I want to buy one of the walther ppk/s pistols made by S&W and my buddy that has one said they have a recall on certain serial numbers. I don't want to get one of those. Anyone know about this and is there a range of serial numbers to avoid? Something about the gun fires when taking it off safety.

Maybe this is the one (has the recall, return information, etc.): IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL NOTICE - February 20, 2009

DESCRIPTION OF THE HAZARD: Smith & Wesson has identified a condition that may exist in certain PPK and PPK/S pistols which may permit a round to be discharged without the trigger being pulled. When the manual safety is disengaged, Smith & Wesson’s Product Engineering Group has determined that the possibility exists in certain firearms that lowering the hammer may cause a chambered round to fire.

This recall applies to all Walther PPK and PPK/S pistols manufactured by Smith & Wesson from March 21, 2002, until February 3, 2009. The Serial Numbers of the pistol subject to this recall are as follows:

0010BAB - 9999BAB
0000BAC - 9999BAC
0000BAD - 9999BAD
0000BAE - 9999BAE
0000BAF - 9999BAF
0000BAH - 9999BAH
0000BAJ - 9999BAJ
0000BAK - 9999BAK
0000BAL - 5313BAL
0000BAM - 1320BAM
0000LTD - 0499LTD
0001PPK - 1500PPK
0026REP - 0219REP
0001WLE - 0459WLE

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.:God Bless America:.

WOW, thanks. Should I avoid those serial numbered guns or just make sure the repair is made?

I have an early PPK/S...went back for the recall just because Smith said so...not for anything I experienced. I have never had a problem with this gun and it is my EDC. It did take some time to break in (300 to 400 rounds) but it fires great now with ball or hollow point. The more I fired it the better it ran. As with all small caliber blow backs it likes a firm grip and good ammo. I have not noticed it preferring one ammo over another as long as it wasn't junk.

These early guns have gotten beat up on the forums for no real reason just like a lot of other guns...something is said and it spreads like wildfire. There is nothing wrong with a recall gun...problem (big or small) is fixed! I have shot Interarms and I like the Smith version better with the larger tang...eliminates the slide bite the PPK is notorious for. The PPK/S feels as good in my hand as any other gun I have ever shot and better than most. If you choose stay away from the early guns that is up to you...but I like mine just fine and always take an opportunity to defend it from what I think is way overstated. After all...I don't see people dumping their early 686's! And, yes, I know the PPK/S was recalled for discharge on decocking but it was rare and would have been negligent of Smith not to take a look at all of them whereas the 586/686 was a kind of voluntary thing not associated with accidental discharge. I'm not hearing anything about the PPK/S recall guns not performing well in recent years...we would have heard for sure!

I have a 2002 year model S@W PPK/S that is on recall but I never did send it in.I did buy it used but it seem it was never shot from the original owner.I my self never use the de-cocker on a chambered round but will thow it and thumb the hammer down instead of letting it fall free.I have tested it with a live round at the range seem o.k. the gun wil not fire.Also ran it threw a few more test and the gun passes all safety features.I like the gun and have about 500 rounds threw it no jams or stove pipes gun runs flawless

I agree completely with lhump1961. The recall fix involved substituting some small parts. With the new parts in the gun it is as though the gun was never subject to malfunction in the first place. My PPK/S, which was recalled just a few days after I bought it, has never malfunctioned or done anything unusual since coming back from S&W. It's a fine semiauto. I can't tell you if it is one of the guns that would have gone off when decocked, because I never did that when a round was in the chamber before sending it in.

Avoid the early guns if you want to, but you may be avoiding some custom work as well. A lot of the recall guns came back with a little extra work done on them. Mine got a ramp polish as well as the new parts; apparently many did.

Do you know how to tell if an affected gun got the recall repair? Cock the hammer and look down inside. If there is a small pin-punch dimple on the lower face of the hammer, the gun has been corrected. No punch mark, no correction.

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David Wilson

Avoid the early guns if you want to, but you may be avoiding some custom work as well. A lot of the recall guns came back with a little extra work done on them. Mine got a ramp polish as well as the new parts; apparently many did.


