Tuning Walther P22

[panoz77]

After having some feed issues and ejection issues, I happened across a video that seemed to well explain what were the causes.  After looking at it, I agree with the video and did some fine tuning to my P22.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2oIZOyfDLc

As described in the video, there is not a smooth transition from the feed ramp to the bottom of the barrel.  The bottom of barrel itself creates a tiny lip that can catch the brass.  For this, I took a tiny diamond coated pencil tip grinder on the dremel and put a tiny bevel on the bottom of the barrel from about 7 to 5 O'clock.  Then polished the ramp and the bevel with flitz and polishing wheel.  The "bevel" is extremely minimal and probably not even noticeable from a picture.


The second issue is the top of the hammer that drags on the safety rod that goes through the slide at the rear, this a major friction point on the slide and is probably the biggest cause of feed and ejection problems IMO.  I filed down the beveled area of the hammer and then mirror polished it and also polished the safety rod.  The difference in drag on the slide is unreal.  There is no hangup any longer (as shown in the video) and the two surfaces now slide freely.



I have not test fired yet, but I am fairly sure it will function much better with bulk ammo now.  I'll update in a few days after I get back out to test it.

[Toad]

I found that with the P22s the chamber throat is stepped and does not have a smooth transition into the rifling. Lead fouling builds on the step, and you end up with feeding/ejection issues. And, in the case of a really dirty barrel, out of chamber ignitions. Keep them clean. Clean from the breach and muzzle. Don't use cheap ammo.

Now if I can keep the roll pin from sliding out of my breach block and jamming my safety...life would be great.

[panoz77]

I found that with the P22s the chamber throat is stepped and does not have a smooth transition into the rifling. Lead fouling builds on the step, and you end up with feeding/ejection issues. And, in the case of a really dirty barrel, out of chamber ignitions. Keep them clean. Clean from the breach and muzzle. Don't use cheap ammo.

Now if I can keep the roll pin from sliding out of my breach block and jamming my safety...life would be great.

Yeah, this one was very clean, it shoots CCI well, but has issues lately with bulk.  It was running good on bulk, then today started having hiccups.  I'm going out tomorrow to the property to do some wood cuttin' and I'll see how it runs with the modifications.

The slide feels much smoother with the hand filing of the hammer and polishing the hammer and that safety rod.

[Toad]

They just don't shoot bulk lead well. It is what it is...

[panoz77]

They just don't shoot bulk lead well. It is what it is...

I'm hoping I can change that 

I'm starting to want a Ruger SR-22 too.

[Toad]

They just don't shoot bulk lead well. It is what it is...

I'm hoping I can change that 

I'm starting to want a Ruger SR-22 too.

Yeah, and I'm hoping hair grows back in my bald spot.  ...ain't gonna happen for either of us.

[DonTom]

Yeah, this one was very clean, it shoots CCI well, but has issues lately with bulk.

Yep. Mine kept on jamming with everything other than  CCI Mini-Mag LR (40 gr. 1235 FPS). So that's all I use with it. I was told by a gun dealer that the P22 was designed to only use high velocity ammo, such as the CCI Mini-Mags.

While it has jammed with everything other than the CCI, to the point of being unusable,  I am still waiting for it to  jam even once with the CCI Mini-Mags.

I own many .22LR hand guns and I now like my Walther P22 the most of all. It was my choice for my CCW class last month. The only problem with mine  is that it only works well with the CCI, as expected, so I simply save all my CCI for the P22.

-Don-  Reno, NV

[greywolf187]

did all that and had to get about 2500 round through mine before I could shoot bulk ammo. now it will eats anything I put in it. BUT, It likes CCI best. also I've found that most of my .22lr gun don't like the soft lead ammo, but anything coppers is good.

[Toad]

I can get 3-4 boxes of bulk through mine, until really bad stuff starts happening. CCI doesn't even tickle it.

[73nova]

Google the p22 bible, it has some good info. That being said I got a p22 in a trade and no matter what it was garbage, I couldnt run a mag with out a jam. I traded it for a mkIII 22/45.

[bch7773]

mine will eat bulk ammo just fine IF I use the coated bullets, that have metal coating over the lead, like remingtons? golden bullets.

otherwise the lead builds up and it gets FTEs

[panoz77]

Not cured yet.  Still had ejection problems, stovepipes and fail to fires.  I'm not sure if because it was so cold out, that didn't have something to do with it today, it was about 17 deg F.  Today, it even had problems with the slide going fully into battery.   

[panoz77]

Still working on it.  I put a flat spot on the safety bar when it is in the "fire" position as there was still contact between the slide and bar.  There is another modification I saw where the firing pin is polished as well.  I'm not going to take down the slide to do that.

[Messiah Jones]

 I have an issue with my P22, maybe you guys know something. I don't have any feeding or ejection issues at all but since I got it there's been a problem with the double action. You have to manually cock the hammer back. If you pull the trigger the hammer comes back and then falls, but stops before striking. So no boom boom.

[panoz77]

I have an issue with my P22, maybe you guys know something. I don't have any feeding or ejection issues at all but since I got it there's been a problem with the double action. You have to manually cock the hammer back. If you pull the trigger the hammer comes back and then falls, but stops before striking. So no boom boom.

Maybe a problem with your safety or your safety is on?  On the P22, when the safety is on, the hammer will appear to fall but not contact the firing pin.