Scary Gun Cleaning Mishap-Need Help

[Glockowner]

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.

I did not mean to imply you had your finger on the trigger. Just stating that it would be more likely repeated firing by a faulty firearm than there being 2 rounds in the chamber that went off at the same time.

 

[dominicandemon]

Thanks for sharing. I got a new (but used) rifle, I have not loaded a round in the chamber for this very reason. I will wait until I am out on a range before loading any new weapons.

 

[hornadylnl]

How do you fit 3 rounds into the same barrel?

This is one round. I hate to ask the obvious but you have the right caliber barrel, right? If the gun didn't run away, I don't know how you had 3 rounds in the barrel.

 

[Shadow8088]

I have an old walther PP... while learning the gun a little, unloaded, i discovered that with the hammer back, taking off the safety seemed to make the hammer drop. I was prepping this gun for my wife to use for home defense so I decided to ask one of the guys at Blythe's in Valpo about it. He showed me that the PPK and PP have a de-cocker.. A bar drops across the pin and won't let the gun fire. While i'm sure that this isn't your issue, it might explain a few other things to PP owners that didn't know of this feature.. like me..

 

[chezuki]

My vote is you slam-fired a 3 round burst. That could very easily sound like 1 big explosion in an enclosed space.

 

[Slawburger]

My understanding is that the PPK/S was created as a result of the GCA of 1968. They needed to add some weight to make it importable. Interarms and then S&W manufactured domestically under a license from Walther.

S&W is (or at least was) the sole distributor for Walther in the US. Since they are the distributor I would assume that makes them the point of contact for any Walther regardless of age. Just guessing but I think they will take care of it for you just to protect the name.

 

[mjblazor]

My vote is you slam-fired a 3 round burst. That could very easily sound like 1 big explosion in an enclosed space.

What do you mean? How does that happened. Maybe I did but how did I do that?

 

[mjblazor]

My understanding is that the PPK/S was created as a result of the GCA of 1968. They needed to add some weight to make it importable. Interarms and then S&W manufactured domestically under a license from Walther.

S&W is (or at least was) the sole distributor for Walther in the US. Since they are the distributor I would assume that makes them the point of contact for any Walther regardless of age. Just guessing but I think they will take care of it for you just to protect the name.

thx, I sure hope so.

 

[mjblazor]

Hornadylnl, what does "run away with it" actually mean? I only assumed I knew what you meant?

 

[hornadylnl]

What do you mean? How does that happened. Maybe I did but how did I do that?

I've not seen the mechanics of handgun innards but ar15s have a disconnector. When you pull and hold the trigger during the shot, the hammer drops firing the round. The bolt comes back and resets your hammer. You're still holding on the trigger but the gun doesn't fire. You let go of the trigger and you'll hear a slight click. The disconnector hold the hammer off of your sear keeping the gun from firing in full auto. If you remove the disconnector, there's a chance that the gun could go full auto on you, even letting go of the trigger. Your sear may not catch the hanmmer. This is what they mean by running away.

 

[OWGEM]

At a USPSA match several years ago I witnessed a competitor have multiple rounds fired from one trigger pull. Not sure how or why, however I did see it happen. Just saying it does happen.

 

[hornadylnl]

Hornadylnl, what does "run away with it" actually mean? I only assumed I knew what you meant?

On a handgun, the slide blows back after firing and resets your hammer. If nothing locks your hammer back once the slide goes forward, you now have a machine pistol.

 

[hornadylnl]

One could probably make a video with an ar showing you what I'm talking about with and without a disconnector but it'd probably be a felony.

 

[mjblazor]

Again to ALL, thanks for the info. I'm still married but she ain't happy. Lots of work tomorrow so I better go to bed (uh couch, I mean).

 

[hornadylnl]

A Glock 18 has a rate of fire of 1200 rounds per minute. That's 20 rounds per second. If you loaded 3 rounds in the mag and shot it in auto, do ou think you're going to hear 3 distict reports? Especially when it fires totally unexpected?

 

[Rookie]

I agree, I don't see how three rounds could go off without, at the least, damage to the brass. I'm betting on a runaway.

