S&W - Walther PPK/S recall

Status
Not open for further replies.
PPK/S came home today. I mailed it May 11 so the time to return seems to be getting a little shorter, about 10 weeks+. Everything seems ok, a little dirty. New grip panels, thank you. The originals were a terrible fit. Looks like they buffed some scratches they may have made during repair. Looks ok. The mark showing the repair was done is a plain centerpunch mark. I hope it isn't faked in the future for a sale by someone who wouldn't send it in.
 
Update on PPK (not just PPK/S) repairs

1) Some others who have the PPK (not PPK/S) have reported receiving their PPK back in the last week (initial receipt around March 30 and at the repair line around April 5).

2) The following statement is from an e-mail I received from Smith and Wesson a few days ago (I haven't received mine yet...it was delivered to S&W on March 31 and made it to the repair line on April 6):


<BEGIN>
"We just started sending out the PPK guns on Monday July 13th. There was a long delay in beginning the repairs due to 1 part that we were awaiting on from our outside vendor.

We are currently repairing approximately 500 guns per day. It looks like we received your gun on 4/6. As of today we have started to send out the early April PPK's so your gun should be shipped out within the next week and a half. It will be shipped back to you by Fed-Ex.

I do apologize for any inconvenience this has caused."
<END>

3) Today I received a form letter from Smith and Wesson...a scan of it is attached. The letter repeatedly refers to "PPK/S" but it was obviously written to reflect all PPK type handguns (PPK, PPK/S) ...people with the PPK/S model have already been getting them back for awhile, since those did not need the additional spring replacement that the PPK model did.

Hope this helps.
 

Attachments

  • S&W letter.jpg
    S&W letter.jpg
    88.8 KB · Views: 34
I recieved an identical letter, dated the same and everything, but I just recieved it today. Guess the mail must be a little slow getting to my house.
 
I finally got mine back about a month ago. But not until I called again and asked to speak to a customer service manager (again). Seems the regular customer service folks have varying degrees of actual knowledge of what's going on. However, management usually has a better insight of the reality of the situation. I actually ended up leaving the manager a voicemail, and low and behold my PPK/S showed up within a week. I also had previously asked that they ante up a magazine for all the set-back and pain the but delays. The extra mag showed up about a two weeks ago. I haven't shot the 'fixed' pistol yet, but I'll just assume it won't blow up when I do. :evil:
 
Had almost the same situation as walker944. My wife sent hers in and it was there for almost 3 months. It didn't come back until I called and emailed, then magically it was back that same week. It shoots fine, no problems.

I think the "squeeky wheel gets the grease" applies here.
 
I sent them a new PPK/S, in the box, never fired. I told them I wanted a new gun back, as I was sending them a new gun. They scratched the slide on both sides, and the right side of the trigger guard looked like it had been in an unprotected vise. Now they are sending me a new PPK/S, with the replacement parts in it. We shall see when it gets to my dealer. I had a german ss PPK/S a few years ago, and like a fool sold it. Seeing this S&W crap, I sure wish I had kept it.
 
Spoke to my father about his PPK/S, he got it back about a week ago.
Since .380 is scarce, he ran fifty rounds through it (assorted FMJ's and some JHP's). One failure to feed in the first magazine (FMJ), the rest went through with no issues.
 
The way it's worded is very specific.
which might permit a round to be discharged without the trigger being pulled. When the manual safety is disengaged, we have determined that, in certain pistols, the possibility exists that lowering the hammer may cause a chambered round to fire.
Click to expand...
It seems like they are stating that the gun may fire if the safey is off and you are lowering the hammer by pulling the trigger. That even after you release the trigger, if the hammer were to slip off your thumb, so to speak, a round may fire. So it sounds like there's a possibility of the trigger-activated firing pin safety of malfunctioning.

I wouldn't get too worked up over this. Just use the decocker. None of the pre-series 80 1911's have a firing pin safety, and I'm sure plenty of people decock them, manually.
 
Engaging the safety lowers to hammer. A friend's PPK discharged when he was engaging the safety. Happened 2 times before the recall. Fortunately he practices good muzzle awareness and both times the round went down range.
 
PPK on its way back to me

At last my PPK will be back after contacting S&W for latest status, which resulted in their informing me of the FedEx tracking number.

Just for reference for those still waiting on their PPK, my PPK was:

1) Received at S&W on March 31
2) Awaiting repair at S&W on April 6
3) Sent 2-day from S&W on August 3

With arrival for August 5, this will mean the length of time was:

4 months and 6 days (-or- 18 weeks and 2 days, -or- 128 days)
 
Got mine back yesterday after 123 days.

Send in three emails and one letter expressing my disgust of their service and inability to copy a 78 year old German design without fault.

Also complained about the sharp edges outside the trigger guard which were polished by S&W.

