. On the skyfall dermal technology model what's going on behind the front sight? There looks to be an indent there. I can't refer to my most famous gun in the world as I'm on the train heading for the border.

Herr Michael

Yes, the grip panels is what gives the German (French) made Ulm PPK what seems like a beavertail. The roll marking can clearly establish that it is indeed a German PPK. And Ulm doesn't do beavertails. It does alter the aesthetics of this pistol from a beautiful art deco look to a clumsy unproportioned pistol S&W thought they could sell to people that don't know how to grip a small pistol.

Of course, this pistol has been out of production in Germany since 1999, before S&W got ahold of the brand and screwed it up.

I too own and have fired many PP series pistols over the last 30 years and not once were my average size (glove size 9) hands ever cut up by a PP series slide.

Are there any close ups of this pistol to check the date code to see if this is a German or French made PPK? Pre-'86 Likely French, post -86, Ulm.

Asp9mm

Chriscoop wrote:

On the skyfall dermal technology model what's going on behind the front sight? There looks to be an indent there. I can't refer to my most famous gun in the world as I'm on the train heading for the border.

The indent behind the front sight is there on all PPK's post Zella.

Asp9mm

The 3D printed dermal PPK/S above was scanned from a ULM PPK frame with S&W PPK slide. They went with a resin model for production as there would have been too much material to remove from the PPK frame, and adding the custom grips over a frame made it too bulky and it looked terrible...



DC reportedly hated this concept, and you only see it briefly once on screen.

Herr Michael

I think someone could make some money selling those prop grips if they don't impede the action of the pistol and are sturdy enough to withstand live firing.

Asp9mm

We looked into it some years back, using the production prototypes as the base model (they did both a rubber slip over version and the resin ones you see above. It's not a viable project and would make the weapon dangerous.

Herr Michael

Frankly, I think they make the pistol look ugly, but they do have a certain novelty value about them.

ppw3o6r

Herr Michael wrote:

Frankly, I think they make the pistol look ugly, but they do have a certain novelty value about them.

Although you can't (sorry), try holding it and the grips come into their own as they fit the shooters hand like a glove better than any option which the ULM factory had put out -{

Asp9mm

The 3D printed version actually looks quite good. It's very ergonomic.

Herr Michael

Were those manufactured for the ZM/Ulm version or the Interarms version (no lanyard loop)?

Asp9mm

Herr Michael wrote:

Were those manufactured for the ZM/Ulm version or the Interarms version (no lanyard loop)?

The PPK/S signature grips? ULM.

minigeff

Umarex produce a good replica in 4.5mm steel BB, I contemplated making some retro fit grips for one of them but never took it further due to workload and the fact the umarex copy is a ppk/s so you'd end up with some complete bastard hybrid which is neither screen accurate or realistic.

sniperUK

Well the Umarex is sort of a "real" Walther as they now own the Walther company, the .22 Walther PPK is based on their blank firer ,with similar quality