Walther Pistol Kompakt: PK380 .380 ACP
Walther have scaled up the P22 pistol and produced the PK380, a .380 ACP chambered pistol.
The PK380 features:
- 8+1 capacity
- polymer grip, steel frame and slide
- 3.66" barrel
- Overall length of 6.5"
- Picatinny-style rail
- Ambidextrous mag release and safety.
- Drift-adjustable rear sight.
- Unloaded weight: 19.4 ounces
- Width is 1.2"
Four models will be available:
First Edition: a limited series model with "First Edition markings", holster and two mags. Two tone: nickel-plated slide. Standard: All black Laser model: Standard model with laser
They should be available later this year.
Photo Copyright Ken Lunde. Used with permission.
From the press release:
For 2009, Walther® has once again exceeded expectations with the introduction of the new PK380. Engineered on one of Walther’s most popular platforms, the P22, the PK380 delivers .380 power into a lightweight, ambidextrous pistol. Versatile, comfortable and nearly the same size as the P22, the Walther PK380 continues the company’s longstanding tradition of German innovation and technical expertise.
Just received a notice that I had to submit to the blog otherwise lose my posting privileges. Was not aware of that rule. Well as it happens I do have a post that I think some may find of interest. I bought the small size laser light attachment for my .380. It works find. Dark is better of course but daylight can cause some problems. The next question. Who makes a holster for the PK 380 with attached laser. Now this was some ago. Going through my collection of holsters I came across one made in Florida. It allows sufficient room toward the bottom of the holster for the .380 and the laser. All I can tell is that it was made in Florida. Wether that was in mind or not, I don’t know. The majority of holsters fit up against the foreword trigger guard.
HELLO SHOOTERS…Have a pk380 love it ,good back up weapon…never shot hollow points from it recently did..r.&p. jhp…nightmare…nasty round.shame they jam in throat round has sharp edges….shot many rounds never a jam…..shot hornady ftx…no problem….(open like a hollow point really nasty round….anyone have a problem with hollow point rounds…i’m told to not use in this gun….feed back please….keep your powder dry….
My first problem with my PK 380. No it’s not mechanical, feeding, ejection. It is the fact the the “Walther” has pretty well worn off the slide. Reason I suspect the holster is an inside the waistband. Even though it sits against my leg, in the holster, the first two two letters ” PK ” and “38″ are pretty well worn off. None of those markings are engraved. Now the “First Edition” is very close to the muzzle on the left side of the slide. It is showing some slight wear. On the right hand side only the “Walther” is showing minor wear. It’s like that all were painted on in some manner. I will admit that the 100 +F temps and the sweat generated could easily be the culprit. Due to the placement of the weapon and its proximity to my skin. The holster is not the one supplied by Walther with the First Edition models. AS I said none of this effects its performance. The only problem right now is the weather. The outdoor range reaching +118 F. I don’t need to shoot that bad.
I’ve been using and shooting handguns for over 40 years. This by way of both civilian and military agencies. Early on the 60′s the Army was still using the .45 cal semi-automatic. I put it to good use as a handgun and with my “grease gun” of WWII fame.This was before body armor, night vision, portable whatevers. Our armor was our t-shirt and fatigue shirt. Moral of story, I’m here, a lot of the other side are not. When I finally left country I gave it to one of my men. He knew the stories, including the special forces “A” detachment and the SF unit assigned. In civilian police work semi-autos were practically banned. I knew officers that used them as back up. Unlike with the cal .357 which has superior penetrating power and can scare the hell out of the guy 2 apartments down. I will put forward, my cal 32, my Walter PK 380, and my Sig Sauer, cal .40, for consideration. Both are SA and DA and safety free. I always have a difficult time deciding what to carry, a lot depends on the weather. No Harris tweed sportcoats here in July.
i purchased a walther pk380 i like the gun but i hate the sights is anyone making aftermarket sights for them
I have a PK380 and it fires great. I also have a S&W .40. I love them both, I also look at it this way, stand within 20-25 feet of me and let me shoot you with the PK380 or a .22 MAG round for that matter. It also limits the chances of the bullet passing through and continue to travel. We as gun owners are responsible for that bullet until it has come to a complete stop.
I had bought my PK380 a few days ago, havent been to the range yet. I did notice that the slide feel a bit loose, it’s not what i expected. this is also the first handgun I have owned. Anyone can tell me if this slide is normal?
Sold guns for awhile and over time consistently saw that women especially liked the PK 380. smaller frame fits hand well, very ergonomic, slide is easier to manipulate, not heavy in the hand. Recoil on a 380 less than a 9mm. With self-defense rounds it has some stopping power. Several came back after buying one and attested to how happy they were with the purchase.