Absolutely correct! I also received a complimentary ramp polish from Smith along with the recall (I requested it and they did it).

For those who have chosen not to send in a recall gun...that is your choice. But IMHO you should reconsider. It is an important function that needs to be addressed...how safe is it to manually set a hammer down on a live round? The small hammer would slip easier than a revolver. Again, up to you...just sayin'.

I met a guy at the range last week, whose son in law showed me PPK that he just got from a relative. He asked if I knew how to remove the magazine, so I showed him how and did it. The magazine was loaded! I told the kid to check the chamber to make sure it wasn't loaded. It was! These guys were bouncing around with the loaded pistol in a rucksack with one in the chamber...and they did not know it.

Shame on me, too. I should have asked if the pistol was loaded be Moore I touched---although looking back, I doubt the answer would have been reliable. Certainly wouldn't have bet my life on it.

Moral of the story for me is to treat any firearm as if it was loaded. It isnt safe until I personally remove the magazine and inspect the chamber with my own eyes.

I've got a non recall .32 PPK I bought last year. I agree with the other posters these are great guns that got some bad press. I'm sure if you called S&W with the SN they could tell you if it was modified along with checking the hammer you would be certain everything is OK.

I have a question that I am kind of embarrassed to ask, feel like I should know the answer. My pistol SN falls in the list above and is marked PPK/S-1.

Does the dash 1 change anything?

I bought it 3 or 4 yrs ago from a LGS, do LGS's send in firearms for recalls? Do they have any responsibility to let the retail customer know if there is a recall?

As always, thanks members for the information.

Also, mine is stamped "Houlton, ME" I had read that pistos manufactured in that plant where of poor quality and experienced many problems? Truth or jus rumor?

You stated that you bought the gun several years ago so I can only assume you have shot it...yet you make no mention of any dissatisfaction. If for some reason you haven't shot it then take it out and heat it up! Does it feed, fire and eject reliably? Does it shoot POA? Does it fill the role for which it was intended? Is it comfortable in your hand? Don't let the internet chatter tell you what to think about your own gun.

I can't speak for all Smith PPK/S's but the only one's I have see came from the Houlton plant...not sure if they all do but would seem likely. Mine also says "PPK/S-1". I would not trust any LGS to have addressed anything on a gun new or used! Most of them, not all, need to be thought of in the same vein as used car dealers.

I continue to read gun owner reviews on this gun and the story is the same...initial failures fade to zero after a few hundred rounds to break it in leaving them with a good looking, reliable, fun to shoot iconic gun.

I am of the opinion STAY FAR AWAY FROM S+W WALTHER PPK/S.Save the extra cash and get a "real" Intraarms" West German" Walther.Too many friends have had the cracked frame,gun firing without trigger being pulled,and 1 incident of "Pull trigger Full Auto".My 1977 West German Walther PPKS has a few thousand rounds down the pipe and Zero Failures.JMHO.......Mike

I have heard just as many bad things from Interarms owners...or "friends" of owners. I glad I have a S&W Walther that runs great and you have an Interarms that runs great! We must have the only one's!

Nah, add one more to the list. I have a S&W PPK that has worked perfectly before and after the recall. The only difference in it and most others is it is 7.65mm rather than the normal 9mm Kurz.

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OGCA / OVMS / NAPCA / TMCA

Before you send a recall gun in for any work, you might want to visit the Walther Forum and read some of the feedback from those that have done so already.

****Link Deleted****

First off S&W gunsmiths are NOT the ones working on these guns. The guns are sent to Maine and people there work on them. I don't know where those people got their gunsmith training at, or perhaps it is on the job training. But they are complete imbeciles.

I have a recall PPK in .32ACP that will NOT get sent to the talking monkeys in Maine. I never use the safety as a decocker. Heck, I never use the safety AT ALL.

I have shot it, less than 200 rounds. I did have several FTE and I figured it might be the brand of ammo. It's not a carry piece for me, it is simply the "BOND" gun I always wanted. Since I don't carry and I never use the decocker it's not an issue for me and I most likely won't be sending it anywhere.

