ganderlander
Inactive
anyone out there have any experience with the p99 good or bad?
Walther P99 opinions
- Thread starter ganderlander
- Start date
I happen to love the P99- you will find that most people on this board either love it or hate it, very little middle ground. I have never had a problem with it, it shoots easier and points better than my Glock IMO.
The trigger might take a bit of getting used to- I liked it to begin with, no problems.
I have a 9mm and it "never" jams, heard that there was some problems with the 40's (but don't know the extent to what the issues are or were). I also think the grip is very comfortable, the interchangable backstraps are an added bonus.
The trigger might take a bit of getting used to- I liked it to begin with, no problems.
I have a 9mm and it "never" jams, heard that there was some problems with the 40's (but don't know the extent to what the issues are or were). I also think the grip is very comfortable, the interchangable backstraps are an added bonus.
I've got a P99 in 9mm. Love it. Had some problems with jamming at first, but it was the ammo (I know that because while it fired from my Beretta, it jammed my friend's G17).
It comes with 3 backstraps to adjust the size of the grip, and 3 front sights of different heights so you can adjust the elevation. The rear sight is drift adjustable. It also comes with 2 10 round clips (yuck), but if you're lucky and wealthy enough you can buy some 16, count 'em, 16 round clips!
Shoots great, fairly accurate for a service pistol, feels great in the hand, small grip, no safety, decocker on the slide, nice trigger, etc. My biggest problem was finding a holster, because the gun hasn't been out for long. I found one from Desantis, but it seems that more are available now.
It comes with 3 backstraps to adjust the size of the grip, and 3 front sights of different heights so you can adjust the elevation. The rear sight is drift adjustable. It also comes with 2 10 round clips (yuck), but if you're lucky and wealthy enough you can buy some 16, count 'em, 16 round clips!
Shoots great, fairly accurate for a service pistol, feels great in the hand, small grip, no safety, decocker on the slide, nice trigger, etc. My biggest problem was finding a holster, because the gun hasn't been out for long. I found one from Desantis, but it seems that more are available now.
Walther P99.40
I thought I had found Nirvana when I, as a beginner, was approached by the range marshall (?) and told I had a good eye with good grouping. Of course this was using a bench rest at only 10 yards, but I was nailing the 1 square inch target with aplomb. I changed backstraps and ammo and I could not hit the side of a barn- even with a rest - ammo or gun. Now I am using a different ammo to see if I get back to it.
My friend has fired it 10 times (1 clip). It had locked back three times with him. I have fired it 500 times (100 more coming tomorrow) and it has locked only once- my first clip. I love the damned thing.
I thought I had found Nirvana when I, as a beginner, was approached by the range marshall (?) and told I had a good eye with good grouping. Of course this was using a bench rest at only 10 yards, but I was nailing the 1 square inch target with aplomb. I changed backstraps and ammo and I could not hit the side of a barn- even with a rest - ammo or gun. Now I am using a different ammo to see if I get back to it.
My friend has fired it 10 times (1 clip). It had locked back three times with him. I have fired it 500 times (100 more coming tomorrow) and it has locked only once- my first clip. I love the damned thing.
We've trashed this issue thoroughly. If you like polymer, get a Glock. Almost everybody else has made less than stellar plastic guns.
Do a search and you will find out my opinion. In a word, nobody does polymber like Glock.
I love the metal Walthers but the P99 is lacking in balance, ergonomics except for the grip.
But SW Sigmas also had awesome grips, and the ones my friends one, that I've shot, or were for rental were ammo sensitive.
Never have seen a 9mm that coughed on several brands of round nose factory ammo. And for a 9mm, that's terrible.
HATED IT! With two double snaps!
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The Seattle SharpShooter - TFL/GT/UGW/PCT/KTOG
Do a search and you will find out my opinion. In a word, nobody does polymber like Glock.
I love the metal Walthers but the P99 is lacking in balance, ergonomics except for the grip.
