Slide stops, slides, trigger problems. Is the PPS the most problematic Walther ever produced? Is it's propensity to break or hang up bad enough that one should not trust it to NOT happen when carrying it for REAL? I have one, and all of this is making me nervous.

 

I have one, and all of this is making me nervous.

All of what is making you nervous? The very few people who come here to the internet to report that "my PPS isn't working right", or the lack of people who come here to the internet to say "my PPS is working just fine"? Name a similar pistol you might be "less nervous" about. I'll cruise the internet and I'll bet I would be able to find enough problem reports to make you nervous.

I have two PPS's. One 4 years old with about 4000 rounds and the other about a year old with about 1800 rounds. Both are "working just fine".

 

Shoot it. If it works for a few hundred rounds, it's going to be good. Think of how many problems are reported here, then think of how many more people own the PPS that don't come here, and have no issues.

In short, don't gauge a few posts on a forum as measuring stick for ALL PPS pistols. And I say that after having sent one in for repair about a year ago.

That same pistol is on my side right now...and it flat works correctly.

You want to talk about pistol problems, go look in the PPK/S section...no offense to the guys who own them (and I wish I could say I was an owner of such, too) but they've had a lot more trouble than the PPS.

Mine is no virgin, it's got close to a thousand rounds through it now...my 9mm PPS..the one that had the trigger reset issue that cropped up late last summer, most notable the AJXXXX serialed guns.
Like I said, it's good to go now.

 

I guess the repeat complaints, initially, about the slide stop started it all. We even have a standing thread, there were so many. Yes, the S&W Walther PPK, ppk/s series sure have had their issues. The OP here only got 800 rounds before his issue. Like I said; nervous. Not throwing it in the trash, or shouting from the rooftops. Just less confident.

 

Mat, are your concerns about PPS or PPK? The PPS is built like a brick poop house and runs like a German built sewing machine.

 

Since it was I who kicked off this discussion, allow me comment:

It was not my intention to say that the PPS is unreliable. Any mechanical device can (and will sooner or later) fail and I agree with other posters that there are zillions of PPS-guns out there that continue to shoot without any problems.

I think the PPS is a reliable and accurate gun (though I might have change my opinion should I have another failure ).

My intention for posting was to highlight the good service (turn-around time) on one hand, and to emphasize the "should be improved" (lack of information about what was wrong) on the other hand.

 

I just got my PPS back yesterday. The slide lock spring was coming off the slide stop lever. When I first called Walther they said "we don't have the new style slide stops so call back in a couple weeks". I did wait and called back, they issued me a return number and I again explained the problem plus had to fill out a return form.

Got it back yesterday with a silicone cloth and a firearms safety brochure. That's it, no work order no explanation of work. So I called today and guy tells me it's on the red sheet we sent with your firearm. Nope. He told me they replaced the slide stop spring (which upon inspection appears glued or epoxied to the slide stop lever). I asked about the glue and why the slide stop lever wasn't upgraded. He said it was the determination of the gunsmith that only a spring was needed and it was tested for function and passed.

I hope the new spring does the trick but I'm not overly confident. I'm also not overly impressed with their follow up on the documentation of repairs. If it doesn't work I guess I'll replace the slide stop lever myself with the help of the tutorial on this forum.

I like it too much to give up

 

I just got my PPS back yesterday. ...

Really..…? At this stage of PPS production, as in seven years since introduction and a good two years since the slide stop issue was addressed with the new part, I find it hard to believe that Walther can not come up with the new style slide stop for your firearm.

The epoxy that the gunsmith applied to your new spring will probably hold for a long time, maybe even for the life of the weapon but the bottom line is that it was a "band aid' fix made because the proper updated part was not available.

I am well aware that most PPS owners are not having issues with the original slide stop but if the weapon was sent in to Walther for the slide stop spring not being retained, then the new part should have been installed when available and not glued into place.

Sorry for the extremely rare Walther rant but after 25 years of repairing $100 million + pieces of machinery and firearms (as a hobby), nothing gets me more PO'ed than a half-butted repair. I’m not saying that the repair won’t work, I’m saying that it just isn’t right. Walther engineered the new part to fix the initial problem, so that should be the repair method used on your PPS. Just because the part isn’t available doesn’t make it right to implement substandard repairs to your weapon.

 

I will agree that Walther was rather vague about what was repaired on mine...I would have liked to have been told exactly what little part and piece was replaced. They just called "trigger reset assembly" and sent 'er back.

Hey, it works, if all I have to complain about is the lack of a few words on a red piece of paper AND I'm out NO money for it all, I guess need to think of those less fortunate souls who have a Glob G4 and are always getting BRASS-HOLED.

 

Update...I took it to the range today and ran 100 rounds through it, not a hiccup. My believer meter went up a little bit. Time will tell but for now I'm glad it appears to be fixed.

 

The other day I gave my (newly repaired) PPS a workout, too: It is back to normal

 

I've had the same experiece with a ruger my wife got last year. Had to be sent back without any explanation what was wrong. They just said we are replacing the gun. So maybe all of them don't tell. Or most.

 

I think we're a victim of our own network of information sharing--for example this forum. Before the internet, my experience was that it was much more common for manufacturers and suppliers to explain the warranty repairs they did in some detail, and why.

These days, the first thing we (including myself) do is to post what went wrong with our product (like a PPS), and before you know it, it's become a "known defect" as labeled by folks like us. Nothing that would justify a recall, or even much attention by the manufacturer, becomes an apparent manufacturing flaw which affects the reputation of the product and perhaps ultimately sales.

Don't get me wrong--I think this information sharing network among enthusiasts is a great thing, and I highly value it. But the effect has been to chill the manufacturers' willingness to share detail about what went wrong in connection with a warranty claim, because they can no longer control the message or how it's repeated, misstated, or exaggerated.

Can't really say as I blame them--their obligation is to repair the product per the warranty and give us what they promised to provide--a proper functioning PPS (in this case); not to satisfy our curiosity about what they did wrong the first time.

Jeff

 

disconnector broke

Took my 2012 PPS .40 to the range Monday and after two mags, it just quit. Couldn't even take it down. Gunsmith found 'disconnector' had broken and has ordered a replacement. Any others have a similar experience? A little unsettling since this is my CC weapon.

 

Man... whenever your gun stops working, the paranoia kicks in. It should! That is SO natural.

What else is natural/normal, is going to a forum to seek comfort or to simply rant. I mean this is your gun we are talking about! Perfectly normal.

Moreover,if you are upset, you are going to gravitate towards threads where others have voiced the same concerns. And that's normal too. But that skews your vision. I know this because as a marketer, I can tell you that the majority of people will be more apt to go to a forum to complain then they are to sing praises unless motivated somehow to give reviews etc.

Gun forums don't incentives to give reviews.

But I totally feel you on wishing you knew what work was done on your pistol. I mean you go to your car shop for a repair and you get a detailed report - as it should be for something that you cherish. Of course, the reason they do that is because someone - even if the car is under warrantee, is paying for the service. Not sure that's what goes on at the manufacturers of pistols.

I just sent in a gun to Beretta - I didn't get a report either. Which sucks, I would love to know what all happened to my cherished little Nano - alas, I'll never know - that sucks.