Walther PPK .380

[XinTX]

Also try a PK 380. It's larger than the 238, but it did fit my hands better than hers. I think Best Shot in Friendswood area has a rental PK 380 (they also have the 22 version as well IIRC). The Arms Room rents the 238.

[clarionite]

I've got a PPK/S in .380 that my wife bought for me.

I'm 6'7" and over 300lbs. So I was pretty sure I'd get bit
quite a bit by the slide. But so far she only had to bite me once
before I learned how to handle her. I don't carry it as a daily
carry weapon, but that's more because my daily carry is a polymer
that I don't have to worry as much about rust on and my daily carry
is already broken in.

I really enjoy shooting mine. And despite what the "I'd never carry
anything other than a .45" crowd says, a .380 can and will stop
a bad guy.

[gigag04]

PPK is ok. I like it well enough.

Might shop the Khar price you got - I paid $540 out the door about 19 months ago. I got a slight break for my profession, but it wasn't more than 10%. I think the Khar is more reliable than the PPK but that's my experience and opinions will differ there. For the size, I think you could get into a single stack 9mm and be comparable to the PPK. The old Colt mustang or the new Sig P238 might fit the bill as well. Test the sig before you buy, as I've gotten word of a few malfunctions popping up. Not a large enough sample size to warn someone away but it's worth mentioning IMO.

[helicopterpilotdoug]

For a Summer carry .380 you might look at the Sig Sauer P238. It's small, weighs 15.2 ounces, is single action and operates like a 1911, is very accurate, and is easy on the recoil. We were looking for something for my wife to carry, and saw the P238 at our local gun store. My wife has small hands, and it fits her very well. The first day at the range she ran about 100 rounds through it, and says the recoil is light. We have now run about 400 rounds through her's now, and it's a great little gun. I liked it so much that I bought another one for myself to carry as a backup, or as the first line of defense when clothing can't hide my Ultra Carry II. If you can get your hands on one, give it a try.

Here is a video review of the P238, and he compares it to the PPK as well as several other .380's. " onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
[youtube]5PgrjCy58d0[/youtube]

[A-R]

If youre set on .380, I'd also recommend looking at the Sig 238 (used to own this when it was called Colt Mustang - great lil guns) or the new Smith & Wesson Bodyguard .380.

Also don't overlook snub-nose .38 revolvers from S&W, Ruger, or even Taurus.

But my strongest recommendation based on reading this whole thread is to take a strong look at the small thin 9mm guns. They're easier to shoot than a blowback .380 (Walther PPK, Bersa etc), fire a more potent AND less expensive round, and are roughly same size.

Walther PPS - love mine, carry it often. Closest thing to a thin single-stack Glock you can buy - same type of trigger/action etc

Kahr (various models) - I don't like they're polymer frames, but do like the steel frames

new Ruger LC9 - slightly larger 9mm LCP, roughly same size as a PPK. Haven't shot one, but finally held one at gun store recently and liked the feel of it. Trigger not as bad as I thought it would be. And great price - under $350 at my local shop.

[Millerk420]

My wife's first gun was the Walther PK380 and she loved it, it fits her hand great and we got it cheap at academy. Ammo was an issue in the beginning mostly on the price compared to 9mm. These are the things we experienced.

1. Wear a hat when shooting it. The shell ejection is suppose to be over your head or right shoulder but that usually means on your head or in your face.
2. Don't wear low cut shirt while shooting. As stated in number 1, the shell might find its HOT way into your cleavage and that's no fun for anyone, because the first time it happened lets just say my wife's muzzle control was lost..
3. Since we are talking Ammo, the PK380 is picky about its ammo, I had to buy 5 different brands just to find one that worked 100% of the time, one brand was so bad it was 50% failure to eject ratio, and even stove piping the round more than once. We stopped using that ammo (Federal American Eagle). We did find the Remington Yellow box UMC, yeah it does just fine in her PK380. We gave the Federal to my father in law and shot it in his Versa 380 no issues. Also i think Sellior and Bellot (Spelling?) didnt shoot well in the PK380 either.
4. Good things about the PK380, Light weight, and short it is also VERY closely designed like the Walther P22, and I suggest getting both. The P22 is a fun plinker and first time gun. My 11 year old has one. but for target practice you can get your basics down on the p22 and picking up the PK380 is just a matter a little more recoil.
5. PK380 easy to clean, great safety features and priced well oh and it fits in her Vera Bradley purse.. (she made me write that)

