Anyone own a Walther P22

[icyclefar]

Just wanted to share this discovery with the Walther P22. Bought one recently from another NES'er to satisfy my sons desire to have something "cool" to shoot. It's hard to say no to the kid, especialy when it's 22 cal. an oh so cheap to shoot.

Well prior to the P22 he only shot revolvers, and my Glock on occasion ....... all of which have no safeties. (not counting the shooter mind you)

So in comes the P22 with it's ambidexturous thumb flip safety ........... push it one way, now it's "safe" push it the other and now you can "fire". At each end of the travel there is a detent that locks the lever into position .......... now here is the problem that I discovered ......... mind you, I was LOOKING for potential problems, prior to giving this to the boy at the range.

If you set the safety but fall short of locking into the detent, and then attempt to de-cock the gun with a chambered round, IT WILL FIRE. I set up this scenario at the range and sure enough, BANG, pulled the trigger and the safety lever swung back from safe to fire and the round went off.

Crazy as it might sound, I still like the P22. It's fun to shoot. But it certainly reinforces what I always believed ........... There is only one safety that you can depend on and that is you!

 

[dreppucci007]

There is only one safety that you can depend on and that is you!

Ain't it the truth!

I never really tried something like that with either of my P22s (yes, I've owned 2, and sold both...Just didn't do it for me).

 

[EddieCoyle]

There is only one safety that you can depend on and that is you!

Hell yes!

I had a similar thing happen to me but on a different gun. I have a Mauser C96 "Broomhandle". While I was at the range shooting it for the first time, the safety engaged itself halfway through the magazine. With the gun (fortunately) still pointing downrange, I removed my finger from the trigger guard and pushed the safety back to the "fire" position and BANG!, the gun went off. It was one of the scariest things that's ever happened to me.

Weird part is, I didn't think, "I should keep this pointed downrange when I flip the safety off.", I just did it that way out of habit. Good habits are good.