ThOUGHT ABOUT MY "NEW" P64 SOME...

[RoyOdhner]

I took my “new” P-64 out on the range on Wednesday, and despite its rough edges I think it’s an awesome little gun. A regular little tack driver when I took the time to really work those puny sights, and more than enough combat accuracy when I thought of it like a snubby and just used a point and shoot technique.

When it comes to concealed carry, I won’t carry anything large like a Glock 17 or a full-sized 1911. Even a Glock 19 is too big for me. I’m a big guy, but I don’t like big guns. I like to travel light, and my carry preference is something sized like a Walther PPK/S, Makarov, or BT380, along with two spare mags. So, the P-64 is a perfect carry size. When it comes to caliber feuds, I just get bored. I’m good to go with anything that is .22wmr or bigger. When it comes to carry guns that I will actually carry (Walther PPK/S sized guns or snubbies), I figure that 9x17, 9x18, 9x19, and .38spcl are all gonna pack a more or less equal punch – so, once again, the P-64 gives me what I need. Mostly…

My P-64 came with only one spare mag, and I had a heck of a time finding any spare mags on the internet. 21 years of standing Navy Quarterdeck watches makes me uncomfortable with carrying less than two spare mags, so this had to be remedied. I searched a bit, but I could only find one – J&G Sales had a used mag with a chipped pinky extension. I ordered it. The mag works fine, so I took a hack saw and some sandpaper and smoothed-down/rounded-off the base plate. No finger rest, but it is extended. It’s kind of ugly but works just fine, so it now rides in my spare mage pouch.

I fired 100 rounds on Wednesday, it’s now Friday, and I still have a nasty slide-bite mark and it stings. I attribute this to the humungusly heavy trigger pull, lack of beaver tail, and undersized grips. The gun is pretty danged accurate, which I attribute to the blow-back action and overall quality of design, so I'm more than willing to look beyond its shortcomings and recognize its potential as a viable concealed carry weapon. You might be able to get a cheesy ethnic Polish joke about how many Po-locks it takes to pull a P-64 trigger, but there is no joke to be made about the design itself. Then, again, it is essentially a Walther PPK so its bound to be good. And it is. It’s a very good design – but it can be improved.

The great design, thin and compact size, rugged and simple build, boring reliability, and outstanding accuracy make it worth the modifications I plan to put into it. I’ve ordered a pair or Marshal’s grips for it – standard length, checkered, black stained Zebra wood, with the extended beaver tail… should be a really sharp looking weapon when those arrive. I’m gonna put a dab of bright orange nail polish on the front sight to improve the sight picture and squeeze even more accuracy out of it. And, finally, I’m gonna put some Wolf Springs into it.

And this is where I have a few questions for the seasoned P-64 owners out there. What weight hammer spring do you recommend? Is the 17 pound spring prone to light primer strikes? Does the 18 pound spring provide any advantage over the 17 pound spring? Finally, if I change the hammer spring does it do any good to go with a corresponding weight on the recoil spring? Or will the original recoil spring work just fine with the lighter after-market hammer spring?

In today’s concealed carry age, and with .380ACP no longer being viewed in a negative light by many gun owners, I have to wonder how well a modified P-64 would sell. The original design may have been less than ideal when it came to being a military/law enforcement duty pistol, but it’s a fine personal defense/concealed carry weapon. So, take the same basic design and do some modifications for mainstream civilian carry: chamber it for 9x17, give it a decent trigger pull and beaver tail along the lines of the S&W-Walther PPK/s or BT380, perhaps modify the firing pin set-up so that it doesn’t run the risk of a slam fire, improve the sights so they’re on par with a PPK/S or a BT380, give it a pair of rubber grips or state of the art polymer grips and make them a wrap-around style like a PPK (not PPK/S) or a PM Makarov, perhaps make the frame out of aluminum to save weight, and price it the $350-$400 range. Call it something like P-64CC (concealed carry), and I bet it would sell really well. I’d buy one, anyway.

