Walther PPK/S 9mm Short
Danjaq
San Francisco Bay AreaPosts: 92MI6 Agent
Was watching the trailer for Skyfall and noticed the segment where the new Quartermaster (Ben Whishaw) issues Bond his "Walther PPK/S nine-millimeter short, it's been coded to your palm print so only you can fire it."
Why the new variant of the Walther? First we had the Walther PPK 7.65mm (or .32 Auto), for a couple films we had the Walther P5 9mm, We then went to the Walther P99 9mm as we entered the 21st century with 007. Then back to the PPK with QoS. Now we have an Amercianized version of the PPK: the PPK/S (created to satisfy restrictions of the US Gun Control Act of 1968 which precluded importation of the PPK based on length requirements). The PPK/S, created by combining the barrel and slide of the PPk with the frame of the PP, is now the 4th Bond gun it appears.
Why the new version? Is it to bridge the gap between the older and underpowered 7.65mm PPK and the large and cumbersome P99? If so why not choose the mid-sized PPS? The same number of rounds in a larger, NATO-standardized caliber? Or is it based on an homage to the original PPK since this will be the 50th anniversary of Dr. No?
Why the new variant of the Walther? First we had the Walther PPK 7.65mm (or .32 Auto), for a couple films we had the Walther P5 9mm, We then went to the Walther P99 9mm as we entered the 21st century with 007. Then back to the PPK with QoS. Now we have an Amercianized version of the PPK: the PPK/S (created to satisfy restrictions of the US Gun Control Act of 1968 which precluded importation of the PPK based on length requirements). The PPK/S, created by combining the barrel and slide of the PPk with the frame of the PP, is now the 4th Bond gun it appears.
Why the new version? Is it to bridge the gap between the older and underpowered 7.65mm PPK and the large and cumbersome P99? If so why not choose the mid-sized PPS? The same number of rounds in a larger, NATO-standardized caliber? Or is it based on an homage to the original PPK since this will be the 50th anniversary of Dr. No?
Comments
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
A Gent in Training.... A blog about my continuing efforts to be improve myself, be a better person, and lead a good life. It incorporates such far flung topics as fitness, self defense, music, style, food and drink, and personal philosophy.
Agent In Training
My own PPK is a .380. Nice snappy action...and if the silvertip hollowpoints don't drop their target...call a priest :007) I did fire the 7.65mm once, and it didn't buck quite as much, which makes a good grouping easier, but then that's all about practice. I've fired hundreds of .380 rounds, and maybe three clips of the smaller round, so my opinion is skewed to my own experience.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Experience and familiarity make a world of difference. I'm at my best with S&W revolvers, Glocks, and 1911s simply because I've shot them more.
Shooters I know who prefer the PPK in .32 cite the following:
Less recoil and less bite.
Easier to rack slide.
Smoother trigger.
Better accuracy.
I also don't think the ballistic difference between a .32 and .380 is that great, especially with decent rounds such as the Silvertip.
And don't misunderstand me: I don't besmirch an individual's choice in firearm, so I'm in no way saying anything derogatory about those who prefer the .380 PPK. That being said, I think 007 should stick to the .32 (or upgrade to a PPS).
A Gent in Training.... A blog about my continuing efforts to be improve myself, be a better person, and lead a good life. It incorporates such far flung topics as fitness, self defense, music, style, food and drink, and personal philosophy.
Agent In Training
From a practical point of view;
The original ppk, in 7.65mm is quite a small gun, easy to conceal but the 7.65mm is now becoming somewhat lesser used in firearm design (so I'm told) and most handguns these days are commonly chambered in 9mm for the stopping power. Also, if you're travelling the globe, the common 9mm ammo might be easier to acquire in places more remote? Making the 9mm a more practical calibre.
These days, most handguns have a larger capacity of rounds, 18 here, 21 there. By comparison, the 7+1 of the ppk is quite small. I guess the ppk/s allows a slightly more feasible option? But then you also have the grip;
DC's mitt I would imagine could be quite big for the ppk. I find the ppk a good size in my palm, but I have ridiculously small hands. Maybe the ppk/s was chosen to accommodate DC's hand a bit better? The extra 10mm in height might make all the difference between the gun feeling too tight (resulting in slide bite for poor DC) and a comfy grip he can be confident with?
Then there's this palm reader gizmo. The S&W ppk/s has quite an extended 'beaver tail' to avoid your hand getting hit by the slide (the afore mentioned slide bite issue). But not only does the beaver tail help here, but also it's the only place you can put in them daft LED's etc. the original Ppk's frame has virtually no spare space to instal anything extra like the fake palm reader gizmo, the ppk/s however, with it's beaver tail does.
