Scary Gun Cleaning Mishap-Need Help

[mjblazor]

I just had a scary mishap and not sure what, why, or how this happened. Please lend advise. I just earlier today purchased a beautiful condition used blued West German Walther PPK/S. This is going to be my carry gun. I brought it home and cleaned it. Loaded the mag and racked the slide to check how it chambers a round and had some issues with the very first cartridge feeding. I removed the slide and shook the cartridge out of mag well and put mag back in and same thing happened. This time there seemed to be two carts coming out of magazine and mag would not come out without pulling on it. I think now I did not notice but I thought I cleared the barrel but maybe not???? Any case I put mag back in (3rd time) and racked the slide and it fed a round and hammer followed sending a round into the wall straight ahead with a big explosion! After my wife came down to see what happened (LOOOONG Story!) I sat down to go over what had happened and noticed there were not just one empty brass shell but (3)!!! I looked around and noticed a round had hit the side wall at my 10 and another at my 11 o'clock!!! OMG! I can't tell you how many lessons learned came from this cleaning but again a different post. What I need to know is why and how would that happen? What would be cause? Is it bad gun, magazine or is it completely my fault? Why would th hammer have fallen when slide was racked? What do I not know about the Walther that could have killed 3 people with one shot if I was demonstrating my new gun to someone? Also, will S&W look at German made Walthers imported by Interarms? I'm shaking over this and would appreciate any advice (short of getting rid of my guns). Already trying to convince my wife not to make me do that.

 

[Classic]

1. Have the weapon checked by a competent gunsmith.
2. Re-think your gun handling in a jam situation, must have been one in chamber.

 

[actaeon277]

I know money is tight for everyone, but I think I'd take it to a gunsmith. Ask how much just for him to look at it.

 

[rockhopper46038]

Yikes. Any ideas on what happened would be merely conjecture, but it is certainly possible to get hammer follow upon racking a slide if your fire control bits are worn or broken. I see no way you could get three shots simultaneously, but a following hammer could easily cause the pistol to triple...are you CERTAIN you only heard one report?

 

[Slawburger]

I found this:

Smith & Wesson has identified a condition that may exist in certain PPK and PPK/S pistols which may permit a round to be discharged without the trigger being pulled. When the manual safety is disengaged, Smith & Wesson's Product Engineering Group has determined that the possibility exists in certain firearms that lowering the hammer may cause a chambered round to fire.

This recall applies to all Walther PPK and PPK/S pistols manufactured by Smith & Wesson from March 21, 2002, until February 3, 2009. The Serial Numbers of the pistol subject to this recall are as follows:

BAB 0010-BAB 9999
BAC 0000-BAC 9999
BAD 0000-BAD 9999
LTD 0000-LTD 0499
PPK 0001-PPK 1500
BAE 0000-BAE 9999
BAF 0000-BAF 9999
WLE 0001-WLE 0459
BAH 0000-BAH 9999
BAJ 0000-BAJ 9999
BAK 0000-BAK 9999
REP 0026-REP 0219
BAL 0000-BAL 5313
BAM 0000-BAM 1320

STOP USING YOUR PISTOL AND RETURN IT TO SMITH & WESSON AT ONCE.

Any unintended discharge of a firearm has the potential for causing injury, and we ask that you stop using your pistol immediately.

To facilitate the repair of your pistol, please contact Smith & Wesson's customer service department to receive instructions for the return of your pistol to Smith & Wesson.

When you return your pistol to Smith & Wesson, we will replace the existing hammer block feature with a new part at no cost to you. Your firearm will be returned as quickly and efficiently as possible.

To receive a UPS pre-paid billable stamp and shipping instructions to arrange for the modification of your pistol click here or contact Smith & Wesson directly at 1-800-331-0852.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS RECALL, PLEASE CONTACT SMITH & WESSON AT 1-800-331-0852 or email us at PPK_S@smith-wesson.com.

 

[HandK]

They had a problem with those slam firing and also my son had one that would fire when he put the safty on!! Send it back to Smith & Weson to get it looked and /or fixed!

