Walther P99 AS problems

[GJM]

Probably at least partly intrigued by Jody's P99 gushing, I bought a new, recent manufacture P99 AS back in November. My initial impressions were that the AS ability made the P99 more versatile than a PPQ, especially for appendix carry. I was unable to get to the range for a bit, and only dry fired it. Doing that, I noticed intermittently that the decocked initial trigger press sometimes felt lighter than other times. Didn't think more about it.

Finally got to shoot it, and found that from the decocked position (is that what you call it with the strikes released with the lever on top the slide), I was getting intermittent failures to fire, with a range of factory ammo. I called up Walther USA, and they said the striker channel might have gunk in it. I cleaned the channel, after removing and reinstalling the striker, and problem continued. I called Walther back, and then sent them the pistol, and received it back a week or so later. It was marked as repaired and tested 100 percent at the range. From the first magazine, it was doing the same thing.

At this point I was starting to get annoyed, and called Walther again. They essentially suggested they were sure the gun was fine, and I was doing something wrong. I took a video, clearly showing the pistol failing to fire, and sent it to Walther. They then had me return the gun again, although this time they sent me a shipping label. Supposedly it was going to their "head gunsmith."

I just received the pistol back on Friday, with a note that it had been repaired and tested "100 percent" at the range. Well guess what, from the first shot with the striker decocked, it failed to fire, and intermittently did the same thing in the magazine I tested it with. It does not exhibit the problem on successive shots, where the striker has not manually been decocked.

Anyone have any thoughts on what is going on? And, just to confirm, I am supposed to be able to press the lever on the slide, release the striker for carry, and have the g….d…. thing fire?

[Tamara]

And, just to confirm, I am supposed to be able to press the lever on the slide, release the striker for carry, and have the g….d…. thing fire?

Yes.

Heck, the thing I liked about Marko's was that it had a reasonably decent DA pull. It was no DAO Beretta, but it was smooth enough and ISTR that what stacking there was was pretty linear.

[balance]

There is a hex screw on the sear housing that determines how far the striker is pulled back before it is released in the DA trigger pull. It adjusts how high or low the trigger bar sits while it rides rearward. Most P99 owners don't even know this screw is there, as Walther seems to do a good job adjusting this screw at the factory, and these things never seem to ever lose adjustment. Maybe the ammo Walther uses to test pistols does not require such a hard primer strike.

There is a chance that this screw isn't adjusted correctly, and I say this because from what I'm reading, in SA, the pistol works fine.

How far does the striker protrude from the slide plate before being released in the DA trigger pull? Mine goes out about 1mm.

This is my guess, and I could be wrong. I have no idea why the DA trigger pull sometimes feels lighter or heavier on your pistol though. That's a strange one, and I have no idea how anything could cause that other than a dirty striker channel.

[GJM]

There is a hex screw on the sear housing that determines how far the striker is pulled back before it is released in the DA trigger pull. It adjusts how high or low the trigger bar sits while it rides rearward. Most P99 owners don't even know this screw is there, as Walther seems to do a good job adjusting this screw at the factory, and these things never seem to ever lose adjustment. Maybe the ammo Walther uses to test pistols does not require such a hard primer strike.

There is a chance that this screw isn't adjusted correctly, and I say this because from what I'm reading, in SA, the pistol works fine.

How far does the striker protrude from the slide plate before being released in the DA trigger pull? Mine goes out about 1mm.

This is my guess, and I could be wrong. I have no idea why the DA trigger pull sometimes feels lighter or heavier on your pistol though. That's a strange one, and I have no idea how anything could cause that other than a dirty striker channel.

Thanks for this tech tip. Given that there is no way the P99 is going to displace the P01 I am mostly carrying, I am sufficiently annoyed by the back and forth with Walther, that I will probably just send it down the road. Will take a look at the striker 1mm thing.

[balance]

I'd be annoyed too.

Glen Seiter is head of customer service at Walther Arms. I'd try to get in contact with him if you were to send it back again.

[Tamara]

Thanks for this tech tip. Given that there is no way the P99 is going to displace the P01 I am mostly carrying, I am sufficiently annoyed by the back and forth with Walther, that I will probably just send it down the road. Will take a look at the striker 1mm thing.

*ears perk up*

[JodyH]

Walther USA out of Fort Smith, AR is utterly incompetent in my experience.
Their "customer service" is staffed by Umarex Airsoft retards.

[GJM]

I am told that a Vice President in Las Vegas is the person that watches the person wrapping the quarters. You suggesting their "head gunsmith" might not be so spiffy?

[GJM]

I just looked at the Walther. When the striker is cocked, it protrudes out the back. When I press the trigger from the decocked position, it never protrudes out the back of the slide. That what one would expect?

[balance]

On mine, and going off of memory on the others I've handled, the cocked indicator on the back of the striker protrudes out of the slide plate about 1mm right before the striker is released on the DA trigger pull.

The striker should not stick out as far on the DA mode of the trigger as it does when it is cocked in SA.