Opinions on Walther, HK, S&W...

Status
Not open for further replies.
J

Jedi Oomodo

New member
I am looking for input on the Walther P99 and/or HK USPs. I won't be buying a new handgun anytime soon, but I am starting research to help me determine what I want. Caliber isn't all that imporant- .40 or .45 is what I prefer.

I had a chance to buy a P99 about 2 years ago but went with a SIG P229, as have always been a SIG fan, and the shop owner I bought from told me another guy had recently been looking at Walthers and SIGs, bought the Walther, then wished he had gone with the SIG. Apparently he thought P99s weren't worth the money. I have seen them for sale @ $670 (what I paid for my P245) and that doesn't seem like a bad price. I just don't want to spend that much for what is really a $500 gun. Is the SW99 a viable alternative? How does the P99 and SW99 compare?

I like the HK and how it feels, and if it is comparable to the P99 I would go with that. I generally haven't heard any complaints about it, and the prices seem more reasonable to boot. I would like some info on how both guns shoot before making a decision. Whichever one will also probably be a CCW alternative to my P245, so I also am curious about how concealble they are, how comfortable they are after long periods, etc.

I will rent one of each if possible to test, of course. Just need some food for thought.

------------------
Lady Justice has been raped, truth assassin;
Rolls of red tape seal your lips, now you're done in;
Their money tips her scales again, make your deal;
Just what is truth? I cannot tell, cannot feel.

The ultimate in vanity
Exploiting their supremacy
I can't believe the things you say
I can't believe, I can't believe the price we pay- nothing can save us
Justice is lost, Justice is raped, Justice is gone
Pulling your strings,Justice is done...
Seeking no truth, winning is all,
Find it so grim, so true, so real....

If it isn't Scottish, it's CRAP! RKBA!


[This message has been edited by Jedi Oomodo (edited September 24, 1999).]
 
I'm a bit of a Scot myself, but if "If it isn't Scottish, it's CRAP!" is true, what firearms do you own? A MacSmith & MacWesson?
Cat
 
Between the lady o' the hoose an' m'self, we have twa MacSIGSauers and a MacSpringfieldArmory. ;) Wondering if MacWalther and MacHeckler are all they're purported tae be.

------------------
Lady Justice has been raped, truth assassin;
Rolls of red tape seal your lips, now you're done in;
Their money tips her scales again, make your deal;
Just what is truth? I cannot tell, cannot feel.

The ultimate in vanity
Exploiting their supremacy
I can't believe the things you say
I can't believe, I can't believe the price we pay- nothing can save us
Justice is lost, Justice is raped, Justice is gone
Pulling your strings,Justice is done...
Seeking no truth, winning is all,
Find it so grim, so true, so real....

If it isn't Scottish, it's CRAP! RKBA!
 
I don't know if what I have to offer is much help, but here goes;

I have an HK USP45 that is along the same size/mission as your Sig 245. It is large, bulky, blocky and ultimately reliable. I purchased it a day after I saw the H&K USP video which a friend gave to me, and I have not regretted it one day since. The USP is a superbly designed handgun with the right ergonomics and safety features that make it a obvious choice for home defense - this is not a carry gun unless you're a professional basketball player.

As you'll hear from anyone who knows and shoots HK's, it's all in the engineering. The parts fit is second to none, and the quality of finish and operability leave nothing to be desired. That's great when you consider how much you just plunked down to buy the thing, too. I am particularly happy with my USP45 and have also purchased the optical sight mount and an AimPoint for casual target shooting. Turn on the red-dot and I can hand the gun to a new shooter and they will be impressed.

I have handled and contemplated the smaller USP-C models, but my Glock 19 serves my CCW interests better than the USP at this time. They exhibit the same attention to detail and finish as the larger models and I would willingly trust my life to one.

With the Crime Bill stipulation of 10-round maximum capacity, the 9mm offerings are a bit of a joke, but .40 and .45 give you excellent capacity in this size handgun. I have given thought to the purchase of H&K factory pre-ban magazines for my USP45, but the cost is prohibitive ($150-$175 each) for the result (2 extra rounds, 12+1). Even post-ban mags are expensive at $40 each, but in the .45 chambering are made of metal and very durable - .40 and 9mm are polymer coated metal.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that you can't go wrong with an HK. I'll leave the finer points of the Walther to someone who knows Walther's... HTH.
 
I have both the Walther P99 in .40SW and a HK USPc in .45ACP. Both guns are superbly manufactured and are well worth the price. The ergonomics of the Walther IMHO is better than the HK. I have large hands and the Walther fits much better than the HK. As far as looks are concerned I personally prefer the Walther to the HK.
I find both guns to be very accurate but the recoil on the Walther is more than the HK despite the caliber. I use the Walther for everyday concealed carry and the HK for home protection. the Walther is more easily concealed than the HK because of the thinner frame. In terms of reliability, I experienced a few slide locks with the Walther in the early days after purchase, but after about 200 rounds through it all that stopped. Other owners of the walther have had similar complaints, and they too had this problem stop as soon as they got about 200 rounds through. I have never had a malfunction with the HK.
I would not part with either gun. Nothing beats german quality.
 