 

[HavokCycle]

question - did you pull the slide and let it go forward itself, or did you ride it (meaning, did you keep hold of it while it snapped forward.)

 

[mjblazor]

I'm certain there had to be at least one, maybe two carts sitting in barrel already when I put mag in 3rd time and when I racked slide the hammer fired one into the other. It really didn't feel like 3 going off at same time. I noticed that when the safety is on and the slide is racked the hammer does not stay back and fires. But, when safety is OFF and slide is racked it does not. I'm wondering if I rack a round then put safety "On" will the hammer again hit the firing pin and send a round off??? Man, this is crazy. I need to learn more about this gun and I am going to take to gunsmith.

 

[mjblazor]

I found this:

Smith & Wesson has identified a condition that may exist in certain PPK and PPK/S pistols which may permit a round to be discharged without the trigger being pulled. When the manual safety is disengaged, Smith & Wesson's Product Engineering Group has determined that the possibility exists in certain firearms that lowering the hammer may cause a chambered round to fire.

This recall applies to all Walther PPK and PPK/S pistols manufactured by Smith & Wesson from March 21, 2002, until February 3, 2009. The Serial Numbers of the pistol subject to this recall are as follows:

BAB 0010-BAB 9999
BAC 0000-BAC 9999
BAD 0000-BAD 9999
LTD 0000-LTD 0499
PPK 0001-PPK 1500
BAE 0000-BAE 9999
BAF 0000-BAF 9999
WLE 0001-WLE 0459
BAH 0000-BAH 9999
BAJ 0000-BAJ 9999
BAK 0000-BAK 9999
REP 0026-REP 0219
BAL 0000-BAL 5313
BAM 0000-BAM 1320

STOP USING YOUR PISTOL AND RETURN IT TO SMITH & WESSON AT ONCE.

Any unintended discharge of a firearm has the potential for causing injury, and we ask that you stop using your pistol immediately.

To facilitate the repair of your pistol, please contact Smith & Wesson's customer service department to receive instructions for the return of your pistol to Smith & Wesson.

When you return your pistol to Smith & Wesson, we will replace the existing hammer block feature with a new part at no cost to you. Your firearm will be returned as quickly and efficiently as possible.

To receive a UPS pre-paid billable stamp and shipping instructions to arrange for the modification of your pistol click here or contact Smith & Wesson directly at 1-800-331-0852.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS RECALL, PLEASE CONTACT SMITH & WESSON AT 1-800-331-0852 or email us at [EMAIL="PPK_S@smith-wesson.com."]PPK_S@smith-wesson.com.[/EMAIL]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!! THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED. I WILL CALL S&W RIGHT AWAY. THANK YOU!

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Please look into a proper backstop when admin handling or clearing your weapons.

All firearms can go bang without your finger on the trigger. Sorry you had to learn this way!

 

[Classic]

Make sure the wife understands it is defective equipment. IMO.

 

[hornadylnl]

I'm certain there had to be at least one, maybe two carts sitting in barrel already when I put mag in 3rd time and when I racked slide the hammer fired one into the other. It really didn't feel like 3 going off at same time. I noticed that when the safety is on and the slide is racked the hammer does not stay back and fires. But, when safety is OFF and slide is racked it does not. I'm wondering if I rack a round then put safety "On" will the hammer again hit the firing pin and send a round off??? Man, this is crazy. I need to learn more about this gun and I am going to take to gunsmith.

If you can get the slide to go into battery with 2 rounds in the barrel, you've got some serious issues.

 

[mjblazor]

They had a problem with those slam firing and also my son had one that would fire when he put the safty on!! Send it back to Smith & Weson to get it looked and /or fixed!

Yes, thank you! I was typing my post just as you sent this apparently. That is exactly what I mentioned. When you put the safety on it fires. In this case when I racked it the safety was already on hammer never locked back.

 

[hornadylnl]

Yes, thank you! I was typing my post just as you sent this apparently. That is exactly what I mentioned. When you put the safety on it fires. In this case when I racked it the safety was already on hammer never locked back.

