S&W Walther PPK-S

Has anyone had experience with the S&W Walther PPK-S.

I received mine last Friday and checked it out, cleaned and lubed and headed for the shooting range to test the pistol with several different brands and types of ammo.

All the ammo that day was FMJ. I didn't expect any problems and didn't have any with the pistols function. I did find the single action trigger pull a little heavy but the worst problem with the trigger pull in single action was all the catchs during the pull prior to let off. With a nice two hand hold off bags I start a controlled slow squeeze, a little creep, then a catch. Increase pressure to continue squeeze and get a little more creep and another catch. This happens three times before let off and is very disturbing.

I know about the typical break-in for most firearms and have considered that. I lubed the trigger parts well and with my thumb between the frame and the hammer, cocked and slowly pulled the trigger. Still catchy. Then I would squeeze the trigger rapidly thinking this would tend to help wear the high spots down after nearly (1000) times over several sessions and a real sore thumb. Seems to me this should have acted like a (1000) round break-in of shooting. The problem is still there.

I called S&W today and the person I spoke to said he would mail me a prepaid shipping label so I could send the pistol back for S&W to check it out to see if it is within specifications.

At least this is a good start. I sure hope they can provide a smooth single action trigger pull. If not, I guess I will have to consider finding a gunsmith that knows PPK pistol well.

Any suggestions or recommendations will be appreciated.

BOLT.

Congrats on picking up a fine piece I had one and loved it great for CCW. So easy to clean and shoot. Did you buy new or used? quick horror story i picked mine used and unknowing to me or my buddy i got it from there was a massive recall on the guns do to a hammer spring issue. I had two accidental discharges do to this. The springs were week and letting the hammer drop with out the trigger being pulled. One rond off went off wile it was in my IWB holster when I leaned against a counter in my home by the grace of God I wasent hurt only lost the holster and had a hole in my pants. The second time was after I got it back from the local gunsmith at Gander Mnt who said " he fixed the problem by installing a new spring. The second round went off when I benched the weapon turned around to light up a smoke and BANG..... needless to say i was pissed went and got my money back and called S&W and was told to ship it to them due to the recall and that the gunsmith had installed a new faulty sprin. I dident get my gun back for almost a year due to the massive recall. But when I did it worked like a champ. I do know that the problem has been fixed since then and thart was about 3 years ago and the recall was almost 6 years agoe. So if you picked up a new or newish PPK your good to go. As for ammo dont use WOLF ammo gun just dosent like to feed off it had but thats cus I was cheepo... Hordany makes great CCW rounds and Winchester has good plinker ammo that I was able to get a nice group at 50yds for that gun wasent the best but still effevtive. I would also polish the feed ramp and mags and magwell feeds much smother and drops mags super fast. I used some 600grit automotive sand paper that you can get at autozone and some neverdull polishing pads. I also used a supper supper soft cloth buffing wheel and went ever so lightly over then gun the worked the neverdull in gave the gun a nice shinny finish but dont go over the ruffer looking parts on the top of the slide just hit up the smoth stuff if you want. I also had the same problem with the trigger too but I polished the surfaces on the triffer and frame the run and that helped out some but the single is a bitch of a pull for a reason. If you carry with one in the chamber and it keeps the trigger from being pulled too easly on accident. I also swiched out the grips for some rubber ones gave the gun a better feel in the hand and a little more something to hold onto if you have bigger hands like I do.

I bought the PPK-S new.

My shooting buddy bought a PPK stainless about three or four years ago and it was one of the PPK's recalled for a faulty decocking system that could cause an accidental firing when decocking.

I have fired American Eagle, PMC, Hornady and Winchester ammo in my PPK-S. PMC doesn't group at all and my other 380 is just as bad with PMC. American Eagle is very accurate in both guns.

I am hoping S&W will decide to smooth up the single action trigger pull. If they decide it is within specifications, I will request the possibility that S&W will smooth up the single action trigger pull even if there would be a charge for the service.

I would be violating the warranty agreement if I was to have a gunsmith perform the trigger work, but if S&W does the work, all will be OK.

Ya smithing work on a new gun is better to have a factory smith do it so you keep your warranty. But keep on them about smoothing the trigger up when I polsihed my up it dident totally fix the problem but the difrance was worth the work I did. And one extra tip if and when the fill on the lettering and marking begins to ware down you can re do it yourself with either a grease marker, or for a more perm fix use black nail polish.. I just filled in the lettering and logos on my M&P .45 and M&P15 in white and it really add a nice pop to the gun and it was super easy to do and looks like a pro job. Yputube has great clips on how to do it.

