The next time fictional superspy James Bond needs a gun, he may place an order directly to Arkansas?
That's right. For the first time in several years the iconic Walther PPK-Bond, James Bond's sidearm of choice-is being made in the U.S. At a factory in Fort Smith.
The popular semi-automatic pistol has been around since 1930. It was designed for police use and was also carried by some in the German military during World War II.
After the war, the easily concealed handgun gained the unsavory reputation as being the gun of choice for European gangsters.
That all changed when Sean Connery traded in his Beretta for the PPK in the first Bond film, 1962's "Dr. No."
Almost overnight demand for the Walther PPK soared. It was seen as not just a weapon, but a symbol of "cool."
The U.S. banned importation of the PPK in 1968 under the Gun Control Act, saying the small handgun did not adhere to a "sporting purpose" standard. The company introduced the PPK/S, a slightly larger model that met the standards. Later it began manufacturing the PPK in Maryland until 2014.
Now Arkansas is making the firearm for the U.S. market. According to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, a single employee of the Fort Smith plant can build and test 35 pistols a day. The plant will employ about 20 workers to build the PPK. The first Arkansas Walthers are expected to be shipped by the end of this month.
When the name James Bond is mentioned, most people think of London, Monte Carlo, Hong Kong and exotic locations around the world.
Now maybe they'll add Fort Smith, Ark., to that list.