[NevRimfire]

I’ve been getting very light primer strikes with failure to fire when I operate my P22 in double action mode. With the P22 loaded, safety lever down, hammer down I take safety off moving lever up and then it’s ready for firing first shot in double action mode...I pull trigger (very stiff in this pistol), hammer falls and it doesn’t fire more than half the time with light primer strikes. I have to pull hammer back and then it shoots fine in single action automatic mode with no malfunctions.

Don’t understand why it doesn’t function properly in double action, first shot mode.

Any suggestions or advice is appreciated my friends.

Thank you,

Eric

 

[NevRimfire]

...shot 100 rds this morning. Double action mode did not fire any cartridges, only single action auto worked. Single action mode worked great, with all 100 firing flawlessly.

Condition 3 (magazine charged, chamber empty) is the only way I have my automatic loaded...maybe it doesn’t matter then but I would still like to have the P22 work as designed by Walther.

 

[NevRimfire]

I was able to find 1917-1911M’s explanation for this problem under “waltherforums” dated back in May 2012.

I’m calling up Walther Monday so I can start the return process. I’m hope their return process is as good as Ruger’s.

...nothing but headaches with this thing. There are too many design flaws from unacceptable slide wear to now this. But I do like the P22’s reliability, literally no jams in the last 750 rounds (Aguila SE 38 gr CPHP and 40 gr CPRN).

 

[1917-1911M]

I don't remember what I wrote back in 2012. BTW, I think Walther has a 30 day or 90 day buyback if you don't like a pistol (any of them) that you purchase. Several things could be causing the issue. DA hammer release is entirely different from SA release. Even a dirty chamber that doesn't allow the round to fully seat where the round will "give" with the first strike which seats it and then will fire on the second hammer fall. Problem there is a dirty chamber. With a clean chamber, rounds easily dropping all the way in....DA should work but the trigger bar must remain up and hammer strut release be properly timed. 1917

 

[NevRimfire]

I don't remember what I wrote back in 2012. BTW, I think Walther has a 30 day or 90 day buyback if you don't like a pistol (any of them) that you purchase. Several things could be causing the issue. DA hammer release is entirely different from SA release. Even a dirty chamber that doesn't allow the round to fully seat where the round will "give" with the first strike which seats it and then will fire on the second hammer fall. Problem there is a dirty chamber. With a clean chamber, rounds easily dropping all the way in....DA should work but the trigger bar must remain up and hammer strut release be properly timed. 1917

The May 2012 article pertained to the issue when double action would not fire cartridge due to a weak (unwound) trigger bar spring.

The chamber is cleaned and cartridges drop in. The round still does go off even after repeated trigger drops. The firing pin indentation is very shallow. Single action, the indentation is well pronounced and normal, and all rounds go off.

 

[NevRimfire]

Went shooting again this morning. First couple rounds worked in double action then the double action did not even make the firing pin dent the cartridge. Maybe the safety is blocking the firing pin somehow even though safety lever is up in ready to fire mode. Worked fine in single action mode with nice primer indentations.

 

[NevRimfire]

Spoke with Walther today. They’re sending me shipping label to return my P22Q for the safety non firing problem, and I also pointed out the excessive slide wear. They were very cooperative. They say turnaround is 3-4 days.

 

[1917-1911M]

The trigger bar spring must lift the rear of the trigger bar and keep it up until the cartridge is fired and the blowback gasses move the slide rearward where the ramps under the slide knock the trigger bar down and disengage it from the sear. In DA the sear is never used to catch or release the hammer.....however, it must be kept rotated out of the way of the falling hammer by the rear legs of the trigger bar.

When this no fire, no firing pin issue arises....take a careful look at the position of the hammer. Did it fall all the way down or did it get caught by the secondary hammer hook? That is what happens when the trigger spring gets too weak. It doesn't keep the sear rotated out of the way of the falling hammer and the sear catches the hammer before it reaches the firing pin.

A quick and easy test to see if this is the issue is to take a short piece of tooth pick, stick it behind the trigger and under the lower trigger spring legs. This will retension the trigger spring. If that cures the issue then you know exactly what the problem is....an overwound and too weak trigger spring. It is easy to unwind and restore proper tension but you must disassemble the entire pistol including the frame halves. If you don't enjoy this type of stuff....let Walther fix it.

In SA, the sear is holding the hammer cocked. Pulling the trigger raises the rear of the trigger bar, the rear legs engage the sear and rotate it off the primary hook and holds the sear out of the way of the secondary (half cock) hook as the hammer falls all the way forward.

In DA, the trigger bar rises, first engaging the hammer strut. Continued pull of the trigger rotates the hammer rearward via the hammer strut. As the trigger is pulled further rearward, the rear shoulders of the trigger bar engage two slanting pins molded into the side of the frame. These begin pressing the trigger bar down until it allows the hammer strut to disengage allowing the hammer to fall. The sear never engages the hammer hooks. However, the trigger bar must rotate and keep the sear rotated out of the way of the falling hammer even though the sear is not engaging the hammer. 1917

 

[NevRimfire]

Thank you 1917 for spending the time and imparting your wealth of experience on this. I received the shipping label and returned the pistol to Walther today for repair. I bet the problem is exactly as you described with the trigger spring. I would expect this would happen over many more rounds. I hope that they can fix this properly for me.

I’ll advise status when I know more.

NevRimfire