Question concerning PPK

[george minze]

I know there are many who have or have had a Walther PPK or PPK-S on the forum....Over the years (many years) ,most in law enforcement or military ,I have wanted a Walther PPK. Now at the young age of 75 I BOUGHT A PPK IN BLUE STEEL (WHAT i WANTED) A brand new one in 380, I might add while in active LE I had never thought of 380 as a dependable round, but I still wanted one...As my time on earth is getting short I indulged myself with the urge...Knowing that ammo was hard to get, especially the FMJ that I had always though gave better ballistics than the so called special HP ammo, due mostly because of penatration stats..Question for those who might know..Q..Is there any way to lighten the double action feature on this weapon, and who would do it....Wayne doesn't like PPK so he is out I normally would use him or Actions by (T)..teddy is so busy and so involved in pro Isreal tweeting I almost hate to ask him..I love his work over the years but he is about as busy as he can get....I have had SW Mod 39's smothed out with good results (the late Joe bonner of Novaks) but never even had a 380 before, not even as a bug....Any info would be welcome and I might add appreciated..I know not practical but you guys if anybody knows about wants...You can't love guns with out wants. Help make a old time copper happy with his mini gun........Thanks in advance George

 

[Alnamvet68]

Cylinder & Slide and LaRocca Gun Works, Inc are your best bets for customizing and fine tuning your PPK.

 

[george minze]

Thanks for info....I'll check into them I have heard about them never used them...

 

[Abbotson]

I've always heard they are notoriously difficult to tune. You might want to try A Wolff spring kit. Hope you have great success with it.

 

[Jessie]

I also would try the spring change route 1st. It's cheap, done at home and reversible. Just be careful of getting unreliable ignition by going too light.
If that doesn't satisfy you, return them and ship it off to your smith of choice.
Have fun with it!

 

[HKB]

I fixed that problem with my HSc by always shooting single action. I guess I'd be more concerned if it was my full time carry gun. Good luck with that.

 

[Silvergoose]

George, I own a 1966 PPK. I can tell you that the Wolff springs work quite well, but this trigger will never be light.

That being said the gun is a fine piece of machinery, good luck with yours.

 

[george minze]

Thanks guys I think I will try the Wolf Spring kit I imagine the outfit in Columbia Mo. will have them....I would just try to shoot it in,,,However ammo is like hens teeth.....I guess Hens don't have teeth eh?

 

[Alpo]

I also would try the spring change route 1st. It's cheap, done at home and reversible. Just be careful of getting unreliable ignition by going too light.
If that doesn't satisfy you, return them and ship it off to your smith of choice.
Have fun with it!

That is just so seriously wrong.

Buy the springs, put them in the gun (making them "used"), try them, and if you don't like 'em, take 'em back out and return the (now "used") springs to the manufacturer for a refund.

That's right up there with "buy the 500-dollar dress, wear it to the party, and return it the next day", ain't it?

 

[Double-O-Dave]

Hi George:

Is the trigger on your Walther smooth, or grooved (serrated)? I owned a PPK/S that had one of the serrated triggers. I used a Dremel tool to remove the striations from the face of the trigger. Perhaps it was purely subjective, but to me, it felt like it was easier to shoot the piece DA afterwards. I've been told by more than one gunsmith that there just isn't much that can be done to reduce the trigger pull (as a result of the design). That leaves trying to smooth out the mechanism, lighter springs, etc.

Best of luck,

Dave

 

[labworm]

I have two, .380 and .32 ACP.

To lighten up the DA pull I just cock the hammer when ready.

 

[Lt JL]

When I had a PPK, I had a government mule follow me around to help pull the DA trigger, The mule did most of the work. Accurate little gun though. Watch out for slide bite. Mine loved .380 hydrashoks, never could figure out why, though

 

[LVSteve]

When I had a PPK, I had a government mule follow me around to help pull the DA trigger, The mule did most of the work. Accurate little gun though. Watch out for slide bite. Mine loved .380 hydrashoks, never could figure out why, though

I've never suffered from or understood how you get slide bite. I guess everybody else has chubby hands.

