I have several .22 handguns, both are full sized.
The Ruger MK II Government Target with the 6 7/8" slab sided barrel is a spectacular pistol, but huge and heavy.
The Ruger Single Six convertible has a 5 1/2" barrel, it's somewhat smaller but not by much.

Recently I went to the range with a friend of mine. He brought a new Taurus semi auto .22 and it ran great.
That got me on the trail of finding a new compact sized .22 pistol. Semi auto or revolver.
I looked at and handled Glock, Smith & Wesson, Ruger, Taurus, and Walther. I couldn't find any .22 revolvers that fit the bill, and for a plinker, a semi auto is more fun!
Every single .22 semi auto I looked at was polymer frame, aluminum slide, or worse. There are lots of pot metal parts in new polymer .22 pistols.

I read an article in American Handgunner several issues ago, and Roy was talking up the Walther PP in .22LR.
I briefly considered a new PPK/s in .22, but the aluminum and pot metal thing was still there.
The new Ruger LCP II in .22LR seemed just too tiny for accurate shooting.

I started looking on several auction sites for Walther PP pistols. I watched one sit for a month without any bids, and the seller was only several hours driving time away.
Last week I went and looked at it. They have a nice 100 yard indoor range rated for magnum rifles, and they were happy to let me try the Walther PP in .22LR before buying.
It ran flawlessly with CCI Mini Mags, but short stroked the slide with standard velocity Federal Auto Match. It would feed the fired case back into the chamber.
I fired about 70 rounds of CCI Mini Mags without any failures.

They actually had two Walther PP's, the unit I ended up buying was no box, no papers, two magazines, and aftermarket rubber grips.
I'm looking for something to use and shoot, not something to be a safe queen.
The second Walther PP in .22 was collector grade and I would have felt bad using it.
I saw it again today when I picked up the PP I bought. My email is in my profile if you want info about it.

So some internet sleuthing, and several tanks of gas got me a Walther PP in .22LR which will work perfectly for my usage.
It's all machined West German steel, no aluminum, no polymer, no pot metal, no MIM.
It was imported by Interarms in the late 70's - early 80's.
I even found a holster it fits well into in my old holsters box.

IMG_20221207_160412376_HDR by cee_Kamp 32ACP, on Flickr

IMG_20221207_160345921_HDR by cee_Kamp 32ACP, on Flickr

This message has been edited. Last edited by: cee_Kamp,

Closest I have is the Beretta 87 (not target version). I paid way too much on GB for a second barrel which I had internally threaded to hold an adapter so I could use it with a suppressor. Never had any failures of any kind. It is the coolest gun I own.

That Walther is a fantastic gun. The one I had preferred CCI Mini-Mags. Enjoy!

That is a sweet gun. I have Beretta 87’s which I think are THE finest 22 service type 22 out there but it isn’t nearly as cool as that. Lol

Congratulations!
Great gun. Happy for you.
Not only cool gun but very accurate.
I have posted here before that when I was young with good eyes, I regularly shot one as well actually better than a treasured High Standard Trophy.

I have a PP in .22, but it is over 70 years old. I don't shoot it often, but it always seems to work.

Old school Pachmayrs! I would have jumped on that myself. My SR22 shoots just about any ammo and has been a great gun thus far.

You found a nice one OP. Based on the SN which looks like "51,004", I'd say it was made in 1981,1982 or 1983, but the two letters on the frame above the trigger will reveal that. Unfortunately they are a tad blurry and I can't make them out. What are they? Again nice score.

If anyone else is looking for a similar.22, keep an eye out for a used Beretta model 70s. Great all steel guns and sometimes you can find them priced right.

Not as robust or as elegantly built as your Walther, my PPK-inspired Bersa Thunder .22 has been a fairly reliable shooter in the decade or so that I've had it from new...well as long as the requisite rimfire carbon fouling from the ammo doesn't get too think.

I also have a Beretta 87. It’s a perfect plinker, not too small, not too large. Issue with guns like these, is parts. I luckily found extra (4) new magazines, but had a bear of a time finding an extra barrel recoil spring. It’s an occasional shooter and a hand me down to my kids. I had a Walther ppk/s years ago and stupidly sold it. The new stuff doesn’t come close in quality as the old stuff.

