Wather PPK/S 22LR @ Academy Sports

[PolarFBear]

I have a Walther .380 stainless that I like a good bit. I also have a Walther 22 that is abysmal. Academy Sports has a Walther PPK/S .22 LR advertised at $249. I believe it is blued (haven't made the 30 mile journey to the nearest A/S store). Any feed back on this firearm? Is it made by the REAL Walther or is it by a Walther subsidiary that is making zinc (or some other alloy) imitation? Hopefully, this is a true Walther and high velocity ammo is not mandatory for function.

 

[carguychris]

Discussed here and here.

The basic summary is that it's fundamentally a zinc-frame Umarex copy, but Umarex can build a pretty good .22LR knockoff, and this is reportedly one of them. The pistol really does feel like the genuine article. Reviews from actual owners (I'm not one) seem generally quite positive, although most find the DA pull to be a bear.

I believe it is blued...

No. It's a matte finish perhaps best described as "Tula Arsenal, USSR, 1940, On A Good Day." Basically, it looks like a phosphate or parkerized finish, but I suspect it's actually paint. It's by no means pretty but the ones I've handled have at least had the finish evenly applied. However, you will NOT mistake it for any finish applied on a genuine vintage Walther or Manurhin, or even a late-model Houlton S&Walther.

I have no idea about the HV/SV ammo question.

 

[Fishbed77]

Is it made by the REAL Walther or is it by a Walther subsidiary that is making zinc (or some other alloy) imitation? Hopefully, this is a true Walther and high velocity ammo is not mandatory for function.

As mentioned, it's a painted pot-metal pistol made by Umarex. PASS.

Technically, Walther is a subsidiary of Umarex, and has been for a long time. That's why they can so easily slap the Walther name on so many of their lower-quality products.

 

[PolarFBear]

Thanks folks. I felt the price was to good to be true. I had recently seen a PPK/S 22 LR at a local show. It was blued and $600. I'll pass on this painted zinc failure. I would rather spend my $$s on ammo for my REAL firearms.

 

[Ibmikey]

Polar, "Painted zinc failure" you gleaned all that from a couple of posts by individuals who may have seen or handled a Walther PPK .22. How many rounds have your mentors fired in one? I just happen to have a Walther PPK (actually an S size) given to me new in the box. It has fair weight , maybe even more thsn an original .22 and a mystery finish that defies explanation but i doubt it is paint.....holding up well if it is. Pistol needs HV ammo but then it sings like a sewing machine pumping out round after round, mine has many thousands through it by a variety of shooters. The DA pull requires a small Diesel Cat and log chain to pull but the single action is good. Just have your best buddy help with cocking the hammer and you are GTG.
Would I buy one, no probably not after shooting my S&W M&P Compact 15-22, or my Sig 938 wirh .22 cal conversion kit, Browning 1911-22 or Star and Llama .22's all in the same box for range carry. All of the listed pistols are neat plinkers and will spin vege cans or dirt clods, the Walther included.
As for Umarex making junk....my Colt (Walther) M4-22 will go through .22 ammo faster than CTD can raise the price on any scarce commodity and do it forever without cleaning ( because I lost the directions to take it apart and am too proud to go online).
Before making statements like "painted zinc failure" do a little bit of background work and make a knowledgeable statement at that time.

 

[carguychris]

^^^ As I mentioned in my earlier post, people who actually own one seem to like the pistol quite a bit, although the DA pull if hefty. The majority of the "potmetal Umarex garbage" comments seem to originate from the peanut gallery.

Although I'm not particular to the matte black finish, IMHO there's a big difference in build quality between this pistol and those in the Bryco / Jennings / Phoenix class. I'll even go as far as saying that the $249 Academy sale price seems like a pretty good value.

 

[JERRYS.]

I have a potmetal zmac walther P22. so far its been a good gun. however, id prefer an aluminum or steel frame/slides.....

 

[TailGator]

My daughter rented one at a range and enjoyed it. That says nothing about longevity, of course, but she was satisfied with the accuracy and thought it was quite comfortable.

 

[Ibmikey]

Thanks Carguychris and others, Sometimes the negative comments can adversely affect a newer shooter and put them on the " everything is junk except what I like" path. Hopefully the OP, if still interested in the pistol, will look at the Walther more objectively now......realizing that for $250 you are not going to get beautifully machined and polished steel in this market. That does not mean the pistol is "junk".

 

[Fishbed77]

As I mentioned in my earlier post, people who actually own one seem to like the pistol quite a bit, although the DA pull if hefty. The majority of the "potmetal Umarex garbage" comments seem to originate from the peanut gallery.

You obviously haven't been to Waltherforums.com. Plenty of owners there who can confirm that this pistol is full of fail.

 

[gunnre]

Unlike Jerrys, my P22 is a fun accurate shooter if I could figure out how to avoid FTF/FTE. Up to 30-40 rds CCI Mini-mags have no probs than boo-hiss. Rem Goldens will give me no failure for maybe one or two clips. Tried Winchester's, Federals and others with no success. (T.G. I have a Henry GB, Ruger's 10/22 taked down, and their Charger and Marlin's XT that all seem to eat what this P22 pukes on. Like a shot of Extra Sharp Ginger Brandy.) Read between the lines, don't mind hoarding 22lr ammo, if she's gonna be a beyach. For me, no confidence in Umarex made Walther's because of this. But I bought cheap and should expect cheap in return. OK should qualify....I am anal about gun cleaning, as I am a retired import auto mechanic that revere regular auto maintenance. So no comments on that one, as Walther tried to tell me that was the issue.

 

[weblance]

You obviously haven't been to Waltherforums.com. Plenty of owners there who can confirm that this pistol is full of fail.

Thats the biggest collection of boorish, immature, stuck up snobs on the internet. I went there for advice, and left after the name calling, and insults started. I own a nickle Umarex PPK/S 22 replica, and other than the unusable DA pull, it has been an excellent little pistol. For the money I paid, are there pistols made from better materials? Certainly, Will this pistol still be shooting long after I've given up my grasp on it? Im very confident it will. I have actually made it my mission to wear mine out, and I'm at 26,000 rounds, and I see no significant wear.

Its a fun little pistol, Its accurate, reliable, easy to suppress, and if we didn't all know it was doomed to turning to dust in a year, as the expert at the Walther forum have predicted, maybe some of us could enjoy it without the dread of knowing that tomorrow, all we will have is regret, and a fractured painted zinc failure.

 

[copfish]

I fell into a Walther/Umarex PPK/s and thinking I would use it as a space filler until I found a "real" PPK in 22 long rifle. Over the year, I've really developed a fondness for the gun. Yes, the D/A pull is heavy and long. Yes, the mags are typical Smith and Walther will not fit any other gun even though it looks like the same body and costs megabucks. It's been reliable with the right high-speed ammo. But more importantly, it's just plain fun to shoot. Will it take the place of my Ruger 22 autos? No, but it will go to the range with them just for fun. Yes, I will keep looking for an affordable "real" Walther or Manhurin PPK in 22.

 

[Fishbed77]

Thats the biggest collection of boorish, immature, stuck up snobs on the internet.

I take it you haven't spent much time on the internet.

Like it or not, many of the folks there know their Walthers very well. If their knowledge doesn't line up with your preconceptions or purchase history is something only you can reconcile. As with all public internet forums (this one included), there a going to be a few folks handing out bad or uneducated advice.

By and large though, waltherforums.com is much, much better than most.