Training report: Walther PPS

[ScotchMan]

Class was yesterday, and I'm very glad I listened to the collective wisdom here and shot the gun I carry, my PPS. The advantages of appendix carry become pretty clear when you start doing everything with your support hand only, and when you need to draw from less than ideal positions. I also have a new appreciation for ambi slide stops. Reloading weak hand only, they become rather helpful. There was one other guy running appendix (the first I've encountered in real life), and I found it amusing that he was also well over 6' tall and very slim like myself. Must be something to that...

While I'm talking about gear, I was running one Kytex mag carrier, and a double Blackhawk with fixed belt loops. The Kytex carrier came off my belt with the mag at least 10 times. I ran it from two different positions, behind the hip and in front of hip, hoping this may have been part of the issue. I got really good at stripping the mag and throwing away the carrier, but this was not really practice that I wanted. I was surprised since I have read so many good things about Kytex on here, and actually have another order shipping today. Somewhat disappointing.

The class included a lot of ground shooting, and as such, by the end of the day my mags were full of rocks and everything was VERY dirty. I started getting light primer strikes in my PPS towards the end, which made for a lot of malfunction clearing practice. I am hoping this was due to it being dirty; I had purposely not cleaned it for several hundred rounds before this, and have NEVER cleaned the striker. I'm curious why the gun being dirty might contribute to this, since strikers are enclosed systems. The only thing I can think of is that the striker indicator on the rear (one of my favorite things about the gun), allows dirt and debris to get into the striker channel. If this turns out to be the case, I will probably reconsider it as my primary carry gun, as that seems like a pretty big weakness to me. I took down the gun and mags and threw everything into my sonic cleaner including the striker.

This was when I learned that the PPS' mags are blued and that bluing does not do well in sonic cleaners. I think I can rehabilitate them with some M-Pro7 and a toothbrush, but life lesson learned there. I don't know why they would blue the mags when everything else on the gun is tenifer. I checked and all my other mags are parkerized except my PX4 Storm mags. I haven't put any of them in a sonic cleaner before, but I suspect they would be fine as long as they aren't blued. All of the other components, striker, barrel, etc, came out fine as I would expect. Any wisdom to impart on magazine finishes?

Overall it was a great day, and the PPS was not torturous to shoot. My groups were as good or better than those shooting Glocks, so I don't feel it held me back. I will need to run it through a few hundred trouble-free rounds before trusting it for carry again.

[Stengun]

Howdy Scotchman,

Thanks for posting!

Couple of questions:

1.) Why were you doing a lot of "ground shooting" ( whatever that is ).

2.) Why didn't you clean your gun?

3.) How, even if your skinny, can you carry appendix while sitting, driving a car, etc.?

Just curious.

Paul

[EMC]

I've never had a kytex mag pouch come off during a draw, what kind of belt (and what width) are you using?

[TGS]

3.) How, even if your skinny, can you carry appendix while sitting, driving a car, etc.?

Just curious.

Paul

Paul,

I think a bunch of us could answer this question.

I know it doesn't sound right, and it's hard to picture, and even harder to describe....but it's actually fairly comfy providing you've got your rig set up correctly. Todd actually attended a Porsche driving school and carried AIWB the entire time without any discomfort. The weapon is very accessible, too.

I've never had a kytex mag pouch come off during a draw, what kind of belt (and what width) are you using?

The P30 Kytex carriers I used slipped off constantly with my Beltman horsehide belt. The AR15 kytex carriers are rock solid, however. I ditched the former, love the latter.

[Wendell]

...The Kytex carrier came off my belt with the mag at least 10 times...

Each of my Kytex magazine carriers have been modified with a single (lobster claw) elastic band around the body of the carrier.



The elastic band serves to optimize magazine retention and it also stabilizes the carrier on the belt. Thus adapted, they work pretty well.

[Mike C]

Wendell, have you had any of the above noted issues with the Kytex mag carrier prior to the elastic band? I too run a PPS and was looking at this mag carrier. Thanks.

[MVS]

Paul,

I think a bunch of us could answer this question.

I know it doesn't sound right, and it's hard to picture, and even harder to describe....but it's actually fairly comfy providing you've got your rig set up correctly. Todd actually attended a Porsche driving school and carried AIWB the entire time without any discomfort. The weapon is very accessible, too.



..

Agreed. On a lark I went dual appendix for a 15 hour drive and had no issues. (I know you only have an appendix on one side, but you get my meaning.)

OP, good for you on using your actual carry gun in a class. So many don't.

[GJM]

I am curious how may PPS pistols have experienced high round counts, similar to what Glock 19/P30/Sig 229 or equivalent pistols routinely are exposed to? Nothing like a course or competition to bring out issues that often don't surface in your own practice sessions.

[SouthNarc]

I am curious how may PPS pistols have experienced high round counts, similar to what Glock 19/P30/Sig 229 or equivalent pistols routinely are exposed to? Nothing like a course or competition to bring out issues that often don't surface in your own practice sessions.

I'm almost at the ten thousand mark and haven't had any issues.

[GJM]

I'm almost at the ten thousand mark and haven't had any issues.

That is a strong data point.