Some scratches on the slide, which I don't think were there before...
 
Well I got my PPK back yesterday after 114 days. Note in box said they fixed the safety issue as well as polished the feed ramp (typical as noted here before). As the gun was obviously fired and not cleaned (as I would expect) I could not tell what the feed ramp looked like. Will have to clean it and check tonight. The gun was externally clean without any obvious changes other then the punch mark behind the hammer. The safety felt a little stiffer then I remember probably due to the new parts (I just got the old safety working smoothly). Will try and take it out for a test fire this weekend.

I was really starting to miss my PPK.

KeithET
 
My wife got her PPk back today. It was sent to S&W April 6. The "polish feed ramp" noted on packing slip must refer to the new gouges ground in to the side of the feed ramp. Looks like they used a grinding wheel to cut 4-5 slices into it. S&W must be staffed by total buffoons.

Will get to the range later and see if it affects the feed.
 
Last edited:
Wife put about 100 rounds thru the PPK this afternoon. Seems to feed and shoot okay. However, we noticed that the read sight has been knocked way out of alignment, and is now all the to the left as far as it will go.

Shows the total unconcern and carelessness of S&W. I don't have the experience to know how to adjust those sights, so the guns going to be off again to gunsmith I guess.
 
I got my PPKs back from S&W a few weeks ago. I've been meaning to come and leave my review for a while now. The gun came back a little dirty, but I would've taken it apart anyways to clean and lube it even if it had come back sparkling. The work order stated that they changed the firing pin block and had polished the feed ramp. The punch mark was left on the grip tang, just like all the others. I was surprised that the punch mark wasn't as deep and nasty as I feared it would. The decocker seems a little stiffer than it was before. I'll have to keep working at it to loosen it up. I can't see any difference in the feedramp though since I had already paid a gunsmith to polish the feedramp for easier feeding. I went to the range more than a few times and emptied many magazines through it. Gun worked great, and super accurate. The wait was very long, but it was worth it. A little annoying, but I didn't lose any money in the process. Just hang in there, those of you still waiting for yours back.
 
I bought a new Sig P238 to keep me company while my PPK/s was visiting Maine. Have it back, and now the P238 has been recalled. Can't win!
 
hhb, My wife bought a bersa thunder to tide her over while PPK was being man-handled by S&W. The disconnecter spring in that Argentinean POC has broken twice in since April, and the grips fell off on another range trip. Well less than 1000 rounds thru it

I'm trying to convince her to avoid the .380 family. Period.
 
Last edited:
sending my ppk/s back the second time. wont chamber a round. tried two types of
ammo. i brought it new and fired only 20 rounds through it. brand new clips(2),
the pistol is worse than when i sent it in for the recall. i just hope it doesnt take another 3 1/2 months to get back like the recall did. really disgusted with smith and wesson.
its not the same as pistols i brought in the 70s and 80s.
 
Got my PPK back from the recall yesterday. Sent it off 5/14. It functioned flawlessly before, hoping it remains reliable. They also replaced the grips which had been discolored due to a gun cleaner solvent mishap. Haven't had a chance to fire it yet.
 
i have one and i was told 6-8 weeks i believe and it was 11 weeks from the time they received it. I sent a few emails of my thoughts of how it was my wifes carry gun and how she should fill purse with rocks but that did nothing.

just wanted to advise people my wifes took 11 weeks
 
Hokkmike: No. The recall is strictly for the PPK and PPK/S models produced by S&W and made in the USA. The PPS is a German-made gun imported by S&W and is a far different design.

Based on the problems that S&W is having with the recall demands, it's a *#*#(& good thing that the PPS is not involved.
 
Received one PPK and two PPK/S back from S&W today. They received them June 29. I emailed them two weeks ago and they said it would be two weeks and it was. Will strip and clean this evening, but so far they look fine. No free mags, though.

I'm just glad to have them back home.
 
Since receiving the gun back from S&W, is anyone having trouble with the firing pin not striking the primer hard enough for ignition. Once or twice every 50 rounds, regardless of ammo, my PPK/S is not striking the primer hard enough for ignition. This is my carry gun, so obviously, this won't do. Any ideas why this might be happening?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

S
  • Locked
S&W Issues Recall for Walther 22A Models (limited recall)
Replies
2
Views
464
searcher451
S
P
  • Locked
S&W PPK, PPK/S Recall
Replies
5
Views
1K
bstump2
B
G
  • Locked
Walther PPK and PPK/S
Replies
11
Views
1K
MICHAEL T
M
H
  • Locked
Walther PPK & PPK/s recall
Replies
11
Views
844
Claude Clay
C
M
  • Locked
Different Walther PPK/S?
Replies
17
Views
2K
Onmilo
Onmilo
Back
Top