New P99 Compact AS, $339

[revchuck38]

The SW99c and P99c mags used identical tubes and bases; the only difference was the stampings. The springs and followers were different between them, but not in any way that significantly affected performance, at least with my sample of one P99c gun used with 4 P99c mags and 2 SW99c mags. To my knowledge, the full-size mags are the same story, so full size SW99 mags should work just fine in a P99c with the Walther grip sleeve.

Quick update on this - the Walther sleeves fit fine on the S&W mags. I'm having occasional "locking back with ammo in the magazine" issues with both Walther mags that came with the gun and one of the S&Ws (so far), going to the range this morning to shoot 100 rounds WHO in 50 DA/SA pairs to see if it's me or the pistol. Lord knows I need the WHO practice anyway.

[David C.]

Quick update on this - the Walther sleeves fit fine on the S&W mags. I'm having occasional "locking back with ammo in the magazine" issues with both Walther mags that came with the gun and one of the S&Ws (so far), going to the range this morning to shoot 100 rounds WHO in 50 DA/SA pairs to see if it's me or the pistol. Lord knows I need the WHO practice anyway.

What ammo are you using? My P99c AS has been 100% through several hundred rounds with the 10-rd mags and one MR9 15-rd mag w/ the Walther sleeve. IIRC, I have only shot American Eagle 115 gr FMJ.

[revchuck38]

Right now I’m using my 124-grain hardball handloads. I shot 120 rounds WHO this morning with all four mags and had no problems, so I guess I can chalk this up to excessive operator headspace. I have a class this weekend with Karl Rehn and I’m planning on using the Walther to get this straightened out.

[revchuck38]

I'm actually okay with the stock ones, but I'm concerned with the longevity of polymer sights. My favorites are Ameriglo CAP sights, but they don't make sights for Walthers. I want a plain rear and red FO front, don't want tritium. 10-8 and Dawson make them; I like the 10-8 better due to the larger rear notch.

Does anyone have experience with these sights? Are there additional choices out there? Thanks!

[olstyn]

I'm actually okay with the stock ones, but I'm concerned with the longevity of polymer sights. My favorites are Ameriglo CAP sights, but they don't make sights for Walthers. I want a plain rear and red FO front, don't want tritium. 10-8 and Dawson make them; I like the 10-8 better due to the larger rear notch.

Does anyone have experience with these sights? Are there additional choices out there? Thanks!

Both my P99c and my full size P99 have Dawson fiber optic sights on the front. There was a guy on the Walther forum (screen name Turul) who was making steel rear sights for a while, and both of my guns have his rear sights, all black. He was making two versions - one using the factory adjustment mechanism, and one that was a friction/set screw fit. I've been quite pleased with that combo on both guns. I'm not 100% sure he's still making them, but if you're interested, it'd be easy enough to contact him via PM on waltherforums.com. Failing that, I'm sure the Dawson rear is a high-quality product as well.

[Bart Carter]

... I'm having occasional "locking back with ammo in the magazine" issues with both Walther mags that came with the gun and one of the S&Ws (so far), going to the range this morning to shoot 100 rounds WHO in 50 DA/SA pairs to see if it's me or the pistol. Lord knows I need the WHO practice anyway.

This is usually attributed to a shooter's thumb hitting up on the slide lock. I sometimes do the opposite - my thumb hits down on the slide lock and the slide doesn't lock back on an empty magazine.

[revchuck38]

This is usually attributed to a shooter's thumb hitting up on the slide lock. I sometimes do the opposite - my thumb hits down on the slide lock and the slide doesn't lock back on an empty magazine.

I sometimes inadvertently hold down the slide release on my PX4, and have probably been bumping the slide release on P99c. Still working on that grip...

[HeavyDuty]

I was having a minor ergonomic annoyance with my P99c - the right side mag release paddle was raised above the trigger guard. This is apparenty common with the P99 series, and it was causing a rub on the side of my booger hook.

After talking it over with the guys on the Walther forum, I decided to try heating and bending the right side. It took all of ten minutes to remove, heat/bend and reinstall the paddle. It’s been over an hour, and the adjustment is still holding so I must have gotten the temp high enough to permanently change the thermoplastic. I’ll keep an eye on it in case it creeps back.

Posted in case other people have the same issue - it’s not a cosmetic problem, it’s ergonomic. Before and after pics attached.

[BCG]

the right side mag release paddle was raised above the trigger guard. This is apparenty common with the P99 series, and it was causing a rub on the side of my booger hook.

After talking it over with the guys on the Walther forum, I decided to try heating and bending the right side. It took all of ten minutes to remove, heat/bend and reinstall the paddle. ItÂ’s been over an hour, and the adjustment is still holding so I must have gotten the temp high enough to permanently change the thermoplastic. IÂ’ll keep an eye on it in case it creeps back.

Posted in case other people have the same issue - itÂ’s not a cosmetic problem, itÂ’s ergonomic.

I had the same trigger finger issue with my old P99. Everybody always blamed the raw trigger finger on the hump inside the trigger guard, which was removed in later versions of the P99. But when I set up a camera to record what was happening, I discovered that it was the magazine release paddle, as you described above. I wish I had known about that fix, because I ended up selling the P99.

I may also have to go back and look at the HK45 and P30 (which I also sold). Everybody always blamed the trough in the trigger guard for trigger finger getting rubbed raw, but I suspect that it may have been the same magazine release paddle issue.

[revchuck38]

I'm actually okay with the stock ones, but I'm concerned with the longevity of polymer sights. My favorites are Ameriglo CAP sights, but they don't make sights for Walthers. I want a plain rear and red FO front, don't want tritium. 10-8 and Dawson make them; I like the 10-8 better due to the larger rear notch.

Does anyone have experience with these sights? Are there additional choices out there? Thanks!

Both my P99c and my full size P99 have Dawson fiber optic sights on the front. There was a guy on the Walther forum (screen name Turul) who was making steel rear sights for a while, and both of my guns have his rear sights, all black. He was making two versions - one using the factory adjustment mechanism, and one that was a friction/set screw fit. I've been quite pleased with that combo on both guns. I'm not 100% sure he's still making them, but if you're interested, it'd be easy enough to contact him via PM on waltherforums.com. Failing that, I'm sure the Dawson rear is a high-quality product as well.

I ended up going with the Turul adjustable rear sight and the 10-8 FO front. The rear notch is .140 and the front sight is .125 so the sight picture is tighter than stock, and the red FO makes it much easier to find the front sight with my 66-year-old eyes. The sight heights for both match those of the factory sights, so POA = POI. I'm pretty happy with the setup.