My Walther PPS experience (many pics)

I've been eying the PPS too. I think I might get one for my summer carry gun. Since I've owned a M&P, I should be accustomed to the trigger. I do like the way it fits in my hand too.
 
FYI, I was at Blue Northern Trading in Ayer last Wed. They had 4 PPS's $639.99 ea. Not sure if these are still hard to find or not after the initial release.
 
The Goose said:
It ain't no tack driver, but it will get her done.
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Do the disconnector mod. Seriously. The accuracy is much better afterward.

I agree with your review. I've run every kind of 9mm ammo I could buy or make through it without a hitch. I haven't cleaned it for about 850 rounds, and I'm going to see how long I can go until it starts to malfunction.

Ricochet said:
I've been eying the PPS too. I think I might get one for my summer carry gun. Since I've owned a M&P, I should be accustomed to the trigger.
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You're in for an unpleasant surprise. The unmodified Mass trigger on the PPS makes the M&P feel like a tuned 1911.
 
EddieCoyle said:
Do the disconnector mod. Seriously. The accuracy is much better afterward.

I agree with your review. I've run every kind of 9mm ammo I could buy or make through it without a hitch. I haven't cleaned it for about 850 rounds, and I'm going to see how long I can go until it starts to malfunction.



You're in for an unpleasant surprise. The unmodified Mass trigger on the PPS makes the M&P feel like a tuned 1911.
Click to expand...

Have to say I agree with that last statement. I took my PPS, my M&P9c (no trigger job), and my Beretta 92FS out to the range on my first outing with the PPS. The trigger on the PPS is stiff. I does not make the gun unshootable - but I think it is the first time I have shot a MA compliant gun where the first thought running thru my head was that my lousy marksmanship was due to the trigger - and not due to me.

The first gun that I shot was the PPS. I could keep shots on paper but it was tough. Next I shot the M&P - and like EddieCoyle said - after shooting the PPS I found I was suddenly liking the M&P a lot more and was more accurate with it than I remember. After those two I shot the Beretta 92 and was laying 75% of my shots in the black.

I still like the PPS for it's size and feel - but it definitely needs the disconnector mod.
 
I was initially disappointed with my 9mm PPS, even though I'm something of a Walther fanboy (5 of the 8 handguns I own are Walthers). It felt...blocky, at least compared to my P99s, and it felt like the grip was sticking out more than my P99c when I carried it IWB. The trigger is acceptable (I have the standard disconnector) but the reset was long, gritty and sometimes vague. I shot it OK, but not well. No problems with any ammo I fed it. I have a Milt Sparks VM2 for it and the holster was quite stiff and those damn belt-loop snaps that Milt Sparks use take a long time to break in. The takedown buttons, which are grooved metal unlike the plastic and more flush-mounted takedown buttons on the P99 andf P22, were hanging up on a seam inside the holster, to the point where I couldn't safely draw the gun, so I chamfered the rear edge of the button on each side of the gun and that problem went away. The PPS stayed in the safe while I continued to carry my P99c.

So last week I pulled it out and spent some time drawing and dry firing. Then this past weekend I took it to the range, and I finally am really starting to like this gun. From 10 yards, I was consistently putting rounds through or right next to a quarter-sized dot that I use as a target. The gun was coming right out of the holster and I was shooting very well from the draw, with a great sight picture and an easy second shot. So I've taken to carrying ithe PPS these last few days. The VM2 holster is finally getting broken in (I think that was half the problem) and the gun is very light and comfortable, and it tucks right up flush with my hip. I hardly know its there. And the advantage of the single-stack mags is that it's very easy and comfortable to carry one in your support-side pocket, unlike a bulky double-stack mag.

I think this is going to be my primary carry gun from now on.
 
I picked up a pps last night. Got it at First Defense. Denis is a great guy (shameless plug there)! I had just come from the vet, and the dog was in the car, so I was rushed to get her home.
One nice thing is that Denis does the Nics check on line. I had never seen that before, and it is a lot faster than waiting for them to call in. That made it go quicker.

Price was in line with everybody else, and he's local.

The complaint, the PPS is now only shipping with 1 mag!!! Checking around, mags seem to be going for @ 45-60. For a 6-8 round current production gun? Are they serious?? WTF?!?!

Anyways.one interesting thing I really wanted to check. How slim is this? How small is it?
Compared to my p7m8. The p7 appears to be a tiny bit thinner from the top of the slide down to about the mag flare (then the p7 is @ 1/8" wider).
Length, eyeing it, seems about 1/8" shorter than the p7. and @ 1/8" shorter in the grip.

Weight.. p7 is substantially heavier..
 
Great Post and thanks for everyone's hard work. I am new here. I found the site when Googling "Walther PPS Trigger". I love my PPS. I have the Standard Disconnector, but I find that the pull is still a bit heavy and gritty for my liking. Based on reading this post, I am comfortable with taking the gun down all the way to work on this myself, but I still need to research this further. I have some comments and questions if I may:

Striker Fired Action: From what I can see from studying the Action and the interplay of the parts, the trigger brings the Striker from half cocked to full cocked to let off. There are two springs in the Striker: 11.2 Striker Spring (Longer/Heavier/Stiffer) and 11.4 Striker Return Spring (Shorter/Lighter/More Flexible). It seems to me that the Trigger Pull Weight is also a function of the Striker Spring and that a lighter Striker Spring would reduce the Trigger Pull Weight. A call to Walther Tech Support confirmed this (they do not offer lighter springs). Am I correct? I called Wolf Springs and to them the gun is so new they have not specced it out for springs yet. Is there any place else I can look for lighter springs to replace the Striker Spring?

