Your thoughts on the PPS and PK380

[edthefox]

My wife is getting ready for the CC class coming up and has been shooting her Ruger SP101 DAO. She's a pretty good shot with it. However, she complains on how heavy it is, and she just don't know how she's going to carry it because of it's weight. She also complains about the long trigger pull. Mostly what she needs is some more trigger time. I can already see that she won't carry it because of it's weight, so we need to find something else.

She hasn't really shown much interest in auto's until she finally shot my 1911. Up until then she has been kind of afraid of them. Mainly, I think, because she's unsure in their operation, stiffness of operating the slide, etc. But, after shooting the 1911, she raved about the trigger, and how accurate it was...

She shot a group almost as tight as mine!

Skip forward a couple of weeks... We had to go to Home Depot on Saturday and when we were done I mentioned we should go to the Academy sporting goods store that's next door and look around. So we did.

We handled most of their small autos and she really wasn't interested in anything, until I handed her a Walther PK380. She commented on how light it was and how great it felt in her hand and that it had controls for lefties like her.

I was looking for a PPS/K but they didn't have one. Maybe the .380 fits her better than a 9mm anyway. She's about 5'4 and petite so we'll see what works best for her. I'm gonna check around the local shops and see if I can find one so we can compare the two.

Do any of you have a PPS in 9mm or a PK380? Can you tell me what you like/dislike about them?

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Back 40]

I have 2 PPS. One in 9mm and one in .40 and I love them both. They are very concealable and very accurate. They both eat everything I feed tHem with no problem at all. Between the two I have 5k rounds and only a few malfunctions. I would strongly reccomend taking a look at one

[Orange Boy]

My wife also complains about recoil springs that are too heavy for her to rack. Although I don't own one, the PK380 was recommended to my wife due to its very easy recoil spring. Although I would be happier if she settled in on a 9mm as an EDC, there is something to be said for the improved ballistics of the .380 these days.

[rocky]

I own and carry a PPS in 9mm, it works very well for CC and is accurate . 9mm would be a better choice of caliber over .380 IMO.

[ZX9RCAM]

I am happy with my P22 for use as a play gun......

[ntg]

The PPS is a nice shooter overall. Never shot the PK380. To me it looks a little large for a 380, but if she's sold on 380 it would be a possibility. I have a friend that has a bersa 380 and it was very easy to shoot. I don't remember it being super light or is it has ambidex controls, but it's a great gun. The PPS, and PK380 are almost 20 oz.; not real heavy but not real light. The PPK (and the almost twin bersa 380) is about an oz. heavier. I don't know about your wife's size, but if the sp101 is heavy, she may also have a challenge with the heavier recoil of the real light PF9, and others in it weight category. It's all about compromises, and would serve her well to test drive, not just handle those she's serious about. The Taurus (yes, don't curse me!) slim series and millenium pro series would be options too as they're both around 19 oz. Hope this helps.

[SIGP250]

My wife is getting ready for the CC class coming up and has been shooting her Ruger SP101 DAO. She's a pretty good shot with it. However, she complains on how heavy it is, and she just don't know how she's going to carry it because of it's weight. She also complains about the long trigger pull. Mostly what she needs is some more trigger time. I can already see that she won't carry it because of it's weight, so we need to find something else.

She hasn't really shown much interest in auto's until she finally shot my 1911. Up until then she has been kind of afraid of them. Mainly, I think, because she's unsure in their operation, stiffness of operating the slide, etc. But, after shooting the 1911, she raved about the trigger, and how accurate it was...

She shot a group almost as tight as mine!

Skip forward a couple of weeks... We had to go to Home Depot on Saturday and when we were done I mentioned we should go to the Academy sporting goods store that's next door and look around. So we did.

We handled most of their small autos and she really wasn't interested in anything, until I handed her a Walther PK380. She commented on how light it was and how great it felt in her hand and that it had controls for lefties like her.

I was looking for a PPS/K but they didn't have one. Maybe the .380 fits her better than a 9mm anyway. She's about 5'4 and petite so we'll see what works best for her. I'm gonna check around the local shops and see if I can find one so we can compare the two.

Do any of you have a PPS in 9mm or a PK380? Can you tell me what you like/dislike about them?

I sell both and carry a PPS most of the time. The PK380 is not a PPK or a PPK/S. It is lighter and it does have a very comfortable grip. I also have a P22. It is a 3/4 size version of the P99. It is fun to shoot but maybe too small of a grip for big hands. Not so with the PK380. To tell you the truth, I think your wife might like the PK380 better than the PPS. They both have a Walther type mag release. The PPS Trigger is very Glock like. There is no manual safety on the PPS. The PK380 is a locked breech design which makes it ease to rack the slide. The PK380 has an 8 round magazine, the PPS has 6, 7 or 8 rd mag. capacity.
The PPS is a very slim design that feels slim, even with a larger or smaller back strap. Both pistols have nice wide 3 dot sights. Neither gun is a pocket pistol. Both pistols are well made. I have well over 1,000 rounds through the PPS but have not shot the PK380 and don't know that I am going to buy one soon. The PK380 needs a take down tool for field stripping the PPS does not. The PPS take down is not difficult but is different. You have to remove the back strap in order to release the slide. It also does not have a captured recoil spring. The PPS is accurate and reliable. I prefer to carry at least a 9 mm. I have a coupe LCP's. I can tell you that the PK380 is going to have far less felt recoil than a smaller blow-back .380 pocket pistol.

[satori59]

Actually you do not have to remove the backstrap to release the slide on the PPS. Make sure the gun is empty, drop the mag, pull the trigger, and you're good to remove the slide...
Removing the backstrap does put the gun into safe mode however. I hesitate to repeatedly remove the backstrap because I'm not sure how well that plastic part will hold up.

[Latman]

Actually you do not have to remove the backstrap to release the slide on the PPS. Make sure the gun is empty, drop the mag, pull the trigger, and you're good to remove the slide...
Removing the backstrap does put the gun into safe mode however. I hesitate to repeatedly remove the backstrap because I'm not sure how well that plastic part will hold up.

Dont you mean:
drop the mag, make sure the gun is empty, then pull the trigger? Could be a bit dangerous in the order you mentioned....

[GM]

I do not own a PPS, but I shot one in 9mm and I liked it. It is a very nice gun. However, I like better the MK9 and the PM9.

[ZX9RCAM]

My P22 wont fire without a mag in it.......no way to pull the trigger if one drops the mag first.....maybe it is different?

[SIGP250]

My P22 wont fire without a mag in it.......no way to pull the trigger if one drops the mag first.....maybe it is different?

It should not fire if the magazine is released but occasionally the trigger will stay engaged w/ hammer down. It can fire a chambered round if the safety is not on.

[satori59]

Dont you mean:
drop the mag, make sure the gun is empty, then pull the trigger? Could be a bit dangerous in the order you mentioned....

You're exactly right, that's what I should have said...

[ZX9RCAM]

It should not fire if the magazine is released but occasionally the trigger will stay engaged w/ hammer down. It can fire a chambered round if the safety is not on.

Gotcha.....

[Coltman 77]

My wife carries a 9mm PPS in a dedicated cc Coronado Leather handbag.

It's an excellent sidearm, very accurate and uber reliable.

So far, we've put about 1,100 rds. of assorted fmj and jhp ammo through it with zero malfunctions.

IMO, Walther hit a home run with this pistol.

Good luck OP. Stick with at least 9mm for self defense...