David
I have noticed some simmilar issues with my gun, i dont remember what type of ammo i got when i went to the range, but the 100 rounds they gave me did not jam. Later on that night i broke it down to clean my gun an the top of my barrel, was warn down as if i had shot 1000 rounds through it, an also the slide that allows the round to enter the chamber had a pretty good dent in it! At first i was concered so i went back where i got it, an they told me with the free floating barrel will wear down like that in some cases. Now for the dent in the slide they had no idea how that could have happened without a jam, but they did say i should take steel whool to it….lol I thought, what help they are! Now just over christmas i took my gun out to my dads to shoot it with him, he had about four different kinds of ammo an noticed that certain rounds would cause it to jam. Just like you said (DAVID) the remington did not jam, an the others that did not jam for me are magtech, and aguila brand.
I have this gun, an i love it…people who knock it just have that big ego about having a bigger gun all together! I have the licence to carry an this gun is not a problem to conceal with the right holster! An if you would like to find one, you can find in here…
http://www.fobusholster.com/products/WALTHER_PK_380_EVOLUTION_PADDLE_HOLSTER-7106-0.html\
I also get what some of you say about finding other guns that are smaller an pack a bigger punch, but this goes to show you that the walther pk380 is not for everyone!
I love my Pk380 and my 11 yr old can use it on the tactical course with me using my browning high power and we can compare results… PK380 handles great and with the low recoil it is perfect for him and ideal for me using it as an accurate concealed weapon (with hollow points at 15 ft any one i shoot wouldn’t know difference from my 9mm). Until recently I have had no problems at all with the PK380, i was a walking advertisement but now there are two things that really have me bothered. First – I have been experiencing jams lately when the ejector isn’t removing the spent round (keep a clean gun and it isn’t mistreated). Recently I got a good deal on 1000 rounds of Federal American Eagle ammo to use at the range (got hollow points in it when carrying). I hadn’t had jams until using the AE ammo; so today i went and got a 100rds of Remington FMJ to see if it was the ammo causing the jam, and i went to the range and fired off 150 AE rds and had 3 jams and then fired the 100 Remingtons and not a jam so i am attributing the JAMS TO FEDERAL BRAND AMERICAN EAGLE AMMO -dont rely on it. Second – i noticed unusual wear in the barrel between the rifling. After further inspection i noticed a tiny ridge perpendicular to each groove at the base of each groove next to the chamber. the ridge is about 1.5 mm long and about as thick as a finger nail. The ridges are consistent length and height all around the barrel at each groove and correspond to the wear that is between the grooves the length of the barrel. I went to the store where i purchased the gun and looked at a brand new PK380. The ridges are there in the new gun but hardly noticeable without the wear in barrel. SO now i’m concerned about the wear and long term effect it will have on the gun! so far it hasn’t done anything to the accuracy… the only thing i see it is doing is causing the wear on the barrel. the guys at the gun shop don’t think it is a problem but said they’d mail it off to Walther if I contact them and they think i should mail it in. I sent Walther/Smith and Wesson an email about 2 weeks ago with pictures of both the ridges and wear (wife camera has macro option so was able to see it even better on computer) but got no response. Has anyone else noticed these ridges and/or wear in barrel between the rifling/grooves? I would love to hear everyones thoughts on this issue.
David
I like my PK380 a lot. I also feed it Hornady Critical Defense. A guy here in town shot another guy who was robbing his little business. Guy gave him two Hornday Critical Defense rounds to center mass. Bad guy dropped and never came up. As for the .380 vs. .40 vs. .45 arguement, I like both my PK380 and 1911. They each get the job done, the each have their positives and negatives. Pick which one works for you and go with it….or be like me, have both, carry both.
Its great to see people with a positive feed about this pistol i have owned mine for a lil over a month now and have only had one miss feed ive decided that the ammo best for this is the Hornady critical defense 90grFTX ammo. i also use Win PDX1 for PD both of these are great and have low recoil but with the Win. i find that the tips are a lil too wide and like to get caught at the mouth of the chamber. This is also how i got my first miss feed. If anyone else has had a similar problem id like to know also i bought mine w/laser and noticed that after about 5-6 rounds it becomes off to the right a lil bit. Wondering if anyone might have a solution to this defect. And last for all of you that think the 380 is a plinker compared to a .9 or .45 i can promise you your missin out cuz ill have 2 to the chest one to the head before you get your second shot off and know that im not shootin through you. cuz when that happens guess what else???? So does adrenilin and prob not even feel the damn thing.
