There in all probability aren’t too many gun followers who’re additionally film followers that aren’t conversant in the Walther identify.
Ian Fleming’s James Bond Franchise and the following films have ensured that the Walther PPK will dwell on in peoples reminiscence for years to come back.
The Walther PK380 follows within the footsteps of Bond’s PPK pistol with a model that has been up to date but retains a certain quantity of old-fashioned model and allure.
Within the conventional model, the PK380 is a hammer-fired semi-automatic pistol chambered for the .380 caliber spherical (9x17mm).
Walther engineers designed the PK380 as an simply concealable pistol that may be simply dealt with and fired by smaller individuals. The PK380 is under no circumstances a pocket pistol or a micro-pistol. Nonetheless, it delivers efficiency and accuracy prefer it larger siblings.
Don’t be misled by the normal options and appears. The Walther PK380 is in all respects a contemporary fusion of those conventional design options and the newest in technological developments within the firearm trade.
For these like me who recognize the feel and appear of extra conventional pistols, the PK380 suits the invoice very effectively.
Sizing Up the Walther PK380
For this Walther PK380 evaluation, I need to try the manufacturing facility specs first to get a grasp of the fundamental dimensions and working particulars of this gun. Any good gun evaluation ought to present an summary of the firearm together with a take a look at the technical specs.
Specs
- Caliber – .380 ACP
- Barrel Size – 3.66 inches
- Set off Pull – 4 kilos
- Set off Journey – .04/.2 inches
- Motion: DA/SA
- Capability – 8 rounds
- General Size – 6.1 inches
- Top – 5.2 inches
- Width – 1.2 inches
- Security – Handbook + 1 Auto
- Weight Empty – 17 ounces
Options and Choices
Walther has a superb understanding of the market the place the PK380 thrives and the options included in addition to a few of the choices that you could find communicate to this data.
- Polymer body to handle weight successfully whereas offering sturdy and reliable pistols.
- Operates in each single motion pull and double motion pull
- Inside slide cease impressed by the Walther PPK
- Simple to rack slide
- Totally ambidextrous
- Paddle model journal launch
- Handbook slide security
- Sized for simple hid carry by nearly anybody
- Comes with the Walther Life Time Guarantee
- Obtainable in a number of finishes so as to add a bit of favor and with a factory-installed set off guard mounted laser sights
First Impressions
The Walther PK380 that I dealt with for this evaluation was new within the field once I obtained it. The mannequin was the usual all-black primary PK380.
Opening the plastic case reveals the pistol, a lock, the takedown instrument, one journal, and the documentation. After all, the very first thing to do is to seize the pistol and take a look at the way it feels.
I have to say that the Walther PK380 conforms to my hand very effectively. The grip is comfy and the finger indentations appear to fall into the precise locations. The burden and steadiness make this little gun deal with effectively.
Sadly, first impressions can usually show incorrect so a way more in-depth take a look at the PK380 is so as.
The Internals Come First
The primary order of enterprise was to disassemble the Walther PK380.
I by no means wish to take a brand new pistol for a take a look at run on the vary with out giving it a radical examination, cleansing, and lube of my very own selecting.
I instantly discovered one factor that I didn’t like very a lot about this pistol and nonetheless see it as a shortcoming. To take away the slide, you should have the plastic takedown key that comes with the gun.
If you happen to don’t have the important thing, the takedown process turns into far more tough. I perceive that this was accomplished to maintain the perimeters of the pistol easy for hid carry. I simply don’t like needing a particular instrument to do a discipline strip and clear of a gun.
As soon as I discovered the best way to correctly use the plastic takedown key, the slide got here off and I used to be in a position to take away the barrel and recoil spring meeting from the slide. Nothing unusual or uncommon right here.
The Slide
Walther states that the slide is chrome steel. With the coating on the slide, it’s onerous to inform precisely what materials is used. I suppose we’ll take Walther’s phrase that the slide is, certainly, chrome steel.
Analyzing the slide you’ll instantly discover the ambidextrous guide security degree. The lever lives in the back of the slide with the slide serrations.
This poses a little bit of an issue for me since, whereas vary testing this gun, I inadvertently put the gun on secure when reloading and racking the slide. This might undoubtedly be an issue in some conditions.
The slide is strong and stable. The perimeters have been relieved and the corners effectively rounded as you’ll anticipate on a pistol designed for concealed carry. I have to admit that the Walther design negates something on this gun that may current a snag hazard.
The Sights
Wanting down the slide you discover a set of normal three dot sights. There doesn’t look like something extraordinary about these sights. I discovered them to be useful and fairly correct for a smaller gun.
You possibly can change the sights on the Walther PK380 if the manufacturing facility three-dot sights don’t meet you liking. Nonetheless, there are not any mounting choices for an optical sight on the slide.
The Body and Grip
Walther selected, like most different fashionable pistol producers, to make use of a polymer materials for the body of the PK380.
This protects weight and, I’m positive, saves cash through the manufacturing course of. I’ve no drawback with polymer frames so long as they’re correctly strengthened and have steel rails for the slide.
One massive think about any pistol is the grip. The Walther PK380, in contrast to most hammer-fired pistols, doesn’t have a beavertail on the high rear of the grip.
