WALTHER P22 ARE UNSAFE

[bigrdenu]

Today, while firing at the range, the slide of my Walther P22 broke, seperated from the weapon and struck me in the head. Luckly for me I was wearing a hat and the slide deflected off the brim. I came back and immediately contacted Smith and Wesson to have the weapon repaired. I searched the internet, and found that this is a common issue. I am disappointed that I was never advised of the defect, and also that Walther would make such an unsafe weapon. I found a link on the internet to a guy who has broken several slides.
http://home.cogeco.ca/~wayne_storage...KED_SLIDE.html
Please be careful.
P.S. Mine broke in the exact same spot as the pistols shown on the site.

[Pa Migra]

That's too bad! I actually just unloaded my P22 48 hours ago for a Ruger Mk III hunter. Perhaps I made a good decision. I always thought that P22 was a cool little gun. In the two years I had mine, I put about 2,000 rounds through it. Knock on wood, I never had any of the feed problems or other internet horror stories with mine. It was one of the guns I taught a few younger cousins and a girlfriend to shoot. Loved the Walther, but not nearly as accurate as the MK III. Sorry for your loss.

[MartinBrody]

I LOVE my P22, just a fun little gun that functions great. That said, having put maybe a few thousand rounds through it the wear is unmistakably that of a gun that just isn't made to hold up in the long run. Anywhere the slide contacts the frame both parts are just smoothing themselves down until eventually it will just fall apart at the seams. I am not ready to retire mine yet, although I used to shoot a lot of CCI Stingers because the flash and recoil was cool for a 22, although it is only a standard velocity gun now, as it probably should have been all along.

[PisnNapalm]

*cough*get a Ruger*cough*

EDIT:: I've put probably well over 10,000 rounds through my Ruger MkIII. Not a single major malfunction.....ever.

[Perkascene]

That's a shame. I really wanted to buy one a while back. I wound up spending my money on a CZ52 instead at the time. Guess I didn't miss much.

[bigrdenu]

*cough*get a Ruger*cough*

EDIT:: I've put probably well over 10,000 rounds through my Ruger MkIII. Not a single major malfunction.....ever.

Priced them and the Buckmark after it happened while on the phone with smith

That's too bad! I actually just unloaded my P22 48 hours ago for a Ruger Mk III hunter. Perhaps I made a good decision. I always thought that P22 was a cool little gun. In the two years I had mine, I put about 2,000 rounds through it. Knock on wood, I never had any of the feed problems or other internet horror stories with mine. It was one of the guns I taught a few younger cousins and a girlfriend to shoot. Loved the Walther, but not nearly as accurate as the MK III. Sorry for your loss.

I was going to teach people to shoot with this weapon and it could have been horrible. Someone could have really gotten hurt. Thank God.
Now I am wondering if i need to worry about my p99. 40 s&w will send a slide back much much harder.

[jmiro]

Just got my slide replaced for nothing from S&W. The slide release beveled the slide it wouldnt lock back anymore. Ive got thousands of rounds through her and thats the only problem I have *knocking on wood*.

*cough*get a Ruger*cough*

EDIT:: I've put probably well over 10,000 rounds through my Ruger MkIII. Not a single major malfunction.....ever.

This is the next 22 when the p22 craps the bed.

[Lazydog]

Sorry to hear this. I too was looking at this as a plinker. Guess now I have to set my sights on something else.

[P-11 shooter]

The slide stop wearing the frame is a common complaint. My mom carries a p-22 and I'm really not that worried but I'm glad you weren't hurt.

Her slide looks brand new despite thousands of rounds through it. We never use it to release the slide so it never got jacked up.

[knight0334]

Priced them and the Buckmark after it happened while on the phone with smith



I was going to teach people to shoot with this weapon and it could have been horrible. Someone could have really gotten hurt. Thank God.
Now I am wondering if i need to worry about my p99. 40 s&w will send a slide back much much harder.

I doubt you'll have to worry about your P99. They were rigorously tested by a few militarys and police departments around the world. None failed.

I'd suspect the P22's failures are due to a cheaper alloy to keep the slide light enough to work with the rather powder puff recoil of the 22 rimfire. Sorta why certain models of the Phoenix/Jennings/Bryco/etc fail. Cheap alloy, combine that with certain stress points and failure is eminent. Zinc alloys are heavily used in such guns, and will break very easily. ...easily enough for at least one state to outlaw them just for that fact, SC.