[Ketchman]

Looks like your a man who completely thinks things through before acting. I have had no trouble with the 17lb hammer spring although you need to know it lightens up the SA some. Some had had trouble with the 17lb causing light strikes and making the mag fall free on the last shot, that spring also retains the magazine. And I have no evidence to support this but I believe that the recoil and firing pin springs should also be changed out accordingly because of timing issues, heavier recoil spring and firing pin springs together. I put my recoil spring to 20lbs and increased firing pin spring when I swapped out for the 17lb hammer spring (they all come together if you get the multi spring pack).
And you may want to look into Polish irons V05 grips. He just got them out.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=6018

And you might give an FEG PA-63 a try, I believe it will fit some of the criteria you have set for a concealed carry.

[RoyOdhner]

Thanks for the info. 20 pound spring combo, eh? I saw a video my Mrgunsngear, he went with a 20 pound set-up, and Scootch in a another video went with an 18 pound set up. You went with a 20 pound set-up. Looks like I'm gonna have to get the combo pack and experiment. I've only heard unfavorable things about the 17 pound set up, so I think I'll avoid that.

[Ketchman]

I have been quite happy with my 17lb hammer spring. Experimentation is the correct path my young jedi (sorry couldn't resist ). Find what works best for you and your weapon and go from there. That being said I did not find a whole lot of difference between the 17 and 18lb springs. I noticed a difference when I used the 20lb hammer spring. And if you change out the recoil springs make sure the small end goes against the frame and grind the ends flat. You can find info about that in other posts here. It is important.

[Ketchman]

Oh and my 20lb spring is the recoil spring not the hammer spring.

[RoyOdhner]

Much thanks for the good info, Ketchman. I can't wait to get it up and running smoothly. Seems kinda counterintuitive to put in almost as much money in upgrading a gun as I paid for the gun itself, but when I'm done I figure I'll have a really sweet carry gun. If nothing else, I can say I have a sweet carry gun that few others have.

[RoyOdhner]

So, is there a video out there that shoes how to replace the firing pin spring. Or is it generally a better idea to let a trained gunsmith do the whole danged thing?

[Curly1]

Unless you are seeing gouges in the primers after firing I would not change the FP spring.

[RoyOdhner]

Unless you are seeing gouges in the primers after firing I would not change the FP spring.

Nope. Nice solid strikes to the primers. I'll take your advice and not jack with the FP spring. The finish on this P-64 is really good, considering that it was made in 1967. The innards are really clean. It's my guess that it was rarely carried or fired, so I doubt that there is anything wrong with this gun - and why jack with it if it isn't broken.

[robhic]

I pretty much agree with all above. I had 3 P64s - one for me and one, each, for my two granddudes. I started with 17# trigger springs and 2 of the 3 had no problems. But one DID, so I changed all 3 to the 18# spring and we've not had problems with a light strike since.

Recoil springs I started with new 18# (OEM weight) springs but had a couple of instances where gun didn't return to battery so went up to 20# and, again, no problems since. I think the spring weights are a crapshoot. It might work like mine did OR it might not .... LIKE MINE DIDN'T!

Also a big +1 on the Polishiron Ver.05 polymer grips. Nothing wrong with the Marchalls except about 2 1/2 times the price! If you like and want them I'm sure you'll be happy. But if you wanna save some $$$ the polymers are GREAT!!!

[RoyOdhner]

Already ordered the Marschal grips, but the Ver.05 were tempting. I'm kind of looking forward to playing with the spring weights. This is probably gonna be the only "custom" gun I'll ever own, and I'm doing all the customizing so this is gonna be fun. Getting input from actual P-64 owners is great.

[culpeper]

There is a YouTube video on replacing the FP spring. The one with the forceps. Not that difficult. But save it for a rainy day if you are so inclined.

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