PPK or Sig P232

[MYBABYISA44MAG]

My Sig was stolen from my vehicle, and now I'm trying to decide whether to replace it with the PPK....I'm not interested in a pocket gun, like the Ruger, I guess I'm just that way about my carry gun....so what's your opinion of these two options?

 

[OldePhart]

Neither would be my first choice because they are DA/SA and I'm not a fan of those. That said, both are good guns for those used to using them and from reliable manufacturers and, since you're obviously used to the Sig, that might be the deciding factor.

Having said that, both are bulkier than some other options in .380 (bulkier than some 9mm guns, even). If the reason the Sig was in your vehicle where it could be stolen instead of on your person was because it's too inconvenient for carry that might be worth thinking about...

 

[rugnelli]

Sig P230...

 

[blume357]

230 or 232 hands down.... I can say this because I have both a 230 and a Walther PPK.... the Walther is 'okay' (for sex in a holster).... but in my opinion there is no comparison between it and the Sig 230/232.... I carried the Sig 230 for the last 7 years until I switched to the LC9s pro. The Sig 230 is even better in my opinion than the LC...

 

[MYBABYISA44MAG]

Thx for the responses....I left the pistol accidentally in my truck for about 2 hours, in the console....a band of rogues came thru our subdivision and broke into about 10 vehicles...took my wallet and pistol...police had photos but nothing came of it...my bad...that's for sure...Haven't seen a 230 up close...will take a long hard look..

 

[loaded round]

My vote is for the Sig also. Have owned 2 PPK's previously and sold them both. The Walther is a very good pistol , but it's too heavy for it's caliber and will bite the H- - L out of the web of hand if you have medium to large hands.

 

[22/45 Fan]

The Sig P232 (the 230 was the earlier version) is both large and heavy for a .380. It's more ergonomic, more reliable and less ammo sensitive than the PPK but still big. Also the 232 is a blowback action like the PPK and, as such, recoils quite sharply considering the modest cartridge. As an aside, the P232 seems to be out of production as the Sig web site no longer lists it and the P238 seem to be its replacement.

There are numerous full power 9 mm pistols that are the same size and weight or smaller and lighter and, of course, far more powerful.

 

[DA_TriggR4Ruger]

Upgrade to a 9mm in the same size gun. Or check out a Sig P938.

 

[WebleyMan]

I would go with the Sig 232, though I've only handled them on many occasions. Better sights, better trigger. In the aluminum frame version, it is lighter than the PPK. In the steel frame, maybe an ounce or two heavier.

The PPK maybe a bit "classier" but the sights are squinchy and the DA trigger is an abomination. The single action is pretty nice though. Both I and my father each had one, so I've shot them quite a bit. Carried mine for maybe 10 years.

I've often contemplated getting a 232, as it fits my hand perfectly and points very well for me. My only reservation about it, and the PPK as well, is the lack of a slide lock. Ever tried to clear a double-feed on a PPK? It is not a pleasant experience. A slide lock makes that a whole lot less miserable. In a gunfight, though, I think you'd be pretty much screwed either way.

My current .380 carry gun is a Beretta 85. Points better for me than the PPK, has better sights, has been more reliable as well, and has a slide lock. It is a bit large and heavy, however. So I'm still contemplating the Sig 232. Or a Ruger LCR 3". No double feed worries there.

 

[crispy]

Nothing classier than the P232.

FWIW, I want a stainless PPK too...

 

[blume357]

In the blue book it shows that they actually made the 230/232? in 9mm... but I think they were only offered to European law enforcement.... I wished for years that I could find one of these.... but had finally to settle for a LC9s pro.

 

[22/45 Fan]

In the blue book it shows that they actually made the 230/232? in 9mm... but I think they were only offered to European law enforcement.... I wished for years that I could find one of these.... but had finally to settle for a LC9s pro.

Are you sure they didn't say 9 mm Kurtz aka 9 mmm short or 9x17? Both of these are names for what we call the .380 ACP. The Europeans do use it as a police round. They are 9 mm but not the full power 9 mm Luger.

 

[blume357]

I only have one blue book and it is from way back... 24th edition.... and to clarify... this is only for the P230 not the P232 but not only it seems made in 380 (Kurtz) and 9mm (luger) but also 22lr and 32 acp and they were only made in .380 in stainless ....

 

[22/45 Fan]

I only have one blue book and it is from way back... 24th edition.... and to clarify... this is only for the P230 not the P232 but not only it seems made in 380 (Kurtz) and 9mm (luger) but also 22lr and 32 acp and they were only made in .380 in stainless ....

No, it doesn't say 9mm Luger, it says 9 mm Ultra, which is not the same thing. The 9 mm Ultra (aka 9x18 ) was an attempt to hot-rod the .380 ACP to giver a bit more power but still work in blow-back actions. It is not a full power 9 mm Luger. Here is Wikipedia's brief description and note it mentions the Sig P230 was chambered in it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/9%C3%9718mm_Ultra

There have been a couple of attempts to make blowback action handguns to fire the 9 mm Luger cartridge but they all pretty much failed due to the power and operating pressure of the round. Smith & Wesson had one notable failure with the SW9 several years ago. The only 9 mm Lugar blowbacks that work are rifle/carbines that use a heavy enough bolt to make the round practical.

 

[blume357]

Otay, I stand up corrected. Thanks... did not see the Ultra part and had no idea there was such a thing... but then I kind of have a learning deficiency with the different types of actions on semi-autos.

