Sterling Arms Model PPL .22 L.R. 1.25” Semi Automatic Pocket Pistol, 1970s
SOLD FOR: $1,011.00
LSB# LSB260612CW053
Make: Sterling Arms
Model: PPL
Serial Number: 000520
Year of Manufacture: 1970 – 1971 / C&R
Caliber: .22 L.R.
Action Type: Hammer-Fired Semi-Auto Blowback Pistol with Removable Magazine
Markings: The right side of the barrel is marked, “000520”. The left side of the barrel is marked with the sterling rollmark and caliber. The slide is marked, “.22 LONG RIFLE”.
Barrel Length: 1.5”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a blade integral to the barrel. The rear sight is a raised square notch in the slide.
Stock Configuration & Condition: This pistol has two-piece wood panels screw-set to the frame. There are a few light scratches and pressure dents throughout. There are no chips or cracks. Overall the grips are in Very Good condition.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp. There is no erosion in the bore but there is some light stubborn fouling. In this writer’s opinion the bore rates 8.5/10.
Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 97% of its metal finish. The balance of the finish shows light handling and operational wear. The action has light wear. The screw heads are sharp, the pins are undamaged. The markings are clear. Overall, this pistol rates Very Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this handgun. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: 1x magazine.
Our Assessment: The Sterling Arms PPL represents one of the more unusual American pocket-pistol designs to emerge around the beginning of the 1970s. Sterling Arms was established in New York during the late 1960s and initially concentrated on inexpensive .22-caliber semi-automatic pistols before expanding into a broader line of compact handguns. The PPL took the company’s basic rimfire-pistol concept to an extreme, combining a very short barrel, simple blowback operation, exposed hammer, detachable magazine, and abbreviated proportions into a remarkably compact .22 Long Rifle pistol. This example dates to the early Sterling period and retains its original blued finish, wood grip panels, fixed sights, and distinctive ultra-short configuration. This pistol remains in Very Good condition, retaining approximately 97% of its original blued finish. The exterior shows light handling and operational wear, while the screw heads remain sharp, the pins are undamaged, and the markings are clear. The bore is bright with sharp rifling and no visible erosion, though light stubborn fouling remains present, rating 8.5/10 in this writer’s opinion. The two-piece wood grips show a few light scratches and pressure dents but remain free of chips or cracks and rate in Very Good condition. Mechanically, the action functions correctly, and the pistol is accompanied by its one magazine.
For collectors of unusual American pocket pistols and lesser-seen firearms from the 1960s and 1970s, the Sterling PPL has considerable novelty and period appeal. Its extraordinarily abbreviated barrel and compact proportions make it stand apart even among small rimfire automatics, while its early Sterling manufacture connects it to a relatively brief and colorful chapter of American commercial handgun production. With its strong bore, high original finish retention, original box, and clean wood grips, this is a particularly attractive survivor of Sterling Arms’ early pocket-pistol line. -R.E.