I own a PK380 and love it. The recoil is lighter than a 9mm or .45. Which means you can stay on target after the first shot. In a home defence situation, follow up shots need to be on target. Don’t get me wrong, I love the punch of the .45. But like someone else brought up, you don’t want the bullet going through the bad guy and killing the ones you are trying to protect.
here is the holster for you guys with a pk380 w/ laser this also advertises other very nice holster for both Walther and a number of other different companies. got to ebay.com this the item #190457933114
I have a PK380 and love it. I know that there are other handguns the same size and similar weight in larger calibers but have always been a fan of the 380. It has the power to do what is neccessary at self-defense distances .
Having other weapons of the 380 caliber it makes it easy to only purchase and maintain a supply of one caliber than having to stock pile ammo for a dozen different guns in a dozen different calibers.
I do the same thing in long guns. 12 gauge and 30-06., even though I have several different shotguns and rifles I still prefer to keep the same caliber, less home inventory and when I grab a weapon no matter what the use its not hard to find the ammo that fits. I hunt with a guy who has 3 different gauge shotguns and on more than one trip we had to go find shells cause he
brought a the wrong gauge.
Sorry to ramble but every one has an opinion and I wanted to express mine.
don
Yes I was the one had trouble with sieller ammo with my wather pk 380 switched to winchester white box had no trouble with mis feeds
I sent the PK380 back the first time because of the safety breaking. I did not know (at the time but I do now) that you could not just let the hammer slam home when on safe (like you can with a Beretta 92 for example). I believe that I have put appx. 50 rounds through the PK380 since it was returned to me by Smith and Wesson.
Mike
There was discussion about this some time back. Someone else was having problems with the Sellier & Bellot. I told them I had a chance to purchase that ammo from Cabellas a while back and from reloading ammo it is only as good as how you make it. So I read the comments that people had wrote on it and it seemed there where a lot of people who complained about the .380 ammo. Go to Cabellas and look for yourself it is a long read. Others on here have had no problems with that brand of ammo but I believe the poster said he switched ammo and his problem seemed to disappear. I believe it is within the last couple of pages.
Pk380 Owner for one month now. First hand gun for me and I am suprised how well I can shoot it up to 50ft. I have had issues with ammo however. I purchased 3 additional mags and have numbered them all to track different ammo while at the range. I usually run 200 rounds per session and seem to have stove pipe or double feed issues near the end of each session. Every 3-5 shots. Not Cool! Good Tap/clear/Rack practice I guess. So far I have noticed the lellier&bellot and PPU (Serbian?) are the one’s that jam the worst. I have had better luck with: Winchester Supreme, Blazer, American, and even PNC. I will be trying some White Box Winchester in a few days. Any ideas if the problems are brand specific, heat build-up, dirty (fouling), or just a Rookie “limp wristing”?
Jsmith,
You said that you’ve already sent this gun back for the spool? How many rnds since then?
I’m just curious because if your safety is popping up when you move slide to the rear, then it sounds like the spool is making contact with the lower assembly. I’m wondering if this might be the reason your spool ( and a few others) might have broke to begin with.
Until your post I believed that it was just people dry fireing but now I think you might have just found the real problem.
My first Walther was a PPK/S which I have owned since the early 70′s. I had the trigger pull customized to a 4# pull. I loved that piece, but became a small-time gun addict, bringing me to own S&W, Ruger, Browning, Hi-standard, Star, Kimber, Colt and an UZI, to name a few. All of various calibers and all (except UZI) are frequently shot.
Never owned a Polymer weapon until I bought the Walther PK380 in Nickel. I enjoy the grip, the feel, the weight and how it has been shooting. I use either 94 or 95 Grain loads and have used Serbian and USA made ammunition without any faults. The PK380 is an inexpensive weapon which I carry everyday in either an Uncle Mikes #15 (IWB) or a Belly Band Holster that holds 2 extra magazines. It is fun to shoot at the range and for a .380 I have been surprised by the great groupings at either 15 or 20 yards.
I also became creative by making my own “Take Down Key,” that I carry on my key chain. From Ace Hardware, for $1.79 I got a tire stem valve tool, punched out the center tool to fit on my key ring, filed down and smoothed the edges down and expanded the slot a hair. It works better and is stronger than the Walther Key. All of that took me at the most 5 minutes. Now I enjoy it even more by my own personalization of that key.
REALLY ENJOYED COMMENTS ON WALTHER PK380. BOUGHT ONE AT GUN SHOW TODAY. hAVE TWO RUGER LCPS, ONE WITH CRIMSON TRACE SIGHTINGS, tRIGGER PULL ON THE LCPS TOO STIFF FOR MY WIFE TO SHOOT, AND i DON’T LIKE IT EITHER. cAN’T WAIT TO SHOOT WALTHER,
P22 laser does fit The PK380 I have both guns & p22 laser
no problems with Pk380 with white box winchester
Just got walther G22 and the P22 laser does not fit.
G22 has its own laser,fun gun.