 

[Alpo]

I never understood why people put up with it. My PPK cut me with the right-side cocking serrations. It was like running hacksaw back and forth across my hand when I shot.

So I took a dremel to the bottom of the cocking serrations on the right-hand side, and relieved it a little. And you know, it don't cut me no more.

Just like a I took a file to the end of the hammer spur on one of my1911s. Cured that hammer bite.

 

[2152hq]

The contact surfaces on the cocking piece, sear & trigger bar can be polished, but like any action work,,don't change angles or remove metal. Just polish and remove any tool marks.
You won't see a great difference as the leverage just isn't there in the system in DA. Parts are small, distances are short.

Spring packages make the most difference and in combination with careful action work can make the most change.

Lightening the main spring is usually the first thing that's done.
But a couple things are in play besides pushing the hammer back easier.
A lighter mainspring may give you misfire problems. You gain on one side,,loose on the other.
The other thing not often thought of is that the mainspring is part of the recoil/locking system in the PP/PPK. The mainspring tension on the hammer holds the breech shut along with the recoil spring.
Lightening it allows the slide to function/recoil quicker. Possibly much quicker than the pistol is engineered for. That leads to battering of the frame from the slide and damage to the hammer itself.

Just some thoughts.

Take the grips off of the pistol and you can easily see most of the DA functioning. The trigger bar and cocking piece are easily seen in motion. Sometimes a glaring fault will pop out at you that needs attention like a trigger bar not engaging correctly or the hammer sear not square with the cocking piece, ect.
IIRC the cocking piece has to be turned to allaign with the hammer cut-out in the frame. Then pushed out from the right to the left side of the frame. That's the only real puzzle to the pistols take-apart,,

 

[Bullzaye]

I also would try the spring change route 1st. It's cheap, done at home and reversible. Just be careful of getting unreliable ignition by going too light.
If that doesn't satisfy you, return them and ship it off to your smith of choice.
Have fun with it!

That is just so seriously wrong.

Buy the springs, put them in the gun (making them "used"), try them, and if you don't like 'em, take 'em back out and return the (now "used") springs to the manufacturer for a refund.

That's right up there with "buy the 500-dollar dress, wear it to the party, and return it the next day", ain't it?

I could be wrong (it happens...rarely) but I believe that Jessie's message was saying that if the spring change didn't fix the problem to his satisfaction, to replace the original springs ("return" them to the pistol) before sending the pistol off to a gunsmith. I don't believe he was advocating returning the "new, used" springs to the retailer for a refund.

Tim

 

[HKB]

I would first try a snap cap in the chamber and dry firing it in double-action 500+ times. You can count sheep as you go along. See if it loosens up a bit... probably not much but worth the try... if not try the spring set others have suggested. Just another thought.

 

[george minze]

I would first try a snap cap in the chamber and dry firing it in double-action 500+ times. You can count sheep as you go along. See if it loosens up a bit... probably not much but worth the try... if not try the spring set others have suggested. Just another thought.

Very good advice with one problem as of this writting...Try to buy 500 rounds of 380 hard ball ammo.....for loosening up the action...I can't find hard ball period. I have some HP at a dollor a round.....380 hard ball is non-existent around here...Hp is way to expensive for breaking in a new pistol, at least for me it is..Plus I had some feed problem with HP. Actually deformed the cartridge right behind the slug...Being the hard headed type I will keep experimenting untill good sense takes over. Thanks for all the advice I appreciate all the suggestions. Probable I should have taken the first suugestion I received from a very good customizer...Don't buy one!!!! Hate that i'M SO HARD HEADED...a little late in life to get good sense now.......As stated...Thanks for the advice it is appreciated........Hard headed George..

 

[HKB]

$16.98 at Brownell's.

Fits .380 Auto, 5 pack : AMMO SNAP-CAPS | Brownells