I bought / won a stainless Interarms Walther PPK (380Acp) on Gunbroker on 9/11/18.  I sent my FFL's license and USPS Money Order to the FFL Seller on 9/12/18.  I had great email communications up to this point.  After two weeks without any contact I called the number listed on Gunbroker.  It turns out they're a pawn shop.  I was told the person that handles their internet sells would be in at 2pm, and would call me immediately.  At 4pm they hadn't called so I called back.  I was told the person that handled their Gunbroker account quit and changed their email passwords / gunbroker passwords so they couldn't ship the gun.  I told the individual I had mailed the FFL with the payment and didn't understand why it couldn't be shipped.  He said he'd get it shipped.  On Friday 9/28 I received an email from the seller with USPS tracking.

The gun was delivered to my FFL today while I was there discussing something else with him.

Upon opening the package, my FFL quickly noticed the gun would not work in Double Action.

The hammer will drop if you rack the slide or manually pull the hammer back and then pull the trigger.  However, from the hammer down position the trigger pull doesn't engage the hammer.  Therefore, if you rack the slide and engage the safety ... the hammer drops, but then you have a dead gun unless you manually retract the hammer.

I haven't owned a PPK in about 20 years, but remember people talking about how Pachmayr grips could cause problems.  This gun doesn't have Packmayr grips, but does have laminated wood / engraved grips.

I left the gun at my FFL, and called the Seller (Pawn Shop).  I spoke to a kid that said the person that handles their internet sells will be out for 5 days because his wife had a baby.  I told the person that Walther PPKs are traditional DA/SA and this gun doesn't work in DA.  I had left it at my FFL's shop so my FFL could ship it back, and I wanted a full refund.  He said he would have to talk to a "higher up" and they would call me.

We all know they won't call so what course of action do you recommend?

I've already contacted Gunbroker, and they said I can't file a Fraud Claim until 30-60 days after the auction ended.  Furthermore, they can require the gun to be shipped to their gunsmith for inspection (more cost to me) and if they do agree they'll deduct $100 as a "fraud deductible".

I paid $515 delivered for the gun, and am already $20 into my FFL for a transfer free.  The prospect of losing shipping to GB's gunsmith, another transfer free for my FFL handling this, and then losing another $100 due to the deductible isn't an option.

I've spoken with a local acquaintance that fancies older Walthers, and he said the problem is either the trigger bar or where the hammer engages.  Both will be problematic to replace because its an early Interarms (Randal made) gun.  Was this accurate information?  I'm not interested in having the gun repaired.  I want as much information as possible when dealing with the scum bag Pawn Shop.

ETA: Again, I don't want to fix the gun.  I just want to know what is likely wrong with it because I am due a full refund!

Sounds like the double action strut on the hammer is stuck.

If you pull the hammer back and look down the front of it you can see the strut.
Remove the grips and it's fully visible and you can see if it's stuck, damaged, or missing.

When the trigger is pulled the draw bar engages the rotating sear and rotates it upward.
As the sear is rotated upward it contacts the back side of the double action strut on the hammer and cams the hammer back.
As the hammer reaches the correct position the sear is allowed to slip past the strut and the hammer drops.

Here's a PP series schematic.  Click on the picture and it'll expand.......

https://www.gunpartscorp.com/gun-manufacturer/walther/auto-pistols-walther/ppk/parts-list-ppk

The draw bar is part 39.
The sear is part 40.
The double action strut is part 15 which is pinned to the lower-front of the hammer, and has a coil spring under it.

For some reason Gun Parts lists the sear as the "Cocking Piece" and the double action strut as the "Sear spring".
With the grips off the entire system is easily seen.

That is an awesome explanation - thank you.

I'll have to go back to the shop tomorrow to look at the gun again.

I would take the grips off and see if it works as it should to see if that is the problem.

Not the same gun but I had a Taurus PT22 that had the grips causing problems.

I received a definitive answer from teh seller today... "we don't offer a refund or exchange on any product we sell".

I've left negative feedback on Gunbroker, initiated a fraud claim on Gunbroker, and have spoken with the Pawn Shop's local Law Enforcement.  Their CID is going to call me back.  It may only be a civil issue, but I've asked them to determine if criminal charges can be filed since I paid with a USPS Money Order and they shipped the firearm through USPS ... and because it involved interstate commerce.