I plan to take it the range and shot it some more and see if it loosens up for me. I like it foir what it is to me and I was just curious when I saw the thread.

Happy shooting!

I have a 2002 model PPK/S :gun shoots flawless no matter what I ammo I use:Yes it is one on recall but I did run in threw a few safety checks and have no problems at all function A .O.K.
I would hate to send it in and get it back all screwed up

Well, I just bought a W. German made PPK/S and it happened to me today! Racked the slide and it fired off a round! Hammer does not lock back when safety is on.

I have a S&W Walther PPK that is popular during training classes. Never had a single problem. New shooters like shooting it more than I do. It went in for the recall during the peak, so it was gone a while but it too came back feed ramp polished.

I had an Interarms PPK/S in 90's. I will never own another one. Worst trigger on a DA I have ever had. Wouldn't feed hollow points at all (HydraShok or SilverTip at that time).

First thing I did with my new one was run HydraShok through to see if they ran.

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NRA Certified Instructor

I recently inherited a PPK/S-1, and the serial number falls in the recall range. My father was aware of the issue, as it was very clearly marked on his inventory list. He had five real Walther PP's and PPK's, so it wasn't very high on his "to do" list. Now it's my "to do" list. Does anyone have an idea what the turnaround time is for the recall repair?

I own both a S&W PPK (stainless) and an older Interarms PPK. Both have always performed flawlessly. It is true that the trigger on the Interarms is stiff but the S&W is really clean and sweet.

I take the S&W PPK to the range regularly and shoot everything from "wad cutters" to Hornady Critical Defense ammo. Never has it failed to function. After several hundred, maybe a thousand, rounds it is a very smooth and solid shooter and is my daily carry weapon of choice. Honestly, I know of no other carry weapon I would trade it for.

Bob

I sent mine in to S&W and turnaround was very quick. I think it was less than 2 weeks. Gun came back in the same condition I sent it in as and functioned flawlessly after the recall work was done. Of course, it was also flawless BEFORE the work too.

In my opinion, don't worry about buying one subject to the recall. I have one. S&W paid postage both ways and the turnaround was quick. No expense to me.
Like others have said here, it takes a while to break one in. I have owned or used quite a few Walthers, PPK and PP, since 1965. All were very tight unless the previous owner broke them in. That always meant putting about 100 rounds through one before it operated reliably. Another note: Ones made before S&W became involved have an inadequate tang to protect the web of your hand. If you don't grip it a tad low, and tightly, the slide will carve tracks in your hand. I also found that a strong grip is important to accuracy, more than for many other autos. I suppose that may be due to its small size and short barrel. I can shoot a Bersa Thunder with greater accuracy.
In 1972 I went shooting with some other recently-returned Vietnam vet USAF pilots, on a friend's ranch SE of Colorado Springs. I had a PPK and had set up a one-meter-square box at about 8 meters (25-feet-ish) and was shooting at rings I drew around a common soup can. One of my friends, thinking he was a close relative of James Bond, held it at about waist level and blazed away. He missed. With every round! I wish I'd had a video of how much the gun jumped in his hand. He also had a fine set of bloody railroad tracks on the web of his hand.

Actually, if you can find a PPK in .32 auto, you won't have any problems with the gun biting you or having to hold it real tight. Plus it will be a lot more fun to shoot. The .380 doesn't really give all that much more lethality than a .32 auto (both are pretty weak compared to other calibers) and the extra recoil just isn't justified. Unfortunately, Walther discontinued the .32 auto version. That's a shame. It's a really neat gun.

A good while back I had an opportunity to buy a "like new" Interarms PPKS 380 .I was told to take it and try it.It went full auto the first or second shot!It got my attention!I never had anything climb like that.I took it back and said fix it and I'll buy it.He said just keep it.A quick trip to S&W solved it,and it cost little or nothing.It is one of the most accurate small pistols I know of,except for a .32 Mauser HSC.It is a hand biter however.I came out real good!