[AZDave]

First post,first time walther 99 owner
My recently bought 99 seems to have an issue during reassembly and I was wondering if it was common. I did a search and found nothing, and called Walther and the tech wasn't much help.
Anyways, when you try to run the slide assembly back onto the frame and are about 1 inch from normal battery position,the takedown catch automatically pops up, stopping any further rearward movement of the slide. Therefore you have to manually hold down the takedown catch and run the slide onto the frame to battery position and push the T.C. up.
Sometimes this works and sometimes the slide is locked solid (NO REARWARD MOVEMENT) meaning you have to remove the slide and start over. Any ideas? TIA

 

[gunmanguns]

is the magazine in or out of the gun?

 

[AZDave]

Yes, the mag is out of the gun. Obviously this is unique only to mine. After more examination, I believe the takedown catch stud is to long, It sticks out of the frame about a 16th of an inch in the down (disassembly) position.
this is not an operator error issue

 

[gmchenry]

The catch must be dropping low enough to clear the barrel, or you wouldn't be able to disassemble.

The takedown catch should always return to the up position after you stop pulling it down.  It shouldn't "pop up" during reassembly.  It sounds to me like the takedown catch is hanging up, allowing it to "pop up" like you described and probably keeping it from being depressed on reassembly.

The catch is beveled at the front, so during reassembly, the catch will push down until the barrel is in the correct postion and then return to the up position.  If the bevel is still not allowing the pin to be depressed, maybe you can help it a bit by putting just a touch of grease on the face of the bevel and/or by pulling down the catch a little.  You might be able to make sure it moves freely by keeping it clean, lubed, and by working it a bit to smooth out any areas causing friction.

 

[AZDave]

thanks for the reply GM,
the takedown catch is obviously the problem. whe pulled down, it stays down on its own. I didn't realize its spring loaded and should always stay up unless depressed. the gun is spotlessly clean and I have used tetra grease from the start on the stud. When manually depressed (T.C.fingerpiece)the stud is flush in the frame, allowing easy disassembly. But as I say the T.C. fingerpiece doesn't "pop up", it stays down but the stud slides up about a 16th. My guess is a badly fit takedown assembly. I have run more rounds thru it and it seems to be going back together with less problems each time, although the T.C. still doesn't pop up. We'll see. thanks

 

[P88]

You should be able to put the slide back on when the takedown catch is up. The stud is slanted towards the front to allow it to be pushed down easily when the slide is put back on. Perhaps you just need to pull on the slide harder.

Can you post a picture of it?

 

[gmchenry]

AZDave, the next time you have some downtime, you may want to disassemble the pistol and just sit in front of the TV with the frame.  Just work the takedown catch up and down while you watch a hockey game or something.  Try lubing it with CLP or something to breakdown any goop that may have formed with the Tetra grease.  I've fallen back to using Tetra only on barrel lugs.  I've had reliability problems with 2 pistols using Tetra grease that were flawless before and after using the grease.

 

[AZDave]

Thanks, good advise. After playing with it awhile it is loosening up, but still won't pop up automatically. I'm sure it will work in. Wilsons ultima lube is my alltime favorite, but getting harder to find without ordering it. Tetra has been a suitable substitute on everything from my M1A's and FAL's to all my handguns, sorry to here your not having luck with it.
thanks again
AZDave

 

[Synister1]

My takedown catch doesn't popup automaticly either.

Edit: that sounded wrong.