The Walther PPQ: What's Next?

Part of me does wonder though if some of these rebates we're seeing from S&W and Walther are to move product to clear the way for new models. We've seen the M&P 2.0 and I wonder if we'll see a 2.0 Shield or similar. It may honestly just be that in the US the market is so flat that they're doing whatever they think will work to drive sales.
Click to expand...

S&W & Walther are offering rebates on guns right now because the market is the softest I have seen since 2000. It is not just guns. Look at the prices on ammo right now.

I doubt it that they are moving stuff for the next offering. IMHO they are just trying to move metal and plastic. The gun manufacturers expected Clinton to be in the White House right now and that people would be panic buying anything and everything with the threat of legislation. Now with Trump and the current congress plus the overbuying of the last few years the market is saturated.

Also the reality is that the PPQ is very popular on the forums but its is relatively a poor seller. It does not sell anywhere close to Glock, XD and S&W M&P. A big part of that is Walther's horrible marketing. The view from the forums is a bit distorted because we for the most part are not the avg gun buyer. We are the enthusiast.
 
I agree with you on the market. As I said above I think it's going to be a lean number of years and the industry is in for hard times.

I can also see your point on the skewed perception of popularity. What will be interesting to see if and how Walther can improve that. The fans are very loyal but getting new fans is always a challenge.
 
JDBerg said:
You hit the nail on the head right there, as much as like my own PPS-M2, and I like the PPQ, I'd really like to see a combination of the 2 guns, i.e., a PPS barrel length but with a slightly lower cap double stack mag / grip combination. I think Walther could sell one of these!
Click to expand...
A PPS sized PPQ would be fantastic!I love the PPQ but the single stacks like the PPS are uncomfortable for me.


I nabbed the M2 Navy @ 498 before the rebate from gunbuyer. Hard to argue for it at that price when my LGS has them @580 or so when they get a Navy in.

I agree that Walther is just a niche player. Fantastic product, but not a huge seller compared to the competition. Does Walther need a larger fan base or are they operating on higher cost over more sales? At least around me, the PPQs tend to retail at a higher cost.
 
I agree with you on the market. As I said above I think it's going to be a lean number of years and the industry is in for hard times.

I can also see your point on the skewed perception of popularity. What will be interesting to see if and how Walther can improve that. The fans are very loyal but getting new fans is always a challenge.
Click to expand...

The biggest makers just keep getting bigger. It is a huge challenge for a middle maker like Walther. At least Walther USA exists now so they have chance.
 
How about something simple like the PPQ .45 and other models with the paddle magazine release? I know there's a bias in the American market for the M2 style magazine release but once you get used to the paddles you find that they are a superior design.
 
[CODEHow about something simple like the PPQ .45 and other models with the paddle magazine release? I know there's a bias in the American market for the M2 style magazine release but once you get used to the paddles you find that they are a superior design. ][/CODE]

Supply and demand and there is not enough demand out there. I too love the M!
 
The soft market may actually give Walther some incentive to do something to the PPQ. Most likely it would be cosmetic because otherwise it's a pretty good gun.

That being said, I think they made a mistake by dropping S&W as the importer. Walther Arms USA sucks. I had a PPQ that the frame cracked on. Walther Arms USA told me that the frame could not be replaced and that I should dispose of the gun!! Seriously!! They wouldn't even look at it. I ended up calling another Walther importer and he said that he had frames in stock since mine was not the first cracked PPQ frame that he had seen. He sold me a new frame for $150.

I don't know if cracked PPQ frames are common but there is a dealer near me that's selling a used PPQ that has also had the frame replaced.
 
Last edited:
Despite the lack of cosmetic changes that may or may not have any benefit, there is also no PPQc despite the P99ASc being out there. Yes there is the PPS M2, but no real subcompact and it seems weird that Walther hasn't made the effort to do a subcompact PPQ.
Click to expand...

Perhaps Walther understands the PPQ's trigger design is right on the verge of being safe for a dedicated carry gun, and knows the P99C AS is the safer setup.

When you consider how long the P99 has been out I start to wonder when or if we'll see the next design from Walther.
Click to expand...

Considering how little the Glock design has actually changed in 30 years, I'd say the P99/PPQ design has a lot of life left in it.
 
That being said, I think they made a mistake by dropping S&W as the importer. Walther Arms USA sucks. I had a PPQ that the frame cracked on. Walther Arms USA told me that the frame could not be replaced and that I should dispose of the gun!! Seriously!! They wouldn't even look at it. I ended up calling another Walther importer and he said that he had frames in stock since mine was not the first cracked PPQ frame that he had seen. He sold me a new frame for $150.
Click to expand...

I remember your thread on the Walther forum:

http://www.waltherforums.com/forum/ppq/47208-very-disappointed-walther-arms-usa.html

Your pistol was purchased used, and already had a crack in it, in the same area that other PPQ frames were cracked after Apex came out with an aftermarket trigger for the PPQ. The only times I remember hearing of cracked or damaged frames on the PPQ, were times when the owner of the pistol damaged them trying to take the slide release levers off of the pistol, to install the aftermarket trigger. The slide release levers on the PPQ double as the trigger pivot pin.

