[Kestrel]

I've never really paid any attention to the P99s, but have recently wondered about getting one. I think S&W now makes part of them (I'm not talking about the SW99), but I think the Interarms imports were all made by Walther? Is this true?

I saw one today in a gunshop that was marked Walther on one side of the slide and S&W on the other. The frame said it was made in Germany.

Are these as good as the all german models?

What are your opinions on these guns? Do any militaries use them? Are the .40s reliable? The mag in the Walther/S&W marked gun was a Mec-Gar and looked kind of flimsy. (Are there hicaps for the 9mms? How much are they?)

How do they shoot? How do they hold up?

Thanks for any help,
Steve

[forcefed]

The Walther P99 is a great polymer gun. My opinion, the best. I think you were looking at the S&W importers mark. Some .40 P99s had their slides and barrels produced by S&W a few years ago and can be spotted by their lack of proofmarks and their serial starting with 46****. While they are not fully German made, the one I had was just as good as the all German. The slide finish is said to be different and I'll let someone else touch on that, although I can tell you mine held up through everything.
I don't know of any military that uses the P99, but that doesn't mean anything.
Mec-Gar mags are the best mags I have ever used and if I could, they would be the only mags I ever use. There are 16 round 9mm mags available on gunbroker and sometimes ebay usually $70-80, 12 rounders for .40s are not legal to US civilians.
The P99 is a very good gun and if I had to do it over again I would get the 9MM due to my tastes. Someone else will reply with the P99 fact page that should tell you everything you need to know about these nice firearms.

[bytor94]

I have been quite pleased with my P99 and I don't like plastic (I know, I know- Polymer) guns. As long as the proof marks are located on the slide, frame and barrel is is a German made weapon-even though the S&W marks will be on the slide. They are there as import marks.

The P99 FAQ is located here:

http://www.praxagora.com/lunde/WaltherP99FAQ/


The Walther forums are located here:

http://www.gothammarketing.com/ikon/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi

Good luck with your purchase, and if you do get the P99, I think you will like it.

[slh02]

I'll second that the P99 is the best polymer gun out there. I agree that the Mec-Gar mags seem to have little "play" in them but I have experienced no problmes with any of the 4 mags I own (all 10 rounders :( ).

If you find all the little "Eagle over 'N'" proofmarks on the gun, that means in is a 100% German-made Walther. The smith and wesson markings are only on the slide because they are the current importer.

-9mm hicaps run anywhere from $70-100.

-Although I am currently a fairly bad shot with any handgun (I'm still learning), many folks who own the P99 are usually pleasantly surprised in the accuracy department.

-This gun was built to compete with Glock and Hk. It is extremely reliable and durable. I have nearly 3k rounds through mine without a single malfunction. I use mostly the cheapest ammo I can find (Wichester white box, UMC, Blazer, Magtech, etc.)

Honestly, if given the choice between the Walther and the Hk or glock, I would take the P99 every time without hesitation. At its current price (usually $500-600), it is a great value in the polymer market.

[Kestrel]

Thanks for the great comments.

Now I'm thinking about getting a 9 and a .40. Is there any difference in the green "Military" version and the black, other than the color?

Thanks again,
Steve

[Futo Inu]

How many rounds will an LEO P99 mag hold in 9x19? (and thus how many will one hold in about a year, if the ban sunsets)?

[slh02]

Futo: 16 round 9mm Hicap. I can't wait to get a couple of those bad boys!

Steve: There is no difference besides the color of the frame. However, there are a few different models of the gun itself. If you want the traditional DA/SA trigger (meaning long first pull and short follow up shots), then get the model "P99". There is also a "P990" which is only DA (long trigger pull) and a "P99QA" which has a glock-like trigger from what I understand. That linked FAQ is a wonderful source of info and I'm sure it goes into much better detail than I can off the top of my head.

[modifiedbrowning]

Definitely check out the P99, it is a great pistol. I have two and rotate them as my carry guns. They are light, accurate and ergonomic due to the adjustable grips. 16 rnd normal cap mags can be found for the 9mm, but they will cost you at leat $70.