And to answer David….I believe that the Walther P22 laser will fit the PK380, but do not quote me.
Has anyone has any issues with the safety flipping to “fire” when you pull the slide back? Numerous times now, I will go to unholster my PK380 at the end of the day and I notice the safety is on “fire” when I know that I had the safety on. I know that it was on safe because I always chamber a round and slowly ride the hammer forward because if you are on safe and snap the hammer down, it will eventually break the safety (already had to ship it to S&W once for this problem….go up the page and you’ll see the post). SO, I have begun running the slide back and forth on safe and noticed the safety pops to “fire” when running the slide.
Anyone else had this problem? Or are all of you going to and replicate my issue now because it gives you a chance to play with your PK380? :’)
Got my 2nd handgun last week. The PK380 is i a great change up to my Browning 9mm. Both are easy to shoot but the 9mm is bigger and heavier… not much but enough that i can’t put it in my pocket without sagging and knowing it is there. the PK380 fits in my pocket or driver side glove box and has a great grip for a large man (6’3″), fitting nicely in the hand; being comfortable with the gun you carry is more important than a little more power. I was looking at the ruger lcp and the taurus tcp but the small grip that leaves the pinky hanging just didn’t feel secure. I was looking at the .22 version and wanted a little more thump. Happened across the PK380 and instantly knew it was what i wanted. I still shoot the 9mm at the range and keep it by the bed but there is a new gun for protection on the move and after taking it to the range i feel comfortable that at 25ft 8 accurate rounds will suffice. All good… except i haven’t got the laser accessory, still looking got the one that specifically goes with the pk380.
If you are looking for an OWB and worn on belt. Go to Walther section and see nicely crafted leather holsters made specifically for each model, including the PK 380.
Finally got some winchester ammo the gun fired with out a problem thanks for all the advice!
It’s reload, so be careful.
all who use a .380 a new ammo is out called usa ammo got to get it on line great target ammo and good price check it out at the web site 1499 a box is clean and no problem with the 100 i fired. They also have some rifle and pistol ammo and soon 6.8 spc for rifle.
Went out to the range last Friday. Fired over 100+ rds of Aguila. Anyway this ammo is made in Mexico and is owned by an American firm. All the rounds chambered, fired and ejected correctly. My one complaint with that particular ammo is it’s dirty. Even though it is FMJ the barrel took a good long cleaning. It’s good practice rounds, but clean, clean after shooting.
Bill,
If you ask 10 people what shoots well in their gun you could get 10 different answers. I use winchester for practice as well but I find speer gold dot shoots best out of my gun on the pp end of things. In a world where we have money oozing out of our eyeballs I would buy a box of every brand and weight of personal protection ammo and find out which shoots best in my gun. But what I would recommend is find out what seems to be the 3 most used pp rnds by the pk owners. Buy a box of each and try them out. Use whichever you shoot best. Not all guns like the same ammo even if they are the same model.
Also noted that on a few other blogs people have been having this same problem with the S&B .380 ammo.
Bill
I have shot the doubletap ammo just because it is what I could find. It shot well. It was a 95 grain JHP.
I also have shot the PMC Bronze 90 grain FMJ. Neither have had any misfires.
Since .380 ammo is hard to find for me I have boxes of ammo that I have yet to shoot like Aquila, Speer Lawman FMJ, Remington FMJ. I need to find some time to go out and shoot each one after I do then I will update on the full results.
Sorry PWR ball for personal protection you can use blazer too for target
Like I said above for ammo I use Winchester 380 from walmart for target peer ball or extreme shock for personal prrotection
Thanks for the replies, I will try some different ammo. What type do you guys use? I would like some for target shooting and some for personal protection.
With regards to Cabelas and their ammo. I received a small catalog dealing with shooting, hunting, etc. What I found interesting is that they go out of their way to tell you about the source of the ammo; USA or foreign. For made in USA they put a little emblem saying that a particular brand is made in the USA. I guess if you don’t see the little emblem, it’s foreign. They had a half page of pistol/revolver ammo that Cabelas said was made in Russian Republic.
OK you all can laugh I have put 900 winchester flay nose rounds through mine they are 33 bucks a box at walmart great for target practice and zeroing if you do that. I have had 1 bad round 33 for 100 rounds and one jam I wish i had those odds at the track lol. PP ammo go with powr ball it is flawless extreme shock works well too. If no ammo works well good luck I am still wasiting on replacement p22 sites i ordered from SW 2 months ago.
Bill,
I would take the gun back to where you purchased it and have them take a look at it. I shot S&B ammo through mine with no problem. I also shot a number of both cast and jacketed reloads with no problems at all-some reloads were at the maximum of what is recommended. I even tried shooting it with a relaxed grip to try to get is to malfunction and no miss-fires or failure to feeds. I did this to be sure my wife would have no problems. My wife actually shot a couple of clips rapid fire with no problems. Definitely have the gun shop that sold it to you take a look at it. It may just need a good cleaning. Good luck and keep us posted.