Tell ya what I like in concealable smeiautos:

S&W CS-9, TSW-4013, 6906
Walther PPK
Sig Pro 2340, 245
Beretta (anything)
Glock 23C
HK Compact .40,
Sig 229
Kahr K-9
Kimber, Colt, Springfield, and P.O. Compacts
Ruger (even if a bit big)

Ben
 
LongDuck,

Not quite sure what you mean by the "basketball player" reference- are you suggesting it's too large for someone of my size and build (I'm 5'6" and 170lbs)? You mentioned it's about the same size as my P245, which I can conceal comfortably enough with an IWB holster.

I agree, umstud, which is why I buy SIG-Sauer. J.P. Sauer & Sohns was a German company before being bought by Sweiterische Industrie Gesellschaft. As far as fit in my hands, mine are small, with stubby fingers. nonetheless, I don't generally have a problem with guns being too big for me. I, too, like the look of the Walther better, but I can't see paying >= $700 for a gun that is equal to a $500 H&K. Anyone out there know how the P99 compares with the SW99?

------------------
Lady Justice has been raped, truth assassin;
Rolls of red tape seal your lips, now you're done in;
Their money tips her scales again, make your deal;
Just what is truth? I cannot tell, cannot feel.

The ultimate in vanity
Exploiting their supremacy
I can't believe the things you say
I can't believe, I can't believe the price we pay- nothing can save us
Justice is lost, Justice is raped, Justice is gone
Pulling your strings,Justice is done...
Seeking no truth, winning is all,
Find it so grim, so true, so real....

If it isn't Scottish, it's CRAP! RKBA!
 
Check with Bachman - www.bachmangun.com - for a price on the Walther. In Houston, the P99 and the USP are about the same price.

As to the differences between the P99 and the SW99, take a look at the July 1999 issue of Handguns and the August 1999 issue of Combat Hanguns. You may also want to visit the Unofficial SW99 Home Page

I have a USP9 and I had a 9mm P99. I sold the P99 after the ledge on the barrel that holds the recoil spring broke. Of the two, I prefer the USP because I shoot better with it.
 
I STILL have my brother-in-law's HK USP 9mm, and now own an HK USP 45. I prefer the 9mm model, since it fits my hand better. The USP 45 full-size "feels" quite a bit bigger than the UPS 9/40, even though comparing them side by side, you can barely see the size difference. Hold them in your hand and the size difference becomes very evident. So for my hand, I guess the USP 9/40 is about the biggest which will feel comfortable to grip.
I also like the fact that my bro-in-law's 9mm comes with two preban 15 rnd mags. I heard that the hicap .45 USP magazines are all contraband (illegally modified post-bans, LEO only, or stolen military property).
As for my Walther P99 (9mm), I love the looks! I love the feel of it in my hand. It has been 100% reliable. The biggest negative for me is the trigger. Its one of the worst I've felt, with a pretty heavy single-action trigger-pull, which "gives" suddenly, making accurate target shooting tougher. I had a local gunsmith reduce trigger pull for both double and single action, and it feels much better than stock now. However, it still feels less-smooth than the USP, due to its design. But I'm getting used to it.
Is it worth the money? I think so! :-)

As for the SW99, I think its a good alternative to the P99, although I like the P99 looks better. But I've been reading here that the SW99's design is better suited for the .40S&W round.

[This message has been edited by Sambonator (edited September 24, 1999).]
 
Just a data point for you Jedi,

I owned an HK USP in .40 S&W. I loved it. It was so much fun to shoot. Until I took some training. One of the beginning drills taught was to learn to put 3 rounds through the same hole from 3 yards. The HK would do it for me; but about an inch to the left. Hand the USP off to the instructor and it would print fine. Back to me, and an inch to the left. (NOTE: not DOWN and to the left.. just left) I switched to a Kimber 45 and I was dead on.

After some very careful examination, we found the HK was just a very small bit too big for my hand. My trigger finger was extended too much and I was not pulling straight back. My finger was "pushing" to the left ever so slightly. I now shoot full size Kimbers exclusively.

Why am I telling you this? Well, you mentioned you were a smaller person. The size and bulkieness of the HK USP is well documented. So... Go rent one and find out how it fits you. Fire the exact model and calibur in which you are interested. If you shoot well with it... BUY one just like it.

I hated like the dickens to sell my H&K. At that time, it was my only pistol and I couldn't depend on hitting where I needed to under stress.

Now I wish I had it back in my collection. I carry Kimber to protect myself. But that H&K was a hoot to shoot. :)



------------------
Bubba
IDPA# A04739
====
It is long been a principal of ours that one is no more armed because he has possession of a firearm than he is a musician because he owns a piano. There is no point in having a gun if you are not capable of using it skillfully. - Jeff Cooper
 
I plan on trying out both kinds bewfore I buy, and it's going to be at least a year before that, anyway. Funny about you HK shooting to the left, Bubba. When I shoot my P245, it hits a little to the RIGHT and DOWN from my point of aim (I'm left handed)! That probably has more to do with my technique, though. Practice, practice!! ;)
------------------
Lady Justice has been raped, truth assassin;
Rolls of red tape seal your lips, now you're done in;
Their money tips her scales again, make your deal;
Just what is truth? I cannot tell, cannot feel.

The ultimate in vanity
Exploiting their supremacy
I can't believe the things you say
I can't believe, I can't believe the price we pay- nothing can save us
Justice is lost, Justice is raped, Justice is gone
Pulling your strings,Justice is done...
Seeking no truth, winning is all,
Find it so grim, so true, so real....

If it isn't Scottish, it's CRAP! RKBA!


[This message has been edited by Jedi Oomodo (edited September 27, 1999).]
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top