I picked up my new Walther PPS in 9mm a week ago this past Friday. I plan on the PPS being my carry gun after I get my CHL, hopefully sometime this spring or early summer.

Couldn't get out to the range all week, so come yesterday, I was just itching to put some rounds through my new toy. The plan was to shoot 200 rounds through it on the first outing to start breaking it in.

Fast forward to the range. I pull the trigger on the first round and put it 1" low and 1" to the left of the bull's eye. Not bad. Squeeze the trigger to fire the second round... Nothing. Trigger doesn't move. WTF? The trigger didn't reset and the striker didn't cock again after the first round. Seriously, WTF? Check the chamber, it's empty. Drop the magazine and the second round is about 1/4 of the way out. It didn't feed after the first shot. OK, really... W.T.F? This GD thing better not be a freaking lemon! So I reinsert the mag and rack the slide and hope it was just some sort of a hiccup and think to myself that maybe I limp-wristed it on the first shot. I firm up my grip and fire off the next few magazines with no problems, but now I'm a little nervous.

I finished shooting through 200 rounds as planned and didn't have a single problem afterwards. I shot fairly well, but most of my rounds fell low and to the left. I worked on adjusting my grip and where I placed my finger on the trigger and towards the end I was able to bring my shots up into the bull's eye pretty consistently. I've also heard that the trigger on the PPS smooths out after about 200 rounds, so I think that will help improve my accuracy as well.

The recoil is a little snappy so on that 1st shot, I just wasn't expecting it and limp-wristed it. I'm not concerned with it after shooting the rest of the time with no problems, so no big deal I guess. But to have a failure after firing 1 round out of a brand new pistol, I was definitely having a bit of an "oh shjt" moment.

Low and left is almost always trigger pull. I do it all the time.

Low left can also be gripping too hard whit your left hand. Try to loosen up that hand a little.

QC at Walther is top notch, but problems can always happen. I'd shoot them an email and see if they will comp you a checkup at a local Walther gunsmith or similar.

We're talking about a carry weapon... no need to be less than 100% sure.

Do that but send more ammo down. I wouldn't worry a single bit about it. And for a carry pistol 1" low and 1" to the left is still a hole in the lungs if I remember my anatomy.

However, in my opinion no weapon is 100%....ever. My glock has never given me any trouble but that does not mean I think it's flawless. You should be equipped with the knowledge of how to fix that jam or misfire on the fly. Glad it happened on the range but if it doesn't do it in another hundred rounds I say it's just a new gun hang. You know about it and should be able to drop that magazine and bang it on your palm before putting it back.

I call it a free wake up call. If it happened in he heat of he moment it would have really wrecked your mind.

I'm not real concerned about it at this point considering the 199 round after that one went off without a hitch. There's really not a doubt in my mind that it was due to limp-wristing since I wasn't thinking about the recoil on the first shot. And there were a few rounds in the first few magazines that took me a little by surprise as I was getting used to where the trigger would break.

I'll definitely spend a lot more time on the range and be sure to watch out for it. And practice some clearing techniques as I get further along in case something like that comes up in the future.

There was a recall a couple of years ago on the PPK for a safety issue with the hammer block. They took the gun back to the factory and polished the ramp, and that fixed the failure to feed problem I had been having with the pistol.

My brother had a similar issue with a Walther he had purchased a few years ago. He immediately lost confidence in the gun. He took it back and got his money back on it. He now carries a Keltec that he is very happy with and has never had a problem with it.

My personal preference for a carry weapon is a revolver. I have never had a feed problem or a FTF with my revolver.

[This message has been edited by ghollow (edited 1/23/2012 9:28a).]

Find me a revolver with more than 6 rounds and as thin as a PPS and we will talk

Low left is you pulling the trigger instead of Pressing the trigger.

Pressing is an important word...pressing the trigger implies a slow steady motion and also one that is continuous. Propperly pressing the trigger means that you initiate the trigger press and then you go back to focusing on your front sight while the trigger finger continues to press the trigger. The round discharging should come as a bit of suprise, becasue you are not intentionally firing it Right Now, but rather it fires as part of the sequence of trigger press and sight allignment.

