Walther P99?

[Ben]

Any of y'all have a Walther P99? I'm hankerin' for a new gun and wanna spread my wings and give the 1911 collection a break. I handled one of these the other day and it sure felt comfortable in my hand. Opinions?

I was looking at the AS, but am not sure how I feel about the whole double-action thing (one of the reasons I've always favored 1911s). I know they make the QA, but I also saw it's advertised with an 8lb trigger pull. My Glock 23 with that action is supposed to be around 5.5, and that feels a little heavy for me. If the QA really is that heavy, I could probably get used to the SA (single action on it felt really nice), and I guess being comfortable with different actions is a good thing. You never know when you may have to kill a zombie and the only thing you have to shoot is the gun of the guy whose brains it just ate.

[Manedwolf]

If you're used to .45 ACP and want to try something different, ever pick up a SIG P220?

My personal recommendation. And favorite .45.

[grampster]

I love my P99.  I use it for car carry.  Shoots and handles sweet.  The trigger pull is not an issue imho.  When a round is placed in the chamber the trigger can be slowly pulled back half way and it stops.  Makes it easy then to concentrate on the target before a light squeeze sets 'er off.  It also may prevent an AD due to stress.  Depress the de cocker, the trigger goes back to d/a.  P99AS.  I love it.

I've had Glocks and Beretta's.  The Walther is superior to the Glock as to safety and trigger pull. Seems more balanced than my Beretta's with the exception of my Mod 96.  But that is a larger handgun.  The Walther is easier to conceal.

[Ex-MA Hole]

MMMMMMMM P99......mmmmmmmmmmm.....

Yup, get it.

I have a QA in 9mm....Love it.....

[mfree]

P99s are ok, see if yuo can find one to try out first. I have trouble with them, they (the earlier ones, at least) rub hard on my fingers with the mag release.

[Ex-MA Hole]

They got rid of the "ski jump" in the later models....

[taurusowner]

OP, where do you live?  I've got a P99 AS 9mm that I was thinking about selling.

[HankB]

Many Walther owners love their P99s with an almost religious fervor.

On the other hand, when I was shooting IDPA more frequently, there was a flurry of P99s that showed up shortly after the pistol was introduced - the adjustable backstraps made the guns comfortable for everyone.

But then a strange thing happened . . . over about a year, the P99s gradually disappeared. Seems that many exhibited reliability problems, and Walther, with stereotypical Teutonic arrogance, dismissed the complaints.

In some cases they told the people that different ammo - commercial, over the counter stuff, nothing exotic - required different recoil springs.

A friend - an IDF veteran - found that the pistol could only go a couple of hundred rounds (WWB ammo) between cleanings, or reliability declined.

My personal observations are hard to reconcile with the enthusiasm some people on the gun boards have for their own P99s, so I suspect that quality control is spotty . . . maybe the Monday morning and Friday afternoon guns are the ones with problems?

One thing . . . based on the company's past history, once Walther introduces a "P100" and discontinues the P99, you can expect factory support and spare parts to dry up promptly.

[Ben]

Well, interesting range of opinions. As can be expected

My understanding is that the Walther and S&W 99s are "paternal twins"? Quality control would be an issue for me only because I used to have a PPK/s that would reliably stovepipe on me all the time. I'd just been reading good things about the 99, and after putting one in my hand was REALLY impressed with the ergonomics. Just wanted to get the opinions of people I "know" as well.

I've been so 1911-centric all these years that I've never really paid attention to the P99s, Sigs, HKs, XPs, etc. designs, so it's almost like being a newbie for me.

taurusowner -- live in CA, so paperwork isn't the prettiest thing for out of state private transfers. I'll certainly keep your P99 in mind though as I continue shopping.

[El Tejon]

Pro:

Love the trigger reset on the 99.  Fantastic.

Con:

Too blocky, but that is subjective from carrying a 1911 all these years.

Do not like that first shot but it can be mastered with practice, just takes time.

I have heard that it is a sensitive piece and needs to be cleaned often but have no direct evidence of that.

[Ex-MA Hole]

I use mine for IDPA.  I have many thousands of rounds through mine.  A mix of factory and reloads...I am not good about cleaning it.

Usually once a year, in the fall when the season is over.

I have had one FTE.  However, it was intentional, to see how much limpwristing it would take.  My old PPK/S would have constant problems, but not the P99.

I can not IWB it if I am going to be walking around, as it is too heavy for me and my bad back. 

As far as the first shot being different, that is the AS model.  I have the QA, and all of my shots are identical as far as trigger pull.


"One thing . . . based on the company's past history, once Walther introduces a "P100" and discontinues the P99, you can expect factory support and spare parts to dry up promptly."  Not so.  Call Earl's Repair, he has and can get almost everything.