My father's Walther PPK, need info

[FrankD]

I sent this off in an e-mail to a Orv Reichert and thought I'd share it here. Unfortunately I have no digital camera

It's a walther ppk 7.65mm calibre.

On the left side of the slide it is engraved (stamped?) with:

Waffenfabrik Walther Zella-Mehlis (Thur.)
Walther's Patent Cal 7.65 m/m

Mod. PPK just to the right of this.

and to the lower right pf this is stamped right under a tiny eagle motiff:

WaA359

On the left side frame just behind the lower trigger guard is stamped right under a tiny eagle motiff:

WaA359

The safety is a 90 degree movement type.

On the right side of the frame just behind the trigger guard is the serial number, which is read with the barrel pointed away from you:

321928 k

There are no other marks or stamps on this walther. No eagle with an "N" under it, no RZ.
The magazine has a base on it, the spare magazine does not.

The holster is polished black leather that the flap folds down then you pull up the snap. There are two belt loops (also black leather) with two steel d-rings.

Also there is one ammo box in german. It is red in color and has is written (all caps) Rheinisch Westfallsche Sprengstoff, Actien-Gesellschaft, Nurnberg.

The bullets are brass with a silver head. The band around the top of the brass is purple, as is the bottom "spot" of the casing. The base of the brass casing is rimmed. The bottom of the brass cartridge has RWS and then 765

The Walther was aquired by another soldier in Nurnberg and he gave it to my father. I still have the original army war trophy card all filled out in Nurnberg.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks,
John

[Douglas Jr.]

About the gun

John,

Without pictures (I know, it´s a problem...) we can tell you much more about your gun. Maybe the others can add something else, but What I can say is that your gun bears the official dotation´s mark (WaA359) of Wehrmacht. Walther PPKs with the Waffenamt marks are rarer than the PPs, and their value tends to be, higher.

On the other hand the serial number is high, what put it right at the end of production. I don´t have the numbers but I would date it 1944-1945.

Hope it helps you a little bit.

Regards,

Douglas.

[Jan Balcar]

Correct date is Summer 1941, finish should be high gloss. It is late 90 degree safety lever type in this SN range quite uncommon.

[FrankD]

It is high gloss, though not so polished nowadays. My father, a retired US Army lt col said he thinks it is 90% condition at least. Any idea on the ammo or holster? There are no markings on the holster.

To be sure about the safety, it does travel to a full 90 degree position from lower red dot to swing up toward the end of the barrel iirc.

After looking up info on these types of walther ppk's I wish I'd taken him up on his offer to buy it from him for $400 two years ago. ;p

My dad believes it may have been taken off some high-ranking general since it was aquired as a war trophy at Nurnberg. Who knows.

john

[Steve in Florida]

WaA359

was (one of) the military inspector acceptance/proof marking for the Walther factory. It can be found on other firearms and magazines of Walther manufacture. They were carried by officers, generals, police, pilots, etc. Sounds like you have a nice collection of acoutrements to go with it. Nice little pieces those PPK's. Forgot to list it under one of my WWII favorites.

[Matt Weber]

Something about this PPK doesn't make sense?

Is there a serial number on the slide? You didn't mention it, so I have to ask?
If it doesn't have one externally. Take the slide off, and look inside. It will have the last 3 digets inscibed internally on the side opposite the ejection port.

This is what is called a type 2 military PPk. The Waffenampt marking "eagle/WaA359" confirms this. If it was an earlier piece (around serial number 270xxxk), then it would be proof marked "eagle/359". These will display a hi-polished finish still. The 90 degree safety is strange for such a high serial number? Please confirm the slide serial number matches the frame.

One other thing that is puzzling. This gun was made after 1940, so it should have the "eagle/N" proof markings on the right side of chamber, barrel, and slide below ejection port. Please check again to make sure it has these.

As Douglas said, pictures will help out tremendously! I need to see the holster as well!

Matt

[Jan Balcar]

Quote:
The 90 degree safety is strange for such a high serial number.

90 degree safety lever is uncommon, but not strange. The last 90 degree PPK in my records is 363924K.

[FrankD]

ok looking closer at the safetey it has a red dot however the depression for the safety switch does not start straight down, more at a slight angle, however when the safety is raised (for fire) it does point straight toward the end of the barrel.

There are no other markings other than the ones I described above. There is no serial number on the slide anywhere nor is there any eagle/N mark anywhere (I've seen these before).

-john

[Larry Lipps]

Frank, here's a 90 degree safety for you to use as a reference.

[FrankD]

The one on this Walther is a 60 degree safety, sorry about my ignorance

-john

[Matt Weber]

John,

Now that makes much more sense now. The gun was probably made in late 1943. However, it should definately have a serial number on the slide! If not externally, it will be internally. Did you remove the slide and check for it? It may be worn, and difficult to see, but it should be there! It will have the last three digets inscribed on the opposite side of the ejection port.

Also, it should definately have the "eagle/N" proof markings on the right side of the chamber, barrel, and slide. If it is not there, then something isn't right with this?

Again, Pics would help out tremendously! Include pics of the holster as well. We haven't even discussed it, since I don't know what it looks like?

Matt

[FrankD]

No there are no Eagle-N proofs anywhere. I removed the slide; there are no serial numbers that I can discern there either.

I've been told it's a 41 walther in that serial range and with the wehrmacht acceptance stamps on it: WaA359

-john

[Matt Weber]

John,

With the information that you have provided there is no way of determining what you have. Please post pics.

Matt