PPK PPK/S recall

[MLB]

Seems S&W is taking a page from the Ruger handbook...

Smith & Wesson has identified a condition that may exist in certain PPK and PPK/S pistols which may permit a round to be discharged without the trigger being pulled. When the manual safety is disengaged, Smith & Wesson’s Product Engineering Group has determined that the possibility exists in certain firearms that lowering the hammer may cause a chambered round to fire.

www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CustomContentDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&content=62303§ionId=10506

I'd like to see what the "fix" is before sending mine in.

[Callahan]

Feb 23, 2009 12:23:52 GMT -5 MLB said:

Seems S&W is taking a page from the Ruger handbook...

Smith & Wesson has identified a condition that may exist in certain PPK and PPK/S pistols which may permit a round to be discharged without the trigger being pulled. When the manual safety is disengaged, Smith & Wesson’s Product Engineering Group has determined that the possibility exists in certain firearms that lowering the hammer may cause a chambered round to fire.

www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CustomContentDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&content=62303§ionId=10506

I'd like to see what the "fix" is before sending mine in.

That's odd. Someone at some time must have made a modification to the hammer block. Heck, that's a design that dates back to the '30s. Hitler used to pack one of the first PPKs (not the "S" model)!

[MLB]

I've always assumed that dropping the hammer with the safety off (thumbing it down) on a live round would discharge it if your thumb slipped. You have to pull the trigger at least momentarily to do this though.

It says something about and AD without pulling the trigger though. The only other way to drop the hammer is with the safety/decocker. A discharge resulting from engaging the safety would be a big issue for me. I guess we'll see. Maybe S&W did a bit of tinkering they shouldn't have.

[Callahan]

Feb 23, 2009 20:46:02 GMT -5 MLB said:

I've always assumed that dropping the hammer with the safety off (thumbing it down) on a live round would discharge it if your thumb slipped. You have to pull the trigger at least momentarily to do this though.

It says something about and AD without pulling the trigger though. The only other way to drop the hammer is with the safety/decocker. A discharge resulting from engaging the safety would be a big issue for me. I guess we'll see. Maybe S&W did a bit of tinkering they shouldn't have.

I think they may mean an AD while the safety is off from dropping the pistol. I know the Bersa I had, a PPK copy, could discharge if dropped when the safety was off. That's why they warned against carrying it with the safety off.