Sure it didn't run away from you instead of sending out 2-3 rounds in the same pop?

 

[Glockowner]

Sure it didn't run away from you instead of sending out 2-3 rounds in the same pop?

Surely it didn't shoot three rounds simultaneously, I cannot even imagine an scenario where that could happen. Must have run away on him.

 

[mjblazor]

Surely it didn't shoot three rounds simultaneously, I cannot even imagine an scenario where that could happen. Must have run away on him.

NO I AM ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN!!! It did not run away on me. It was ONE ONLY. I have shot a Walther PPK/S before (my Dad has one). I know how they can fire quickly after first hard pull. That absolutely did not happen. I did not have finger on trigger.

 

[Bradsknives]

This being a West German Walther PPK/S, does S&W honor the warranty work? I was under the impression that West German models were only imported up until 1999 and S&W involvement with the PPK/S started around 2002.

 

[mjblazor]

I found this:

Smith & Wesson has identified a condition that may exist in certain PPK and PPK/S pistols which may permit a round to be discharged without the trigger being pulled. When the manual safety is disengaged, Smith & Wesson's Product Engineering Group has determined that the possibility exists in certain firearms that lowering the hammer may cause a chambered round to fire.

This recall applies to all Walther PPK and PPK/S pistols manufactured by Smith & Wesson from March 21, 2002, until February 3, 2009. The Serial Numbers of the pistol subject to this recall are as follows:

BAB 0010-BAB 9999
BAC 0000-BAC 9999
BAD 0000-BAD 9999
LTD 0000-LTD 0499
PPK 0001-PPK 1500
BAE 0000-BAE 9999
BAF 0000-BAF 9999
WLE 0001-WLE 0459
BAH 0000-BAH 9999
BAJ 0000-BAJ 9999
BAK 0000-BAK 9999
REP 0026-REP 0219
BAL 0000-BAL 5313
BAM 0000-BAM 1320

STOP USING YOUR PISTOL AND RETURN IT TO SMITH & WESSON AT ONCE.

Any unintended discharge of a firearm has the potential for causing injury, and we ask that you stop using your pistol immediately.

To facilitate the repair of your pistol, please contact Smith & Wesson's customer service department to receive instructions for the return of your pistol to Smith & Wesson.

When you return your pistol to Smith & Wesson, we will replace the existing hammer block feature with a new part at no cost to you. Your firearm will be returned as quickly and efficiently as possible.

To receive a UPS pre-paid billable stamp and shipping instructions to arrange for the modification of your pistol click here or contact Smith & Wesson directly at 1-800-331-0852.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS RECALL, PLEASE CONTACT SMITH & WESSON AT 1-800-331-0852 or email us at [EMAIL="PPK_S@smith-wesson.com."]PPK_S@smith-wesson.com.[/EMAIL]

Slawburger, the slide on my gun say's "Made in W. Germany"....the verbage above indicates S&W made guns. Both the slide and frame have the same serial #'s and the number is not one of the above listed. Will S&W look at this gun? I will call them Monday but just wondering now. I really like this gun and want to get it right. Nor, do I want to pawn off on some unsuspecting person. I would like to know who pawned this gun off on the LGS where I purchased it without disclosing the potential problem - if in fact they knew about it. I'll choose to believe they did not. Thanks to ALL who provided and are providing advice. NO GUN IS SAFE if not treated as "UNSAFE AND LOADED". You just can't trust any safety mechanism on a gun to be 100% reliable 100% of the time.

 

[mjblazor]

Make sure the wife understands it is defective equipment. IMO.

Oh Honey, no worries now you can stop being mad at me....the gun is defective. Whew, don't you feel better now....it wasn't my fault. Let's go get you a new pair of shoes and we'll forget all about it. I'll patch the holes next weekend.

 

[mjblazor]

This being a West German Walther PPK/S, does S&W honor the warranty work? I was under the impression that West German models were only imported up until 1999.

I just posted that same question.