But SW Sigmas also had awesome grips, and the ones my friends one, that I've shot, or were for rental were ammo sensitive.
Never have seen a 9mm that coughed on several brands of round nose factory ammo. And for a 9mm, that's terrible.
HATED IT! With two double snaps!
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The Seattle SharpShooter - TFL/GT/UGW/PCT/KTOG
An excellent handgun. If you aren't in a hurry, Walther has just retooled their former P5 and P88 productions lines for the P99, which means the price should start falling a bit this summer.
If you choose a used P99, the first year they were imported they had a pivoting trigger lock similar to the Glock. This was discontinued and the trigger pivot pin moved up a bit. This makes a difference to some folks, but I really couldn't notice it myself.
The 9mm tends to like heaver bullets. Some folks with large hands reported that their thumb engaged the slide lock if they didn't pay attention to hand placement. And some folks just never get used to the three-phase trigger safety system.
Those are the only drawbacks I've heard. Otherwise, it's a very accurate pistol manufactured to very close tolerances with high-grade materials. I've carried one for more than a year now, and it shows no wear. The Tenifer finish on the slide has resisted all my attempts to scratch it (most noticably rubbing it up against the seat belt catch) and the polymer frame has hardly dulled around the grip area, even after 5,000 rounds. I've experienced no stoppages or jams. I intentionally dowloaded some 9mm to see where it would not cycle, and it finally stovepiped at 3gr of Unique behind a 125-gr LRN.
If you choose to carry, Trijicon makes night sights and CCW holsters are available from Wild Bill's Concealment and PWL Leathers (I can email you the URLs if you wish). Hi-caps are availble, if expensive, from KY Imports and One-Eyed Jacks.
Regards,
Ken Strayhorn
Hillsborough NC
If you choose a used P99, the first year they were imported they had a pivoting trigger lock similar to the Glock. This was discontinued and the trigger pivot pin moved up a bit. This makes a difference to some folks, but I really couldn't notice it myself.
The 9mm tends to like heaver bullets. Some folks with large hands reported that their thumb engaged the slide lock if they didn't pay attention to hand placement. And some folks just never get used to the three-phase trigger safety system.
Those are the only drawbacks I've heard. Otherwise, it's a very accurate pistol manufactured to very close tolerances with high-grade materials. I've carried one for more than a year now, and it shows no wear. The Tenifer finish on the slide has resisted all my attempts to scratch it (most noticably rubbing it up against the seat belt catch) and the polymer frame has hardly dulled around the grip area, even after 5,000 rounds. I've experienced no stoppages or jams. I intentionally dowloaded some 9mm to see where it would not cycle, and it finally stovepiped at 3gr of Unique behind a 125-gr LRN.
If you choose to carry, Trijicon makes night sights and CCW holsters are available from Wild Bill's Concealment and PWL Leathers (I can email you the URLs if you wish). Hi-caps are availble, if expensive, from KY Imports and One-Eyed Jacks.
Regards,
Ken Strayhorn
Hillsborough NC
CoastieN70
New member
Had a P99 .40 S&W and found it to be well made, ergomaticly excellant, and fun to shoot. Once I got used to the trigger reset on the piece it proved quit accurate.
Although I got used to the trigger reset, I never really liked it. I feel that if I had learned to shoot initially with this gun or had less shooting experiance when I aquired it, I would have never parted with it. A friend with substantially less shooting experiance has the S&W 99 and absolutely loves it and wouldn't dream of parting with it, except possibly to get another on of differant caliber.
Unlike some fanatics of a certain "plastic pistol" I don't subscribe to the "my gun is better than your gun because it is an Acme or whatever brand name you wish to place here".
