Walther P22 (.22LR) Handgun

The Walther P22 operates on the blowback method of semi-automatic operation. Under this approach, the pressure generated by a firing cartridge is contained by a combination of the inertial weight of the slide assembly and the force of the recoil spring. There is no "locking" mechanism. The strength of the recoil spring and the weight of the slide are such that the rearward force of the firing cartridge will not open the action until the projectile has left the barrel and the pressures have dropped to safe levels.

The Walther P22 is equipped with a magazine disconnect that prevents the trigger from operating on the sear mechanism until a magazine is inserted and locked into the weapon. The magazine disconnect on a Walther P22 works by utilizing a strong spring to apply downward force against the trigger bar, such force being sufficient to overcome the action of the relatively weaker trigger spring which interacts with upward force on the same bar. When a magazine is not locked into the weapon, the downward force of the stronger magazine disconnect spring causes the trigger bar to pass beneath the internal lockwork of the weapon when the trigger is pressed. Once a magazine is fully inserted, however, an actuator surface on the front of the magazine pushes against the magazine safety. This overcomes the magazine safety's strong spring, and thereby serves to allow the trigger bar to spring upward under the force of the less powerful trigger spring. When this occurs, the trigger bar is in a position where it engages the lockwork when the trigger is actuated. An added side effect of the interplay between the strong magazine disconnect spring and the magazine itself is that the magazine will "spring" out of the grip of the weapon when released.

Walther P22 with Fobus Holster