Walther P99 ?!?!

Status
Not open for further replies.
S

Scott90746

Moderator
Well, I think I'm ready to buy one of these bad boys... What do YOU think ? If it's a good idea, where I can get the best deal ? Lowest I've seen is around $580.. C'mon ya'll can get me a better deal than that, can't ya ? :)

Anyone with experience with both the P99 and the H&K USP think that the H&K is a better gun ?

Your help and advice is GREATLY appreciated !!
 
Like I've been posting all night in the different threads, I LOVE my Walther P99. I still have my brother-in-law's HK USP here (shot both side by side for comparison). Let me post the pro's and con's.
Pro's:
1. It fits my hand like its been moulded to it (It has three different grips for different-size hands).
2. Its the best looking polymer frame gun on the market (IMHO).
3. Its a new design, 1st introduced in late 1997. Like a new-model car, my impression is its a better design than most "older design" models.
4. Four interchangeable front blades, and screw-moveable rear-sight makes it very easy to zero in the sights.
5. Very light in weight.
6. Easy to decock with its unique decocker.
7. It's now James Bond's gun of choice
8. Its a Walther.

Con's:
1. No pre-ban hicap mags available for it (except to law enforcement or military), since it was introduced post-ban in late '97.
2. Trigger feels a bit sloppy. It has very long travel, mostly with no resistance, then gets too heavy with too much creep before firing.
3. Lack of an external hammer takes a little getting used-to.
4. Cocking after decocking is awkward.

Comparing it side by side with the HK USP, which is better?
Grip/Feel: P99 by a long shot
Sight adjustability: P99 by a long shot
Accuracy: USP by a small margin
Weight: P99 is lighter by a few ounces
Stability: Heavier USP feels more stable when target shooting (less shake)
Reliability: I'd rate them about equal.
Looks: P99
Concealability: P99 by a small margin
Firepower: USP (this one comes w/two 15rnd mags)
Safety: USP (P99 has no on/off type external safety)
Recoil: USP has less felt-recoil due to heavier weight
Fieldstripping/reassembly: P99 (very easy to take apart & put back together)
Overall fit & finish/quality: P99

Some other notes: HK USP's safety feels very "cheap." Engaging and disengaging safety is rough, and not very smooth or refined at all. Grip feels somewhat large for a 9mm. Fieldstripping requires you to pull the slide against the spring to an exact location, while pushing the slide-release across the frame to push it out...not very easy to do. You must reverse this process to put it back together. The Walther P99 comes apart easily by pulling down the takedown catch, then pushing the slide forward. Removing and replacing the barrel and spring is also easier with the P99.
After you decock the pistol, cocking it again for single-action shooting require you to pull on the slide and move it back about 3/8", then releaseing it, which is awkward to do. Its too easy to pull too far, and end up ejecting the round in the chamber. So its probably best to shoot your first round in double-action mode, after using the decocker.
The P99 is now the standard sidearm of the German military, highway patrol, and many police agencies. Many NATO countries are now reviewing or adopting the P99 as their military pistol.
The S&W SW99 is basically the same pistol, but uses a S&W slide, spring and barrel. I like the looks of the P99 better, and many have commented that the Walther has better fit & finish.


[This message has been edited by Sambonator (edited August 21, 1999).]

[This message has been edited by Sambonator (edited August 21, 1999).]
 
Do you think Walther P99 can defeat Glock-the finest combat-ready handgun that exist today?

Glock 17 the best there is, the best there was, the best there ever will be!
 
I was not aware that the Walther was adopted by the German military. I know the previous standard issue sidearm for them was the 9mm USP (thier own variation).

In reference to the Glock/SW99/Walther 99 debate; With Glocks selling for around $400 and being a proven design, I see this part of the market being a hard one to crack. Walther makes very good pistols but, at what price? Anybody remember seeing a police agency in North America carrying a 9mm Walther? With regards to the S&W version, after their Sigma fiasco I would definitely opt for the Walther if I had to have one.

HK USP series of pistols offer features very different for the Walther. Does the ability to change fire control components matter to you? I don't find the ability to convert to other variants to be a big one for the end user but, it's there if you decide to change to or from DAO/cock and locked/etc. The HK has external safeties and an exposed hammer. Do you like the accessory rail? The recoil reduction in the USP does work. Both the HK and Walther will be proofed so, you get that extra measure of quality control. The HK, espcially in 9mm, seems overly large but, this is only a concern for most in concealed carry applications. The larger surface area of the grip gives you more to hang on to and spread out the recoil. The ability to purchase expensive hi-caps may or may not matter to you.