In short...dont yank the trigger.

Make sure you clean the mags throughly...blowback actions put a lot of crap in the gun and lots of it gets into the mags. PPK's dont like loose grip...the .380 even more so as its a very snappy round recoil wise. I have a wartime .32 (the PP family's blowback action was designed for the .32's recoil impulse) and its a fine gun given its limititations. I can put three .32s on target before most folks can get their second .380 downrange. Works for me, but I still hardly carry it...there are just much better choices now.

Also, make sure the 200 rounds you are breaking the gun in with are the same type ammo you will be carrying...expensive, I know. But if not, then you really havent learned anything about its reliability.

Express...Clint Smith has a saying that "a gun should be comforting, not comfortable."

"a gun should be comforting, not comfortable."

I see what he's getting at, but I respectfully disagree with that.

If a gun is not comfortable to shoot, you'll be less likely to pick it up and practice with it. Then your knowledge, skill, accuracy of/with the weapon could suffer and you will not be as good as if you were always eager to go pick it up and shoot it

Also, if the gun is not comfortable to carry, you'll be less likely to want to strap that thing on everyday or get to the point where you don't want to hassle with it. Then where will you be when you need it and don't have it?

I know it's all a compromise with concealed carry, but to say comfort doesn't matter doesn't make much sense to me.

He directs this coment specifically at the "Big Gun vs Little Gun" debate.

Big guns are easier to shoot well, and more reliable under all conditions, and big guns are always a better option in a fight until you can find a rifle. But Big Guns dont carry easy and you have to be willing to make sacrifices to do so. Its a statement about how serious you are and what your life is worth.

I didn't really mean this thread to become a "this gun is better than that one" thread. But oh well...

What is wrong with someone choosing a smaller gun that is easier and more comfortable to conceal so that they carry it every time they leave the house as opposed to a bigger gun that is more cumbersome and awkward for them so they leave it at home? That sounds like someone who values their life quite a bit and is pretty serious about protecting it.

I understand the argument of big guns being easier to shoot, more reliable, etc. But always a better option until you can find a rifle? Not for everyone in every situation. Not by a long shot. And if you follow that line of thinking, why are you carrying a handgun in the first place? Why not just carry the rifle around everywhere?

It all comes down to personal preference and what level of compromise each individual is comfortable with. I don't think it's wrong because it's not what's right for me. Clint Smith's little saying seems pretty small-minded to me.

Sorry there G, didnt mean to flip your Defensive switch.

I totally agree its all about the compromises with which a person is willing to live. 99% of the time I make the sacrifice in comfort and wardrobe to carry a full size handgun. It just makes sense FOR ME that if I am going to carry I might as well carry something that will get the job done. I carry a pistol becuase I dont expect trouble...but that doesnt mean I dont have a rifle handy too!

I am only offering up some thoughts for consideration. Its a simple fact that little guns chambered in low powered rounds are not that effective in the real world...in either performance of the ammo or performance of the shooter.

The first rule of gunfighting has always been: Have a gun. But you cant just stop there and call it a day. Is that gun going to do you any good when the time comes? In a real shooting, 7 rounds of .380 aint going to feel real comforting to me.

The good news is that the vast majority of crimes and criminals stop and go the other way becuase of the simple presence of a gun in the hands of the victim, its the other occasions that everyone should worry about.

No problem, Puryear. I'm not offended in the least and don't mean to come off as defensive. The whole "comforting not comfortable" saying and that point of view just really don't make much sense to me.

You said the first rule of gunfighting has always been: Have a gun. I agree 100% and I guess that is the point I was trying to make.

The bottom line is that a firearm is a mechanical device. No mechanical device functions 100% of the time. Even if your gun has so far, statistically speaking a malfunction will occur. That you know how to clear said malfunction is great, and everyone should become proficient in this.