Bill,
Cabella’s tried to get me to purchase that .380 ammo instead of the ammo I have on backorder. If you read the first few reviews at Cabella’s you would think it is great ammo and maybe the newer batches are. If you keep looking at the reviews you will see a lot of people have problems with the Sellier and Bellot ammo in .380 which is why I passed on the stuff. I would try different ammo before taking it to a gunsmith. Good luck finding different ammo for it.
The ammo is lellier&bellot
Bought my pk 380 about a month ago really like the way it fits my hand and I like the look of it. Finally got to go shoot it this weekend ran two clips through it no problems from that point on every clip had 1 or 2 spent shells stay in the breech. It was like the ejecter wasnt grabbing the shell. When I got the weapon new I cleaned it because the thing was dripping with oil from Walther. The ammo I bought from the gun dealer it was all he had it was FMJ 6,0 92 grs.I hope it is the ammo, does anyone have any input on this ammo. Or is it problem with the weapon. Also this is the first semi auto pistol I own. Thankful for any help.
Went out to the range Friday. Intention was to fire 100 rounds of Mexican ammunition, which can be found along the US/Mexican boarder. I made the purchase of the .380 in the US side. The other thing I wanted to check was the operating design of my PK 380. I had dropped it several times, loaded, with safety on, and unloaded. Well, with it loaded, safety on, you can stand there all day pulling the trigger and nothing will happen. When I dropped it, round in the chamber, safety on, nothing happened. Out at the range I tried to get it to fire, loaded, round in chamber, safety on, nothing. Move the safety lever forward and bang. I guess I’m a little confused reading about how some try to circumvent the safety. I always carry it with a round in the chamber (CCW). OK it will fire if you drop the magazine with a round in the chamber. Put it on safe, it won’t. Simple. Even being dropped several times at home no malfunctions.
Purchased my wife a PK380, for the way it fits in her hand and how it shoots. She fired my 9mm but due to the wieght she had some difficulties. Her accuracy has greatly improved with the 380.
I started down the Walthers path by buying my wife the P-22. It is easy to point, shoot and carry. I was truly impressed with it the first time I fired it. I’m a peace officer and carry off-duty. I bought the PK 380 to two reasons. I frequently ride a motorycle and the the PK 380 fits very well and lies flat in an inside vest pocket designed for concealed carry. Also, if I am away from home, my wife can use the PK 380 for a little more punch defending herself at home, without having to learn a second system.
I have a Beretta model 86 and it is a fine piece. The high capacity magazines are great leanding additional fire power. But it is as big and heavy as my Glock duty weapon or the other 9 mms and .40 cals I own.
The trigger reset on the PK 380 is incredible. After the long first double action shot, follow up shots are crisp and incredibly quick.
I love it. I’ll be glad when there are some decent holsters made for it.
Oh, one thing. I need to see this federal law that gives a 21 foot limit before you can defend yourself. Let someone that close who is skilled at knife fighting and you will bleed out before your handgun turns out the lights on the knife fighter.
For deadly force, you have to be afraid for your life or the life of another, or in fear of great bodily injury. The test is what would a “reasonable” man do under the identical circumstances. If someone threatens you with a pool cue but is 50 feet away, you shouldn’t shoot. However, if he approaches you to a distance where a “reasonable” man would feel threatened, you may clearly defend yourself.
Hi to PK380 shooters and fans. Just wanted to let you know I found yet another source for holsters. It’s called ‘The HolsterStore.com’. They offer a full line for Walthers with special attention to the PK380. I ordered an IWB with a 15 degree cant and body slide protector. In addition I ordered one of their magazine pouches which stacks 2 mags in a single pouch.
I Finally got a chance to take my PK.380 to the range. I tried several different bullets configurations. I shot 90 gr hollow points loaded with 4.6 gr of Unique (1200 fps through the chrono) , 115 gr HP loaded with 4 gr of unique. I also fired quite a few cast bullet loads-and they all shot flawlessly! Not one fail to feed or misfire. I would not want to shoot in competition with it, but it does hold it’s own. My wife really liked the little .380. She had no problem emptying a full magazine rapid fire. And hold them on a pie plate size target at 15 feet.
Shortly after I had purchased my PK380 First Edition, 3 figure serial, I realized I needed another trigger lock key. One is supplied but I knew I would better having an extra on hand. I called Walther and talked to their head of supply in the US. He advised they had no extras. However he would place an order for me. This was in October. During the week just ending I received not one but two separate trigger lock keys. This gives me a total of three. Now I know what Walther calls them, trigger lock keys. Nothing to do with take down or anything else. I thought it was nice they actually filled my requests at no charge. 06/19/2010.
