Expensive Gun Issues

[Art]

A few years ago our son bought an FN "M4-gery." Beautiful M4 clone and it should have been at $1,800.00. After a few hundred rounds he noticed pieces coming off the flash suppressor/muzzle brake. Well off to FN who acknowledged the problem and told him that because the muzzle brake assembly was welded to the barrel the barrel had to be replaced. The problem was fixed.

A couple of months ago he bought a new in the box Walther PPK/S. This is close to a $1,000.00 pistol drive out. I was with him when he took it to the range. At least one click-no bang on every magazine. Well back to Walther in Arkansas. They informed him they couldn't find anything wrong with the pistol but tinkered with the springs. The Walther rep told him that the pistol might not work right if it wasn't "held properly" during firing which is the biggest bunch of horse manure I've ever heard from a firearms company rep, especially with this particular malfunction. Well the pistol came back and we took it to the range. If anything it was worse. There were sometimes multiple no bangs on one magazine and he had to drop the hammer on one cartridge three times to fire it. If you're thinking this was possibly limited to one kind of ammo, well probably not. The problem is there with Winchester, SIG, and Monarch (Academy's budget ammo.) It did fire a full magazine of Hornaday Critical Defense high end self defense loads and seven shots probably isn't a good test. The other day I took it out and dropped the hammer double and single action and the hammer fall felt very light to me. Now that isn't scientific but both of these situations on expensive firearms is really disheartening. I talked to a buddy who had once carried a PPK/S as his backup gun and asked if he'd had problems. He immediately asked whether the gun was US or German manufacture. Of course its US. He said in his experience US made PPK pistols tend to be iffy (current wisdom on these guns.) If you get a good one they're real good if you don't get a good one they can be...well....iffy.

Anybody else have similar experiences to our kid's.

[Allen]

So what is your next step? Replace the hammer spring, firing pin spring and possibly the firing pin?

[Art]

Well, Allen, I'm going to take it to a local gunsmith and have him look at it. A stouter spring might help. The firing pin indents look a little light but I've seen guns fire consistently with lighter strikes. The firing pin is also hitting the primer off center but I've seen plenty off guns fire consistently with firing pin strikes that were no more off center than this one. It could be a combination of factors. We'll see what an independent examination turns up instead of Walther's "nothing to see here" attitude.

[lyman]

iffy,

Interarms had them made by Ranger in Alabama, and I have not heard of any issues,

Smith & Wesson had the contract for a good while, and I have heard they , well, suck,

not heard anything bad about the new Ft Smith Walthers, and have sold a few, (and have a few in stock)

I can say, that the biggest complaint has been recoil, and the way the gun feels when fired,
all those complaints were with 380's,

a good customer (and friend) told me he hated his 380 PPK/s, and when I recommended he try a .32,,, he did, and loves it,

he found a practically new 32 PPK imported by interarms and will likely never part with it,

[dogtag]

I guess 007's was made in Germany.
My early Colt 03 (sep barrel bushing) has never misfired or failed to fire.

The don't make =em like they usta.

[WpnsMan]

Every functional issue I've seen or, known of in pocket autos are usually in .380. As Lyman mentioned they are unpleasant to shoot compared to their .32 brethren of the same model. I think .380 is at the limit for most of these designs and they are more prone to having issues because of that all the way back to the Manuhrin made Interarms imports in the 70's.

Of the Walther models, PPK's are the worst offenders and Mauser HSc's in .380 are notorious for not running right and having violent recoil.

YMMV.

[lyman]

I guess 007's was made in Germany.
My early Colt 03 (sep barrel bushing) has never misfired or failed to fire.

The don't make =em like they usta.

welcome back sir

[5thDragoons]

My German PP in 380 - 1970 Ulm proofs - ran like a top. Older daughter wanted a carry gat, and she has it now. I agree HScs can be a problem which is why I've sold every one I ever had. For an expensive gun problem, I bought a new 3rd gen Colt SAA that had an egg-shaped chamber. Also didn't time right. Back it went and was promptly traded off when repaired. SW

[barretcreek]

welcome back sir

+1. Was waiting for your revue of Miss Budlight; The Sod's Opera.

[Former Cav]

The BERSA works everytime and is a lot cheaper. Looks a lot alike. Same goes for a Makarov!
GOOD LUCK. I've found in my personal experience that if I get a "bad gun" to NOT keep pouring money into it. Trade it off and take the LO$$ now and get something else that works.
I had a Ruger GP 100 in 44 special that was a pos and they never fixed it at the factory twice. I traded it (lost at least 200 bucks) on a 686 and the the 686 WORKS.
I HAVE a EAA Girsan MC 9 that is another POS. The light tube falls out of the sight in less then 150 rounds and it has an awkward shooting grip to say the least to get on target.
I just sent off a S&W Equalizer that shoots 4 to 12 inches LOW with 4 different shooters and 5 different factory loads !!! I sent it off and when I get it back, IF it works, I'll keep it, if it still is "off", I'll take it in the shorts and trade it on something else. I told those guys at the gun range I wanted to BUY their rental gun (cause I KNEW it worked and was right on...same gun). They wouldn't sell it to me at full retail. HMMMM??