Walther SSP trigger not resetting

r042wal · Post by **r042wal** » Thu Jul 28, 2011 7:26 am

I have a Walther SSP I have been shooting for two years. During rapid fire, the trigger does not reset. I literally have to completely remove my finger from touching the trigger and even then, it takes a couple of movements of the durigger (1st stage) before it resets.

If I am doing timed or slow fire it is fine. I can relax the trigger and even take up a little of the play in the first stage and the trigger resets fine.

I keep the pistol clean, I have sprayed G-96 into the trigger assembly and blown it out. I have not made any adjustments to the trigger. Despite the new trigger documentation released by Walther, I am rather intimidated with the adjustments. Can anyone suggest what might me the problem?

I have about 10,000 round through the pistol and keep it clean. Does anyon know what I mean about the trigger resetting so it can fire? The action is clean and all the springs are in place. Thanks.

David Levene · Post by **David Levene** » Thu Jul 28, 2011 9:07 am

I'm certainly not an expert on the SSP but on many other target quality pistols this would be an indication that it needed more first stage trigger movement.

Naimed1983 · Post by **Naimed1983** » Thu Jul 28, 2011 9:32 am

Well. A general rule in maintenance of airpistols (friction based triggers) is that liquids, like oil and spray stuff, totally (almost permanently!) makes your trigger useless. I do not know if this also apply on firearms like an SSP.

Greg Derr · Post by **Greg Derr** » Sat Jul 30, 2011 7:31 pm

How about overtravel? If it is too short, the drawbar or trigger bar can not re engage the sear. Just one thing to look at.

Crete · Post by **Crete** » Tue Aug 02, 2011 5:05 am

I was shooting a friend's SSP for the first time yesterday and at some point the trigger got way too heavy and I had to remove the magazine and start all over.

Then all of a sudden I had a spent case caught in the breech (FTE=Fail To Eject).

Again I had to stop and remove the magazine and start all over again.

A second non-resetting trigger occurred towards the end of a 5-shot string.

It is a first-batch model and has been shot very little. Ammo was Geco Rifle (red box) and my score from this first attempt with the SSP @ 25m offhand was 537/600.

Any ideas as to what is happening?

Richard H · Post by **Richard H** » Tue Aug 02, 2011 6:36 am

First thing the SSP unlike the GSP needs to be cleaned often and well (500 rnds max). Another thing is to make sure the oriffices are in the right ports on the recoil system.

Crete · Post by **Crete** » Tue Aug 02, 2011 8:12 am

Thanks Richard H,

It had not been shot for a while and as this isn't mine (yet), I cannot at this point attest on its state of readiness. I only know that the owner has shot his highest score w/it (apparently 567/600 or so) before stoppages forced him out of two national competitions and returned to his trusty GSP Expert. He claims that he has never touched any of the factory settings on the SSP ever since he got it several years ago.

I am being offered to try and shoot it and see if it functions in my hand and attempt using it in a match without malfunctions. I may give it a go in a local standard pistol match soon and see how it performs. In the meantime I am practicing w/it once a week. I really like it as it is lightweight and points perfectly with minimum upward recoil.

Is there anything I can do/check on my part (externally), as a part-time user on the shooting range before or after a practicing?

David Levene · Post by **David Levene** » Tue Aug 02, 2011 8:38 am

Crete wrote:He claims that he has never touched any of the factory settings on the SSP ever since he got it several years ago.

There's the problem. Screws are designed to be turned. ;-)

Being serious, It would be rare to find a top quality target pistol that didn't benefit from some degree of adjustment once it had been "shot-in".

Crete · Post by **Crete** » Tue Aug 02, 2011 9:28 am

OK. So what are the recommended tweaks for the SSP? I have not seen the papers that accompanied the pistol. Are there any guidelines for personalizing it, other than adjusting the 3D pro-touch grip?

David Levene · Post by **David Levene** » Tue Aug 02, 2011 10:12 am

You will probably want to look at:-
http://www.carl-walther.de/files/pdf/SS ... rachig.pdf
http://www.carl-walther.de/files/pdf/SS ... 759977.pdf
http://www.carl-walther.de/files/pdf/SS ... 759985.pdf

If you can translate from Spanish you might also want:-
http://www.carl-walther.de/files/pdf/SS ... anisch.pdf
http://www.carl-walther.de/files/pdf/SS ... anisch.pdf

Richard H · Post by **Richard H** » Tue Aug 02, 2011 3:17 pm

If it's an early SSP there is an o ring on the one guid rod that needs to be lubed, according to the Walther Sports Service people it was responsible for many early failures that's whybthey dropped it latter on.

Go to the Walther web site and it has the latest instructions on setting the trigger. Any time you admit the trigger you have to readjust the engagement as well. Thevtrigger adjustments are dependent on one another, it sounds complicated but it you follow the instructions it pretty easy.

