Walther PPK/s....What Can I Do to Get a Better Trigger Pull??

[Nalapombu]

Hey all.

I posted this in here cause S&W had Walther PPK/s under their tent for a while.

I have a PPK/s that I bought new for my Dad. He loved this pistol and used it for his daily carry piece. He has since passed and now I carry it most days in the warm months. I too really like this pistol except for 1 thing....the horrendous trigger pull.

I’ve never measured the weaight, but I’d swear the DA pull is nearly 35 pounds!! Of course that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but it FEELS like that. I’d like to get a better, lighter trigger pull especially in double action. The problem is I don’t know what to do to get it better.

Is there a spring kit I can put in it or is this something that requires the work of a gunsmith?


If anyone out there knows about this problem and can advise me how to get there, please let me know. If I have to go to a gunsmith, are there any in particular that you can recommend?


Any help you can give me on this would be much appreciated.

Thank you.
Larry

 

[murphydog]

I think a reduced power hammer spring would be something to try, as I 'think' this is what causes the DA pull to be heavy. No idea how difficult a swap is.

https://www.gunsprings.com/WALTHER/PPK & PPKS 9mm (.380)/cID1/mID70/dID305

Probably getting the "pak" and using the lightest one that gives 100% function would be best.

 

[Nalapombu]

Mine is NOT a branded S&W Walther. I think it’s an Interarms.

I do need to shoot it more, but my God, the ammo is REALLY scarce and even my local shop sells Turkish 9mm at $45 per box. I don’t even look at tge .380. It’s prolly more knowing this shop.

With the constant drumbeat coming from the White House I don’t think this is gonna end anytime soon.
Sad.

 

[Grayfox]

The design goes back to 1929 and was one of the first successful DA/SA pistols. They were still learning back then. The PP series are true classics and a fine pistol. While the DA pull is kinda heavy, I still love mine and have no problems shooting them.
I don't think there's much you can do for that heavy DA trigger. A good gunsmith could probably smooth it out some so that it feels a little better. But I'm skeptical if it would be enough to justify the cost.
I also wouldn't go messing around with the springs. I did put a lighter hammer spring in one of my PP series pistols and the difference was negligible. I ended up taking it back out and putting a standard spring back in as I was concerned with misfires.
If you must have it worked on, Contact M&M Gunsmithing. Mike was a Master Gunsmith for Interarms and one of the best Walther men out there. Ask him if and how much he can do.
You might try dry firing just to work the action and smooth it out a bit. But basically, it is what it is. Just learn to live with it. Many of us have.

 

[dsf]

I took a slightly different approach regarding my Interarms branded PPK/s. I bought an HK VP70. Anything's better compared to that.....

 

[VASCAR2]

I had an Interarms Walther PPK/s and I would get occasional failure to fire with some factory ammo due to light firing pin strikes. I never had a failure to fire with Winchester ammo or Winchester small pistol primers in my reloads.

I would not change the hammer spring weight on a Walther I carried for defense. I also had a Walther PPK in Stainless and never had any failure to fire but never really shot any factory ammo which wasn’t Winchester or my reloads with Winchester small pistol primers.

When S&W released the 3913 I traded my PPK for a 3913 NL. Today I have a Glock 42 and I have to say it is a better 380 than the PPK/s or PPK. The Glock is just as accurate, just as concealable, has a better trigger, same capacity, better sights (easier to change) and has been 100% reliable. The Walther’s are Classics but the Glock has fewer parts and is a robust design.

I carried my PPK/s and PPK as a backup gun and off duty in the 70’s and 80’s. At the time I preferred my Walther’s to the more common J frame revolvers. I felt confident with my Walther pistols but the design is dated and there are more options today.

 

[ken158]

I tried to get a good trigger on several PPK’s, PPK/S, PP and TPH guns to no avail. As noted, the engineering is ancient compared to current guns (1911 exception) and although I like the looks, there are much better options on the market. I have no Walters now and no intention of every owning another Walther.

 

[03hemi]

Nothing you can really do, get another gun he pull the trigger on? All of mine are like that, although the German made one's have a better feeling trigger.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

As I have posted, I backed into a PPK/S.
Traded for a Beretta 70s, bought a Beretta21a,
Then bought the PPK/S.
DA trigger pull is heavy!
Have only shot it maybe 2-300 times.
It is reliable, SA trigger pull is reasonable.
It ain’t like my Model 46!

 

[Marshal Tom]

I have owned two PPK's and one PPK over the years. Love the looks of the lovely little beasts but as stated above, there are far better designs out there now. I find the PPk's to have sharp edges that make it uncomfortable when shooting. Stock, the DA/SA triggers are pretty poor requiring a trigger job which I had done on one of mine and due to the design, have fairly stout recoil. I sold mine off and doubt that I would have another since there are better choices to be had. Better ergo, lighter weight, higher capacity in roughly the same size package.

 

[gwpercle]

Brownells Action Lube Plus
Grease all the contact & rubbing surfaces , any and all metal to metal surfaces ... oil is nice but you will not believe the difference this stuff makes in parts that rub together ... Should be called " Trigger Job in a Jar" ... it is a synthetic grease but I was amazed at the difference it made in my pistols trigger pull .
Has oil beat Seven ways to Sunday !
Gary

 

[tocohillsguy]

Hey all.

