I worked for John Martz during the 1970s and 1980s and besides making grips for his Luger and P-38 pistols, I made Walther PP and PPk grips out of English Walnut, engraved the Walther Banner in them and hand checkered them. Out of all the grips I came into contact with I liked the walnut ones the best. I used to buy very fine grain walnut and loved the smell also. I never did them in ivory but I did make Luger grips in ivory. Tom always has a nice display of pistols that he brings out; Thanks Tom.
I have a 100 percent as new police C PPK with perfect gray marble red and black highlight grips. Black paper holster with two matching mags. The gray grips really make beautiful accents.
This is the perfect video for me to comment on. I have been watching this channel for many years. I make less than $30k a year currently although I'm going to the night classes, but basically I can't really afford most of the PPs. So I was able to snag a deal on a Ranger Firearms made PPK/S from 1989. It's not German made but wow it's such a superb design! I happened to get an example that's very well made and near mint condition. The reason why I comment is because your channel is what inspired me to finally take a look at the platform and I have to say it is such a lovely artistic beautiful well-functioning firearm. I have an East German Makarov and I've owned many of the cheaper South American made clones of the PP pistols. I can see why so many designs have been copying this gun for so long. I really appreciate it even more now and I must admit I watch a Bond movie with some snap caps and no ammo in the room, and pretend I'm Pierce Brosnan lol. Even though my comment about grips doesn't really have anything to do with the proper collectible series of grips that you're talking about here I wanted to let people know that the ones that came on my Ranger are an exact replica and I experienced some pretty nasty slide bite for the first time in my life. At first I was a little disappointed with the pistol but then I realize I'm a little bit fatter than the men who designed it LOL. I picked up some Altamont rosewood grips in a very deep and dark redwood with a lot of black in them, and gold accent screw. Man does it look amazing, but they make make the grip perfect for somebody with big ass hands like mine. If you have that problem obviously keep your original grips, but if you want to take it to the range and shoot it comfortably I can highly recommend Altamontes. 💪🫡🇺🇲
I was thinking the same about running out of the black pigment and having the red more available. Always enjoy watching and learning from your videos! Have a great day! 🙏🏼
On a presentation gun, nothing stands out like the ivory. On a service gun, I prefer black. Call it a write-in. Learned a lot about PP & PPK grips tonight.
I don't know how you guys back East can watch football at 11 o'clock at night, though the Niner-Packers game was better than a pot of coffee. I think my favorite PP in my collection is a red grip and patina commercial model. At least looks wise. Great video!
I’d have to go with the Ivory , my favorite handle material on handguns and fine knives such as Randall’s. Tom thank you for making such videos on Walters it was very informative. I need to contact you I just picked up a later war PP Waffen proofed with those reddish/brown grips. It’s not pristine and has pitting on the banner side of the slide but it’s a survivor. I might be selling. The 311 pop up in the video was hilarious, I saw them during the pandemic in a outdoor drive-in type concert at Seaside Park in Ventura CA.They are still tight as they were in the early 90’s. Take care.
IVORY!! HANDS DOWN!😊 About 30- years ago,l Saw (outside the USA) a custom made Real Mother of Pearl Grips for the WALTHER PPK. The asking price was like $35...a stiff price from where l come from. I Wanted to buy it Very much, being a die-hard WALTHER NUT but did not , because l did not have a PPK at that time 😢. To Date,that keeps me inconsolable,during my waking moments as to why I didn't buy it. 😢
Has anyone researched the possiblity that walther may have contracted a plastic firm to make their grips? It takes very special machines and equipment to produce plastic parts. On p38 grips there is markings that may prove this theory. Grip color is not always simple to maintain because of the dyes used then. The marble effect is produced by mixing some black plastic with the brown.
I have a cast aluminium monopiece grip for my PPK. I was told that was because the gun had overwintered in Stalingrad, but I can't confirm that. Have you heard of similar grip?
Could it be that the red colour of the grips was due to Walther only being able to get red-tinted resin/plastic/bakelite, or whatever they are made of, due to the war interrupting the supply of the proper colour? And, dyeing it was both awkward and maybe weakened the material.
I have a postwar 1961 PPK-L that came with slightly marbled chocolate brown plastic grips. I believe at the same time Walther were also producing black plastic grips too. Can you tell me the reason for the differences, and why guns would have been shipped with brown vs black grips? Is it just that Walther offered two factory grip colors, or is there another production or historical reason?
My dad left me a PPK. Its in good shape. It has the modeled black and brown grips as well two mags. with the same colored finger rests. Both are immaculate. The sn 920718 with no suffix and crown over N mark. Hopefully someone will read this and maybe able to give me their opinion/info. about this gun.
I will speculate that the demand for weapons was so high and shortages were so prevalent that they may have even borrowed from other manufacturers the resins needed to keep them going out. And they’re similar in color to other types of grips. But at this point/time in the war it’s unlikely it was done for any reason other than necessity!!!
I worked for John Martz during the 1970s and 1980s and besides making grips for his Luger and P-38 pistols, I made Walther PP and PPk grips out of English Walnut, engraved the Walther Banner in them and hand checkered them. Out of all the grips I came into contact with I liked the walnut ones the best. I used to buy very fine grain walnut and loved the smell also. I never did them in ivory but I did make Luger grips in ivory.
Tom always has a nice display of pistols that he brings out; Thanks Tom.
If this is the grade of videos i can look forward to in your retirement, two thumbs up!
Great lessons today, thanks
I have a 100 percent as new police C PPK with perfect gray marble red and black highlight grips.
Black paper holster with two matching mags. The gray grips really make beautiful accents.
The pp with the brown grip is my favorite! Beautiful gun!
