I'll be darned, bought a P99

V

vanfunk

New member
...in .40 S&W. I didn't set out today to buy it, I just, kind of, I dunno, never handled one before...Anyway, it's an impressive piece. Now if the Walther advertising is true, the P99 slide is tenifer-treated, correct? The finish should be serviceable, and appears similar to the HE finish on my departed HK USP. The double action pull is lengthy but smooth, and the single action is as crisp as any HK or SIG I've owned. The grip is divine. I had not realized how truly slim the grip is, and the adjustable backstrap makes getting a perfect trigger reach easy. I had thought that the use of the decocker would be awkward, but I've found it to be quite naturally within the reach of my left thumb, or my right thumb with a minor shift in the hand. The sights appear to be rugged and, mirabile dictu, adjustable! It's not the be-all end-all (horrors! if it were, we'd have no excuses to buy more guns. Egad) by any means, but it does appear to be an ergonomic, rugged, well-designed service pistol. I wasn't planning on buying a polymer pistol having gone through a few HK's and Glocks, but I'm sure glad I did!
This is my first .40 as well, having previously owned only 9mm's and .45's. Anything I should be aware of? Thanks for listening!
vanfunk

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semper ubi sub ubi
 
I have heard that the P99 in 9mm is a real winner, but the 40S&W is a jam-o-matic.
Please let us know how yours shoots as I would like first hand information.
]I agree on the feel of the P99. I am ready to buy one, but I have no reports except magazines articles, which always say all of them are great, depending on how much advertising they buy.
Besides mechanics, I would like your shooting impressions of the 40.
Thanks.
 
I have heard the same thing that Sam did about the .40. I have the 9mm and that's the gun I sleep with usually. Right now I have my G-26, I need a smaller woman tonight.

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"Get rid of that nickel plated sissy pistol and get yourself a Glock" - Tommy Lee Jones
 
Yes, I've heard similar reports about the .40's unreliability. They seem to focus on the slide release as the culprit, which is an easy fix should the need arise. I've also heard that this issue has been addressed in the newer models and is no longer a problem. Earl's Repair Service is an hour's drive from where I live, so I should be able to have any reliability issues taken care of swiftly. On the other hand, the shop I bought it from thinks very highly of the .40 P99, claiming it's been the *only* weapon they sell that they've never received a customer complaint about, and they sell SIGs, Glocks and HKs hand over fist. I guess I have a bit of "blind faith" with firearms, having owned only one pistol in my lifetime that ever jammed (Walther PPK .380). Anyway... so far, so good. I had the opportunity to put 100 rounds of bargain-basement 180 grain FMJ through it last night without any wobbles. Accuracy was good- fist sized groups offhand at 50 feet, with sights perfectly regulated. I'm not sure where the P99 gets it's reputation for an unacceptably long DA pull. The pull on mine is no longer than my ol' USPf or SIG P220 (The SIG is smoother, though), and appreciably shorter and lighter than the CZ 75. Recoil is surprisingly light as well- I didn't experience the .40 180 gr. as being any more violent than the 9mm fired from a similar gun. The 155's and 135's may be a different bird altogether, though. I like it. We'll see if the love affair continues through a thousand rounds...
vanfunk

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semper ubi sub ubi

[This message has been edited by vanfunk (edited September 13, 2000).]
 
I have a confession to make: It was when James Bond started using one that I decided I "needed" one. I didn't even handle the gun until weeks later.

Anyway, I think it might be my favorite gun (I have 16 total). Handles great, shoots great, feels great, good caliber, good capacity, hi-caps available although expensive, etc.

My only complaints are that finding holsters for it was tough, I had some jams with S&B ammo, and they don't make a Lasermax for it.

Regarding the holsters, I did finally find an Uncle Mike's IWB and a form fitting Desantis black leather thumbsnap holster, both of which I'm very happy with.

Regarding the jams, I think it was my ammo because that same ammo jammed my buddy's Glock 17 that same day. I've never had a misfire since changing ammo.

Regarding the Lasermax, I like having it in my Glock, but it's not a necessity. Furthermore, I'm sure they'll come out with one soon.

All in all, a great gun. It's probably my answer to the "If you could only have one gun" question.
 
I recently acquired a P99QA in .40Auto, and have run 500 rds thru it w/o a hiccup. This thing hums right along. It must have been teething problems w/ the early ones.

Be Safe
Mike
 
Congratulations, it's a fine heater that will provide you with years of use.

The first run production models did have a problem with weak slide stop springs, but that was fixed on recall and hasn't been an issue since.

If you live near Earl's Repair, then you have it made in terms of parts and accessories. Earl's a nice guy, too.

Enjoy that heater - I've used one for more than a year as my CCW and it's been a pleasure to carry.

Ken Strayhorn
Hillsborough NC
 
Thanks for the replies, guys. This is my first "impulse buy" in awhile. So far, I'm quite pleased with it. I can see how the 3 trigger modes may take some getting used too, though. I suppose one man's versatility is another man's confusion. It seems to blend the ruggedness of the Glock with the refinement of an HK and the accuracy of a SIG (well, almost). Not a bad combination of traits. Thanks again for your observations and input.
vanfunk
 
I've put about 700 rounds through my .40cal P99 without a hitch. The only problem I have had is that little hole on the right side (I am right handed) always starts to cut the tissue between my thumb and index finger, I need to chamfer it a bit to make it smooth. Otherwise I can shoot this much more accurately than my G22... although the G22 is still used as the house gun.
 
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