It is too bad that Walther themselves don't offer replacement frames, but if they don't have any in stock, and all they have are fully assembled firearms, what else would they be obligated to do when the previous owner is more than likely the person who destroyed the frame? If they gave you a replacement, then everyone else who damaged their frames installing an aftermarket trigger would want the same service. I'd be more upset at the previous owner who chose to sell a "broken" pistol. The good news is that Earl from ERS, does sell replacement frames.

I don't know if cracked PPQ frames are common but there is a dealer near me that's selling a used PPQ that has also had the frame replaced.
Click to expand...

I don't recall hearing of any cracked frames on the PPQ before Apex released their aftermarket trigger.
 
As far as the thread topic, it is really impossible to tell at this point.

Historically, when Walther (Ulm) comes up with a design that is successful at winning agency contracts and/or becomes popular on the commercial market, it usually stays in production for many, many years.

The PPK has been in production for 86 years.

The P38 was in production for over 50 years.

The P5 was in production for over 30 years.

The P99 was and still is in production for around 20 years.

The PPQ was released 6 years ago, so it is still pretty new if we're talking about a design from Walther, and the PPQ borrows so heavily from the P99 in terms of the internals, I'm not sure I would consider it a new model. You can literally put a P99 slide on a PPQ, or vice versa, and the pistols will still work.

The few pistols that came out of the Ulm plant between when the PP was released, and the PPQ was released, went out of production because they didn't sell well on the commercial market, and they didn't get many or any agency contracts. The P4, the P88, etc.

The P99c wasn't released until 7 years after the P99 was released, and if I recall correctly, it was released to win a contract, which the H&K P2000SK eventually won. Other than for that, Walther may never have even made it.

Walther used to be a lot more focused on agency contracts in Europe and around the world than the civilian market here in the US. The difference now is that, that has seemed to have changed. They seem to be more focused on the civilian market here now, so looking at things Walther has done in the past wouldn't really help us predict the future.

I have no idea what they will come up with next. All I know is that if the model is made in the Walther plant in Ulm, it is more than likely a good pistol that will compete with comparable pistols from any manufacturer. If it is or ever was made in the Umarex plant in Arnsberg, stay far away from it.
 
Last edited:
All I know is that if the model is made in the Walther plant in Ulm, it is more than likely a good pistol that will compete with comparable pistols from any manufacturer. If it is or ever was made in the Umarex plant in Arnsberg, stay far away from it.
Click to expand...

Words to live by.
 
I'm pretty sure my PPQ .22 was made in that plant...it's made by Umarex...
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure it was made in the Umarex factory in Arnsberg. A "shield with 3 crowns" proofmark will confirm it.

All real new-production Walthers will carry the "staghorn" proofmark of the Ulm proofhouse.
 
I would like to see mag stripping cuts, a more gritty texture, and a backplate that isn't obviously just a P99 backplate with no hole for the striker indicator. Pretty minor adjustments other than being able to rip the mag out during a double feed. Otherwise I think it's still an ear perfect design.
 
Walther confuses me with their glut of similar looking handguns. They should at least make some effort to vary the cosmetics a little more....

I think they had the ultimate idea (for me at least) right the first time on the P99AS. Perhaps they could further tweak the trigger to be more PPQ like in SA mode, but I think the AS is nearly perfect. The decocker is unique among striker fired pistols that I am aware of. My only complaint is that I can't FIND one to buy it!! :mad:

Sounds like I may have to wait til next year....I'm still kicking myself for not buying one 2-3 years ago when they were plentiful and cheap!
 
Perhaps they could further tweak the trigger to be more PPQ like in SA mode, but I think the AS is nearly perfect.
Click to expand...

Why would they do that?

The P99AS in single action mode may be the only striker-fired pistol with a better trigger feel than the PPQ. All the smoothness and crispness of the PPQ but about a pound lighter pull (~4.5 lbs vs ~5.5 lbs).
 
It's interesting that manufacturers are treating handguns almost like cars now, with new features and "updates" required to compete each model year. Or, even with specific variants (think SIG Legion) to get people all fired up.

I have a PPQ M1 that I bought for around $399 when they first came out. Solid pistol, love it, and can't think of anything I'd really change on it.
 
I currently carry a PPS classic in 9mm everywhere I go. Fantastic pistol, super reliable and very concealable.

I love the size and ergonomics of the PPQ. It's definitely going to be my next handgun. I haven't had any opportunities to shoot it yet, but I have handled it in gun shops more than once.

I plan to carry that as well, supplementing with the PPS. Not only for increased capacity but also because of the (IMHO) vastly better trigger. I have bigger hands and I just don't shoot the smaller PPS with smallest magazine as well as I can shoot larger guns.

Personally, and hypothetically, I would love to compare a regular PPQ with a newer version no less than 80% of the current size, but I think in the end, I'd go with the current offering. It seems like a beauty to me, dare I say perfect?

If Walther does make a smaller PPQ, personally I'd hate to see any heavier of a trigger pull. That trigger is amazing. If anybody %ucks with it, we're going to have a problem. :mad:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top