The Walther seems to be a little trendy and a little expensive right now. Some people really like them and others do not. Based on past history, I expect this new Walther to prove to be a very good pistol that is more expensive then the competition and be poorly received by the American shooting public in general. How many P5's or P88's do you see at the range? Is it worth $100 to $200 more then the compeition? I doubt police agencies in North America will find the expense justified as will most people in general.

Sid
---
Tx FFL
 
Some of my favorite cars are the
GTO
68 Couger
1960 Cadilac
Cadzilla

And many other "old cars"
Classics are Classics for a REASON.

My point is - Just because it is new - DOESN'T mean it is BETTER.
Look at the new Taurus. (shudder)
Look at the Smith & Wesson Sigma. (getting queezy)

When it come to the P99. In this perticular case - it's new design is an improvement in some way - cant put a finger in it...
The USP is set up like a Classic - the 1911 which is hands down THE CLASSIC autopistol. It is a HOT ROD old school style. You tinker with it and tweek it's performance with "aftermarket" hot rodding parts. Which is one of the reasons the 1911 is STILL so popular. (Hi Power is nice - but a Mustang II in comparison) The USP in sharing that 1911 patern will in the long run garner that same mythos... not as legendary (neither was the Couger to the Mustang back then) but will certainly have a substantial following.

The P99 wont be able to follow this path - it is too "proprietary" like certain computers you can't upgrade easily...

Well I have thrown out WAY too many analogies...
I need some caffiene...

------------------
"America is a melting pot, the people at the bottom get burned while all the scum floats to the top."


RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE
The Critic formerly known as Kodiac
 
Irfan:
Glocks are very nice guns. I wouldn't mind having one, but I tend to like guns that are at least nice to look at...

Sid:
You're right. I double checked with my source (unofficial Walther home page), and it hasn't yet been adopted by the German military...just the state police agency.
P99 is the first pistol by Walther in a long time, to list for under $900. They've always concentrated on the higher end of the market, and unfortunately, they aren't all that interested in mass-producing service pistols. S&W may have other ideas with their SW99, however...I think it lists for more than $100 less than the P99.

George:
> My point is - Just because it is new - DOESN'T mean it is BETTER.
No, it certainly doesn't mean that, and I don't think I stated that it does.

I agree, the USP will continue to have a lot more a aftermarket parts, because they sell a lot more of these guns. Its a great gun for the modern pistol hot-rodder.
The P99, on the other hand, because of the Walther name, will hold its value, and may some day be a lot more collectible than the mass-produced USP (if our government doesn't collect them first, that is...).
Sam
 
No you didn't come of that ways - I was just waxing nostagic about classic designs...

gungirl1.jpg


:)

------------------
"America is a melting pot, the people at the bottom get burned while all the scum floats to the top."


RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE
The Critic formerly known as Kodiac
 
Several excellent points have been made about the USP and the P99. I have a full size 9mm USP and I just sold my 9mm P99, so let me add my two cents.

1. HK has a lifetime warrany; Interarms was giving one year on the P99. However, Smith & Wesson is taking over distribution and service for the P99, so this may change.

2. After about 5,000 rounds, the part of the barrel that the recoil spring lodges against broke. Earlier I had two firing pins/strikers break. The broken firing pins were attributed to dry firing, although Walther says that the P99 was designed to be dry fired with snap caps. On the other hand, Walther has changed the barrel (I don't know what was done and they are not interchangeable), and my P99 had the earlier barrel design; Walther has also strengthened the firing pin/striker. If you are interested in the 9mm, find the highest serial number you can. Mine was in the 9000s; the highest I have seen is in the 18000s. The higher the number, the better the chance that you will have the new barrel design and striker. I don't know whether the barrels or the strikers were changed on the .40 S&W. Walther has also changed the trigger on later P99s.

3. For a good price, try Bachman Pawn and Gun http://www.bachmangun.com.

4. I shoot better groups with the USP. My P99 always seemed to shoot low, even with the smallest front sight. My USP is much closer to point of aim, especially at shorter distances.

5. High capacity magazines are available for the 9mm P99 at about $100 each.

6. If size is important, don't overlook the USP Compact. It is a lot shorter than the USP, and a little shorter than the P99. It also has a smaller grip and a shorter trigger reach.


