P99 AS: Any cautionary tales?

M

MEATSAW

New member
I'm about to pop on a Walther P99AS and wanted to know if y'all had any remarks or words of caution. I know the PPQ is en vogue but is it really any better from a comfort (ergonomic) standpoint?

Should I be worries about the crummy 1 year warranty?

Should I be aware of another better buy?

I've looked into the Canik55 TP9 and I would certainly go that way but I now have the means to get the walther. I've also looked into the VP9 and P320. Neither appeal to me.
 
Just my .02, if that means anything!

I have three P99's (QA, AS, Compact AS) and had two PPQ's. Key word: HAD. Granted, the PPQ is a remarkable pistol with the best Glock-style trigger out there and is (was) a joy to shoot (Steyr's trigger is still my favorite but it's a different design). However, the PPQ doesn't do any thing better than the P99 AS once in SA mode.

The triggers have practically the same weight, length of pull/travel (again, when the 99 is in SA), and the same awesome reset; just that one trigger is solid and the other has a pivoting blade safety.

The main differences you will notice is that the "Q" has front slide serrations, ambidextrous slide release levers, a slightly thicker pistol grip in the middle with more aggressive texturing, a solid slide backplate, obviously no decocking button, and if the M2 variant, the mag release button vice the ambi paddle release.

One precaution I highly suggest is to ensure that the front sight retainer screw is snug, especially if you swap out front sight posts to adjust your elevation for your point of impact. You don't want to be shooting and suddenly have your front sight post disappear.
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From what I can tell reading forums, including the highly critical pistol-forum.com , is that the post P88 Walthers are highly competent, slim, accurate and ergonomics. They are also poorly supported by a series of US importers that just don't care.

The P99AS is utterly unique in being a DA/SA striker fired pistol with decocker. The P99 came after both the Glock and USP, and stole the best features of both while adding a truly low profile decocker, which HK imitated with the P2000 and P30 decockers. The main downside is getting parts when something small breaks in the pistol - which is not necessarily a common occurrence.

The new HK VP9 is most often compared to the excellence of the PPQ, which it might not exceed.

I'd happily go with a P99AS or SW99 if you favor the safety of a DA/SA mechanism. Go with the PPQ M1 if you want a competition pistol that easily takes on the Glock, M&P and XD. Buy enough mags and replacement springs early so replacing them isn't a headache.
 
My EDC is a 9mm S&W 990L (other than the S&W logo and stainless slide it's a Walther P99 QA). I love this little gun. It is reliable, accurate and very easy to conceal. I have put ~2k rounds though it without a single hiccup. The trigger is very smooth which aids in the stellar accuracy of a gun the same size as a G26.

I like my 990L so much I would not hesitate to pick up a walther p99 in .40 or a SW99 in 45 if i ran across them.
 
If you futz with your rear sight, be very, very careful when pushing down and releasing your detent that you don't launch it.
It's very easy to do... And will end what could have been a wonderful day at the range very quickly.
 
I have an SW99. Fantastic firearm. It has a very good trigger, and the ergos are nice. I also prefer it to the PPQ. Very reliable firearm.
 
Going to correct some items here:

Here is the Walther Page on the P99AS:
http://www.waltherarms.com/products/handguns/p99/

and here is the Walther Page on the PPQ:
http://www.waltherarms.com/products/handguns/ppq-m2/

One can see the P99 AS actually has a LIGHTER trigger than the PPQ, as described by the manufacture. They both reset at the same point. Therefore, if the PPQ is excellent for the trigger being smooth and light...the P99AS is above the PPQ.

The rear sight, as mentioned, is the biggest issue. It is locked into place by a plunger. Truly a none issue in normal use, but this is the one fault of the P99.

The Walther P99 was the FIRST gun with replaceable backstraps. That would be Glock and HK taking from Walther, not the other way around as suggested.

The Walther P99 is the FIRST DA/SA with decocker striker fired handgun. It completely mimicks a DA/SA (think Sig, Beretta, etc), but also provides a full forward trigger in single action if desired.

Some feel the P99 is a bit snappy. I agree. However, the grip and slide profile allow me back onto target faster than a less snappy gun (Sig, Glock, etc).

They hold their value well. They are a bit bigger than their comparisons (G19)....other than that, I love them. About to pick up my 4th P99 after having sold a PPQ M1.
 
That's only true if you carry a P99 cocked - which is not how it is designed. The AS is there to give you some wiggle room when loading the mag, not as a carry mode. When you pull the P99AS out of the holster you have an 11 pound trigger. The PPQ is 5.6.
 
So you are sayin the only reason for the AS trigger is for added safety for loading the weapon? Is this stated somewhere officially as how it was designed, or I this just your opinion?
 