That's a beautiful gun, OP. I share your distaste for the polymer/aluminum .22 copies. I want a .22 that feels like a "real gun." To date I have a Ruger MkII and MkIV, a S&W 63-5, and a stainless Single-Six. All of them are solid, well-made firearms that function reliably.

I also have a P250 .22LR that I bought to use as a trainer for my P320s, since it fits the same holsters and grip modules. It's got a weird aluminum slide, and lacks the inherent reliability of my purpose-built .22s. It's been an interesting project trying to get it to run, but I don't like it anywhere near as much as my others. I've also owned a Ruger SR22P in the past, and absolutely hated that thing.

I've always wanted a Beretta 87, and always kind of have an eye out for one at a reasonable price. I'd heard a rumor somewhere that they were going to import a batch this year, but so far that has not materialized.

Be patient. Then buy two. That’s what I did. Someday my son will open up a box stock 87 still with hang tags. He better say nice things about me at that point. Lol

Collector's here in Houston (at their old location) had a few very nice vintage PP, PPK, PPK/S in their case.
Well outside my budget at the time. Need to get down to the new store & browse.

Always wanted a PPK in 32

Beautiful little pistol there.

My only current small .22 auto is a Beretta 21 bobcat which is extremely finicky with just about every ammo type I have tried. It is most (but not completely) reliable with mini-mags and loads of fun to shoot when it does not give me reason to cuss at it. I’ve never liked the blowback extractor-less ejection system; I can’t seem to go through a couple of mags of anything without seeing a casing that isn’t blown out of the chamber even slightly. If an honest-to-goodness extractor had been engineered into it I think it would be 100% reliable as it will fully cycle the slide with pretty much any .22 ammo.

In my early buying days, I picked up a Jennings J-22. That shitty little chrome plated zinc piece of junk cycled 100% of every type of ammo it was fed, from thunderbolts to mini-mags. I was offered a trade for a Winchester 94 (no brainer) back in the mid 80’s so it’s long gone.

Those real Walther .22’s are drool worthy.

quote:

Originally posted by pedropcola:
Be patient. Then buy two. That’s what I did. Someday my son will open up a box stock 87 still with hang tags. He better say nice things about me at that point. Lol

I'm willing to be put up for adoption, lol. I imagine your son will appreciate that one quite a bit!

I'm sure one will eventually come along at the right price when I have the cash in hand to pick it up...either that or I'll get impatient and pay some stupid amount to acquire one. It's been known to happen .

kaschi,
The stamped date code on the frame is "ID" so it mas made in 1983.

quote:

Originally posted by kho:
Closest I have is the Beretta 87 (not target version). I paid way too much on GB for a second barrel which I had internally threaded to hold an adapter so I could use it with a suppressor. Never had any failures of any kind. It is the coolest gun I own.

I also have a Model 87. It is also one of the most fun guns I have. And a beauty, too.

In doing my due diligence before the purchase, I checked if some common spare parts are still available. Short answer is yes. Earl's Repair Shop sells spare parts. Numrich has some also.
Gun Springs Corp sells some PP springs in .22LR also.

So let's see if anyone can answer my question.
The .pdf Walther/Interarms owners manual states that high velocity and standard velocity ammo can be used in the Walther PP in .22LR and they specify the velocity of each in the manual.
This Walther PP in .22LR short strokes the slide with standard velocity ammo. 100% functioning with CCI Mini Mags but runs poorly with Federal Auto Match.
Is there any reason not to purchase a new recoil spring and attempt shortening the spring so the pistol runs on standard velocity ammo?
Perhaps start with a new recoil spring and start removing half a coil at a time until it runs on standard velocity ammo?

Yes, I understand that with a "reduced power" (shortened) recoil spring it would be prudent not to use that spring with high velocity ammo. (battering)

Has anyone run into this or attempted?

sorry if i turned this into a bit of a Beretta 87 thread. I am very jealous of your Walther PP .22. Beautiful work of art. I just bought a PP in .32/7,65 about four months ago to scatch an itch I have had ever since I stupidly allowed one to be stolen out of my car in the '80s. Love that gun. I know you will love yours.