Umarex/VFC/Stark Arms Walther PPQ M2 GBB

[NonEx]

Unfortunately there is no review thread for this bad boy yet, and the news thread is locked. But I have some new info I need to share so I'll start up a review thread for this.

 

I don't have any review material yet per say but I'll put my two PPQ videos here for now. And a new one coming in a few days.

 

 

 

 

Anyways.

 

What I want to address is the cracking of the upper slide flat top due to the chamber on the outer barrel.

 

I recently bought a new Asia version slide for my PPQ to replace, and I modded the chamber by chamfering off the front edge. Significantly might I add. And I noticed the chamber was still going up onto the slide upon cycling.

 

Well, turn out the nozzle is getting stuck on the back end of the barrel/chamber on cycling, pushing onto the barrel, preventing it from dropping down on cycling. This pushes the chamber of the barrel up into the top of the slide.

 

So I filed down a front edge on the nozzle, and cleaned up the back end of the barrel/chamber and lubed the parts up.

 

Does it completely fix the issue? Sadly not. The nozzle and barrel still interlock a little bit. But I think with these two mods, I hope, enough is done to mitigate, or at least reduce the risk significantly, of breaking the slide (again).

 

Other than that. Let me add this: 

 

Difference between Asia and Euro version:

 

Asia: Full markings, longer inner barrel, blocked full auto function. Non Umarex branded.

 

Euro: Not fully marked, shortel inner barrel, functional full auto function. Umarex licensed/branded.

 

 

[NonEx]

Hmm... Pretty much reduced my barrel weight by 10% with all the filing I did, hehe. Still nozzle is stuck.

 

Only thing left now is that the nozzle gets stuck in the hop housing/rubber, and I don't want to mess with that since that can compromise the seal for the gas.

 

So I guess I shall YOLO it and see how the slide fairs.

[Wingman]

I have 2 of these and have had no slide issues so far but will keep a lookout for it. Decent accuracy and range, appears well made and nice finish. Superior grip to most of the polymer/plastic framed pistols. They appear to fit every hand perfectly. The texture of the grip is also quite good and you get a good grip even with slick hands. Sights are well done and I like how the rear sight is adjustable for windage.

 

Only issue I have is a somewhat sticky trigger on one of the pistols. I've lubed as best as I can, but it keeps comming back. Something has to be rubbing somewhere so I guess I keep looking.

 

I also seem to get a serious number of shots from a gas fill. Green gas as well as duster.

 

This pistol is a sleeper.

[NonEx]

Hmm... Strange but good to hear. I have heard of at least 3 other instances other than myself getting a cracked slide.

 

Funny thing, I found the trigger on my Euro version felt nicer than my Asia one. Kinda miss the Euro trigger, but those markings doe  

Edited September 11, 2015 by NonEx

[NonEx]

My right hand side slide release lever has stopped working.

 

Pretty sure it was still functional right after I installed the much stiffer Z-Parts recoil spring, but not sure.

 

Too much slop between the master left hand lever and right hand one.

 

Not a big deal, but still. No ambi no more  

[Safeword]

Thinking about ordering the Z-parts recoil spring myself but have you had any problems with the slide cracking faster with it or is that just in my imagination that would happen?    

[NonEx]

Most definitely if you do not do any mods it will make it happen fast! The Z-Parts spring is really stiff! So much so that I am thinking about cutting a few coils off.

 

Was racking the gun a bit last night and I was like "J*sus, this recoil spring is insane, something's gonna break :o" . 

 

So yah.

 

But it does look really cool, makes it look more realistic, and of course stiffer than OEM spring.

 

I will try to edit and upload my video on the mods I did on my PPQ to reduce the risk of slide cracking.

 

 

Right now I am in the testing phase of trying my brand new PPQ slide, with mods, and Z-Parts spring. So I can't say yet if it's working or not.

[NonEx]

[NonEx]

So uhhh. Just a heads up if you're going to take apart the lower.

 

There is NO PIN at the rear of the frame holding the hammer assembly in place!

 

I tried taking it out, and slipped with my punch, and found out the hard way

 

 

 

Hmmm... Now to decide if I should get a new frame, entirely new gun, Navy edition gun or steel gun  

Edited September 15, 2015 by NonEx

[Safeword]

To bad they don't make a steel lower, seems like you need it   but serious, damn, that's not a pin? It looks like a pin from every angel 

[NonEx]

Indeed.