Then just make sure it's cleaned and lubed.

RMar · Post by **RMar** » Wed Aug 03, 2011 9:58 am

Since you're all talking about the SSP trigger, I have a question about it that is related to the original. Does this trigger have a long reset? That is, do you need to allow the trigger to travel forward significantly in order for it to reset properly?

I seem to recall the really old Walther triggers had a short reset. When Walther redesigned their triggers in the early to mid '90s, the reset seemed long. I am curious to know if the reset on the SSP also has a long reset.

Thanks.

Richard H · Post by **Richard H** » Wed Aug 03, 2011 5:49 pm

Well I never found any of my GSP triggers both single stage and double stage to be strangely longer in travel to reset, nor do I find the SSP trigger to have a longer than normal travelnto reset. The SSP trigger shares absolutely nothing with the GSP Triggers, it's a totally different trigger.

It does need to be set up properly, early instructions were poor, have since been corrected and if they are followed the trigger can easily be set to ones liking. If not followed enjoy the frustration, the settings effect one another and have to be adjusted in order and readjusted.

Crete · Post by **Crete** » Thu Aug 04, 2011 12:16 am

Wow. There are so many bibs and bobs that need sorting. I read the brochures and I will see about the O-ring and the trigger set up when I get another go with this particular (early-production) SSP next Monday and I will keep you posted.

As a byline, I have shot the GSP and the SSP within days apart and they are completely different pistols due to their triggers being dissimilar. I prefer the SSP trigger hands down, although it is not (as yet) been set up to my preferences but to those of the factory. (I verified that the original owner has never touched this Walther SSP S/N WSP015XX).

It seems that high velocity ammo (rifle-type) should be used with the 1.0mm or large nozzle hole in the damping plunger (cover screw w/one groove), and subsonic or pistol ammo with the fitted as standard 0.6mm (one groove) or small nozzle hole.

Did I get this right? I will try both types of ammo next time at the range to see what happens with which.

Kindly.

Richard H · Post by **Richard H** » Thu Aug 04, 2011 7:06 am

Yes check if you have the o-ring if you do clean the port very well with the nylon brush and lube with the supplied grease then put some grease on the o-ring. If no o-ring clean the port and lube the port.

As for port size they control the amount of damping, larger opening less dampening, smaller orifice more damping. Target rifle or Pistol ammo is very close and I consider standard velocity for both, low velocity is the Rapid fire stuff. I never shot high velocity stuff through my target guns.You can try both orifices to see what you prefer and which allows the gun to cycle properly. I'm using the large orifice.

If you do require assistance from Walther make sure you email the sports service department. They are very good at responding, if you send it to general delivery or sales you'll never hear from them.

Make small adjustments with the trigger while setting it up, until you get it the way you like it.

Crete · Post by **Crete** » Thu Aug 04, 2011 7:24 am

Kind thanks Richard H.

I think I am beginning to get the theory (at least) behind the SSP/shooter set up. I shoot whatever is available at the range. I will keep an eye for standard velocity fodder, although what is generally available is Pistol Match-grade ammo (Lapua and Geco) as well as rifle, subsonic and high vel. There used to be a good supply of CCI SV 1080fps but it's all gone now. Maybe after the Summer when the personnel returns from vacation they may offer more choice.

Kindly.

EDIT to add this Walther Germany web page that seems to go into great detail re the function of the dampening mechanism with examples of ammo tested:http://www.carl-walther.de/files/pdf/DW ... P_Plus.pdf Now I need a good translation into English.

Richard H · Post by **Richard H** » Thu Aug 04, 2011 2:42 pm

It does look likes there's lots of info in that article, unfortunately my German is limited to ordering dinner and asking for another beer.

Mostly I've been using SK Standard + in mine.

jipe · Post by **jipe** » Thu Aug 04, 2011 3:55 pm

Crete wrote:EDIT to add this Walther Germany web page that seems to go into great detail re the function of the dampening mechanism with examples of ammo tested:http://www.carl-walther.de/files/pdf/DW ... P_Plus.pdf Now I need a good translation into English.

Yes, some velocity information but the article is mainly Walther publicity.

Crete · Post by **Crete** » Fri Aug 05, 2011 1:59 am

Of course it is Walther publicity but it's all we seem to have by way of an ammo test w/the SSP.

SK Standard Plus is easy to find (although it is not as well-made nowadays as in the early naughts and until NAMMO/Lapua bought SK out), and it would be a bonus if this specimen likes it too.

Richard H · Post by **Richard H** » Fri Aug 05, 2011 5:57 am

I've had no issue function wise shooting SK, Eley, RWS or Lapua out of mine. Mine doesn't seem overly picky about the ammo.

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Walther SSP trigger not resetting

Walther SSP trigger not resetting

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