View Full Version : De-Cocking a PPQ
As we all know, the PPQ is a striker fired weapon which, short of dry firing, makes it impossible to de-cock as the PPQ does not have a de-cocking mechanism. Or does it?
I was reading through some threads in the Walther Forums going back to the 2011 SHOT show when the PPQ was unveiled for US sales when I came across a post the mentioned something about one of the P99s being de-cocked by simply pressing the slide back a short distance. It made no sense to me, but sometimes I just don't get German engineering!
After a bit of fooling around with my new PPQ, I found that, when cocked, if you press the slide back until it just starts to meet resistance, press the trigger and hold it while releasing the slide, the pistol will de-cock. The pistol can be cocked again by simply pressing the slide back again just a short distance.
If the trigger is pressed too soon, or the slide move too far or not far enough, the pistol will not de-cock. You have to find the right spot and sequence or it will not work. It must be deliberately done. With a little practice, it becomes easy. Of course, when practicing this, be sure your PPQ is unloaded
Cool, could you verify that with a round in the chamber? Let us
know how it goes.
Sorry, had to say.
Don't think I would try that one unless out in the open somewhere,
not in the kitchen.
Great gun to shoot though, enjoy mine greatly.
Why would I want to de-cock my PPQ?
When the slide is in that position, the striker is not even cocked. It's the last half inch of travel or so that cocks the striker. The striker actually de-cocks every time the slide is pulled to the rear
F-Trooper05
04-02-12, 20:23
Why would you do this? It's dangerous and was not what the engineers had in mind when they designed it. If you want a gun that decocks, get a P99.
Why would I want to de-cock my PPQ?
Maybe because it needs to be de-cocked before you can remove the slide? Maybe it gives you another option? If you don't want to know, move along, there's nothing for you to see here. If you'd like to learn more about how the PPQ works, stick around.
I like to know how things work.
In this photo, we see the trigger sear as it sit's in the frame
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n289/SgtSongDog/Handguns/TriggerSear.jpg
Here is the striker sear which is in the slide
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n289/SgtSongDog/Handguns/StrikerSear.jpg
When the slide is closed, the two engage each other and cocks the striker. When the slide is retracted, the two sears disengage one another, relieving all spring tension on the striker, de-cocking it. When the slide is partially retracted to this position, the spring pressure is completely relieved. The pistol is de-cocked
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n289/SgtSongDog/Handguns/DSC_0008.jpg
It is only in this position that the trigger can be depressed to lower the trigger sear so that it will not engage the striker sear when the slide returns forward. The PPQ cannot fire in this condition. For this photo, the main spring has been removed. The striker spring spring prevents the slide from closing without the main spring. If you push the slide closed, the striker spring will push the slide rearward again without the main spring to hold it closed
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n289/SgtSongDog/Handguns/DSC_0009.jpg
Interesting. I didn't realize that the PPQ had a fully cocked striker after every slide cycle.
The trigger is a two stage single action with a very short reset. With the exception of the first stage being a little too heavy and has a bit of stacking, I like it very much.
What surprised me, is that the striker completely de-cocks as the slide moves to the rear
gtmtnbiker98
04-03-12, 12:14
Decocking a PPQ outside of the original design is pointless.
Thanks for taking the time to post the pics.
"...For this photo, the main spring has been removed. The striker spring spring prevents the slide from closing without the main spring. If you push the slide closed, the striker spring will push the slide rearward again without the main spring to hold it closed..."
This makes perfect sense, clear as day!
Decocking a PPQ outside of the original design is pointless.
Then you've got nothing to worry about
Wouldn't this result in an extra step if you needed the weapon in a SD situation?
Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk
Yes it would. I don't advocate carrying a PPQ decocked. While it only takes a small amount off movement to cock the pistol, I am sure that under stress, I would just rip the slide back and eject the round anyway. This is just something I found interesting after I discovered that the P99Q with a similar trigger design could be decocked the same way.
It's probably just trivia, but I now have a much better understanding and appreciation for how the PPQ works.
I wonder if anyone makes a piston upper for the PPQ?
Gary1911A1
04-03-12, 15:16
Reminds me of when Bill Wilson recommended you keep the trigger of a 1911 pulled while loading the first round from a magazine into the chamber to prevent wear and tear of the sear and hammer. That didn't last long.
I don't think this is unique to the PPQ. I think most striker fired handguns release spring tension on the striker as they go out of battery. Generally the sear, trigger bar or whatever the part name may be is what engages the striker and pulls it to the rear. As the slide moves back out of battery the spring tension is released.
As far as this decocking technique goes, its neat and all, but Im not sure what the objective in it is. It seems inherently dangerous to try and balance the I've pulled the slide out of battery enough to not go bang, but not so much as to eject the round. With a loaded gun thats an ND waiting to happen.
IMO there is little need to decock the gun once its been gassed up. Not the design intent of the manufacturer. If you're worried about long term storage with the striker in a cocked position, wouldn't it be better to unload, verify empty chamber and then pull the trigger while pointing in a safe direction.
If you're uncomfortable carrying or storing the gun with the striker cocked and a round in the chamber you should also be uncomfortable trying to pull the gun out of battery just enough to not allow the gun to discharge while purposefully pulling the trigger. IMO a better solution would be to go full mag on empty chamber and then do the Israeli thing when the balloon goes up. Most likely in a stressful situation you're going to just yank the crap out of the slide and eject the round in the chamber any way.
So...the PPQ needs a better disconnector?
Rompnstomp
04-13-12, 21:46
I think that most of you have missed the point here. The OP has found a neat little mechanical Easter Egg and is simply sharing it with us. I don't recall him ever mentioning that the gun should be carried in a decocked fashion. Is it trivial? Sure it is. Do I find it interesting? Hell yeah I do. The more I know about a mechanical devise the better. Maybe that's just the mechanic in me.
a decocker by definition does not require you to pull the trigger.
interesting, but please dont' do it with a live round in the chamber.
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