David, I hope you do buy the pistol, I love the damned thing. It has taken me about 400 rnds to get accurate with it, but truth be told this is my first gun (ever) so, I am sure even with a hallowed Sig, I still would have been scattered.
The description of the trigger was sort of biased, me trying to sell the stryker cleaning because it has helped me. The trigger is not cheap, it breaks the same place every time. Owners correct me here, but double taps are quicker than any other gun I fired in my research. When you are dry firing DA, hold the trigger down, and complete the 1/4" slide rack, this will place the gun in SA mode. Slowly release the trigger, it re-engages roughly half the distance of the normal single action pull.
I was in control, but this weekend I was practicing double taps, trying for a triple. I fired three in the same time I can fire two; it was like a full auto but I did pull the trigger each time
I moutain bike a great deal, one of the industry terms is "Sticktion." This describes how the bushing on a shock will take move energy to move than it will to slide. I found this true of the Walther Trigger. When practicing with Snap caps or on the range the slow trigger squeeze in paper shooting, I found that the trigger would take a minute extra press to get it moving if I inadvertantly stopped with the trigger. This problem went away mostly, but I still noticed it. Since I took down the striker assembly about a month ago, it has greatly improved. I am wondering if it was just my gun, my mind, or an actual problem with the shipping "grease" Walther uses.
Free handing, I am starting to group tightly, there was a review in hand gunner a month or two ago and they posted groups of 3.5" - 4.88" at 25 yrds. Their gun, or their ammo had an occasional bench rest flier- one a clip or so. When they excluded that flier, grouping went down to 1.5" to 2.4". They admittedly did not investigate the problem or change ammo types. All I know is that when I sand bagged my hand down, I put three in the 10 spot out of three. It is a combat pistol extrodinaire.
As far as ammo goes, keep in mind that it is a tight tolerant unsupported chamber, reloads are a little bit of a problem (I hear) due to brass bulge, but it is widely stated not to use reloads for defense. Some have said they used reloads without problem- caveat emptor.
When one lets the spring do its job, I have not had a misfeed on my pistol. My friend uses my pistol from time to time and the slide won't close sometimes (all the way). It is only him. My mother (55 yo) shot it with no jams or non-slide closures.
I have slide lock open problems during the first, say 250 rnds, I was using Liberty ammo and CCI-Blazer. I have used UMC (no misfeeds, but friggin dirty gun).
My main practice ammo is PMC- 180. I never had a misfeed. and I like the cool looking gold bullet and shell. Okay I am a foof.
My NRA instructor fired it a couple of times at 15 yrds and bull's eye'd a few times to prove it was me and not the gun.
Pricey but in my opinion worth is.
I have the Walther USA version. Ensure that the store you are buying from is not going to restock S&W. Buy it with a clear conscious.
There are ads for retical sights, night sights, lasers and tac flash lights. SO they are available.
Good Shopping.
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by David Berkowitz:
While I do not own one, I am contemplating getting a P99 in 40S&W.
A few questions, if I may, based on your comments.
Hube & Gus, both of you mention the weirdness of the trigger and that it is not smooth as it comes form the factory. I have not fired one as there is no range in my area that rents these, but in checking them out at the store, I found them to be very crisp breaking and the equal in smoothness to anything else. The SW99 was nowhere near as good. Do you have early models and maybe the later ones were more finely polished? Did yours start out smooth and maybe pickup grit in the lube that needed to be cleaned out?
Gus, you mention yours is made in Germany. Where else are they made? I know Interarms imported then, then Walther USA imported, and now S&W. Did Walther USA actually assemble them here or were they only the importer?
Both of you mention jams or failures to feed. How sensitive to ammo selection is pistol?
Thanks,
Dave[/quote]
[This message has been edited by hube1236 (edited July 11, 2000).]
