It arrived this week . A purchase made off an internet gun auction, that I had a hard time passing on the buy-it-now price.
I had wanted one of the Wather P22 pistols for some time, and this one was listed at the right price ,at what always is the wrong time for my pocket book, but I purchased it anyway.
Now I had pondered ,before I pushed that keyboard button that commited me to the purchase, on why the price was as good as it was. A used gun, with what was indicated as having new springs, normal wear, and worked fine.
The price was about $50 to $75 cheaper than what I thought one should bring, and that can raise the hair on the back of my neck a little. I didn't just fall of the truck. I suspected that perhaps there might be some need for a little work on the pistol. Since I have been doing that type of work for a good many years now, I figured all would be OK unless something major was wrong, and all else I could deal with for the price.
A number of days past the time when I figured my payment had arrived I still had not heard from the seller. I had asked to be contacted as soon as the payment arrived and given then a potential shipping date. Since I heard nothing for several days past the time the payment should have arrived a e-mail was sent to get an update on the transaction.
A couple hours later a return e-mail gave me a tracking number along with a short statement that some people complain about this model being ammo fussy, but this one always worked well with Remington brand. This and a link to a web site that had something akin to the P22 Bible listed on it, and had instructions on takedown, and apparently also had some fluff and buff data on how to improve the performance of this pistol. ( another clue, and some more hair standing at attention )
I received the pistol at my local shop on Wendsday and did the paperwork. The pistol looked OK ,and no apparent damage was present. Used, but finish was good, and nothing apparent visualy to indicated a problem. So now the time has come to check out the function, and I grabbed a box of ammo and headed to the range at the shop.
This of course showed me in short order what I suspected, and the gun worked fairly well, but only in double action. When fired the hammer would follow the slide back to its home, and therefore no single action mode was present. It didn't take long to find the probem . I cocked the hammer manualy and it locked back without a problem, I forwarded the hammer to the fired position and manualy ran the slide back to cock the hammer in the cycle mode and the slide would not push the hammer far enough down to catch the sear notch.
The problem - simply was that someone ground material off the contour of the hammer in an attempt to ease the pressure between the slide and the hammer during cycling. If done correctly this can in fact help make the gun function better with ammo that has less energy to operate the slide. It would, if done properly, help make the pistol less ammo fussy . Something this Walther is noted for being ,if I believe some of the internet chatter regarding this model.
My point here ! I have seen a number of forums dedicated to specific firearms in which the guru of the board gives fluff and buff advise to the flock of those members who come to learn more about their firearm. To them it always sounds like good advise to do some modifications that will help improve their guns performance. For those of you tempted to follow the advise given on these forums, a WARNING ! Approach fluff and buff advise with caution. It you are modifying something on your gun, you should understand exactly why you are doing so. You should also understand why it works, and how far you can go with it before it becomes a non-desireable modification. In other words, understand the mechanics of what you are doing and how it effects the function of your firearm BEFORE you get out that dremel tool and start grinding or polishing.
A quick e-mail to the seller on this particular gun telling him what was wrong with it brought a denial of knowledge that is was malfunctioning. I'm not at all sure how one misses the fact that your auto pistol is now working in double action only, but I suspect he indeed followed some fluff and buff advise and took it to the point of causing malfuntion - then decided to sell it quick by putting a lower than average price on the gun.
The second lesson here is to ask a lot of questions of the seller prior to bidding and buying guns on the internet. Make sure you can return the gun if there is a major problem that is not indicated in the sellers discription. Not everyone is honest, and up front with defects.
Actualy, I didn't ask to return this Walther, or for any compensation off the price. I would have been within reason to do so, but I can repair this particular gun myself ,and still have a pistol at a reasonable price. Others, who have to take something like this to a gunsmith, or send it back to Walther for repair ,would not turn out very well.
My intention here : Just a friendly warning to my fellow members to use caution as indicated.
I had wanted one of the Wather P22 pistols for some time, and this one was listed at the right price ,at what always is the wrong time for my pocket book, but I purchased it anyway.
Now I had pondered ,before I pushed that keyboard button that commited me to the purchase, on why the price was as good as it was. A used gun, with what was indicated as having new springs, normal wear, and worked fine.
The price was about $50 to $75 cheaper than what I thought one should bring, and that can raise the hair on the back of my neck a little. I didn't just fall of the truck. I suspected that perhaps there might be some need for a little work on the pistol. Since I have been doing that type of work for a good many years now, I figured all would be OK unless something major was wrong, and all else I could deal with for the price.
A number of days past the time when I figured my payment had arrived I still had not heard from the seller. I had asked to be contacted as soon as the payment arrived and given then a potential shipping date. Since I heard nothing for several days past the time the payment should have arrived a e-mail was sent to get an update on the transaction.
A couple hours later a return e-mail gave me a tracking number along with a short statement that some people complain about this model being ammo fussy, but this one always worked well with Remington brand. This and a link to a web site that had something akin to the P22 Bible listed on it, and had instructions on takedown, and apparently also had some fluff and buff data on how to improve the performance of this pistol. ( another clue, and some more hair standing at attention )
I received the pistol at my local shop on Wendsday and did the paperwork. The pistol looked OK ,and no apparent damage was present. Used, but finish was good, and nothing apparent visualy to indicated a problem. So now the time has come to check out the function, and I grabbed a box of ammo and headed to the range at the shop.
This of course showed me in short order what I suspected, and the gun worked fairly well, but only in double action. When fired the hammer would follow the slide back to its home, and therefore no single action mode was present. It didn't take long to find the probem . I cocked the hammer manualy and it locked back without a problem, I forwarded the hammer to the fired position and manualy ran the slide back to cock the hammer in the cycle mode and the slide would not push the hammer far enough down to catch the sear notch.
The problem - simply was that someone ground material off the contour of the hammer in an attempt to ease the pressure between the slide and the hammer during cycling. If done correctly this can in fact help make the gun function better with ammo that has less energy to operate the slide. It would, if done properly, help make the pistol less ammo fussy . Something this Walther is noted for being ,if I believe some of the internet chatter regarding this model.
My point here ! I have seen a number of forums dedicated to specific firearms in which the guru of the board gives fluff and buff advise to the flock of those members who come to learn more about their firearm. To them it always sounds like good advise to do some modifications that will help improve their guns performance. For those of you tempted to follow the advise given on these forums, a WARNING ! Approach fluff and buff advise with caution. It you are modifying something on your gun, you should understand exactly why you are doing so. You should also understand why it works, and how far you can go with it before it becomes a non-desireable modification. In other words, understand the mechanics of what you are doing and how it effects the function of your firearm BEFORE you get out that dremel tool and start grinding or polishing.
A quick e-mail to the seller on this particular gun telling him what was wrong with it brought a denial of knowledge that is was malfunctioning. I'm not at all sure how one misses the fact that your auto pistol is now working in double action only, but I suspect he indeed followed some fluff and buff advise and took it to the point of causing malfuntion - then decided to sell it quick by putting a lower than average price on the gun.
The second lesson here is to ask a lot of questions of the seller prior to bidding and buying guns on the internet. Make sure you can return the gun if there is a major problem that is not indicated in the sellers discription. Not everyone is honest, and up front with defects.
Actualy, I didn't ask to return this Walther, or for any compensation off the price. I would have been within reason to do so, but I can repair this particular gun myself ,and still have a pistol at a reasonable price. Others, who have to take something like this to a gunsmith, or send it back to Walther for repair ,would not turn out very well.
My intention here : Just a friendly warning to my fellow members to use caution as indicated.
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on hammer and sear engagement surfaces.