Of late I’ve seen a number of PK380s with either the lip on the magazine or as someone said, “you can expect it to wear out”. I imagine that Walther is referring to tensile strength. Going back some 40 odd years in Vietnam, and as only one of two Military Police Companies in country. We were spread out from DaNang to Soc trang deep in the delta. I had my squad of MPs all were issued the standard M-14. Having made friends with the Special Forces ‘B’ detachment, particularly their weapons NCOIC. Ha had a very nice arsenal. Told me to choose me some more handy then the M-14.
I chose a “grease gun”. Originally designed for use by paratroopers during WWll. It was carried on into the Korean mess. Anyway after I was in Nam I was offered the grease gun with a pouch for 5 extra mags. 25- or 30 per mag. I then had a ranger show me how to tape two additional mags to the central mag. I had some damn good fire power with that little gun. Nothing fancy, it operated on the blowback design. The bolt and barrel were steel, the rest stamped out by machine.
OK, I always had my men replace the mags they carried for fresh ones. Clean and inspect every couple of weeks. Weak springs, ‘lips; on the mags for proper feeding, but no oil. In the dry season we’d come back looking red from the dust. Now they had stopped making the grease gun, years before. The point being the were old and worn but they matched my requirements. I carried that beat up old ‘grease gun’ for 11 months.
My M-14 jamed three times in critical situations. I had simply lost confidence I put in my wall locker. Real life situation, coming back to PLeiku, it was already dusk. WE had the rear position. About 100 yards between my jeep and the last 2 1/2. Hearing shots fired. We I kept us about about a 100 yards. A surprise assault team. As we crested the hill we saw three VC with weapons. I told Dick to drive and Littlejohn and I would handled the VC. Dick laid on the horn and Littlejohn and and I prepared. Basically all I can remember was my grease gun was flawless. I saw three standing by the road, mouths dropping, as I knocked down three. Surprised, you bet. Back to the article. Clean, clean, clean.
Codeman,
If you are putting in 1000 rounds per session, might be heat issues with the return spring. How does the slide feel on the frame? Is it loose at all? Walther says that the zinc alloy of the slide may wear after the first 5000 rounds. That’s why I started oiling mine up with synthetic oil. Could also be the clip spring. If you don’t have an extra clip lying around empty without tension, you should. I found also the there are two tabs, very small at the back of the top of the clip which aide in the ejection of the shell. If either are bent or one is missing, the bullet will smokestack prior to breech loading for fire. And that’s inconsistent, sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn’t. I found this out after I purchased a used P22 some years back and discovered that one of the tabs was missing. (Broken likely from slamming the clip either too hard on loading or down on the top feed surface.) In any event it’s always good to keep a couple of clips about empty and to change them out with loaded every three months or so and let them relax, so to speak. Slide springs should be readily available. Hope this helped.
Have you tried cleaning the clips. They build up with the coating that .22 rounds are covered in as well as powder and that can cause feeding problems. I have a Remington 597 rifle that the clips seem to gum up but a good washing with a solution of Dawn and water and then put them back together gets them to working good. It is easy to tell with it because those clips will just stick. I don’t know about the SP22 but all the pistols I have, in the owners manual there is a section for cleaning the clips.
I have a P22 question.
I’ve run well over 1,000 rounds through my P22 and I clean and lube it after every session. As of late, it’s gotten were it miss feeds about 5 to 10 rounds out of 100. This gives me a lot of “tap, rack” practice, but I was wondering if anyone had an idea as to what’s causing it and what would be a good solution. Could the return spring be getting weak?
My two brothers and I took my p22, pk380, and glock out to shoot. My 8 year old nephew was with us and wanted to shoot the p22 so with his dads permission (my oldest brother who was shooting with us) I loaded 5 rounds into the mag of the gun. I was helping every step of the way from holding it, aiming and squeezing off the rounds and he did great. so great that he was hitting paper. On the last round the bullet casing ejected and landed on the top of his right trigger hand and obviously it was hot leaving a burn. He got spooked and immediatley dropped the the gun with the slide open into the sandy dirt which is not a big deal cause the gun can always be cleaned out but this was alot if sandy dirt. After I cleaned it twice it still doesnt feel quite right, I can fire all ten rounds both slowly and quickly with out it jamming. Any ideas on what I could do?? (By the way nephew is fine and wants to shoot again)
I have been noticing for some time some shaking in my left hand. My right is fine, (strong hand). When I shot to qualify for my CWC I used the standard two hand grip with my S&W 640-1, using .38 cal ammunition. I shot and qualified but did not like the idea of “throwing my first round”. “Throwing a round” is essentially missing but still cutting paper. So I went to the computer and did research on ballistics. Now I qualified with the .45 ACP from my Colt Commander, with a nice group. I’ve been shooting the .45 acp since 1963 in the military police. Then further qualified expert as well when the Air Force was carrying a.38 S&W MP, then switched to the Berretta .9 mm
For CCW I settled on a S&W model 637, airweight in stainless, chambered for .38 plus .38 plus +. I enjoy my hammerless in my S&W 640.1, 38 or .357. But that is a long and hard trigger pull on the 640-1. With my weak side. My 637-1 has an exposed hammer which which is very beneficial shooting weak side.