 

[Valvestate]

The safety on these pistols are a decocker as well (the sharp wedge shaped steel sticking up on the left side looking at the top of the frame with the slide off and muzzle pointed away, pops the sear and drops the hammer). The notch in the safety pushes it down to decock when turned to safe. If it pushes down on the disconnect before rotating all the way to socket the firing pin (ball and socket) and block it in front of the hammer, it goes nuts regardless of trigger pull provided the trigger safety is sticking (another hammer block built into the hammer, which is a likely culprit). Trigger bar disconnect is different and on the right outside part of the frame (thingy sticking up from the trigger bar rides a groove in the slide to disconnect trigger). If the make of this pistol matches the recall notice serials, there would be a round dot stamp on the beaver tail on top where the hammer is if it had been repaired by S&W.

This is just FYI. Empty it and don't mess with it until you get either S&W or a Walther competent smith to look at it.

 

[mjblazor]

NEW EXPLAINATION FROM WALTHER FORUM ADMIN

I'm surprised you shot your basement wall. Most people shoot their refrigerators...

.
The German PPK/S doesn't have the recall problems like the S&W. It sounds like you're describing a common loading problem with the .380 PPK/S. These guns have a very strong recoil spring and tend to short cycle if you rack the slide by hand. If you rack it again you'll get two rounds jammed in the breech area. Plus the gun is designed to eject empty casings. Loaded rounds don't always clear the ejection port because the slide is moving too slowly.
.
Here's how to safely load your Walther PPK/S: 1) Put the safety ON. 2) Lock the slide back using an empty magazine. 3) Load one round in the magazine and lock it into the mag well. 4) Pull the slide back fully and let it go. 5) Remove the empty mag and put in a full one. 6) With your finger off the trigger take the safety OFF and put it ON again to move the trigger forward. Then holster and carry.
.
I have no idea how your PPK/S could fire with the safety ON. The safety drum blocks the hammer and locks the firing pin in place.
.
My suggestion it to have it checked out and then take it to the range. If it's working OK after 200 rounds of target ball ammo try some JHP. Gold Dot usually works. Please let me know how things are going when you're back from the range.
.
Here's a photo of my 1972 German PPK/S...#156349...

.
http://www.fototime.com/834D0CD27C8C179/standard.jpg
.
Bob T.

I am going to check this for confirmation but this is good explaination although still does not sound safe to me. Anybody else have comments as to the above??? Also, his pic looks just like mine (although) not sure if it will open in this forum?

 

[Valvestate]

I'm surprised you shot your basement wall. Most people shoot their refrigerators...

.
The German PPK/S doesn't have the recall problems like the S&W. It sounds like you're describing a common loading problem with the .380 PPK/S. These guns have a very strong recoil spring and tend to short cycle if you rack the slide by hand. If you rack it again you'll get two rounds jammed in the breech area. Plus the gun is designed to eject empty casings. Loaded rounds don't always clear the ejection port because the slide is moving too slowly.
.
Here's how to safely load your Walther PPK/S: 1) Put the safety ON. 2) Lock the slide back using an empty magazine. 3) Load one round in the magazine and lock it into the mag well. 4) Pull the slide back fully and let it go. 5) Remove the empty mag and put in a full one. 6) With your finger off the trigger take the safety OFF and put it ON again to move the trigger forward. Then holster and carry.
.
I have no idea how your PPK/S could fire with the safety ON. The safety drum blocks the hammer and locks the firing pin in place.
.
My suggestion it to have it checked out and then take it to the range. If it's working OK after 200 rounds of target ball ammo try some JHP. Gold Dot usually works. Please let me know how things are going when you're back from the range.
.
Here's a photo of my 1972 German PPK/S...#156349...

.
http://www.fototime.com/834D0CD27C8C179/standard.jpg
.
Bob T.

I am going to check this for confirmation but this is good explaination although still does not sound safe to me. Anybody else have comments as to the above??? Also, his pic looks just like mine (although) not sure if it will open in this forum?

I would not try loading this gun and turning the safety on/decocking without a proper area/device to catch bullets if it fires per what I mentioned above. Preferably have a smith check it out first just to be sure. The slide racking part is definitely true for .380. Mine fails to battery on target ammo regularly. Guns do wear down. And the drum of the safety lever can crack on you. It's been reported I believe on the same forum. Please be careful.

 

[hornadylnl]

If this were my gun, it would probably get up close and personal with my acetylene torch.