 

The sad part is there is no exploded diagram that I am aware of for this model so I had no idea. Having the hammer housing held in by just the top screw goes against all airsoft assembly logic and previous experience, ever.

 

Of course, taking out the top screw for the housing revealed that it came straight out...

 

Bought a new one, EBAirsoft, $116 USD shipped. Can't be beat!

 

Didn't like NAVY Edition, steel one I don't trust the rest of the gun is beefed up to handle the steel slide so I went with regular Asia Edition.

 

 

Also, FYI, front inner frame roll pin, super tight in there. And the locking block and inner frame is tough to get out as well.

 

Takedown lever, do not punch out the pin, just bend the plastic tabs of the takedown lever around the pin and down one at a time.

 

Well, here's an unofficial exploded view, trying to get something good out of my mess of a disassembly

 

 

BTW I think I know why there was no pin there at the back. They used a straight up Glock hammer housing setup and it got in the way of the pin hole. So they just YOLOed it...

 

Looking at RS pics it's supposed to be a big roll pin there. But it looks like the sear is moving in the way of where the hole is. Otherwise I would have put a real pin in there

Edited September 15, 2015 by NonEx

[NonEx]

Alright, so.

 

Since this PPQ was already busted up I wanted to figure out why there wasn't a pin, which I already suspected why.

 

They used a Glock hammer housing assembly and crammed it in there and it's just large enough to interfere with the pin hole.

 

So, I carved out the hole to where it is supposed to be, if you look at a stock airsoft PPQ, it looks like it's a plugged roll pin. But I carved out all the way so there would be no roll pin, so to speak.

 

Then, looking at the internal parts, I found that filing down the hammer housing and sear a bit would solve it.

 

Next problem is that the valve knocker and sear spring left-hand leg got in the way. Did a double-doodley-bend on it

 

Some in and out of the hammer mech, adjustments etc. And then, voila: 

 

 

 

 

 

So, I am actually considering doing this mod, or just drilling up the hole, and using the above parts, on my incoming PPQ, because; 

 

1. I got ###### that there wasn't a pin in the OEM one and I broke mine. I mean, 100 times out of 100, there would be a pin there. I have not seen an airsoft pistol with a hammer housing pin on the RS gun, not having one on the airsoft one.
2. Since I broke my current PPQ and figured out the above, why not?
3. The above mods do not damage the structural integrity of the hammer housing nor parts. Just 1mm shaved off in the right spot.
4. And lastly, the RS PPQ has a real roll pin at the back for the hammer housing, so with my OCD, and considering how realistic the Asia version is otherwise, why the hell not?

 

Only slight concern is that there is a piece molded in to the frame to hold a spring and a plunger, and that is very close to where the actual hole goes. But I will check it out.

 

Edited September 16, 2015 by NonEx

[Safeword]

Nice job, hope it works out.

 

Still you should buy the steel slide, just think of the sound, steel slide + z-parts recoil spring 

[NonEx]

Not happening. I am done with steel guns  

[Safeword]

Do you think it would still work properly if I cut some coils of the original recoil spring to prevent slide cracking or would the recoil be to weak for it to cycle?

[NonEx]

The original recoil spring is fairly weak as it is. My original one cracked using the stock recoil spring.

 

Sure you could probably reduce the risk of cracking the slide by cutting a few coils but I doubt that is a definitive solution.

 

So I would recommend filing on the barrel/chamber.

[NonEx]

Not sure if EBAirsoft are smoking crack or something but they have the steel slided PPQ here for $186 USD. About half price of WGC.

 

http://www.ebairsoft.com/stark-arms-steel-slide-premium-p-9155.html 

 

Description does have CNC aluminum slide in there at one point but considering they sold the PPQ Asia version for $116 with shipping and the pics do look like the steel slided version.

 

I'd say if you want it, go for it.

 

Now I am kind of regretting getting my new PPQ Asia aluminum one

 

derp! 

 

Although, my main concern is that the rest of the gun is not beefed up to handle the steel slide so... And I've promised myself to never do steel guns ever again

 

 

EDIT: Aaaargh, not sure I can't can't do it!