Midway got some cheaper Speer ammo today it is FMJ. I just ordered a couple of boxes and I problably should have ordered a case of it.
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=995962
Eddy DeSantis makes holsters for the PK380. I purchased a leather IWB and it works well. They may have even more now.
for the guys and gals who have arthritis and shoulder problems get supercissus rx by usplabs. search it and u can get it cheap. it is a god send. as i tore my rotator cuff and it has rebuilt it in less than 3 months. back to shooting though. i just got a clipdraw for my walther pk380 as i could not find a good holster for it, to carry concealed. it is amazing and at 26 dollars including shipping it is hard to beat. it takes about 2 minutes to put on and wears like a glove.
http://www.clipdraw.com
The PK380 saftey broke this morning at the range. I’ve owned for about 3 months and have put maybe 200 rounds through it. I don’t sit at home squeezing the trigger on it either banging away on the safety if you know what I mean. When I bought the pistol, I commented on the fact that I thought it was odd that you could pull the trigger completely through and bang the hammer on the safety block. That can’t happen on the PPK/S of mine. I’m really pretty disappointed about this, seems like a major design flaw as well as safety issue in my opinion. It would be pretty stupid if you dropped the hammer on “safe” and it broke and engaged the firing pin (and even stupider if there was a round in the chamber). Other than that, I love this pistol, it is very accurate and my wife can operate the slide with ease (which is why I purchased this over the Bersa).
OK I am chiming in on some of the comments. I have MS and have problems at times grasping my hand guns handicaps can be a problem when you shoot. I have a Ruger P95 that I love dearly but the grip is wide and if I needed to use it I could but it does cause problems at times. I have gone to a 380 because of the large enough round to stop someone, I have 2 that are very nice and easy to handle. The walther pk380 is an excellent pistol with one down fall it needs to have the same ability as the P22 with interchangable front sights that would make it more accurate. My other 380 is a (don’t Laugh) Hi Point I find it to be better than the walther lol for a 3rd of the price. Both are exc ellent weapons though.
For Codeman:
Pulled out the box with all the extra stuff. You had awaken my mind reference safeties on those little .22s. I’m going to quote ” All NAA ( North American Arms) are equipped with multiple safeties. However, because of the small size ( 1 1/8 inch barrel ). So much to keep the corporate lawyers happy”. Safety operation; all NAA mini-revolvers come with the traditional half cock safety, which you mentioned. NAA goes on to say, because of the design of the cylinder, the HALF-COCK safety is used only for loading and unloading. NAA mini-revolvers main safety is located on the cylinder. Notice the safety slots between the chambers on the cylinder; these slots allow the hammer blade to rest into one of these slots, locking the cylinder, allowing you to carry the gun with all five chambers loaded with no chance of an accidental discharge.
In response to Dave’s comments on the North American Arms 22 magnum mini revolver, this firearm also has a half-cock safety like you will find on some single action revolvers and lever action rifles. I find the half-cock safety much easier to deal with than trying to drop the hammer between two rounds on the cylinder.
I carry mine with the half-cock safety on over a live round in a ankle holster with a velcro strap retainer across the hammer preventing the gun from being cocked or falling out of the holster. This little single action revolver is a suprisingly dependable, easy to use and accurate for its size.
You want a small 5 shot revolver in cal .22 long or .22 magnum, look at North American arms. They are not derringers. ATF has said ‘revolvers.’ The safety lies in the position of the hammer. Between two chambers on the cylinder. AS long as you don’t cock it, it is fool proof. Now no one has said you will shoot the old Camp Perry courses, and the likes of two of the finest shooters representing the Border Patrol. Bill Jordan was one, other was Don Blankenship. Although I count myself lucky to have “shot” Camp Perry, and seeing those two in action. I myself would put maximum accuracy at around eight feet. Anything else is luck or a throw away. These are quality little revolvers made in Utah. With the constant improvement in cal .22 ammo, it is a force to be reckoned with. So if you are looking for small, look no farther.