The Striker Return Spring functions to pull the Striker back from the Primer after setting off the Primer when firing and probably has little relation to Trigger Pull Weight. Am I correct?

Gritty Pull: I assume that if I polish up the bottom hook of the Striker and the part that pushes it and cocks it (I know which part it is on the gun but I can't see it clearly in the exploded parts diagram so I can't identify the part name here. Decocker? Tail End of the Trigger Assembly?), I can smoothen it up the pull a bit. However, when I removed the Striker Assembly from the Slide and actioned it by hand, I felt that the movement was gritty as well. I am thinking there is some dirt in there (possibly left from the factory) that needs to be cleaned out and possibly there are some parts in the channel needing to be polished as well. Walther Tech Support confirmed that cleaning it up would probably result in a less gritty pull as well.

Can anyone familiar with this (destro1d, maybe?) comment and confirm my assumptions? I would be happy to share pics when I do this and share results as well.

Last question: Can anyone explain to me how the the slope on the ramp of the Disconnector affects Trigger Pull Weight? I am curious to know the interaction/relationship of the parts involved. Posting pics would be super helpful.

Finally, I am glad to be here and am learning a lot. I post on several other forums as well (The High Road, AR15, Walther Forums, HKPro, The Firing Line).

Thanks in advance.

NA26
 
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seanc said:
How slim is this? How small is it?
Compared to my p7m8. The p7 appears to be a tiny bit thinner from the top of the slide down to about the mag flare (then the p7 is @ 1/8" wider).
Length, eyeing it, seems about 1/8" shorter than the p7. and @ 1/8" shorter in the grip.

Weight.. p7 is substantially heavier..
Click to expand...


And substantially better. [wink]
 
Fooped said:
And substantially better. [wink]
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Hmmm...
While my first reaction is to absolutely agree with you.. I have to stop and think. I love my m8 and would never sell it.

However, the pps does have a lot going for it and in some ways I think it is better.

It is substantially lighter than the HK, better imo for carry.

As it's not a gas gun, you can shoot a lot more rounds out of it before having to put it down to cool off.

As it's not a unique design, you could get away with a generic holster.

As it's a lot less pricey (at this point) there will be/ are more out there, and will have more options available, at less cost.

As the bbl is not attached to the frame, replacing/ upgrading the barrell is a drop in. Maybe after market non poly bbl's will come out, for shooting lead.


Different mags, 6/7/8 different floor plates, finger rests available. nice option.

Back straps swapable for a more custom fit.

I could duracoat the whole gun puce and feel only somewhat like a heretic.

If it ever got lost/ stolen/ confiscated/ fell into a wood chipper or the ocean.. Well, I'd feel a lot less bad..

repairs are right up the road in springfield..

Did I see someplace that you can use m&p mags in the pps??
 
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EddieCoyle said:
The PPS is more accurate than the P7. Anybody want to have a shoot off with me?
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Jim, does this mean you've settled the trigger issue with your gun and now you like it? I never read a final post saying you were pleased with the gun. I'm interested in one myself.
 
What are people going for caliber on the PPS? 9mm or .40S&W? I've held one in a shop and like it. I seem to have better luck finding .40S&W these days and it means I can stick to one caliber. Would anyone describe the PPS as fun to shoot in comparison to the airweight pistols (ie Kel-tec P3AT)?
 
depicts said:
Jim, does this mean you've settled the trigger issue with your gun and now you like it?
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Yes. The "S" disconnector fixed the trigger. I carry it every day to the exclusion of everything else.

Jason said:
What are people going for caliber on the PPS? 9mm or .40S&W? I've held one in a shop and like it. I seem to have better luck finding .40S&W these days and it means I can stick to one caliber. Would anyone describe the PPS as fun to shoot in comparison to the airweight pistols (ie Kel-tec P3AT)?
Click to expand...

No good comes out of the .40 S&W.
 
The PPS is definitely a nice gun and fills a gap for some people. I decided not to get one and get a Ruger LCP instead for the time being. I carry I Glock 26 about 2/3 of the year and the LCP I have been using the rest.

A PPS might still be in my future this fall but right now it seems like a duplicate gun.
 
LT1MCSS said:
The PPS is definitely a nice gun and fills a gap for some people. I decided not to get one and get a Ruger LCP instead for the time being. I carry I Glock 26 about 2/3 of the year and the LCP I have been using the rest.

A PPS might still be in my future this fall but right now it seems like a duplicate gun.
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See, I chose the 9mm PPS (over a 642/442 j-frame) because I have a couple of 9mms already and didn't want to get into a different caliber just for a pocket gun.
 
pdm said:
See, I chose the 9mm PPS (over a 642/442 j-frame) because I have a couple of 9mms already and didn't want to get into a different caliber just for a pocket gun.
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I agree, I was looking at the PPS over a j-frame as well. I don't care for the J-frames. In my case though I already had a .380ACP and my father has a beretta 85 .380ACP so I already had all the bullets and ammo. I also have 2 9mm's so either way it would have worked. I tried the PPS as a pocket gun and it just was slightly to large.
 
How to Order

I just called Walther of America (S&W) but they dont seem to think they have the part. I was transferred to a specific individual but I received his voicemail.

Do I need a part number to order the "Standard Disconnector"? or am I just asking for the wrong thing?
 

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