Now, all that said, my wife upgraded to a Ruger SR9c, she likes it a lot and fits her hand well. once we put a little locktight on the front sight all was good. ( it fell off )

[fulano]

.......But my strongest recommendation based on reading this whole thread is to take a strong look at the small thin 9mm guns. They're easier to shoot than a blowback .380 (Walther PPK, Bersa etc), fire a more potent AND less expensive round, and are roughly same size.

My wife has a PK380. It isn't a blowback either and I was amazed how easy it is to handle. I sort of winced when she bought it because it would have been so much easier to keep us both in ammo if she'd gotten a 9mm but for her hand and strength, the PK380 is perfect. She has the P22 also and starts with it at the range. I like to shoot it too (when she lets me ).

[A-R]

.......But my strongest recommendation based on reading this whole thread is to take a strong look at the small thin 9mm guns. They're easier to shoot than a blowback .380 (Walther PPK, Bersa etc), fire a more potent AND less expensive round, and are roughly same size.

My wife has a PK380. It isn't a blowback either and I was amazed how easy it is to handle. I sort of winced when she bought it because it would have been so much easier to keep us both in ammo if she'd gotten a 9mm but for her hand and strength, the PK380 is perfect. She has the P22 also and starts with it at the range. I like to shoot it too (when she lets me ).

Yeah, I think Walther has a winning idea with a Browning-action .380 (blowback .380s are a pain the palm of the hand - literally). Personally, I was turned off by the battery of arms on the PK380 - hammer fired DA/SA but WITHOUT a decocker. So are you supposed to carry it cocked and locked? When you load a mag and rack the slide, hammer is back yes? At least, that's the way it seemed to me when I played with one extensively at a store. Other than that glaring oversight, and the slightly less annoying lack of a slide lock, I like the gun overall for its intended purpose.

[fulano]

Yeah, I think Walther has a winning idea with a Browning-action .380 (blowback .380s are a pain the palm of the hand - literally). Personally, I was turned off by the battery of arms on the PK380 - hammer fired DA/SA but WITHOUT a decocker. So are you supposed to carry it cocked and locked? When you load a mag and rack the slide, hammer is back yes? At least, that's the way it seemed to me when I played with one extensively at a store. Other than that glaring oversight, and the slightly less annoying lack of a slide lock, I like the gun overall for its intended purpose.

Actually the slide does lock on an empty magazine. What's missing on the PK380 is the slide release; you have to perform a rack to drop the slide. The P22 does have the release; don't know why its not on the PK.

Also, with the safety on, the hammer can be dropped but it is not a de-cocking procedure. This can be un-nerving Since I don't carry the gun and only occasionally shoot it when I go to the range with my wife, I'm just not used to the safety and have forgotten that is on/there and dropped the hammer by pulling the trigger a few times. I think that is not a problem and the hammer can be routinely dropped this way. The manual says to lower the hammer with the thumb.

Its just a unique gun; down to the mag release. For me I like a clean slide striker fired gun. I have not owned a large caliber 1911 style gun in several years and I'm just used to the modern guns with no external safetys.

My wife loves the gun and that is the important thing. She feels confident handling it and likes to shoot.......I'm sooo lucky

[Capt Jeff]

I carried a PPK for many years before I got my Kahr CW9. The Kahr is more comfortable for me to carry IWB (9 o'clock) because it doesn't have the exposed hammer and slight beavertail of the PPK. My wife favors the PPK over the Kahr because it does have the safety/decocking lever. She sleeps with it under my pillow whenever I'm not home.

[philip964]

Just saw the movie Hanna. Cate Blanchett appears to shoot a chrome Walther PPK 380 in that movie. It seems to be used a lot in the movies as it is a very pretty gun. For that large a gun however, I would shoot 9mm instead. I like my Sig P238 for .380, a small, but heavy gun that is easy to shoot.