To guard the net of your hand, Walther set the grip barely extra ahead which raises the bore axis a tiny bit. The grip is comfy and the stippling is properly accomplished with out being abrasive on the hand.
I discovered the set off guard on the PK380 to be ample sufficient to get a gloved set off finger into the set off guard in the precise spot. It has been my expertise that many smaller hid carry pistols don’t make sufficient allowance for this example.
The body has a brief size of rail in entrance of the set off guard to mount a laser or small flashlight.
The Controls
When contemplating the controls on the Walther PK380, there are some fascinating variations and a few issues that I take into account to be obvious omissions.
I’ve already talked a bit concerning the lack of a takedown lever or pin and the necessity for a particular takedown instrument. That is one thing I discover troubling. Let’s take a look at the opposite controls on these weapons.
The Set off
For a small gun that operates in each single-action and double-action modes, the set off is surprisingly easy. Whenever you function the set off in single motion mode, the set off pull measures about 5.25 kilos.
The set off motion is easy and the break is crisp. The reset journey on this set off is about .25 inches which is, for my part, a phenomenally fast reset level on a mixture set off.
In double-action mode, set off pull measures about 9.0 kilos or slightly above.
Shooters with small fingers or weak hand energy could have a tough time with accuracy in double-action mode. There isn’t a lot you are able to do about this when the motion has to cock the hammer into firing place earlier than capturing.
The Journal Launch
Most American shooters of semi-automatic pistols anticipate the journal launch to be a button simply behind the set off on the body of their weapons.
The Walther PK380 is, nevertheless, a European gun and follows the sample of getting an ambidextrous paddle-style journal launch that’s on the rear of the set off guard.
This does require some changes, however when you make a number of journal adjustments, the situation of the lever and the movement to launch the journal are fairly pure. The manufacturing facility magazines appear to fall away from the journal effectively cleanly.
I believe that the Walther in very giant fingers could current the identical drawback as many small body pistols with the little finger generally interfering with the magazine drop. For me, this wasn’t an issue.
The Handbook Security
The guide security is on the rear of the slide and is ambidextrous in design. My solely criticism with this configuration isn’t just with the Walther.
Any semi-automatic pistol with a guide security often has the identical subject with the security participating by chance when the slide is racked after {a magazine} change or to clear a failure to feed.
There’s additionally no de-cocker on this pistol. The Walther PK380 does have a hammer block that stops the hammer from placing the firing pin when the security is engaged.
The conventional carry process is to load a spherical into the chamber, interact the security, and maintain the hammer as your pull the set off to decrease the hammer in opposition to the cease.
For brand new shooters, this may occasionally seem to be a slipshod resolution when a de-cocking lever may have been added.
What Slide Launch?
One factor that’s lacking on the Walther PK380 is a slide launch. The slide locks to the rear on an empty journal. Whenever you load a recent journal and attain for the journal launch, it’s conspicuously absent from the gun.
After you load a recent journal, it’s mandatory to drag the slide backward and launch it. This hundreds a recent spherical from the journal and places the gun again into battery.
Having the slide lock again with an empty journal is a good function, however many shooters want to launch the slide ahead with a launch lever quite than having to place their off hand on the slide to drag backward.
Operation and Accuracy
I discovered the Walther PK380 to be simple to function as soon as you’re accustomed to the marginally completely different management configurations. In my testing, I shot nearly 200 rounds by way of this pistol and not using a single misfeed or drawback. My ammunition of alternative was principally ball ammunition however I did put at the least two magazines of self-defense ammunition to the take a look at.
Operation
Operationally, I skilled no surprises or issues. The gun had no points and I had no points with the gun. This was one of many best slide operations I’ve encountered. There is no such thing as a doubt that anybody can efficiently function the slide to load and cock this gun.
Single Motion Capturing
The grip was greater than ample for my fingers and supplied loads of assist and management on the gun as started to shoot. I did discover that when firing the Walther PK380, my wrists labored slightly tougher to manage the muzzle flip. I attribute this to the marginally larger bore axis on this pistol.
Double Motion Capturing
Capturing single motion was fairly correct. Nonetheless, the heavier set off pull when capturing double motion did trigger me to drag the gun to the precise only a bit. I feel with time I may alter to this and shoot precisely in double motion mode.
Accuracy
I examined this gun at 7 and 15 yards for accuracy. As a self-defense hid carry weapon, I don’t assume anybody would take into account participating a goal at additional ranges. This isn’t a goal pistol.
I shot my take a look at utilizing a regular silhouette goal. I’ll say that I used to be happy with my testing. For my part, this small pistol is unbelievably succesful as a self-defense firearm.
Of the rounds that I fired throughout my take a look at, solely a handful did not land within the 8 ring, even once I did a fast spherical of journal dumps of the total eight rounds.
My Last Ideas
I began this Walther PK380 evaluation with blended emotions. I’m not an enormous fan of hammer-fired pistols and don’t precisely really feel good recommending anybody carry a .380 for self-defense.
Nonetheless, after firing a number of rounds of take a look at magazines, I started to essentially like the texture of this pistol in my fingers. In case you are comfy carrying a .380 for self-defense, it is a gun I’d advocate you take into account.