Edited September 22, 2015 by NonEx

[NonEx]

URL fix: http://www.ebairsoft.com/stark-arms-steel-slide-premium-p-9155.html

[NonEx]

Got my new PPQ Asia Edition from EBAirsoft today. 116 USD shipped, no taxes nor customs fees

 

Still on the fence if I should go for that rear roll pin mod or not. Would suck to mess up another frame

 

We shall see!

[NonEx]

Alright. Broke down my new PPQ and had a long hard look at it.

 

Looks like the rear roll pin mod is a no go due to a channel in place for the trigger bar plunger and spring to ride up and down on. It's right beside the "pin hole". So drilling out the hole to put in a roll pin would damage the structure of the channel for the trigger bar plunger and spring, and would be blocked by the roll pin.

 

So sad

 

I really wanted that pin back there. But I know if I try I will just end up with another broken PPQ

 

On the plus side, I managed to use the back side of my old serial number plate which has the "real", matching serial number for the PPQ Asia Edition. And mounted it in place, not totally centered, and a couple of small scratches from removing it, but now I have the FAP serial number on the rear plate

 

So yah, gonna cut my loses and realize the pin is a no go. Clean up the parts, lubricate and reassemble and be done with it.

Edited September 26, 2015 by NonEx

[NonEx]

fap fap fap

 

 

dat serial number doe!

 

So yah, had it all apart. Managed to poke out the serial number plate in the new one without damaging anything. Unfortunately that plate didn't have the FAP serial number on it, so I had to use the one from my previous PPQ, hence the small scratches and what not (not as noticeable when looking at it from a reasonable distance away). But all in all it was worth it

 

As mentioned the roll pin mod at the rear didn't work out. Bugs the hell outta me, but whaddaya gonna do.

 

I tried to polish all the contact surfaces in the trigger mechanism because it was kind of gritty, like there's sand in there or something. Didn't work out too well. Still gritty as sheit. Will have to inspect more and do another pass on it. There's like pressure in 3 different directions on the trigger bar which I think is the problem. And it's riding against the wall of the inside of the frame too.

 

And the ambi slide release lever is rock solid on this one. Even after having it apart and putting it back together. But I guess it wears over time. We shall see.

 

 

Also, not a huge deal all things considered, but the brand new PPQ from EBAirsoft looked like this out of the box: 

 

 

It has to have been deformed straight from the factory (rear sight only). The force required to deform the sight like that, could not happen with a drop on a concrete floor, and the rest of the gun being intact and in perfect condition.

 

Luckily I had the parts from my other PPQ already so, whatever. Still kind of strange.

Edited September 26, 2015 by NonEx

[NonEx]

Just dry fired mine a bit with the Z Parts recoil spring. Really nice and crisp action

 

Only got 250 FPS with 0.25 BBs though. But that's VFC/Stark I guess.

[NonEx]

FYI after doing some 1000-1500 reps (yah, no joke.) of trigger pulls with the hammer not cocked, slide forward, and slide back, the gritty trigger has worn in decently.

 

It's form the trigger bar rubbing up against the BBU and various hammer mech internals.

 

I can see the trigger bar creating a groove in the BBU channel.

[Wingman]

Thanks for the info..going to try that with one of mine that has been annoying me with the same trigger issue (the other is perfectly fine).

[NonEx]

Yah I seem to recall my first Euro version had a much smoother trigger and reset, that's why this annoyed me so much. Perhaps one could polish up the top of the trigger bar and the BBU channel to help it along. Along with some nice grease or something.

 

Like I said before the trigger bar is getting pushed about from like 3 different axis when operating so no wonder it's not super smooth :| 

 

FYI the way I did this on mine, held the gun in my left hand, pointed muzzle to the right, stuck my right hand index finger in the trigger guard and pretended it was an old school Atari game and just went back and forth with my finger in the trigger guard actuating the trigger 

 

Also done a couple of houndred racks and dry firings but I think what helped the most is having the slide locked back and working the trigger.

 

I think the trigger bar is steel, and the BBU is fugly pot metal, so the top of the trigger bar is eating/wearing in on the BBU channel.

Edited November 19, 2015 by NonEx