Warning: pps43-c fires in safe mode - TEST YOURS

[rogdigity]

Yep. If you're thinking about getting one of these beware!

I had one in 7.62x25 ad found it fired while the safety is on. These 'pistols' have a pretty tough safety to engage but I assure you it was engaged fully. I sent it back to inter ordnance and they agreed it was faulty and sent me out a new one. I was able to exchange it for one in 9x19 instead of the 7.62 so they sent the 9mm one to my local dealer.

At my dealer I opened the box and explained the problem I had. I tested the safety (again, I had it FULLY engaged) and sure enough it dropped the hammer AGAIN. New out of the box.

I sent it back to I.o. and they are now telling me they have tested it and found no issues engaging the safety. I have twice told them that engaging the safety is not the issue and they insist the firearm works as it should.

I'm pretty fed up with the crap. I'm now negotiating the difference in price to get a different firearm completely as I no longer trust the pps43-c in either caliber...

Aside from the safety issue I also had a rear firing pin mushroom from normal use with less than 500 rounds through it. The rear firing pin deformed from hammer strikes so when it entered the bolt body it became stuck. I had to remove the firing pin (complete bolt disassembly) and use a dremil to ease the end of the rear firing pin.

Add in that the ejection port is small and actually causes sever misfires by failing to eject. This has caused sever instances where the casings would get stuck inside the receiver and jam the gun.

What a piece of trash. If you have one please unload it and test the safety. I'd like to know if anyone else has had the same issue!

 

[Wanderling]

I assume what you have is a PPS-43 clone redesigned by IO - the original was highly reliable and served in the armed forces of several countries, even Western ones (e.g. Finland). Sorry to hear you're having issues.

 

[rogdigity]

Yes, the model is pps43-c. The c designates closed bolt/semi-auto configuration.

 

[rogdigity]

I was trying to upload a video here but couldn't. I was able to make a YouTube page and upload them there. If you search for pps43 firing in safe mode you should find it

 

[Salmoneye]

I know nothing of this design, but does it need to have the 'barrel' latched down for that bar to be restricted in order for the safety to work properly?

It just seems to me that your testing without the thing fully assembled means very little...

Here's your vid...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3oBXMlj0DA

 

[rogdigity]

Thanks for the link. With this design, no, the upper receiver doesn't need to be done for the demo. I fired it with the safety on which caused the safety bar to bend because it actually blocks the bolt from moving back while its engaged. This was done at a local range with the range master and a gunsmith present.

In the video I'm doing the demo with the receiver up to show the hammer coming forward and to keep from hitting the firing pin while demoing

 

[Salmoneye]

I fired it with the safety on which caused the safety bar to bend because it actually blocks the bolt from moving back while its engaged.

Yes...I see that...

My question is, if the "upper receiver" were in place, would that retard the 'bar' from bending?

 

[rogdigity]

No. It doesn't obstruct it at all. I have tested it both ways

 

[Normandy]

Mine is a Pioneer Arms (Radom, Poland) model, and the safety engages nicely. Holds the trigger tightly.

Never had a Radom firearm I didn't love.

 

[rogdigity]

Me either really. Except my pps is from inter ordnance

 

[rogdigity]

Follow up

I am still getting the run around from inter ordnance. When I bought my pps it was $400. I had to pay $30 to ship the first one back and then $30 for the transfer to get the new one. Total I'm into the thing is $460.

I.o. has offered me market value credit. The only problem is the market value has dropped to $300. They offered to send the pps back or to upgrade me to something else of my choosing. I opted not to get the pps and pleaded my case for what I have into the gun but got nowhere.

After several weeks of no contact and then a complaint to the BBB (still pending at this time) I got a response.

Several bullying emails from them later and I'm forced into upgrading to an AK for another $290 out of my pocket.

I don't recommend doing business with inter ordnance or their sister company royal tiger imports. Customer service is poor. Quality is even worse than poor. The whole process has taken hours of time and is exhausting. I guess they expect me to just shut up and drop it.

 

[GBExpat]

I am sorry to read (but not surprised) that you were so poorly treated by InterOrdnance.

I think that I am correct in saying that they were written off of the Vendor Lists of many of us (who have been involved in this hobby for a decade or more) quite awhile ago.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

Nice heads up.

Once again proving that safe isn't.

 

[rogdigity]

For the record, testing safety functions on my firearms dates back to my experiences with the great cz-52s. I had 3 at one point and a guy told me they were known to have worn safety catches resulting accidental discharges. 1 of my cz-52s would fire with the safety engaged but you had to pull the trigger, release, and pull it again. Luckily that one was cosmetically different enough I was able to make sure it was never left loaded and that my buddies weren't being dumb with it.

I was beginning to think it was pointless and about ready to give up checking safety functions at the time I found this issue on the pps-43c. I will always check them now.