P99 and PMCs

W

Walther P99

New member
I went to the range today to fire my P99 for the first time. I had a box of 9mm PMC 115gr FMJ that I had left over from my P7. I also brought a couple of Black Talons with me to see how they fed through the gun.

The PMCs were a complete disappointment. With the exception of maybe 3 rounds, EVERY spent casing failed to eject and jammed the gun. It's like the slide didn't go back far enough to eject the casing. The Black Talons were better although there was one that didn't feed correctly, it got stuffed up against the top of the slide.

The only thing I can think of concerning the PMCs is that they're 2 years old - but I don't think that would matter too much; the Black Talons are around 7 years old as well. For the Black Talon that jammed - maybe it wasn't seated in the magazine properly.

Next gunshow I'm going to get several new boxes of ammo and see how those work.

Has anyone had this kind of problem? Any input wqould be appreciated.
 
Hmmm, I've run PMC 115gr, Sellier&Bellot 115gr, Fiocchi 115gr, Win White Box 115gr, RemingtonUMC 115gr, PMP South African 115gr (P99 REALLY likes this ammo) all through my 2 P99s and never had a burp.

Maybe you got a bad lot of PMC 115gr that was loaded too light?

Dunno what to tell you.

P.S. If I were you, I'd try some S&B 115gr (hotter than US rounds), some Geco 124gr FMJ, or some Fiocchi 115gr stuff and see how that shoots. Stay away from the wimpy loaded Winchester White box and UMC stuff. Federal Eagle is supposed to be good to.

Regards,
James:rolleyes:
 
Recoil spring

Walther:

I don't know what vintage your P99 is, but offhand I'd say you have an Interarms imported model (Alexandria, VA on right side of slide). I too have had this problem with my P99. After a bit of research, I found that the problem lies with the recoil spring. The earlier models have springs designed for use with heavier and/or higher pressure 9mm rounds. With that said, call Walther customer service (phone number listed on website) and ask for the Reduced power recoil spring. I think the price is $14. I haven't tried any 115gr ammo in my gun yet, but it functions reliably with PMC 124-grain whereas I would get FTEs every other round with my "grey" spring.
 
Walther P99,

When I got my first P99 in 9mmx19, Earls from Earl's Repair Service advised me not to use 115gr. ammo for the first 2-300 rounds in order for the recoil spring to "break in". He advised the use of either 124's or 147's for the initial firing. Then, the 115's should be good he told me.

I fired 4-500 rounds of 124's and 147's and then tried the 115's. No problems at all.

The weight of the Walther recoil spring assembly used is 50 Newtons. They make a 48 Newton for use with the lighter bullet.

In my years of shooting, I have come to learn that PMC stands for Pretty Much Crap as far as ammo quality goes. I've been shooting long enough to recall when there was no PMC! :D
 
No problems here!

I own the P99 and shoot PMC all the time, also have shot a box worth of 147gr Talons without any problem at all. Sounds like you still need to work in the gun a bit, or try that other spring. Give the gun a 2oo or 300 rounds before you try swapping springs, just to be sure.

Good luck!
 
A little unwelcome editorializing:

After a century of producing 9mm pistols, it's pretty shocking that this should be a problem with a brand new gun built on modified Browning lock up. PMC isn't very good 9mm ammo, but it's well within spec for 115 gr. ball. And 115 is the 9mm world standard. There is really no excuse for a modern combat pistol being so finicky that it has trouble feeding any 9mm ball. Did they ship the guns with .40 recoil springs by mistake?
 
Disagree. Worldwide standard for 9mm 123/124gr military FMJ. 115gr is more of a USA invention. Original 9x19 round was 123gr.

That's what most German proof houses use to test their 9mms. I own one of the first Walther P99s (S/N under 5300). The one with the original style trigger with the "additional safety" that is supposed to prevent pulling the trigger unless your finger is firmly on it. They removed it later after I guess discovering that it wasn't that useful. As I've said, never a problem with it. But, I rarely shot Winchester 115gr USA ammo, which is apparently the original culprit. Heck CCI Blazer 115gr is hotter than Winchester USA!