[This message has been edited by Cawdor (edited August 21, 1999).]
 
Cawdor, I hope the bit about the 9mm barrel changing wasn't based on something I posted? The barrels are not interchangeable between the SW99 and the P99, but I don't think there is an incompatible new design P99.

My serial # is 0119xx. The limited edition SD barrel fits fine ;) I asked Earl about the striker, he said that I have the new striker. I don't know what the serial number cut-off was for the old striker....
 
Cawdor, those are some dang good reasons to take a closer look at the P99 before cashing out for it.

The P99 is neat looking and a good option for an impulse buy... Maybe just fine for an occasional shooter.

A service gun should leave you with no worries about breakage. This just may put the P99 in an unacceptable catagory unless you found a new barreled unit.

One advantage the USP has is that it's recoil buffer reduces the shock of recoil throughout the gun - not just to your hand.

Hmmm... I wonder about the P99 in .40...

------------------
"America is a melting pot, the people at the bottom get burned while all the scum floats to the top."


RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE
The Critic formerly known as Kodiac
 
Rumor has it that Olympic Arms will be producing a .357 SIG drop-in barrel for the .40 P99 by the end of the year. I'm expecting, but haven't had confirmed, that they will have replacement barrels, in both standard and extended length, for the .40 and the 9mm P99.
 
I'm a Walther P99 .40S&W owner also. My P99 is very accurate, has never had a failure to feed or eject (has over 6000 rounds through it now) is comfortable to shoot and has a very short trigger reset in SA mode. On the other hand it's had many instances of the slide stop engaging with rounds still in the magazine (seems to be a common problem with the P99 .40's). I have also had a few times where the trigger did not set (engage) on SA mode during shooting (sliped to DA mode?). I like the P99 but will probably only use it occasionly at the range. The trigger design seems overly complicated and does not look near as robust as my Glocks or H&K.



[This message has been edited by Gun Plumber (edited August 21, 1999).]
 
Gee, it's a ShootersTalk reunion ;). Gun Plumber, have you had a chance to evaluate the .40 SW99? They supposedly fixed the slide locking problems.
 
Well, it doesn't sound like the P99 is as reliable as a Glock, so I'll probably go with a G22 .40 cal.

I just got back from the gun store (was hoping to look at a P99 but they didn't have any). The guy there said that S&W was taking over the 99 and they'll all be Smith 99's soon. I just liked the look of the trigger guard on the Walther - and I hate to say it but the Walther name on it didn't hurt :)

Damn, I just found a great deal on the Walther P99 too ! Oh well.. I wish the Glock didn't have a joke for a trigger ! Hate to buy a new gun and have to have it modified to be decent ! Mo money, mo money...

Where can I get the trigger replaced on the G22 (or whatever they do) and how much ?

<was hoping to be a new Walther owner> ;O(
 
Ewok, it was not based on anything that you said. Earl's Repair Service did all the repairs on my P99. Earl told me that Walther made a change to the P99's barrel sometime in its production cycle, and that my P99 had the old style barrel. The new style would not work, so he ordered a replacement from Germany. My P99 was stamped KI, so it was made in 1998. With a serial number of 9XXX, mine may have just missed the changes. The firing pins, however, are interchangeable because my P99 received the new heavier firing pin after the second one broke. By the way, all the repairs were made under warranty, and Earl's service was outstanding.

The P99 is an alluring pistol. After the barrel failure, I thought it was a good time to sell it. Although I believe that Walther would stand behind its product, the only written warranty that I had was from Interarms, and it had only four months left.

Scott, if you want a P99, I would not give much weight to the comments about it being all SW99s in the future. Ask Smith & Wesson, http://www.smith-wesson.com. Smith answers its email. Smith told me that it would be importing and distributing Walther products, though I did not ask about the P99 specifically. If you are leaning toward the Glock, you also may want to take a look at the Steyr M40, http://www.gsifirearms.com/index.html.



[This message has been edited by Cawdor (edited August 21, 1999).]
 
I stand corrected. So, very early examples of the P99 had different barrels than anything you're likely to find now. I wouldn't worry about replacement parts.
 
Mr. Hill ,

Sir , do you have a close up
picture of that lethal species
I mean lethal weapon! He He He
Good show jolly fellow!
 
George:
Where'd you get that cool picture!? Is that a poster or an ad or something?
Is that a Colt Gold Cup she's holding, or just a pair of D cups? :-)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top