I decide to trade in my tiny Ruger LCP because I have very large hands and could not hang on the the petite grip of the Ruger I kind of like the .380 caliber. I can fire off 9 aimed rounds much faster and more controlled than with a 9mm or .45. Also, the Ruger was very inaccurate even for a “belly” gun. I have shot both informal and competitively for over 40 years, and I had a very hard time hitting a man size target at anything over 15 yards. Perhaps it was the gun-I don’t know, but the Walther is very accurate and fits my hands very well. I also like the external hammer, manual safety,DA/SA action and the drift adjustable sights. And it does fit in my front pocket, or a belt holster. If I could find a .380 between the LCP and the PK with DA/SA function- that would be great.
I got my PK380 back from Walther and no problems so far. I re-read the owner’s manual and while it is vague, it does make reference to not slamming home the hammer while on safe. And I bought another PK380 this past Saturday. I like this little gun a lot and recommend it.
Just picked up a PK380 today. Going to take it to the range this weekend.
Before you go putting this gun down (Wlather PK380) go and shoot it.
I just bought one and put fifty rounds inside the diameter of a shot glass.
No issues with jams or any others. This is not the only gun I own and shoot.
I have ran some Hornaday through mine, I believe it is +P. Put about 10-15 rounds through it, not a lot but I had no issues.
Does any one know if the PK380 can handle 380+p amo
Thanks
I got my PK380 back from Smith & Wesson yesterday. Works perfectly fine. I am going to ride the hammer forward now as opposed to just squeezing the trigger and letting it go forward. I wish that Walther/Smith & Wesson had made the safety a bit stronger though.
Well I finally got a chance to go do some target practice with mine. I have only owned Smith and Wesson (44mag and 10mm) and they both came with adjustable sites. I was really surprised and happy about the accuracy out of the box. I admit I miss the decocker and I am not particularly crazy about the way you have to chamber a round but I had no problems with it. I need a lot more work firing it from the double action though. Next I just have to get my wife some time using it.
I just got my hands on one of these PK380′s 3-25-10
Went to the range today & put 100 rounds of winchester
amo and no problems. I also have a P22 with a walther
lazer. I like both of these guns verry well. The lazer fits the
PK380 and looks very streamline just like on the P22
Other guns I own
Glock 26 9mm
Glock 19 9mm
S&W 586 .357 Mag
S&W 642 .38 +p Air weight
LPC .380
Tarus 709 9mm on vacation in fl. feeding problems.
Just took CCL class 2 weeks ago.
So far winter with a coat on all day G26 padel hplster,no jacket 709 or PK380 IWB summer shorts & T shirt LPC.
Every one shoot often and
THINK SAFTY WHEN HANDLEING FRIE ARMS.
I had the same problem a few times when releasing the slide….if you call it releasing. I would just yank back on the slide after putting in a new mag. I think that the solution to your problem might be either the ammo is a little underpowered or your grip needs to be a little bit more tight. Not taking a shot at your manliness, I had that problem with a few sidearms when I first got into shooting. Squeeze a little harder on the grip, if it helps then problem solved, if not then try a different brand of ammo. As for over oiled…my PK380 was still seeping lube after almost two months of use. You could be correct in that there is too much lube causing the weapon to have a carbon overload leading to the slide not functioning 100%. Take it down as far as you can, use a ton of cloths to wipe it and try that. Let us know what you come up with.
hey everyone I had a quick question. I recently just bought the match combo set of the p22 and the pk380 and I love them both. The p22 hasn’t caused me any problems, but I have had some issue’s with the 380. My problem is when Im firing off my rounds, after the gun ejects a round and chambers the next one the slide doesnt come all the way forward, so it basiclly stays partly open. This doesnt happen all the time but it has occured more then two occasions already. The ammo I used was winchester, and I shot 100 rounds through it. Could it be that the gun just needed some breaking in? I also thought that when I first got the guns they seemed to be over oiled, could the gun have built up some gunk from the first few rounds? or maybe it was operator error? The p22 didnt cause any problems nor did my glock 23 when I bought it new as well please let me know if you haveany ideas. Thank you
I don’t understand why they push the idea of using the safety on the p22 and pk380 as a decocker. When a gun has a decocker built into it usually able to do this because you don’t have to pull the trigger. With most guns now unless you pull the trigger the firing pin is either locked or angled away from the chambered round so when the hammer falls it can’t fire. With the way that the pk380 and p22 are set up you just have a drum that rotates and blocks the firing pin. If you look close it only keeps the hammer off the pin by a hair. I don’t think it would take long before this was wore down enough that a hammer could inadvertantly hit the pin. If this happens the gun will go off because you had to pull the trigger which in turn disengages all other firing pin safeties. I know it’s a slim chance. But then again so are the chances of needing to use your defense pistol but I still plan for that.