Regards,
James
 
Did they ship the guns with .40 recoil springs by mistake?
Click to expand...

Both guns use the same weight spring. ;)

PMC = Pretty Much Crap :barf:

The Winchester 115gr. white box "Q" loads should work fine after the gun has a couple hundred rounds thru it but it is on the weak side.

I don't shoot 115's thru any of my 9mmx19 guns. ;)
 
I just got a P99 about a week ago, and have already put about 800 rounds through it. What can I say? I like to shoot it. Anyways, I would say about 5 to 600 of it was the Winchester White Box 115gr. The first 400 rounds through it in fact was the white box, and I didn't have one problem with it. I also fired some 124gr reloads from the range, some UMC, and some Federal. I havnt tried any of the PMC stuff yet, but I didn't have any problems with the ammo I fired. Also, out of that, the Federal seemed to be the best.


Vladimir
 
I think a reliability question mark hangs over the P99's head.
It is a fancy gun but it is not a Glock or HK USP in terms of reliability, at least not yet!
 
Bah! Never heard of any KBooms! in a Walther have you? Glocks are good, H&Ks of course are exceptional, but Walthers? Well they're a German Legend. :D

Reliability problems are white noise compared to those of us who have had no problems what-so-ever with our P99s.

James :p
 
I think a reliability question mark hangs over the P99's head.
Click to expand...
Not in my experience.
My P99 break-in was 500 rounds of Win. 124gr., 200 rounds of Speer GDHP +p, followed by 800 more rounds of Win. 124gr. during an OPS Tactical Pistol Course. And who knows how many more odd-lot assorted 115gr and 124gr ammo since then. I'm guessing conservatively at 3000 rounds, without a hiccup.
EXCEPT.....Federal Ny-Clad HP's....from one lot#.....they would not chamber in my Sig P228 either. So I chalk that up to bad-ammo and not the pistol.
It is a fancy gun but it is not a Glock or HK USP in terms of reliability, at least not yet!
Click to expand...
btw: the only pistol that had a failure at the OPS class, was my wifes Glock 19, the trigger locked down about 300 rounds into the course and she had to switch to my Glock 17. After dissasembly and cleaning and lubing the Glock 19 functioned again, a little grit shut the Glock down.
 
Thanks for all of your good input. I'm going to buy several boxes of the heavier (124/147gr) 9mm at the next gun show (first week of March here) and try those and see what happens. Hopefully, it was the ammo and not the gun.

Perhaps, +P ammo would be good for this gun after all, contrary to an earlier post I made in another thread. :o I'll definitely try the std pressure heavier rounds before going to +Ps, if at all.
 
I had several malfunctions with one box of 115 grain PMC ammo in my P99 in the first 200 rounds I put through it. After that, I shot the remaining two boxes I had with no problems. It's eaten everything I've put through it since. I don't know if it was just a bad box of ammo or if it was break in related.
 
I consider myself extremely lucky in that no gun I ever had so much as burped.

Never had any problem with my P-99. Odds are it is not the pistol
 
Not that this has anything to do with the P99 and PMC ammo but...

My last P99 that I purchased is a used gun. I don't know how many rounds had previously been thru the gun but it is in 99% condition and when I got it, it was spotless as were the 6 mags that came with it.

I took it to the range the other day for the first time and put 720 rds. thru it using the six mags that came with it. I did not once wipe it off, swab out the barrel, re-lube the gun or clean the mags during the entire range session. This was done on purpose to test the gun/mags.

I shot my own reloaded 124gr. and 147gr. ammo.
Winchester Q4318 NATO 124gr.
Winchester Ranger 147gr. SXT JHP
Winchester Ranger 147gr. FMJ
Federal 124gr. EFMJ

I rarely if at all, shoot 115gr. bullets.

The performance of the gun was 100% flawless. Not a single burp with any ammo. All the mags worked 100% and one is actually a S&W 10 round.

One has to love these P99's. :D :D :D

Would one of my 3 Glock 9mmx19 pistols do this also? Most likely would but I like the P99 better than the Glocks.
 
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