Frage: Walther P99

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Daedalus

New member
My friend has a Walther P99 (.40 cal). And it has one of the most annoying quirks I have ever experienced on a handgun. I want to know if this is flaw or purposely designed by Walther.

It deals with the trigger. In double action, the pull is long, hard, and somewhat smooth (as expected). It goes bang and cycles into single action mode. This is where I start to get confused. The trigger returns to double action position (and no this is not the double action version). And when you pull the trigger its really light and quick, but goes into a half cock before getting some resistance and then triggering the striker.

So pretty much when you are in single action mode, you pull the trigger thinking, "Ooh, this is really light and almost void of resistance." Then it goes into half cock and you flinch (well I do because I am a newbie) thinking that its about to fire and it doesn't. Then finally it feels like a normal single action handgun and fires.

Everyone here seems to have good feelings towards the P99. I think the trigger on the one I have fired is the most annoying thing in the world. My other friends HK 40c has a "half cock" but doesn't have that airy, mushy, slack before triggering the striker/hammer.

So is it broke or what?
 
This is normal, and referred to by Walther as their stress-free trigger. There are actually three trigger modes. The first is the DA as you described. It's long, steady, and heavier. The second is the first shot shen in SA mode, and is also as you describe as two stages. The first stage is what is referred to as stress-free. It is referred to as stress-free because it makes the weapon more difficult to fire accidentally when under stress, or something to that effect. The third mode are the subsequent shots in SA mode, and the trigger resets to the shorter set position. That is, there is no long initial stroke.
 
I don't think it ever went out of the "Stress Free Mode". And it was doing that half cock BS every pull after the double action pull. Pretty pointless if you ask me. And lame at that.
 
Daedalus, your observations are somewhat accurate, but what I believe you are describing, is your confusion over the difference between the trigger safety position, and the actual firing action.

The staging of the P99's trigger is, as you noted, different than just about any gun out there, but most definitely by design. That strategy was, I believe, Walther's way of giving owners, whether civilian or LEO, options on how to carry the gun, by providing a very nice balance between a robust layer of safeties and carry conditions and combat readiness.

Try this with an UNLOADED, empty P99 with NO MAGAZINE inserted, so it makes things a little easier.

1) Pull trigger a few times to get the feel of the double action travel, observing striker movement from the back of the gun.

2) Finger off trigger, rack slide, observe striker position from rear of gun; also observe trigger position from side of the gun

3) Slowly pull trigger backward to 'midpoint' - you'll feel and hear a slight click. This travel distance is part of the Walther safety system, and is similar in concept to the Glock trigger safety. The P99 requires rotational movement at the end of the trigger to engage the firing mechanism, as opposed to the Glock, which uses the little lever in the middle of the trigger.

4) Continue pull, and allow striker to fall, while at the same time, keeping trigger depressed, rack slide with your other hand to simulate another round being chambered, and the charging of the striker.

5) Release trigger. This is the normal Single Action position. Note that it is not in the fully forward position as it was when it was in Double Action mode, or when you first cocked to simulate a chambered round, but the trigger was in the 'safety forward' stage.

5A) Pull trigger to simulate a discharge, allow trigger to return to fully forward DA position. When done, return to the condition described in #5, and continue.

6) Pull trigger again, while keeping trigger depressed, rack slide again, keeping finger on trigger, slowly release about 1/8" until you feel and hear a click. This is the actual letoff, and the release technique used in cobat, or competition, for double-taps. Do this two or three times to get the feel of it.

7) While performing above step, after a last slide rack, let off the trigger to allow it to travel to midpoint, or the SA position. Then, decock. Note what happens to both trigger position, and striker condition.

8) Return to #1, repeat.

Let me know if this helps you sort out the confusion.

HTH.
 
Rovert:

Thanks for clearing that up. But it seems to be stuck in steps 3 and 4 and never goes into a traditional SA mode. You think thats because I am letting off the trigger as soon as the round is discharged and not letting it go into the SA mode? I doubt thats true because even my lightning fast reflexes are fast enough to do that. :p
 
Daedalus,

Try what Rovert has told you. If the gun doesn't go into SA mode, there is something wrong.

Once you get use to this trigger system, you may find that it is awesome. Another idea behind the SA trigger forward mode was a person could buy a holster that allowed the user to push down on the gun while still in the holster and cock it into SA mode. This of course would be SA trigger forward mode which would give the user a much easier trigger pull that would produce a more accurate shot if one was in a dire situation. There was one holster that let you do this, but it the holster wasn't made all that well. I'm going to show this feature to my friends at Milt Sparks Holsters and see if they can design a better holster for this feature.

P99
 
Daedalus, best not to do it by memory. Print out the page, and take it with you to your friend's house, to experiment with his gun. I think you'll see what we mean.
 
Daedalus,
I think I understand what you are talking about but it is no problem.
I may not use the exact terminology, but perhaps I can re-phrase rovert's comment.
After you fire a round, there is a natural tendency to release the trigger and let it go all the way forward.
Try this. After you fire that round, intentionally hold the trigger all the way back. Slowly allow your tigger finger to move forward. You will feel the trigger reset. At this point, you are ready to fire again, the gun will be in SA mode, and you will find that you can fire very rapidly.
To all others, if I have given incorrect information, please say so, 'cause that is how mine works and if it isn't supposed to do that, I'll send it in for repair.
 
David, your P99 is functioning as designed. We all need to be careful not to confuse the concepts and terms of takeup and reset. The DA pull is only available for ONE SHOT, where the trigger is at the far forward position, the only way the gun gets in this condition is after a decock or a dud. The DA trigger action has the advantage of allowing you to carry a chambered round with an additional margin of safety.

Every other condition is SA, either as a result of racking the slide, or firing a round. After the first shot, even if you do release the trigger and allow it to creep forward on its own, it will still not go as far forward as it would if decocked, or DA, mode.

The trigger on the P99 has about the same amount of 'takeup' or 'walk' in terms of total travel, as a Glock, with the exception that the letoff is crisp and precise, as opposed to what I feel is the very uncertain 'spongy' point at which the Glock trigger releases the striker. I think the fact that the letoff on the P99 is so decisive, is what's causing the confusion, and giving people over to thinking that even though the gun is in SA mode, that the last 1/8" of travel is the DA pull. Many have become so used to Glock-like trigger action, that when they see any other polymer pistol, that's what they're expecting, and when they get something else, it takes a bit of getting used to.

Trust me... I've spent a lot of time with this gun... :D

Perhaps the trigger pull chart at the bottom of this page will help explain it in graphical terms:

http://www.waltherusa.com/p99_specs.htm
 
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