Walther PP, PPK and PPK/S pistol (Germany)

Experimental Walther "Police model" pistol which served as a prototype for PP; note that it has longer grip for 10-round magazine, and frame-mounted manual safety

Early production Walther PP pistol with so-called 90-degree safety

Rare pre-WW2 variation of Walther PP with bottom-mounted magazine release

A typical prewar Walther PP pistol

Post-war Walther PP pistol in .22LR

post-war Walther PP pistol made under license in France by Manurhin

Post-war Walther PP pistol made in East Germany

Pre-war Walther PPK pistol in presentation gold finish with engraving, issued by RZM

Post-war Walther PPK pistol

Walther PPK pistol fitted with silencer - a setup, closely associated with James Bond, agent 007

Walther PPK pistol, partially disassembled

Walther PPK/S

Type: Double Action
Caliber: .22LR or 6.35mm auto (.25 ACP) or 7.65x17mm Auto or 9x17mm (.380 ACP)
Length overall 173mm PP, 154 mm PPK
Weight: 682g PP, 568g PPK
Barrel length: 99mm PP, 84mm PPK
Capacity: 8 (PP), 7 (PPK) rounds

Walther PP pistols were among the most important developments of the inter-war period. Produced between 1929 and 1945 in significant numbers, these pistols, among with the basically similar but smaller PPK, were widely used as police and military guns in Hitler’s Germany. After the war, production of the PP and PPK pistols was resumed in France by Manurhin under German licence. Later on, production was returned to the re-established Walther factory in the city of Ulm ab Donau (pre-war Walther factory was located in the city of Zella-Mehlis), and these pistols have seen widespread use by civilians and police, as well as for personal defense by many non-infantry officers in several European armies. Very close copies of the Walther PP were manufactured after the war by East Germany, Hungary, Romania, Turkey and USA. At the present time, Walther PP, PPK/S and PPK pistols are manufactured in the USA by the Smith & Wesson Company under licence from Walther.
Walther PPK pistols are essentially similar to the larger PP pistols, except for the different design of the grip frame – while on PP pistols the grip backstrap is integral to the frame and grip panels are two separate items (left and right), on PPK pistols grip frame has a rectangular shape of a magazine channel and the backstrap is formed by the single-piece U-shaped grip unit, also usually made of plastic. While most PPK pistols were made with steel frames, in the post-war period Walther also produced some aluminum-framed PPK/L (Lightweight) pistols.
Also, there are Walther PPK/S pistols, which are a cross-breed between PP and PPK, combining the PP frame with shorter PPK-style barrel and slide. These pistols were designed to avoid limitations imposed by the American Firearms Owners Protection Act of 1968. This act, in particular, limited the minimum size of a “sporting purpose” pistols that are allowed to be imported in USA, and use of the larger grip frame allowed importing these pistols instead of smaller PPK pistols, banned from importation under this law.

The Walther PP is blowback-operated pistol with a fixed barrel, usually of all-steel construction. A few aluminum-framed PP pistols were built in Germany before the war, and stainless steel versions are manufactured in the USA under Walther’s licence since the mid-1980s. The trigger is double-action, with an exposed hammer and a frame-mounted manual safety/decocker; the lockwork is somewhat complicated in a typical German manner and has many small parts and pins. Sights are fixed, with the rear sight blade dovetailed into the slide. Magazines are single-stack; the magazine release button is usually located at the left side of the frame, just below the slide and in front of the grip panel. However, at least some PP pistols were made both before and after the war with so called “European-style” magazine release, located at the heel of the grip. Walther PP and PPK pistols are fitted with a loaded chamber indicator, made in the form of a small pin that protrudes from the rear of the slide (above the hammer) when a cartridge is in the chamber. This indicator is not present on .22LR models.
It must be noted that most of PP and PPK pistols were made in 7,65mm (.32ACP) caliber, with 9mm Kurz (9x17, .380ACP) running distant second. The .22LR version was made in some numbers, and so far most rare is the 6,35mm / .25ACP version, with very few guns made early in production history of both pistols.

How to field-strip (disassemble) Walther PP or PPK: 1) remove the magazine by pressing the magazine release button; 2) check that the chamber is empty; 3) pull the trigger-guard downwards, then swing it to one side to lock in the open position; 4) pull the slide all the way back, then raise the rear of the slide to the top, and off the frame rails; 5) carefully ease the slide forward and off the barrel; 6) remove the return spring from the barrel.
Reassemble in reverse order.

MGV-176 submachine gun (Yugoslavia)

MGV-176 submachine gun, butt folded

MGV-176 submachine gun, butt opened

MGV-176 submachine gun, with installed silencer

Caliber	.22 LR (5,6mm rimfire)
Weight	1,81 kg less magazine, 3,4 kg with loaded magazine
Length (stock closed/open)	480 / 795 mm
Barrel length	260 mm
Rate of fire	1200 - 1600 rounds per minute
Magazine capacity	161 rounds
Effective range	50-70 meters

MGV-176 submachine gun appears to be a clone of an American-180 submachine gun, but adapted to more modern materials and less expensive production techniques. MGV-176 appeared during 1980s, and was offered for export. After the dissolution of Yugoslavia MGV-176 was manufactured in Slovenia by Orbis, and apparently is used by Slovenian police. A semi-automatic version was made and encountered during the war in Bosnia.
It is a specialist weapon, which can be used at relatively short ranges, because of weak ammunition. However, when fired in full automatic mode, the very high rate of fire combined with low recoil will result in a significant lethality through multiple hits to target.

MGV-176 submachine gun is blowback operated, selective-fired weapon which fires from open bolt. The receiver and pistol grip are made from polymer. Fire mode (single shots / full automatic) is controlled by the trigger pressure - short pull on the trigger produces single shots, and long pull produces full automatic fire with rather high cyclic rate. MGV-176 is fitted with manual safety on the left side of the grip, plus an automatic grip safety is located at the rear of the pistol grip. Gun is fitted with underfolding shoulder stock made from steel wire. MGV-176 can be fitted with quick-detachable sound moderator (silencer) which weights about 200 gram and reduces firing signature by about 20 dB. The feed system employs flat pan magazines, which hold 161 rounds of ammunition in three layers, with bullets pointing to the center of the pan. Magazine covers are made from semi-translucent plastic. Spent cases are ejected downwards through aperture in receiver just in front of the trigger guard, so care should be taken to not cover ejection port by supporting hand.

M56 submachine gun (Yugoslavia)

M56 submachine gun, butt opened

M56 submachine gun, butt folded

Caliber	9x19mm Luger / Parabellum
Weight	3,0 kg
Length (stock closed/open)	591 / 870 mm
Barrel length	250 mm
Rate of fire	600 rounds per minute
Magazine capacity	32 rounds
Effective range	200 meters

The M56 submachine gun appears to be a simplified clone of German MP40 submachine gun, adapted for 7,62x25mm pistol ammunition, which, compared to 9x19mm ammunition of MP40 provided longer effective range and better penetration, but slightly less stopping power. The M56 submachine gun had a relatively long service life.

M56 submachine gun is blowback operated, full automatic only weapon that fires from open bolt. The bolt system is of simple design, with exposed, large diameter return spring. The cocking handle is located at the right side of the bolt and doubles as a manual safety - pushing it inwards locks the bolt in open or closed position. The stock is copied from MP40 and folds down and forward to save the length. Sights are of open type, with flip-up rear, marked for 100 and 200 meters range. One unusual feature of M56 is that it has a bayonet lug on the barrel and thus can accept a knife-bayonet.