I once had some doofus at a gun show try to sell me on ProMags being just as good when I asked if he had any OEM Walther mags for my P99c. He suggested that I was some kind of collector for wanting legit Walther mags. My reply was "no, I'm going to use them for carry/home defense and competition; I want them to actually function!"Originally Posted by sasquatch98
Walther PDP and HK VP9
This isn’t one of those “the HK is X longer or shorter” exercises, but rather my subjective impressions based on owning a bunch of VP9 pistols in all three sizes and shooting them many thousands of rounds, and about a week of messing with the PDP, with just hundreds of rounds and one match. When the VP9 came out, there was some chatter that the VP9 was basically an “HKized” PPQ. With the PDP, you could equally say the PDP is a “Waltherized” VP9. When you quickly look at them, they seem related, but actually they feel very different to me.
Let’s start with the grip and lower frame. I far prefer the shape of the PDP. The VP9 feels rounded where the frame on the PDP feels straight. The HK offers more adjustability considering the side panels. With the PDP, I am using the small backstrap. The texture is better on the PDP. The magwell is significantly more generous on the PDP, and a related factor is the shape of the magazines. Nobody is going to knock an HK magazine for function and durability, but the shape of the MecGar made Walther magazine is more tapered. Between that and the magwell shape, the PDP is easier to reload. The design of the magwell on the PDP is also more conducive to being enlarged with judicious use of a Dremel. The cut outs for removing a stuck magazine on the VP9 impinge into where you would like to enlarge the shape.
Although the slide of the VP9 is shorter in height than the VP9, due to the beavertail design you can get higher on the pistol with the PDP. Finally the magazine release on the PDP is larger, has better checkering, but is better protected from accidental activation than the button release on the VP9.
Obviously I can’t say anything about long term durability and reliability of the PDP, although the VP9 is excellent in this regard. I haven’t done enough formal testing on accuracy to contrast the two pistols, but both obviously are obviously very precise. Triggers are always subjective, but trigger is where I find the PDP is far ahead. I have Lazy Wolf and stock triggers, and the out of the box PDP trigger is just plain better than either VP9 flavor. I actually prefer the stock PDP trigger to a forward set Apex trigger, which is high praise in my book. The forward serrations are much more pronounced on the PDP, if they are important to you.
No idea about whether the PDP optic system will be long term durable, but it is lower than the VP9 and better supported with different optic plates. The VP9 family obviously has a long slide and sub compact model, where the PDP offers neither yet. Time will tell how the PDP holds up to hard use, but right now I am very excited about how the PDP feels and shoots.
Likes pretty much everything in every caliber.
Anybody measured the trigger reach yet? Asking for a short fingered sumbitch I might happen to know...
I found something I don’t like about the PDP. Neither my full size or Compact care for Gold Dot 124+P, which has been my main go to carry load for years. They shoot it not that precisely and quite a bit lower, like three inches at 25 yards, compared to most other loads. Both pistols like 147 Federal Tactical and shoot it close to 150 Syntech, 115 AE and 115 PMC.
I was shooting quickly at 15 yards, because of rain, and this is typical of the 150 Syntech in both pistols, although it was the full size.
This was the full size with the Federal 147 Tactical.
As I have mentioned numerous times, I am just not that fast a splitter, and have to try to shoot splits in the teens. The PDP is a splitting machine, and shooting doubles from 7 yards, I had multiple .14 and .15 splits. As to why, my guess is the combination of the frame and trigger shape/feel/position allows for a relaxed hand position. I use the small back strap, which is not typical for me as I wear XL gloves. More than speed, the best part of this trigger is it wants to shoot alphas.
Right now, I am using a Phlster Floodlight, as it accommodates my X300, and I am giving up time on my draw compared to a competition specific holster like a Red Hill Tactical. I have a TREX Ragnarok inbound, because it accommodates the light and was quick ship. Also have an Orion coming from Tom.
Likes pretty much everything in every caliber.
The PPQ was often described as a little "snappy" on recoil. How would you say the PDP compares to the PPQ in terms of recoil impulse?
PPQ and PDP Compact are similar, PDP FS feels softer.
Likes pretty much everything in every caliber.
Forgive me for a little P-F (literally) thread drift: Peter Dallhammer, a Walther engineer/designer (and major contributor to P99/PPQ series) has done a few videos (including a Walther history with Larry Vickers) as well as writing a book (based on his Mech E doctoral dissertation) "The Textbook of Pistol Technology and Design". In his video introduction and flip through of some of his book:
...he pauses to read a quote included before the introduction:
Separate review of the book:
Posted by TLG in a striker vs hammer thread on HKPRO. I remember because I was in that thread and I liked the elves thing too.Forgive me for a little P-F (literally) thread drift: Peter Dallhammer, a Walther engineer/designer (and major contributor to P99/PPQ series) has done a few videos (including a Walther history with Larry Vickers) as well as writing a book (based on his Mech E doctoral dissertation) "The Textbook of Pistol Technology and Design". .....
...he pauses to read a quote included before the introduction:
Doesn't read posts longer than two paragraphs.
I just received my Canik mags from the magshack and they are literally exactly the same as the Walther mags except the base pad which is a slightly different shape but works fine in the PDP. I’ve got both 18 rounders and one of the 20 round (18 round with +2 extension) and they both work great,I’d say theses are made with the exact same stamping die as the Walthers.
Thank you! I wondered what (and where) the original context was.
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