Walther PPQ Problems, Things To Be Aware Of!

The Walther PPQ is a German made classic handgun with a beautifully textured body. The gun is also highly mobile and accurate. The gun was originally designed for Law Enforcement and soon after it was available for civilians as well.

While the PPQ is an easy recommendation to most, we need to discuss the Walther PPQ problems. After all, there are quite a few problems that might be a big concern for you. Let’s find out if they bother you or not.

Problems of Walther PPQ

While a user can nitpick their gun for ages, not all of those nitpicks will be counted as problems for many. Here are some legit problems that you might run into.

Can’t Return To Battery

When a gun fires and the breech and barrel don’t return to the proper position, we call it “fires out of battery”. This is likely to happen to your Walther PPQ if it refuses to fire. Similar issues were also present in M&P 15 Sport 2.

The easy way to fix this is to use the right ammo. If you are trying out different ammos that are not rated for the gun, then you are likely to run into a similar issue. You always should keep your gun clean and keep it well-lubricated. And I do mean “well” not overly lubricated.

If you lube the barrel too much it will do you more harm than benefit. So, keep it to a minimum.

Magazine Feeding Issue

This issue is common among a lot of handguns including the Springfield Hellcat. While it’s unfortunate that you probably have a chance to face this issue, it’s not something that happens to every single unit out there.

The fix for this is not that hard to follow. Make sure to use the right magazine and ensure the magazine is installed the right way. If you are installing the magazine in an angle where the chamber will have a hard time grabbing a bullet from it, then it will definitely result in a cartridge block.

You also should never feed into a gun with a broken magazine flange. If your magazine is bent or damaged, then you shouldn’t use it to feed bullets. Use a new one and one that preferably isn’t broken.

Gun Refuses To Shoot

For some weird reason, the gun just won’t register the trigger and release a bullet. AKA gun stops shooting. This annoying issue can frustrate you a lot and I understand your anger.

There are quite a few ways of checking whether your gun is broken or just having some outside interference.

First of all, make sure the gun is properly cleaned and not shoved with lubricant. Make sure the striker of the gun is not broken. Striker is responsible for starting the firing process. If it’s broken, change it asap.

The trigger is most likely dead. If you are confirmed the trigger assembly has broken down and it won’t work anymore, you will need to change the trigger to a replacement one or use a third party trigger. Also, make sure the ammunition you are firing isn’t dead. Also known as defective, defunct, or dead round.

Spent Cartridge Removal Is A Pain

The removal of a spent cartridge from this gun is not the easiest. Often they jam in and won’t just go out. For obvious reasons, it’s a very serious issue that renders the gun useless. If you are facing an issue, you can try fixing the extractor.

The most common reason why the spent cartridge won’t move is due to a faulty extractor. If the extractor is faulty or damaged, then you know why your cartridge isn’t moving out.

Do a regular checkup on the gun and clean the chamber. A dirty chamber can often result in blocked cartridges.

The Slide Doesn’t Lock

Quite a few shooters have pointed out their Walther PPQ slide won’t lock anymore. There are a few solutions to this as well. If you are facing a similar issue, here are a couple of solutions to help you out.

Are you sure you are not using the wrong ammo? If you are, then you should stop. The wrong ammunition can kill the chamber of your gun slowly. It will also prevent the lock from working and jamming your gun.

There is also a solid chance that the slide of your gun is broken. When that happens, there is no other fix besides replacing the slide stop lever. Last but not least, make sure that you are gripping the gun properly. That’s right, an improper grip of a gun can lead to jamming.

Random Magazine Drop

A severe issue with the gun is the magazine drop. While it’s not a common issue, there have been quite a few complaints regarding this in the past. If your problem is a broken spring or bad magazine insertion, then you can fix it.

But if your entire gun feeding chamber is broken, then unfortunately you cannot fix it yourself and will need to take it to Walther for them to replace the magazine feeding chamber.

Front Sight Issue

Another common issue with the Walther is the front sight issue. If you are having trouble with the front night sight, then you should check if your sight is installed correctly or not.

Make sure to tighten the screws properly. Otherwise, you will have a hard time focusing on the front sight.

Conclusion

The gun is a wonderful everyday carry but it’s a gun with many issues. Some issues are easily solvable while some may require you to service it from the manufacturer. Most of the issues however are negligible for a lot.

If you are among that lot, then you will love the Walther PPQ despite its flaws. Sure, there could have been less Walther PPQ problems if Walther really tried harder. But It is what it is.

That’s all for now. Hopefully, you now know whether the Walther PPQ is a good gun for you or not. Will see you on the next one. Till then, take care and have fun.