I have two of them and one is perfect the other not so much so. Both are very accurate for 380 autos and I expect it is due to the solid mounted barrel. The trouble I had was first that the sharp edge on the feed ramp chamber junction was never broken and it refused to feed. I couldn't get a clip through the gun till I polished that edge off. Then the chamber was very rough inside...chambering reamer chattered pretty bad. This caused the gun to not want to extract and eventually the extractor blew out at the range. All the little springs and detents went flying. The brass cases showed a funny dull roughness to the sides and that is what clued me in to have a look with my borescope. I polished the chamber and got most of the chatter marks out and it has worked flawless ever since. S&W offered to fix it of course but after I polished the chamber it was still just as accurate as the first one so I let it go...it works fine so I had rather just hang on to it. Great little guns, I wish I had seen the engraved one before I bought the two I got.

I got the recall. I had a brand new PPK/S, never even been fired, not a scratch on it. I sent a note with it to the effect that it was a new gun and I wanted to get it back in the same condition. When I got it back there were vice scratches all over the right side of the trigger guard. I called S & W, was told to send it back, they sent a label. I did just that. A couple of weeks later they called, said they would send me a new pistol when the next run started, and it would include the change that forced the recall. They did, and I really love the pistol. I have a PPK & TPH in stainless as well. I carry a CS 45, sometimes carry the PPK as backup. Walthers are fine pistols. I recently bought two BERSA pistols in satin nickel, a .22lr & .380. They are a PPK/S copy, and I can carry them around my property, on the tractor, etc. If they get dropped or run over I have a lot less money in them than the Walthers.

I have four sitting in my safe, one on loan, plus a PP. One is engraved with gold inlay. Two went back to S&W under the recall. Others on this forum said they had problems with S&W's customer service for the recall, but it went very well for me.

I have a PPKS and the PP from ‘72 to compare. In my estimation they have always had crummy triggers. A LOT of shooting can improve them, though 1,000 rounds seems excessive, but taking the PPKS to a gunsmith is what made the difference for me. I don't remember what he did, but in '72 it cost me $10. I have fired it about the same as the PP, and the difference in triggers is apparent. The PP trigger, like all the new ones, stacks, catches, feels gritty and generally detracts from an accurate shot.

When shot with care, they are accurate. Just remember it has a short barrel, a short sight radius, and small sights. A gritty, sticky, heavy trigger just makes it worse. Also keep in mind they are intended for very short range, what some call "social distances". Except, of course, for James Bond, who was able to shoot a bad guy off a roof at night at 100 feet with one, from the hip.

I think the extended tang S&W added is a huge plus. Far too many times did I cut railroad tracks in my hand due to the slide hitting my tight, high hold. I know some, here, have disparaged the appearance, but I'll take utility (and comfort!) over beauty any time for a working-purposes gun.

If I wanted to spend the money I’d have Cylinder and Slide sights put on it. I don’t because there are plenty of small 9mm Parabellum pistols that are better, for me, than the Walthers. Truth be said, I prefer the Bersa Thunder for a .380/9mm Kurz gun. WAY cheaper, looong but smoother trigger, lighter, reliable, etc, etc, etc.

Sure, as long as S&W is paying the shipping, send it back if you really think there's a problem. My guess is that you won't necessarily feel a difference because as it was shipped, it met spec. Take heart in knowing the originals were not better.
It might help you to work on a continuous pull, like what is used to fire a DA revolver.

I have wondered about one thing, and not just for the Walther. I heard a youth CAS shooter talking about using toothpaste to do an action job on his Ruger Vaquero. I’ve since read about other people who say they do that. Maybe I’ll try that on one of the stainless steel Walthers. Maybe throw in some sodium bicarb, rinse with Listerine? Hmmm.

Late Reply

Sorry for being so late. Got busy and forgot to get back to the forum.

After test firing with several brands of ammo I found my trigger pull problem was the least of my trouble with this cute little pistol.

The fired brass was bulged far more than normal near the base. In fact it was .008" larger than the same ammo fired in my Model SMC-380 made in Hungary. Also, about one out of every twenty rounds fired in the PPK-S were split.

Also upon close inspection of the barrel showed the forcing cone was cut off center. This S&W PPK-S barrel was a disaster and I called S&W requesting a return for replacement of the barrel and if possible clean up the catchy trigger pull.

S&W sent me a return pick-up with FEDEX and I returned the pistol.

When I received the pistol back I test fired it the same day. The brass was still bulging .002" more than the
SMC-380, but acceptable. S&W did nothing with the trigger pull.

Sorry to say this pistol and it's crummy barrel really shakes my faith in S&W under the Walther name, for their quality control. If they had inspected their test fired shell casing, they would have seen a problem. I guess S&W's idea of test fire means if it goes bang and cycles the gun properly, it is good to go.