My main carry piece is an HK Compact 357 Sig. Why because it fits my hand best and is of excellant quality. Would I have one of the guns that Gaston makes? Don't know, haven't found one that fits yet. And contrary to some peoples opinion, Gaston's plastic gun may be better than some, but not most and some are better (including Carl W's)
Although I got used to the trigger reset, I never really liked it. I feel that if I had learned to shoot initially with this gun or had less shooting experiance when I aquired it, I would have never parted with it. A friend with substantially less shooting experiance has the S&W 99 and absolutely loves it and wouldn't dream of parting with it, except possibly to get another on of differant caliber.
Unlike some fanatics of a certain "plastic pistol" I don't subscribe to the "my gun is better than your gun because it is an Acme or whatever brand name you wish to place here".
My main carry piece is an HK Compact 357 Sig. Why because it fits my hand best and is of excellant quality. Would I have one of the guns that Gaston makes? Don't know, haven't found one that fits yet. And contrary to some peoples opinion, Gaston's plastic gun may be better than some, but not most and some are better (including Carl W's)
i have a P99 in 9mm. Very accurate and could never accuse it of being a "jam-o-matic". Stick with 124gr bullets with the P99's chambered in 9mm. Hated the trigger when i first got the gun, and still not my fondest feature on the gun, but I've gotten used to it. Considered the Glocks and H&K's before I purchased this firearm and you know what my decision was and I have no regrets. The Walther P99 will probably be the only polymer I'll ever own, but the new Beretta 9000S is tempting....Dan in GA
I contacted Karl Walther, and they referred me to a guy at *&*, who mentioned that they've changed both the spring and the design of the slide stop on new guns to fix this. They mentioned filing the slide stop on old guns for better clearance. I didn't save the details, but contact Karl Walther for info.
VictorLouis
New member
Well, you did say opinions, so here's mine. I just got back from the gun store after closely examining the P99 and the !& 
SW99. All politics aside, the ONLY credit I could ascribe to the SW was that it looks better.
The SW rattled noticeably when shaken back and forth in my hand, whereas the P99 was almost noise free. It also had some notable play in the barrel hood lock-up within the slide, and I couldn't budge the Walther's. The finish was much smoother on the P99, and the backstrap inserts were rubber coated, vs. the rigid inserts on the SW. The P99 has repeat strike ability(Better to have it and NOT need it, IMO). Lastly, the SW had a white plastic mag follower vs. metal in the Walther. They had two of each, and the results were the same between them.
At a price only $70 more than the SW, the Walther appears to be well worth it.
SW99. All politics aside, the ONLY credit I could ascribe to the SW was that it looks better.The SW rattled noticeably when shaken back and forth in my hand, whereas the P99 was almost noise free. It also had some notable play in the barrel hood lock-up within the slide, and I couldn't budge the Walther's. The finish was much smoother on the P99, and the backstrap inserts were rubber coated, vs. the rigid inserts on the SW. The P99 has repeat strike ability(Better to have it and NOT need it, IMO). Lastly, the SW had a white plastic mag follower vs. metal in the Walther. They had two of each, and the results were the same between them.
At a price only $70 more than the SW, the Walther appears to be well worth it.
Rob Pincus
New member
I really like mine.... but I find the trigger and manual of arms to be so distinct as to make it unnactractive for me as a carry option.
When I was carrying Single Action, I stuck with "Cocked & Locked" guns.. now that I prefer to carry DA autos, I stick with similar ones.. the only decockers I carry are Sigs or USPs, which have similar movements for the decocking action.. the P99 is a completely different manuever.
The gun itself is great, if you ask me. Very accurate and very reliable. The interchangle front sights and grips as are a nice touch. Although once you are set, you are set. After that, those extra pieces just rattle aroundin the case.
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-Essayons
When I was carrying Single Action, I stuck with "Cocked & Locked" guns.. now that I prefer to carry DA autos, I stick with similar ones.. the only decockers I carry are Sigs or USPs, which have similar movements for the decocking action.. the P99 is a completely different manuever.
The gun itself is great, if you ask me. Very accurate and very reliable. The interchangle front sights and grips as are a nice touch. Although once you are set, you are set. After that, those extra pieces just rattle aroundin the case.
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-Essayons