RSHA/SS Procured Walther PPk Variations

[Matt Weber]

Decided to stick this thread for reference. If anyone would like to add the serial number listing of the know SS PPks, please do so. The SS PP are on another thread, and I would like those to be kept seperate.

There are 7 known variations of the RSHA/SS Walther PPk. They are as follows:


Variation 1-
Arsenal (non factory applied ) Muzzle ring serial number RZM, High polish finish, "Crown/N" proofed, full arsenal (non factory applied) serial number on spine of magazine. Serial range- 839xxx-841xxx.


Variation 2-
Arsenal (or non-factory) Muzzle ring serial number, non-RZM, "Crown/N" proofed, high polish finish, full arsenal (or non-factory) serial number on spine of magazine. Serial range-844xxx-990xxx.

Variation 3-
Muzzle ring serial number, "Crown/N" proofed, high polish finish, in the million serial range 100xxxx. Still pre-suffix "K" which first appeared around serial number 1728xxk.

Variation 4-
K under serial number, "Crown/N" proofed, high polish finish, full serial number now appears on right side flide flate. Full serial number on magazine spine. Serial range- 206xxxk-234xxxk

Variation 5-
Full serial number continues on right side slide flat. "K" is now a suffix to serial number (after serial number on slide instead of below), "Crown/N" proofed, high polish finish, full serial number continues on magazine spine (including "K" suffix, and a "1" or "2"). Produced for the most part pre-1940. Serial range- 242xxxk-249xxxk.

Variation 6-
Full serial number with "K" suffix continues on right sid slide. High polish finish. Proof markings changes to "eagle/N" around 1-1-1940. The "Crown/N" to "eagle/N" starts transitioning around approx 250xxxk. High polish finish, full serial number continues on magazine spine. Serial range- 254xxxk-335xxxk. Walther starts adding full serial number to right side slide around 335xxxk. Dull finish blued, with less polish starts to appear around 355xxxk to around 360xxxk.

Variation 7-
Full serial number with "K" suffix, "eagle/N" proofed. Finish becomes less polished, and dull blue. Magazine full serial number changes from spine to magazine floor plate. These appear around the 4xxxxxk range.

Matt

[Tepo911]

Type 1

Matt,
Your descriptions and serial number ranges are fine with one exception.

Type 1 RZM with muzzle marked serial numbers and early Type 2 muzzle marked were not supplied with factory or machine applied serial numbered magazines. There are none known to my knowledge, with matched guns or as orphan magazines. If someone has one clearly machine applied in the Type 1 or early 2 range, I would like to see it.

A few in the Type 1 and early Type 2 serial number range have shown up with hand applied numbers. They are uneven, with dented and often crooked digits of unknown provenance. Towards the end of the Type 2 serial number range, machine applied number magazines began to show up.

Some of those with hand applied numbers have been claimed to have been in private hands for years, but that's the story not backed fact. (Buy the gun not the story).

Also, Pearson claimed in his NAPCA articles that there were factory numbered magazines for those early muzzle marked guns. He was mistaken.

Steve

[JoeW]

Matt, let's be specific with these descriptions then. Type 1 RZM and all Type 2 PPKs have arsenal (or non-factory) applied muzzle marked serial numbers. Type 1 RZM and early Type 2 were provided with arsenal (non-factory) marked magazines of consistent style.

Steve, we have discussed this before on another forum. So please be accurate in your statements. As you have never examined one of these magazines, please insert some accurate in your evaluation. Perhaps, "they appear from photographs...."?

As to the story not being backed by facts, I can only reiterate my earlier statement or "claim" as you call it. My PPK #841324 with arsenal numbered magazine was purchased in March 1992. The gun was described as having a matching numbered magazine and muzzle numbered slide in my Auto Mag Supplement article in January 1998. It was also displayed at the SE Chattanooga Show at the end of that summer. The article was a year before I received my Red Book from Dieter and several years before John Pearson put two and two together using his serial lists.

You are correct. Pearson assumed the early numbered magazines were factory numbered. He was incorrect.

[Matt Weber]

Thanks Steve and Joe. I will edit my posting then to correct the errors in it.

Matt

[blitzkrieg gsd]

Would it be possible to see some pics of some ss ppk i am a newbie and would love to see a few.

[Tepo911]

Probably one of the finest Type One (Muzzle Numbered RZM) in existence. This one is on page 21 of my book.

[Tepo911]

Muzzle numbers

[Tepo911]

Same for this Type Two (Muzzle Numbered Non-RZM) With FACTORY spine marked magazine.

[Tepo911]

And the muzzle marked serial number

[John Pepera]

SS Variation 2

SS Variation 2

[John Pepera]

SS Variation 3

SS Variation 3

[John Pepera]

SS Variation 4

SS Variation 4

[John Pepera]

SS Variation 5

SS Variation 5

[SiPo]

Fantastic examples John, many thanks for sharing.



Graham

[blitzkrieg gsd]

thanks for showing them to me they are nice.