Walther ppk re-barrel?

gibbons3

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Hey everyone
My step dad doesn't shoot at all and inherited a 1965 walther ppk from his dad a number of years ago. I understand I can't grandfather it so I'm looking at other options. Does anyone know if its possible to rebarrel it so it's restricted? And is it going to be worth the cost if so.

Thanks in advance
 
So it can legally be reclassified? What if the paper work was lost can this firearm or one like it be saved from the blast furnace?
 
Hey everyone
My step dad doesn't shoot at all and inherited a 1965 walther ppk from his dad a number of years ago. I understand I can't grandfather it so I'm looking at other options. Does anyone know if its possible to rebarrel it so it's restricted? And is it going to be worth the cost if so.

Thanks in advance

I would say definitely worth it, likely $250 ish. Not sure who gunsmiths are out your way but someone will know.
 
If it's a .380 (9mm Kurz), just rebarreling will do it.

Most are .32 (7.65), and for that, a whole bunch of work is required if the pistol is to function properly.

You could have the barrel removed / turned in and re-classify the pistol as "frame only restricted".

Ellwood Epps had created an odd caliber .30 of some sort, which allowed a .32 to remain intact, and a simple barrel swap would bring it out of the Prohibited class. I don't know if it caught on, they were offering barrels at an attractive (sub $100) price. Dies, bullets, etc required... it isn't commercially available ammunition as far as I know. Has anyone had any experience with this conversion?
 
.32 is banned by caliber, so if it's a .32, you would have to have work done on the slide and possibly the extracter to change it to .380. I think the guy doing this was called Bits of Pieces (or something like that) I am sure someone who has had it done (turning a nice gun into an abomination:mad: I have 12/6 can you tell) will speak up.
 
If it's a .380 (9mm Kurz), just rebarreling will do it.

Most are .32 (7.65), and for that, a whole bunch of work is required if the pistol is to function properly.

You could have the barrel removed / turned in and re-classify the pistol as "frame only restricted".

Ellwood Epps had created an odd caliber .30 of some sort, which allowed a .32 to remain intact, and a simple barrel swap would bring it out of the Prohibited class. I don't know if it caught on, they were offering barrels at an attractive (sub $100) price. Dies, bullets, etc required... it isn't commercially available ammunition as far as I know. Has anyone had any experience with this conversion?


This is probably the best solution for a .32, seeing as how there is no such thing as a .32 pistol. They all measure .30 caliber, from the .32 ACP up to the .32-20. Yet pistols chambered for the .30 Luger, .30 Mauser, and 7.62X25 are all considered legal calibers/cartridges, so one would think simply stamping a .32 PPK's frame to reflect it's true bore diameter should be enough. But if re-chambering your pistol is what it takes to allow you to keep it, you have little choice but to do so, or sell it, which may only delay the inevitable (those of us with 12.6 aren't getting any younger) if we can't get the classification of firearms overturned. This idea that there are good guns and bad guns is just silly anyway. Having said that, if you decide to convert your PPK so you can keep it, you have my sympathy. Seeing a PPK with a 4.25" barrel regardless of the cartridge it shoots, I would find depressing.
 
Buy a barrel for a Browning 1922 (in .380, not .32acp). Have a gunsmith trim down the chamber end thickness and cut the slot for the barrel retaining pin. I have seen many PP's and PPK's converted to restricted by useing a modded 1922 barrel.
 
Elwood Epps' gunsmith Doug Reid can modify it to ".30 Cal Reid" for you. He has done many already.......

Cheers,

B
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epps11-07-2011, 03:28 PM
We are anouncing the creation of the .30 Reid caliber, it is .32 acp sized down to .308 dia bullets. This means some of the .32 acp pistols can be rebarreled to the new caliber and registered as restricted with a 106mm or longer barrel. Redding has gratefully made dies for us and hornady and sierra have bullets available to fit the new cartridge.

Redding dies $147.99, our code 80000-30r
Bullets
Hornady 86gr Rn, #3100 $18.99
Hornady 90gr Xtp #31000 $21.99
Sierra 85gr RN $ TBD
Brass Rem #22484A 100 pcs $ TBD

Pricing for conversions depends on how complicated the barrel is to duplicate. Walther PP's, PPk"s, Cz 50's, price is approxitmatly $150.00.

We have tested some reloads and load data is the same as .32 acp, as always start at lowest load in book.
 
Buy a barrel for a Browning 1922 (in .380, not .32acp). Have a gunsmith trim down the chamber end thickness and cut the slot for the barrel retaining pin. I have seen many PP's and PPK's converted to restricted by useing a modded 1922 barrel.

Personally I like this idea. .380 is a standard calibre for which you can buy factory ammo, cutting the cost quite a bit.
If you can find that barrel...
 
Thanks for all the advice everyone, I think I'm going to look into the 1922 barrel and go from there. It's going to look terrible with such a long barrel on it but I really don't want to see it go
 
If you call Barry Jensen at Bits of Pieces in Delta, BC, he'll advise you on a project of this sort. He's done similar things for me and his work is outstanding. It won't be quick, but it will be legal and beautifully done.
 
I just bought one rebarreled in 380 acp and it is less than stellar. If i was only blessed enough to be an old crusty 12-6 guy. I bought it modded but im going to take it to a gunsmith b4 shoot it again. Sometimes after it ejects spent round it wont feed properly or only part way in. Very odd. So i need to get it looked at.
 
I just bought one rebarreled in 380 acp and it is less than stellar. If i was only blessed enough to be an old crusty 12-6 guy. I bought it modded but im going to take it to a gunsmith b4 shoot it again. Sometimes after it ejects spent round it wont feed properly or only part way in. Very odd. So i need to get it looked at.

If not done right, the conversion creates an unreliable (at best) or downright dangerous result.

The ejector needs to be reshaped very carefully, or better still, replaced with a modern .380 ejector and a ribbed mag. That change requires special tooling to make a broach cut to the frame, as they did for the last 50 or so years of the PPK/PP in .380.

I like the .30 Reid alternative best, everything should work as usual but you'll need to reload. Call Epps first for an opinion, they charge the least and appear the quickest with this conversion. Then Barry @ Bits, etc.

The Browning / FN barrel is actually a bit short for the PPK at the chamber end. It can be done, but 9mm barrel blank is relatively common and cheap, while the 1922 barrel is not either. Making one from scratch is easier than fitting the 1922 barrel, which after all can be used to make a 1910 or .32 1922 restricted in 30 seconds (plus paperwork).
 
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