I posted this in here cause S&W had Walther PPK/s under their tent for a while.

I have a PPK/s that I bought new for my Dad. He loved this pistol and used it for his daily carry piece. He has since passed and now I carry it most days in the warm months. I too really like this pistol except for 1 thing....the horrendous trigger pull.

I’ve never measured the weaight, but I’d swear the DA pull is nearly 35 pounds!! Of course that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but it FEELS like that. I’d like to get a better, lighter trigger pull especially in double action. The problem is I don’t know what to do to get it better.

Is there a spring kit I can put in it or is this something that requires the work of a gunsmith?


If anyone out there knows about this problem and can advise me how to get there, please let me know. If I have to go to a gunsmith, are there any in particular that you can recommend?


Any help you can give me on this would be much appreciated.

Thank you.
Larry

FWIW, as a point of reference, the last time I measured my father's Interarm's PPK/S it had a 4.0# single action, and 12.75# double action trigger pull. Not sure how that compares to yours or others out there, but I don't believe any work or spring changes were made to it. Last time I looked into it a few years ago, the consensus seemed to be not to change out anything and just learn to live with it. Not sure what technique you're employing, but you might try moving your finger so you're pulling with the first knuckle instead of the finger pad. The increased leverage helps. Also, I believe they tend to be picky eaters, and I recall that bullet weight can significantly impact point-of-impact vs point-of-aim. YMMV.

 

[tocohillsguy]

Today I have a Glock 42 and I have to say it is a better 380 than the PPK/s or PPK. The Glock is just as accurate, just as concealable, has a better trigger, same capacity, better sights (easier to change) and has been 100% reliable. The Walther’s are Classics but the Glock has fewer parts and is a robust design.

I carried my PPK/s and PPK as a backup gun and off duty in the 70’s and 80’s. At the time I preferred my Walther’s to the more common J frame revolvers. I felt confident with my Walther pistols but the design is dated and there are more options today.

No doubt there are better tools available today, but there aren't many that are as cool as the old PPK and PPK/s.

 

[malph]

No doubt there are better tools available today, but there aren't many that are as cool as the old PPK and PPK/s.

True. They are cool. But as far as using them as a self-defense weapon, just be sure you test it real well and in less than perfect conditions.

 

[Narragansett]

I just inherited one of the S&W Talo Premier Walther's that had a factory recall out on it. So I sent it to Walther. I asked about the trigger pull, and they said it was within specs, but specifically I asked about the creep in the single action pull, and they said there was nothing that could be done to change the creep. I had an Interams one, and after 35 years of not using it, I sold it here on the forum. if this one did not have sentiment attached to it, i would sell it. i will say they turned it around in 2 weeks. i sent it down with no mags, and it came back with a finger extension mag

 

[Steve912]

I think a reduced power hammer spring would be something to try, as I 'think' this is what causes the DA pull to be heavy. No idea how difficult a swap is.

https://www.gunsprings.com/WALTHER/PPK & PPKS 9mm (.380)/cID1/mID70/dID305

Probably getting the "pak" and using the lightest one that gives 100% function would be best.

The PP series being blow-back (non-locked breech) designs, the
weights of hammer and recoil springs are related to the bullet getting
out of the bore, before the slide starts moving out of "battery".

There's probably a range of safe operation, and stock weights
may incorporate a margin of safety. Going 'lighter'
may result in high pressure gases escaping from breech, with
earlier opening. I'm not the most cautious guy, but this is one
modification I wouldn't try.

 

[tocohillsguy]

The PP series being blow-back (non-locked breech) designs, the
weights of hammer and recoil springs are related to the bullet getting
out of the bore, before the slide starts moving out of "battery".

There's probably a range of safe operation, and stock weights
may incorporate a margin of safety. Going 'lighter'
may result in high pressure gases escaping from breech, with
earlier opening. I'm not the most cautious guy, but this is one
modification I wouldn't try.

That's not the type of blow back you get...when you're James Bond.

 

[vinn]

Smith and Wesson ppk walther

 

[vinn]

its the sear shape that makes the trigger pull. I have a S @ W labled ppk. I suggest , let a walther gun smith change the trigger pull.

 

[twistedracer]

I picked up one of the new Walther made Walther PPK/S models at my dealer last January. I had no intentions of shooting it, just wanted my Bond type pistol to sit in my safe and fondle while watching Bond movies.

Curiosity got the best of me two weekends ago so I took her out to shoot.
Loaded both magazines and fired the 14 rounds to see if she worked. Glad to say 100% and shot very well even with those minuscule sights and my old eyes.
Both DA shots were 3” higher than my SA shots but I was amazed that I shot it that well.

DA pull is over 12 lbs, that’s as far as my digital gauge reads.
SA gives a 5 pull average of 4 lbs 11 oz.
Trigger pull is nice and smooth, however you can’t feel the reset.

My Shield 2.0 is my daily carry so I don’t see the Walther ever replacing it.
But it’s still nice to have.