Therefore, I'd put money in the gun used being a slightly modified S&W ppk/s.
Oh and more on the grips soon....
MG -{
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"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Yeah, I remember in FYEO, the grip extension on his PPK was absent and it only had a flat magazine plate.
I too agree that the larger size of the PPK/S would work better in the hands of a muscle-bound Bond like Craig, and it allows for the palm reader to be installed.
But looking at the size of the PPK/S once the palm reader is on there, it is now almost comparable in size to the Walther P5. It actually also resembles the size of the short-lived 9x18mm (or 9mm police) Walther PP Super.
With the gun at such a bulky size now, it almost seems redundant to use the smaller 9x17mm (or 9mm short) PPK/S. With technology at it's present rate in the Bond movies (remember the adaptive camouflage Vanquish in DAD), surely Q-branch could create a smaller palm reader about the size of a pair of Crimson Trace lasergrips for Bond's gun.
LMFAO: in the real world the devices being prototyped lock & release the weapons safety catch. Optical readers have one small draw back & that is they do not always recognise the users thumb, finger or palm print first time. Your comment about battery life is actually quite accurate as some systems have been shelved in development because of concerns over battery life. There is a system where a chip is inserted under the users skin much like the tracking device used on Bond himself in Casino Royale. This I feel would have been more suited to Bond's particular needs in Skyfall. Other systems being prototyped use a passive tag used in conjunction with a ring or bracelet which are themselves the power source which need to be in close proximity of the weapon for it to operate.
Donk -{
no, the armourer simply comes on set and changes the prop for the standby one.
how did the TB breather not explode Bond's lungs?
how did the signature gun feed it's rounds into the chamber when the rounds are sideways on to the barrel?
why did the bath brush/morse code transmitter click when used? (anyone listening in could hear the clicks and work out your message)
where did all that smoke come from in the philips keyfinder?
how does a high power laser, and it powersource fit into a standard omega watch that still ticks as usual?
how does a piece of glass allow you to see through clothes?
with a boot full of bullet proof protective shield, tanks full of oil and smoke and a registration plate flipper, how did a jet pack fit in the arse of the db5?
where was the tickertape stored in bond's watch?
where was the ammo stored, and how was it fed to the guns on them bikes chasing bond?
these and many more questions that befuddle and confuse the mind can only be ever answered with one solution;
it's just a film
Vive le droit à la libre expression! Je suis Charlie!
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Excuse me? What did you say? Clearly you are delusional, man. 'Just a film'!! Whatever next. Phfft.
You've missed my favourite one....why when Drax's space station blew up did one of its support tubes fall in normal gravity?
Is there an alternative pistol you'd favour for Bond at all, ASP9mm?
Vive le droit à la libre expression! Je suis Charlie!
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www.cancerresearchuk.org
Give him a PPS for godsake. All this sentimaental crud is like an anchor to the character and he doesn't need it. This Bond is bang up to date, why lumber him with an old gun. Even worse, why lumber him with a very nice old gun and ruin it by adding great ugly greeblies. It's horrible aesthetically and utterly dumb tactically. So there.
-{
Vive le droit à la libre expression! Je suis Charlie!
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www.cancerresearchuk.org
Welcome back ASP, very good to see you
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ZM02-G3-FULL-METAL-SPRING-airsoft-pistol-230-FPS-James-Bond-/110954803116?_trksid=p5197.m1992&_trkparms=aid%3D111000%26algo%3DREC.CURRENT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D14%26meid%3D2354151185817055826%26pid%3D100015%26prg%3D1006%26rk%3D1%26sd%3D110954803116%26
and will modify it to look more accurate.
Wish me luck! :007)
#1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
Oh, great!
A new movie is coming up and all the morons are returning to AJB!
Who's next, Dell Deaton?
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
Besides, the biggest moron never left.
I am happy about the fact that he's* still here and still is :v
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
I have to agree with you.
Though the PPK is an iconic piece, Bond should reply on the best possible weapon for his purposes and that's clearly NOT the beautiful PPK.
It's nice to see cameos of the DB5 now and then, but if there is a serious chase, he'd better be in another car and that's how they have been doing in CR and QoS and (I hope that we don't see a car chase with the DB5 in SF) is should remain like this.
In my opinion the P99 in the Brosnan age was a tribute to Walther and the literaric Bond and so would be the PPS.
If he'd switch to Glock or others (particularly for money - product placement) - now that would be too much.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
When there is a new Bond movie coming up, Babs will have a friendly meetup with the Walther people and discuss the next weapon with them.
As Walther does not pay anything for being in the movie, they will hardly object with her choice.
Maybe it's time that she hires me as her gun-consultant- she has my telephone number
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
WRONG!....there is something called a show & tell. Walther are not invited.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!