Both 9 mm. Which one do you think is the better gun for self defense? Both are in similar shape.
Dave
Dave
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If you get close to both pistols, I think you'll find that the P1 (a P38 design with an alloy frame) is far bulkier than a PP or PPK. On the other hand, I am not aware that the PP or PPK is chambered for 9 mm, which is tad powerful for a blowback pistol, and many folks regard the .380 ACP (a/k/a 9 mm Kurz, not to be confused with 9 mm Luger or Parabellum) a marginal self-defense cartridge.
The P1 is basically a P38, is that correct? Both are proven reliable designs. Whichever you shoot better.
Most people would regard the .32 ACP to be even less worthy a defense cartridge than the .380, which a lot of folks regard as inadequate itself. And you did start out your query with "gun for self defense."
Now these opinions have to be put in context. A .32 auto is potentially fatal, and a lot of folks have been killed with them. So there is no bright line between "acceptable" defense rounds and "unacceptable" ones; the difference, rather, is the extent to which the cartridge's external and terminal ballistics are such that they can compensate for a margin of error with respect to shot placement. On this scale, the .32 is marginal: a 71 gr. FMJ at about 900 fps, yielding about 125 ft-lbs. at the muzzle. I'm not aware of any factory JHPs for .32 Auto, nor at 900 fps would they be likely to enhance terminal ballistic performance, and the PP/PPK is not renown for handling anything other than FMJs with reliability.
There are two other attributes of a PP/PPK that bear on its use as a concealed defensive weapon. On the one hand, it is small and flat and, therefore, more concealable than many pistols. On the other hand, like most blowbacks, the recoil spring is quite stiff, which makes for greater effort (and greater pinch on the serrations) to rack the slide, which could be crucial if you have a stovepipe.
So it comes down to this: if your situation is such that you need an especially concealable pistol -- which the PP/PPK surely is -- or you can carry none, then carry a PP/PPK. (For instance, the PP is the only pistol I've ever found that can be practically concealed under a tuxedo cummerbund.) But if you have other choices, take a hard look at them.
For my money, something like a 9 mm SIG P239 is a far better bet.
PPK reliability is in the shitty lately.