It is for safely loading and handling the weapon - an extra protection when transitioning from loading to firing or loading to decock.

From the P99 manual:
Anti-Stress (AS): Traditional Double-Action/Single-Action trigger with Decocker.
Click to expand...
De-cock the P99 AS after loading, before holstering and prior to disassembly.
Click to expand...
After the slide is closed, press down the decocker (P99 AS only). Doing so resets the trigger action from Single Action to the safer Double Action mode.
Click to expand...
The Anti-Stress trigger acts as a kind of two-stage trigger, and lessons the possibility of a stress-induced unintentional discharge.
Click to expand...
Somewhere official:
http://www.carl-walther.de/public/downloads/manuals/262_81_21_f_P99_ENGLISH.pdf

There are other DA/SA guns that have triggers that will behave like this, at least when loading from the slide forward. Walther just took it a step further and causes the trigger to move forward during mag changes, too.

Those who are holstering the pistol cocked are simply mishandling it. You can argue it is safe, but you can argue doing the same with a Beretta or Sig 226 is just as safe because they all have 5 pound triggers and firing pin safeties. But the P99 manual doesn't mince words about it - this is a DA/SA gun that you are supposed to decock and the AS is just a safety feature, not a carry mode.


Do you have one of these? Did it come with a manual?
 
Excellent! Thanks for providing that information! I was under the false impression that the AS mode was how it was supposed to be carried. So I am happy that got clarified. Again thanks. And no I don't have it because I have not yet made up my mind.
 
I think you are wrong on the AS not being a carry option.


Regardless, if you are using it as a range gun or enjoying the range, you won't be decocking the P99. Therefore, it will have a better trigger than the PPQ.
 
The confusion is: When the gun is cocked, why doesn't the trigger move rearward with the cocking action? Walther calls it Anti Stress. Perhaps it is a by product of the trigger design and they just named it Anti Stress to cover this?

As the SA in the P99 is 4.5-5lbs, at a full trigger length pull, I would think some would feel comfortable carrying in single action in AS (light, but full length pull. Personally, I find stress in the glock triggers and other SA like set ups unless I am shooting the gun. I handle the P99 in DA when loaded.

I don't think anyone recommends carrying the P99 cocked with the trigger set by the user at half point-like a glock but without the dangle safety.
 
I think you are wrong on the AS not being a carry option.
Click to expand...
No, you think Walther is wrong. I quoted the manual verbatim. DA is the carry option and AS is explained as an added safety feature.

And I already said that it is, in part, a product of how many triggers already work. But Walther added something so the trigger stays forward in more circumstances - which appears very intentional.

For people who want to carry a 5 pound trigger all the time, Walther makes a QA trigger that has a trigger safety as well. The AS only has one carry mode.


For those "comfortable" ignoring the manual, you can also carry your P229 with the hammer cocked.


While it is now somehow seems normal to people, no one tried to sell the public a single action handgun with no safety until the HS2000 in 1999. Walther did not uncork that genie in 1997.
 
Again not being argumentative just trying to get a good knowledge base: what's the difference in the safety of carrying the P99 in single action AS mode at 5 lbs with a long trigger and the PPQ with the 5.6 lbs? Is it just the 0.6 lbs or the trigger dingus? Or is it something else that makes the PPQ safer to carry?
 
Meatsaw,

That's the riddle of the ages. My answer - marketing. Glock sold this concept to consumers and police in the '80s, and it is now accepted that the intentions of the designer are a better indicator of safety than reason or numbers.

Some folks are coming back around to thinking that a 10 pound trigger may be safer than a 5 pound for carry, but I doubt that's ever going to really catch on.
 
Hey, hey, hey! My P99AS has an 8.6 lb average pull in DA and 5.2 lb in SA, whereas my P99QA, which I actually prefer, has an 8.1 lb average pull.

Yeah, call me crazy, but my heavier QA trigger still feels far smoother than my Glock, and shoots more accurately as well.
 
When you pull the P99AS out of the holster you have an 11 pound trigger.
Click to expand...

No.

It has an 8.5 pound trigger in decocked double-action mode. Or a 4.5 pound trigger in Anti-Stress single-action mode.

There is a typo on the Walther America web site. Walther's German site lists the correct trigger pull (in metric).

.
 
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No, you think Walther is wrong. I quoted the manual verbatim. DA is the carry option and AS is explained as an added safety feature.
Click to expand...

The American version of the P99 manual does say this. Interestingly enough, though, the European manuals do not, and consider the AS mode a carry mode.

Apparently the lawyers intervened at some point between there and here.

That said, my P99AS is always carried de-cocked for extra piece of mind. Besides, an 8.5 pound buttery smooth trigger is still better than a mushy stacky Glock 5.5 pound trigger.
 
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