Walther: "Oh, sorry! Did you want to put your thumbs somewhere on the sides of the gun? Me and my buddy HK were planning on putting slide releases there."
Me: <adjusts thumbs>
Walther: "there too..."
Me: "..."
Walther: "...colder..."
Walther: "Oh, sorry! Did you want to put your thumbs somewhere on the sides of the gun? Me and my buddy HK were planning on putting slide releases there."
Me: <adjusts thumbs>
Walther: "there too..."
Me: "..."
Walther: "...colder..."
It looks like a polymer Q4 SF. The weight of the SF has always deterred me from getting one so this would be a nice change.
Not sure what I count for, but I am. It is a recent acquisition but I agree with many who shoot it in saying it is by far the best striker fired pistol available. Of course for the price, it should be. I for one like the beavertail.Originally Posted by RevolverRob
That depends. Do you count my P99 and P99c as PPQs? The PPQ is basically just a facelift + simplification of the P99, so...
I just coonfingered all three versions this afternoon at the LGS. I will break down the differences and similarities as I saw them.
(Please bear in mind that these are all *impressions* from a guy who typically doesn't shoot autos much, and rarely gets around to the current hotness. That said, I like Walther's approach, generally.)
1) The compact frame version had a compact slide. The grip texture was different than my impression from the photos. Quite grippy - what I thought were doughnut like-rings were in reality pointed cones.
The swell of the grip and lack of finger grooves makes it feel fairly different from the PPQ. The ergonomics are clearly from Walther, though. This one was my favorite overall.
2) There was a full size frame variant with compact slide, and this was quite a bit longer in the hand, extending below my L/XL sized fingers & palm. I suppose it was much like a Glock 45 in dimensions.
Even though the frame circumference and palmswells were in the same place between the two frame sizes, the full size felt like it would take more familiarizing for those of us used to compact pistols, and maybe revolver shooters, as well. Not as blocky as a G17, but at least as large-feeling.
3)The full size frame & slide variant was quite long feeling in comparison to even the short-slide version.
All three had the same sights. They are quite credible windage adjustable 3-dots. (pretty sure they were steel.) They definitely were of Glock cut pattern.
Triggers were *great* and consistent on all three examples, and were as described in review. Magazines were Mec-Gar, with their usual fine quality.
The mag release button is somewhat oversize and the mags dropped freely and crisply. It looks to be reversible. (mumbles something in bad Alsatian accent about levers being zuperior zystem, grumble grumble)
The RMR plates were identical between the two slides, and the cocking groove cuts were about as effective at keeping your grip during manipulation as the swells at the back the VP-9's slide. The grooves on the Walther are deep with a subtle chamfer. Interestingly, the sections that are serrated are raised above the actual slide sides- the cocking grooves are cut down to the depth of the slide, as if the cocking pieces were added on, rather than machined away.
The slide release is long, but lies out of the way of the thumbs for me, regardless of hand. It is also ambidextrous.
From the photos, I expected that the slide would be much blockier than it is- it is almost a blend of the PPQ and P99 curves on the top end- really, it's less angular than either. There is a lot of subtlety to this pistol.
And the trigger guard is also less blocky and huge than it appears in the photos. It would be quite useful during glove season.
The blending in of the trigger guard to the frame is subtle to the fingers, and quite out of the way. It is quite exaggerated in the pictures I've seen, including the one in the original post.
I don't think "Walther-Knuckle" will be a thing. The beavertail was hardly noticeable in it's form. It filled the hand without being obtrusive, neither too wide and flat, nor too narrow or curved.
Those who like Glocks will probably still buy Glocks. Those who like H & Ks will probably be looking at this thing, too.
I really want to try one, now. I expect they will be rather popular.
Asking price for all three variants was $649.
"If I ever needed to hunt in a tuxedo, then this would be the rifle I'd take." - okie john
"Not being able to govern events, I govern myself." - Michel De Montaigne
I grabbed a first-gen P99 not long ago. I’ve only put about 50 rounds through it (so not “regularly”—but I haven’t been shooting much of anything “regularly,” these days). I really dig it so far. Seems to shoot right on POA for me.
I wish they’d bring the P99 system forward to the new platforms. Though I guess you can still get it in the magnum research version (MR9?). There’s something... satisfying... about pushing a button to decock.
I think all of the new strikers are basically Glock killers if they can sell them at cost plus 10% with a guaranteed contract for 300K units over 5 years.Will they be making their own ammo?
There might be a new Walther in your new Walther holster in the near future if you happen to be a DHS or DOJ employee.
Last edited by Borderland; 02-16-2021 at 08:28 PM.
In the P-F basket of deplorables.
Off topic - you can also still get a P99 from Walther, though finding one can be hard.
I love my P99 and P99c, but I don't see this happening, for several reasons:
1. DA/SA is not currently fashionable.
2. The P99 decocker button lives *exactly* where optics cuts go on modern pistols. It would have to be relocated in order to make the idea technically feasible.
3. The P99 trigger is "too complicated" according to a lot of critics - it's DA/SA with an extra mode tacked on. It was a weird thing to explain and sell even when it first came out, and in today's world of fully-cocked striker-fired guns which are essentially SAO with no manual safety, the P99 trigger has 3x as many modes as a "normal" gun, vs 1.5x as many when it first came to market.
4. James Bond doesn't carry one anymore. Say what you will, but movie marketing tie-ins sell products, and guns are no exception.
Yeah, I don’t think they will either. But... it’d be nice. Good points. Especially on the optics. On the “3rd mode”—I guess I don’t even really perceive it. The thing’s cocked until I hit the button. The fact that trigger stays forward when it’s cocked is kinda... superfluous.
In any case...
I think Walther makes good shit. But I’d need a safety on their newer offerings.
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