This is the perfect video for me to comment on. I have been watching this channel for many years. I make less than $30k a year currently although I'm going to the night classes, but basically I can't really afford most of the PPs. So I was able to snag a deal on a Ranger Firearms made PPK/S from 1989. It's not German made but wow it's such a superb design! I happened to get an example that's very well made and near mint condition.
The reason why I comment is because your channel is what inspired me to finally take a look at the platform and I have to say it is such a lovely artistic beautiful well-functioning firearm. I have an East German Makarov and I've owned many of the cheaper South American made clones of the PP pistols. I can see why so many designs have been copying this gun for so long. I really appreciate it even more now and I must admit I watch a Bond movie with some snap caps and no ammo in the room, and pretend I'm Pierce Brosnan lol.
Even though my comment about grips doesn't really have anything to do with the proper collectible series of grips that you're talking about here I wanted to let people know that the ones that came on my Ranger are an exact replica and I experienced some pretty nasty slide bite for the first time in my life. At first I was a little disappointed with the pistol but then I realize I'm a little bit fatter than the men who designed it LOL.
I picked up some Altamont rosewood grips in a very deep and dark redwood with a lot of black in them, and gold accent screw. Man does it look amazing, but they make make the grip perfect for somebody with big ass hands like mine. If you have that problem obviously keep your original grips, but if you want to take it to the range and shoot it comfortably I can highly recommend Altamontes.
💪🫡🇺🇲
I was thinking the same about running out of the black pigment and having the red more available. Always enjoy watching and learning from your videos! Have a great day! 🙏🏼
On a presentation gun, nothing stands out like the ivory. On a service gun, I prefer black. Call it a write-in. Learned a lot about PP & PPK grips tonight.
I don't know how you guys back East can watch football at 11 o'clock at night, though the Niner-Packers game was better than a pot of coffee. I think my favorite PP in my collection is a red grip and patina commercial model. At least looks wise. Great video!
One of each, please & thank you...
Great video...keep imparting wisdom & history, Tom!
Thanks for the video Tom. I like the red mottled grip. On both the ppk and pp. A silver piece would look ideal with ivory colored grips.
Love the ivory grips the best.
Really enjoyed the video. Such good information and I always learn so much.
My vote is for the red grip and plum frame 👍
I’m a sucker for the Plumb colored guns and the red grip just adds to it!
I’d have to go with the Ivory , my favorite handle material on handguns and fine knives such as Randall’s.
Tom thank you for making such videos on Walters it was very informative.
I need to contact you I just picked up a later war PP Waffen proofed with those reddish/brown grips. It’s not pristine and has pitting on the banner side of the slide but it’s a survivor. I might be selling.
The 311 pop up in the video was hilarious, I saw them during the pandemic in a outdoor drive-in type concert at Seaside Park in Ventura CA.They are still tight as they were in the early 90’s. Take care.
IVORY!! HANDS DOWN!😊
About 30- years ago,l Saw (outside the USA) a custom made Real Mother of Pearl Grips for the WALTHER PPK.
The asking price was like $35...a stiff price from where l come from.
I Wanted to buy it Very much, being a die-hard WALTHER NUT but did not , because l did not have a PPK at that time 😢.
To Date,that keeps me inconsolable,during my waking moments as to why I didn't buy it. 😢
Love the ivory grips.
Thanks Tom , I learned a lot 😊
I like the Ivory grip
I like the wood grip!
Thsnks for your videos. They are great!
Good job Tom
Has anyone researched the possiblity that walther may have contracted a plastic firm to make their grips? It takes very special machines and equipment to produce plastic parts. On p38 grips there is markings that may prove this theory. Grip color is not always simple to maintain because of the dyes used then. The marble effect is produced by mixing some black plastic with the brown.
I have a cast aluminium monopiece grip for my PPK. I was told that was because the gun had overwintered in Stalingrad, but I can't confirm that. Have you heard of similar grip?
I voted for the Ivory grips
Could it be that the red colour of the grips was due to Walther only being able to get red-tinted resin/plastic/bakelite, or whatever they are made of, due to the war interrupting the supply of the proper colour? And, dyeing it was both awkward and maybe weakened the material.
I vote for the Verchromt finished PP!
I have a postwar 1961 PPK-L that came with slightly marbled chocolate brown plastic grips. I believe at the same time Walther were also producing black plastic grips too. Can you tell me the reason for the differences, and why guns would have been shipped with brown vs black grips? Is it just that Walther offered two factory grip colors, or is there another production or historical reason?
Love the grey with mottled black in it.would it be correct on a serial 345xxx ppk
As for changing the grip screw from left to right, maybe the screw head was digging in to the inside of the holster. 🤷🏻♂️
My dad left me a PPK. Its in good shape. It has the modeled black and brown grips as well two mags. with the same colored finger rests. Both are immaculate. The sn 920718 with no suffix and crown over N mark. Hopefully someone will read this and maybe able to give me their opinion/info. about this gun.
They look more BROWN than Red
This makes me think of the enigma of “Russian plum” Ak furniture
I will speculate that the demand for weapons was so high and shortages were so prevalent that they may have even borrowed from other manufacturers the resins needed to keep them going out. And they’re similar in color to other types of grips. But at this point/time in the war it’s unlikely it was done for any reason other than necessity!!!
Brown grip all the way.
Supply chain issues in 1943. That’s my vote.
That verchromt PP recently imported? Has the Made in Germany mark.
2:56 LOL
Marble
🍸🍸🍸🍸✊🏻🫡
1 vote for chrome engraved PP with illegal ivory grips
red? how do you get red? that's dark brown!!
Was SA not abolished in 1934 and came under SS 🤔
What is the fascination with Nazi military items
The designs/ aesthetics
It looks brown to me