 

[Brules]

I prefer the PPKs....I have a stainless 380.

 

[blume357]

The one thing I can't figure out about the PPK.... watch any of the first James Bond movies and beyond..... both Sean Connery and Roger Moore must have small hands.... I'm still trying to figure out how a PPK looks that big.

 

[Jeepnik]

I'll put in my 2 cents. Glock 42. About the same size. Mine is surprising accurate. Light, it carries well in the OMB cross draw I use.

 

[ADP3]

None of the .380 Walthers that I have owned (German, French, US - PP, PPK, PPPK/s) have been as reliable as the SIG P230/P232's. I never had a reliability problem with the .32 Walthers but the .380's are a different story. I like Walthers, but for self defense I stick with SIG.

Best Regards,
ADP3

 

[LuckenbachTexas]

I don't find either as good or friendly as the Bersa Thunder 380, unfortunate indeed.

 

[blume357]

If you look at a Bersa Thunder it looks just like a PPK... I suspect they, Bersa, copied it... one problem... Just like the Walther, they put a safety on it......

 

[LuckenbachTexas]

Bersa takes down way better than the others.

 

[NewportNewsMike]

I have owned both a PPK (not a PPK/S) and a stainless P232. Here are a few random thoughts.

The P232 differs from the P230 in that the P230 does not have a firing pin block / lock -- if that matters to you. All the current SIG, Ruger, Glock, S&W, and about anything else you can think of, has a firing pin lock these days. The exception, of course, is the SR 1911 and other non-80 series 1911's.
I like firing pin locks - one more drop safety on a firearm is a good thing.

I loved the P232 - it was a favorite shooter. And what a shooter it was. You just looked at the target and, if by magic, holes started to appear in all the right places. But, and it is a big but, if I did not have my hand in the EXACT right spot, the recoiling slide would slice the meaty part of my hand between thumb and first finger wide open. It is difficult to continue a range session with blood dripping all over the place. That is when I started to include Band-Aids in my range bag.

Even today, ten years or more after I sold the P232, sometimes I will notice the scars on my right hand and think fondly of that pistol. But not fondly enough to buy another one!

My PPK was from the time period when they were being made (not imported but made in USA) by Interarms. It was also a good shooter. It never bite me. Most folks who get bite get bit by PPK's, not P232's, but I seem to be the other way around.

One day shooting the PPK, a couple pieces and a small spring fell out of it. Turns out it was the DA sear piece mounted on the hammer. It appeared to have been an early MIM part that did not work out well - broke in half right at the pivot pin hole. I have never pursued fixing it, as it works fine in SA. The DA first shot capability is gone, but it works great in SA.

These days the 380 ACP role in my stable is being filled by a SIG 238. Firing from a locked breech rather than being a strictly blowback like the PPK and P232, the force to slingshot the slide is many times less than either the PPK or P232. And it is also a great shooter.

The PPK is an older design with lots of small intricate parts. And the sights are the lesser of the three.

My ranking of the three mentioned above would be (high to low) SIG P238, SIG P232, and the PPK. But there is not a real loser anywhere in the mix.

 

[blume357]

That's interesting Newport.. .my experience is just the opposite... .the PPk would bite the top of my hand just about every time I shot it and the Sig 230 never did once.

 

[FergusonTO35]

I say Kahr CT380 or Glock 42. Both are comfortable to shoot but small enough to hide and no manual safety. Cost way less too. I carry a CT380 and have a Glock 42 on layaway.

 

[DA_TriggR4Ruger]

I used to own a P230SL. I would take a P238 or P938 any day over that gun.

 

[Vee_Kay]

Owning a PPKs and a P230 the differences: PPK takedown is a more difficult. P230 has European style magazine catch at the base of the grip rather than the American side button on the PPKs. If you intend to use more than one magazine. you need to practice, practice, practice. Sights on the older PPKs and P230 were double dot one on the front, one on the back. The P232 came out with the three dot sights, which were my preference. Sig has discontinued this model. Expected to be able to save up a little longer. I had to really scramble to get a P230.

 

[DA_TriggR4Ruger]

I had a Sig P230SL (stainless steel + night sites) years ago. My very FIRST "edc weapon" subsequent to me initially getting my CHL. Loved the size and the weight. Always wished they would offer a locking action version of it acceptable for 9x19. The blowback action was fine for the low pressure .380 however.
Now I pack a Sig P938 and will never look back.

 

[toysoldier]

There have been a couple of attempts to make blowback action handguns to fire the 9 mm Luger cartridge but they all pretty much failed due to the power and operating pressure of the round. Smith & Wesson had one notable failure with the SW9 several years ago. The only 9 mm Lugar blowbacks that work are rifle/carbines that use a heavy enough bolt to make the round practical.

The Spanish Astra pistol was a successful blowback design, manufactured in large quantities. It was used by Spain and Germany. It is not, of course, a compact pistol, and has an atrociously heavy slide spring.

 

[DA_TriggR4Ruger]

There have been a couple of attempts to make blowback action handguns to fire the 9 mm Luger cartridge but they all pretty much failed due to the power and operating pressure of the round. Smith & Wesson had one notable failure with the SW9 several years ago. The only 9 mm Lugar blowbacks that work are rifle/carbines that use a heavy enough bolt to make the round practical.

The Spanish Astra pistol was a successful blowback design, manufactured in large quantities. It was used by Spain and Germany. It is not, of course, a compact pistol, and has an atrociously heavy slide spring.

I thought the Astra was a locking breach style like the Sig 228