.380 preference: Walther PPK vs. Sig P232

[PSP]

Stainless Versus Blued finish...

I have to say there is nothing sexier on a older blued gun than the character of wear marks. It's like mud on a jeep...been there, done that and ready for more! Sexy I say.

On the other hand...if I lived in a tropical or ocean side area then stainless is the way to go. It can hold up better to constant sweat and salt water.

On the other hand...a blued gun just hides better. Like no-see-em screen on your porch. Stainless is bright and shiny and more visible. Kahr dulls their finish usually and that's a good thing.

 

[AK103K]

Oh c'mon, you are not going to try and say blued guns hold their looks better than stainless steel are you?

As long as rust isnt involved, absolutely! And if rust is an issue, I'll take a hard chromed carbon steel gun over stainless any day. Hard chrome is much more durable and stands up to hard daily use a lot better. You only need look at a stainless gun to get it to scratch.

A good blue, like the older Colt and S&W bluing, is actually a very durable finish, and will wear very well over time, as long as it isnt constantly in a wet holster. You will get thinning and and some worn off on the sharp edges and wear points, but you will also get similar wear on a SS (and HC guns) gun at the same points, it just looks polished. What you usually dont get with blued guns is, those annoying scratches that appear on the SS guns, especially on the mirrored flats. Another good reason not to use leather holsters.

Leave your stainless PPK go 15 years without doing anything to it, and lets see its pic. I'll guarantee my P230 will still look better then too, at 30 years. And that will be another 15 years of "actual" daily use on top of what you see now.

Stainless steel guns can look brand new after years of use simply with an occasional wipedown with a scouring pad.

From the looks of the guns in your pics, I can understand that statement, well, all but the last part. And just how often have you used a Chore Boy on your guns?

I've seen a lot of Chore Boy touch ups over the years, and its usually not a pretty sight. Hows it working out on those mirrored flats for you?

Some of us have a BBQ gun or two, and the rest actually get used, and often hard, while with most, its just the reverse. Ever look at all the pics people post? I rarely see a "working" gun. How much for a rib, just one rib?

 

[RJM]

The reason to get the blued model of a Sig P232 is the weight difference, it certainly isn't the wear differences. I have plenty of blued guns and stainless guns and the stainless guns wear better and I don't even know what a chore boy is. Honestly AK103, what I see in the pictures of your sig is holster wear on the angles of the slide, which isn't a big deal mind you, but to say that a stainless gun is going to show more finish issues is kind of not true. I do like the look of a worn blued gun though, shows that it hasn't been a safe queen.

 

[B.N.Real]

Some guns that have blued finishes seem to wear more evenly and they get a great 'patina' to them.

It has to do with the adherence of the blueing to the carbon steel in the gun and the way the blueing is applied.

The Sig 230/232's I've seen used were so blue ugly I would not buy them for the price asked.

The blueing on these gun seemes to come off the edges easily and sometimes in small patchs.

I was surprised by this as SIG's are renowned as excellent handguns as they undoubtedly are.

By contrast,the stainless Sig 232's that I have seen are simply beautiful handguns and that finish is all the way through the gun.

Bottom line (to AK103K)though is always,as an owner you have been very happy with your blued SIG's and that's all that really matters.

 

[AK103K]

The Sig 230/232's I've seen used were so blue ugly I would not buy them for the price asked.

I've seen them all across the board, from a nice bright, almost mirrored blue(the older guns), to darker blue/black and matte blue.

I was surprised by this as SIG's are renowned as excellent handguns as they undoubtedly are.

Hey, they all went this way. Remember what Colt and S&W's bright blues looked like? Prep is everything. You dont see that type of craftsmanship in a production gun these days.

Bottom line (to AK103K)though is always,as an owner you have been very happy with your blued SIG's and that's all that really matters.

No doubt. And I'm sure I'd be very happy with a SS SIG, I just wouldn't use it in the same capacity. In a nice leather belt holster, it would make a nice BBQ or office (if I ever got to be in one ) gun though. If you let me have it for six months to a year of daily use in the field, it wouldnt be near as pretty.

Look, I'm not knocking SS, it works for the most part, especially in constantly wet and somewhat corrosive environs, although I still think hard chromed carbon is more durable and rust resistant with the same look. The issue here for some seems to be "looks", and my point was, the SS more often than not, wont "look" as good as other finishes after the same period of time in the same conditions.

and I don't even know what a chore boy is.

its one of those non metallic "scrubbies" you use in the sink to clean the pots. I have a friend who works in a gun shop that does refinishing. They've done a number of total bead blast jobs on home gunsmiths "simple touch ups" using kitchen tools or worse. Yes, the scratch WAS gone when they brought it in....

 

[RPSmith]

This may be the biggest bang a .380 has ever made



I have no idea which to get. But I've learned a lot.

Seriously, this is split right down the middle.

I guess that means I can't go wrong

 

[Playboypenguin]

I have no idea which to get. But I've learned a lot.

Seriously, this is split right down the middle.

I guess that means I can't go wrong

Both are very nice. The PPK is more for people who want a smaller, high quality gun and find the .380acp acceptable. The P232 is more for people who love the .380acp round and want a bigger, quality, comfortable gun in which to shoot it.

 

[larvatus]

The Walther is prettier inside and out, but not as reliable. Both guns work better in John Moses Browning's favorite caliber, .32 ACP.

 

[denfoote]

AK103K,

Better stay the course then, once you do, it's all over but the buyin'...LOT's of buyin'.

That's what I intend to do.
I'm a Walther man myself!!
Sigs need not apply!!

 

[NGIB]

I've owned a P232 and currently own a PPK/S and a Bersa .380. The P232 is a great gun, just a bit big to only be a .380 to me. The Bersa is a great shooter and economical. The Walther is just plain cool.

I shot the Walther and the Bersa for the first time Saturday and both of them did what they're supposed to do. If I could only keep one it would be the Walther...

 

[VA9mm]

I will be purchasing the Sig TwoTone this weekend. I like the fact that it comes with night sights and plus 1 rd capacity. Some say its big, but anything has to better than my 90Two. Sometimes I just don't feel like carrying a full size.

I was going to order a Fobus owb until the Milt Sparks could be here last time it was 6 months or something. What method and brand of holsters do you guys use? While we are at it what does a box of 380 at Wally World go for?

 

[Playboypenguin]

I will be purchasing the Sig TwoTone this weekend. I like the fact that it comes with night sights and plus 1 rd capacity. Some say its big, but anything has to better than my 90Two. Sometimes I just don't feel like carrying a full size.

The Sig will carry like a dream compared to your 90-Two. You will be giving up a bit of power and capacity, but with the Sig you should be able to place bullets right where they need to be if you ever have cause to fire it.

 

[PSP]

What method and brand of holsters do you guys use?

I currently carry in a Galco Fletch. This is a very comfortable holster. I would also recommend the Mitch Rosen Premier.

I think the last .380 WWB I bought was $28 for the 100 box. For carry ammo I use Gold Dot or Winchester Silver Tip.

 

[AK103K]

I use a Blade Tech IWB, a Smart Carry, a Galco Executive shoulder holster (one of my winter favorites), or a Desantis ankle holster. More often than not, I just stick it in my pants, back pocket, or coat pocket.

 

[qwert.380]

2 tone bersa 220$
don hume iwb holster 25$
having the reliable best bang for your buck priceless

oh yeah gold dot ammo

my .02