My wife and I were able to get out of the house for a little while last night and see the latest James Bond movie, Skyfall. We both really enjoyed the movie, and if you like action movies you’ll enjoy this. There are some great throwback references as the movie goes along, and the show ends with me wanting more.
BUT…
Why is Bond still carrying a .380 ACP pistol?
Yes, I know a hit with a .380 is better than a miss with a .44 Magnum. But, Bond is a supposed master of all firearms. So, why is he, and seemingly every agent of MI6, tethered to a Walther with dinky sights, limited ammo and a sub-standard caliber.
His enemies are running around with double-stack Glocks and a variety of full auto rifles. Why can’t he be issued something with a little more oomph?
Sure, a Colt Delta Elite may not fit easily under a tailored tux, but he isn’t always wearing such clothing.
They make a big production of issuing Bond a Walther in the front half of the movie, and all I can think is I’d want more firepower if I was going up against an army of trained killers. At least step up to a Glock 19 or something.
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Just think of the Walther as a gun to get a better gun….
The Walther PPK is a british issue sidearm, or was in my day.
I wish he carried a 455 Webley, “The Gun that won the rest”
Not for some time now. SIG P229 would have been a much better choice.
Sigs and Glocks, have replaced the Walther, the High Power and the Ruger that were issued. But they were not around inI an Flemmings day.
How about giving him a Webley Fosbery revolver, how British is that?
How about a modern gun chambered in 455?
You’d have to invent one first! .455 is also rather low powered. A Victorian version of Bond might be fun though.
He carried a P99 starting in Tomorrow Never Dies (Brosnan), but I bet they switched him back to the PPK because it was “Bond” and not a “plain black handgun.”
He actually started carrying the PPK again in Quantum of Solace.
Thank you if you knew you were going to be in harms way why would you choose a .380?
In the first scene he goes up against a Glock 18 with beta mag and depleted uranium bullets! Talk about expensive cost per round and a very high cyclic rate. What should James Bond carry? A 5.7 FN or an I-phone with a fleet of drones on control.
A 5.7 could make a lot of sense. Something lightweight, with a decent mag capacity and the ability to defeat soft body armor with the right ammo selection. Not a bad suggestion…
It needs to be concealable – he’s meant to be a spy after all.
I think the point is the PPK is iconically identified with Bond. Anyone can pack a larger calibre sidearm, however because of his superior intellect, ability and instincts he excels with the .380 Walther. He is no doubt amused that he can overcome extreme circumstances with a semi automatic others think inadequate.
Absolutely. So why arm the whole of MI6 with them? I can understand Bond being attached to a particular weapon, and single-stack small form-factor makes a certain amount of sense. But as standard issue sidearm? No.
Recommend reading this article.
http://www.vincelewis.net/bond.html
The real reason? Flemming wasn’t a gun nerd.
Like others said, Walther firearms are a 007 icon, so James Bond is bound to use Walthers… yet, Walther itself offers a wide array of better alternatives to the PPK right now. Although the Brosnan-era P99 is definitely unfit for Bond due to its excessive dimensions, they may want to go for the PPS, that’s slim enough for ultra-concealed carry but still packs 9mm firepower, or at least for a P99c, featuring Glock firepower in a discreetly compact size…
I think everyone is missing the obvious. It would have been an insane opportunity to market the PPQ (or that really ugly PPX) by Walther. But alas, they had to keep it with the throwback and stick with the PPK.
Yes, it had occurred to me as I’d seen the PPX hype before I saw the movie. You’re right – I wonder if Walther actively tried to engage the production company.
In fact, the PPS would be an even better fit. I really think it’s the classic lines of the PPK that keep them coming back to it, despite the lack of practicality. Just like the DB5 – they don’t make ‘em like they used to!