Читать книгу The Gun Digest Book of Combat Handgunnery онлайн

19 страница из 158

European soldiers and police dumped them at the first opportunity for improved designs by HK, SIG-Sauer, and latter-day Walther engineers. South African police, who stuck with the P-38 for decades, told the author they hated them and couldn’t wait to swap up to the Z88, the licensed clone of the Beretta 92 made in that country.

The Walther PP and PPK have timeless popularity that comes from small size and ease of concealed carry, splendid workmanship in the mechanical sense, and a cachet more attributable to the fictional James Bond than to genuine gun experts who shot a lot, though the great Charles “Skeeter” Skelton was a notable exception who actually carried the PP and PPK in .380. By today’s standards, the ancient Walther pocket gun is a poor choice. If it is not carried on safe, a round in the chamber can discharge if the gun is dropped. If it is carried on safe, the release lever is extremely awkward and difficult to disengage. The slide tends to slice the hand of most shooters in firing. Walther .380s often won’t work with hollow-points, and though inherently accurate thanks to their fixed-barrel design, often require a gunsmith’s attention to the sights to make the guns shoot where they are aimed. There are not only better .380s now, but smaller and lighter 9mm Parabellums!