Return of a Legend

I’m going to write about the Walther PP without mentioning James Bond. Well, fine, but I’m not going to mention him again. The point is that, thanks to popular culture, many Americans are familiar with the Walther PPK. Fewer among us are aware that the PPK is the little brother of the PP, one of the most successful handguns in history.

The Walther PP Polizeipistole (Police Pistol), the brainchild of Carl Walther’s son Fritz, was the first successful double-action semiautomatic handgun. Sure, other designs pre-dated the 1929 PP, but none of them came close to the level of popularity this pistol reached.

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More Inside This Issue:

Worth the Wait

Heckler & Koch bided its time while the micro-compact market took off like a rocket. Now it has its own entrant, the well-designed CC9. By Richard Nance

Pushing the Envelope

Wilson Combat didn't just tweak the 1911 platform with its new Division 77 Project 1 gun. It created a whole new paradigm. By Brad Fitzpatrick

Look, Ma—No lock!

Smith & Wesson's Model 10 Classic—an iconic revolver if there ever was one—is noteworthy for what it doesn't have: the internal lock. By J. Scott Rupp

Desert Demon

Nighthawk Custom's famous Sand Hawk 1911 gets a new brother: the Sand Hawk Single Stack. By Richard Nance