Uncle Malice
New member
So here's the deal. I like to shoot, as we all do. I prefer to shoot steel out in the desert. I'm on the outer edges of the Phoenix valley, so I can drive about 6 miles out and set up my steel and shoot all day if I want. Our sand is very fine and when introduced into many guns, it will cause lots of failures.
So, when I start to really like how I'm shooting a gun, it gets the sand test. Action closed and bathed in sand on both sides, then shaken out and run. Repeat for a couple of times.
If successful at this test, I consider it ready for carry but still want to know what it takes to STOP the gun. So I'll go action open and bathe it in sand. Get it into the action... then shake it out, run the slide a few times, load it up and see how it runs.
If it's still successful, I'll now introduce water into it to see if the wet sand - which is akin to concrete - will stop it. It's rare that a gun will get to this test, and even more rare that the gun will pass it(Sig P320 Compact and Glock 19 being the only guns that have made it, to date).
So, last year I was really loving the HK VP9. I had put Heinie sights on it and had run several thousand flawless rounds through it. I was shooting it fast and accurately. It was time to carry it... so I did the sand test. Which is failed miserably on the first stage. I was so disappointed that I sold it. This isn't a bash against HK, I still love my other HK's... but the VP9 trigger bar slot is not conducive to debris getting in there.
After selling the VP9, I wanted to try the PPQ, due to their obvious likenesses. I've been quite happy with it so far. I put Dawson fiber front and 10-8 black rear sights on it, picked up a bunch of mags and holster. I've been playing with it for a good bit and decided it was ready for the sand test.
I'm happy to report that my PPQ M1 breezed right through 3 cycles of stage 1, and 2 cycles of stage 2. It was showing no signs of slowing down, and it was DIRTY and GRIMY. I was, quite honestly, pretty surprised at how well it was doing. My HK P30L was tested first, and while it passed stage 1, it failed miserably on stage 2. Consistent failures to eject and failures to go into battery. The PPQ had no issues. It even ALMOST got past the water test. I opened it up and dumped a bottle of water in it. In the action, under side of the slide, all over. The outside looked cleaner, but the inside got that wet, sandy, concrete mixture in there. I had 2 stovepipes and 3 or 4 failures to go into battery in the first to mags after the water. I field stripped it, wiped it down in a few key places with a microfiber towel, put it back together and cycled the action a bit. Reloaded the mags and went back to work. I had 1 more stoppage in the first magazine, but other than that, it was good to go. 2nd, 3rd, and 4th magazines had no additional stoppages. Daily total through the gun was probably around 450 rounds. I put about 600 through the P30L, mostly because I had more mags with me for that.
I came away from the day being a little surprised at how easily the HK P30L got stopped up, and also surprised at how well the PPQ survived the testing. I got home and gave it a full spa treatment. Detail stripped it, brushed it out, degreased it, lubed it back up, and put it back together, ready for carry duty. It's even got me considering picking up an M2 Navy.... Oh, how I wish they would do an M1 Navy....
I know the PPQ has probably been Walther's most publicly successful release to date, but I feel like they still don't get the credit they deserve in most circles. Not sure why that is... I hope to do my part to change that after today. Most people keep their guns clean and shoot them at the range, not knowing how they perform if they get dirty in their local environment. I don't mint stoppages beyond stage 1, I just want to know what it actually takes to make the gun stop. So, now I know how much it takes to make the PPQ stop in my environment. I like it.
Here are a couple of pics of my baby from day.
So, when I start to really like how I'm shooting a gun, it gets the sand test. Action closed and bathed in sand on both sides, then shaken out and run. Repeat for a couple of times.
If successful at this test, I consider it ready for carry but still want to know what it takes to STOP the gun. So I'll go action open and bathe it in sand. Get it into the action... then shake it out, run the slide a few times, load it up and see how it runs.
If it's still successful, I'll now introduce water into it to see if the wet sand - which is akin to concrete - will stop it. It's rare that a gun will get to this test, and even more rare that the gun will pass it(Sig P320 Compact and Glock 19 being the only guns that have made it, to date).
So, last year I was really loving the HK VP9. I had put Heinie sights on it and had run several thousand flawless rounds through it. I was shooting it fast and accurately. It was time to carry it... so I did the sand test. Which is failed miserably on the first stage. I was so disappointed that I sold it. This isn't a bash against HK, I still love my other HK's... but the VP9 trigger bar slot is not conducive to debris getting in there.
After selling the VP9, I wanted to try the PPQ, due to their obvious likenesses. I've been quite happy with it so far. I put Dawson fiber front and 10-8 black rear sights on it, picked up a bunch of mags and holster. I've been playing with it for a good bit and decided it was ready for the sand test.
I'm happy to report that my PPQ M1 breezed right through 3 cycles of stage 1, and 2 cycles of stage 2. It was showing no signs of slowing down, and it was DIRTY and GRIMY. I was, quite honestly, pretty surprised at how well it was doing. My HK P30L was tested first, and while it passed stage 1, it failed miserably on stage 2. Consistent failures to eject and failures to go into battery. The PPQ had no issues. It even ALMOST got past the water test. I opened it up and dumped a bottle of water in it. In the action, under side of the slide, all over. The outside looked cleaner, but the inside got that wet, sandy, concrete mixture in there. I had 2 stovepipes and 3 or 4 failures to go into battery in the first to mags after the water. I field stripped it, wiped it down in a few key places with a microfiber towel, put it back together and cycled the action a bit. Reloaded the mags and went back to work. I had 1 more stoppage in the first magazine, but other than that, it was good to go. 2nd, 3rd, and 4th magazines had no additional stoppages. Daily total through the gun was probably around 450 rounds. I put about 600 through the P30L, mostly because I had more mags with me for that.
I came away from the day being a little surprised at how easily the HK P30L got stopped up, and also surprised at how well the PPQ survived the testing. I got home and gave it a full spa treatment. Detail stripped it, brushed it out, degreased it, lubed it back up, and put it back together, ready for carry duty. It's even got me considering picking up an M2 Navy.... Oh, how I wish they would do an M1 Navy....
I know the PPQ has probably been Walther's most publicly successful release to date, but I feel like they still don't get the credit they deserve in most circles. Not sure why that is... I hope to do my part to change that after today. Most people keep their guns clean and shoot them at the range, not knowing how they perform if they get dirty in their local environment. I don't mint stoppages beyond stage 1, I just want to know what it actually takes to make the gun stop. So, now I know how much it takes to make the PPQ stop in my environment. I like it.
Here are a couple of pics of my baby from day.
I'd hate to see the ones you don't like. 
And I feel sorry for your kids should you ever go from Uncle to Daddy Malice. 
