Walther PP Value 9mm

[Justin]

Ill be taking this down to the sos to trade off on some imperial items, what should i expect to get out of this? Little bit of pitting and lose of some of the bluing as you can see. However it is a 1940 model with matching magazine and a pretty nice marked holster.
Thanks in advance.

[Matt Weber]

Justin,

I'll be perfectly honest with you. I think you'll have a tough time selling this at the SOS. Let me explain why;

Last year, as many of you may recall, I had a Mauser 1934 Kriegsmarine marked rig (with two mags and KM marked holster). The gun was 100% correct, and a nice honest rig. Finish was a high polish type, and was about 85% with some slight pitting on the right side of the slide (and I mean slight!). I took it to the Louisville show to sell.
I walked around with it for the first 3 days. I showed it to hundreds of people! Nobody wanted it!! Most wouldn't even make an offer on it!?! They didn't want it because of the minor pitting on it. I ended up trading it on the last day to Ed Tinker for a luger.

Another example was the AC40 I just sold last week. It was an all matching gun with 1 matching magazine. Original finish that was about 50%. But it had some slight fretting on the slide. That thing sat on the estand here, gunbroker, and the P38 forum for over 2 months with no takers! Not even any offers! I finally sold it for about half the price I was originally asking.

I'm telling you this Justin, not to bash your gun, I know it's a rare gun. ButI wanted to inform you so that you don't go to the SOS with high hopes, and are crushed like I was.

The holster on the other hand you should have no trouble selling that. That being said, I'm not sure exactly what you are looking to get out of this rig either? If it's priced right, anything will sell! You just have to find the right person willing to buy it.

Matt

[TP Alexander]

And yes Matt, I feel your pain. I saw the firearms that you had for sale and I know that they were good pieces. Sometimes, though, it just don't work out.
The surrender flag is all you can do!!!
I had a Krieghoff in .30 Luger and I couldn't give it away and I had supposedly big-time dealers try and convince me that it wasn't even a Krieghofff!

And Justin, a lot of people are counting their pennies right now and only buying top quality items. You'll probably take a beating on that PP even though it is 9MM kurz, which is rare!! I've seen them, but only once in awhile. The .22's are really rare! Never have I even glanced at one from afaer!!
Good luck.
Tim

[Justin]

I don't know about counting pennies in regards to this stuff. Seems like this is the only area besides gold that continues to keep going up. I havent found any great deals yet.
I am not looking for top dollar just a relative fair market value. Firearms are not my thing.

[Alan Smith]

For me the problem with this PP is that the damage is (in my opinion) the result of very poor post-war storage. I don't have a problem with a worn gun if it has honest wear that we can at least hope/pretend is the result of wartime usage (realizing, of course, that such wear could just as well be from "Bubba" keeping the pistol in his truck's glove compartment for years). Damage that is clearly attributable to poor/negligent storage, however, eliminates any interest that I might otherwise have in the item.

Again, just my opinion and hopefuly you can find a buyer who does not share my views.

[Justin]

so back to my original question I figure these things are about 7-800 in nice shape so this one I am thinking somewhere in the 500-600 range?

[scotty1418]

Honestly I really wouldn't think that piece could go for $500. Despite the fact that the PP's are popular, I think $300-400 would be more reasonable. Problems with finish can cut the price down, but pitting/damage to the actual metal would really hurt it.

[TP Alexander]

I was leaning towards $500 for the pistol and $200 for the holster, but maybe I am a tad too optimistic(???), in regards to the pistol? I've seen Luger and P38 holsters go for $300 to $400. Maybe I'm low on the holster??

[Matt Weber]

Value I would suggest $300 for the pistol, and $150 for the holster. If someone offers you $500 for the rig, take it!

Matt

[Jimmy]

Mag

The value is in the mag. Is there an extra mag. in the holster?
Bottom release 380 mags are the holy grail in PP's. Dont let anyone talk you out of the mag.

[phild]

For me the problem with this PP is that the damage is (in my opinion) the result of very poor post-war storage. I don't have a problem with a worn gun if it has honest wear that we can at least hope/pretend is the result of wartime usage (realizing, of course, that such wear could just as well be from "Bubba" keeping the pistol in his truck's glove compartment for years). Damage that is clearly attributable to poor/negligent storage, however, eliminates any interest that I might otherwise have in the item.

Again, just my opinion and hopefuly you can find a buyer who does not share my views.

All of the above well said and a collecting standard/philosophy that I share.

I also think that it is important to understand that many firearms )maybe millions) have been pitted during their period of use...it can happen in a couple of weeks if the "right" conditions are present....and those conditions exist 9 months out of 12 in central Europe!

Period of use wear and tear is one of those things that as the saying goes "I know when I see it", a bit subjective I realize but if 40 years of firearms collecting has not given me something of an eye for this I have no business in the hobby.

[dhunter93]

If this one on gunbroker ( Auction # 144749306 ) went for $1,200 I would say $500 is about right...

[Alan Smith]

Phild,

What you say about possible pitting of guns in the ETO due to weather conditions is very interesting. I've got a P.08 (S/42 1938) that has lots of what I think is honest wear. It also has a few spots of light pitting here and there.

I've never quite known what to make of the pitting. The vet I got the gun from insisted that he had taken good care of the gun during his 50 years or so of owing it, and that it is now in the same condition as when he got it directly from a surrendering German. The vet was an accountant post-war and seemed to keep his house and effects in nice, clean and well-maintained condition, so I bet he treated the P.08 the same way.

I'll photograph the gun at some point and post it here, as I am curious what you and the others may think about the pitting.