Ordered a Walther P99-Anything I should know?

[justin22885]

aah, i see, the P99 is a DA/SA, which can even be converted to a DAO, whereas the PPQ is essentially a SAO

 

[guyfromohio]

PPQ is more Glock-like and I hear that it is extremely accurate with a great trigger. I'll probably get one eventually.

 

[Fishbed77]

so why the P99, why not a PPQ?

The P99AS has a few advantages relative to the PPQ.

For one, it may be the only striker-fired pistol on the market with a better trigger feel than the PPQ. Its single-action pull is just as smooth and crisp as the PPQ, has the same insanely short reset, and is lighter (~4.5 lbs versus ~5.5 lbs).

It also has the added safety benefit of being a DA/SA setup with decocker, which many prefer (and which allows it to have that incredibly nice trigger). The PPQ really pushes the limit of what many consider a safe setup for carry or home defense usage. The Anti-Stress (AS) trigger of the P99AS is a brilliant design that makes a lot of sense for a pistol that may be brought into action in a very stressful situation (say a home invasion in the dark).

The P99 (and PPQ M1) have the superior paddle mag release, compared to the PPQ M2. It's a shame Walther took a step backwards in this regard. Also, P99/PPQ M1 mags are also typically less expensive than the sometime hard-to-find PPQ M2 mags.

The P99 is also a much better-looking pistol, if that matters to you.

.

 

[Fishbed77]

aah, i see, the P99 is a DA/SA, which can even be converted to a DAO, whereas the PPQ is essentially a SAO

The P99AS is DA/SA. The P99DAO (which is no longer offered on the civilian market in the US) is DAO. You can not readily convert one system to the other, as they use different slides and other major components.

 

[herrwalther]

P99s (9mm or .40SW) have never been discontinued. They were hard to find for a while in the US, but are plentiful now. Walther has stated that they have no intention of discontinuing the P99 in the foreseeable future.

As I said, I was probably mistaken about their rumored demise. I see more older Walthers like the P99 than the PPQ in gun stores these days.

As far as P99 vs PPQ, I prefer the P99. It is a DA/SA firearm but has the trigger smoothness associated with striker fired weapons. I like the versatility of hammer firearms and the P99 is the perfect compromise between DA/SA versatility and tolerable trigger pulls. The only PPQ I consider is the new .45 just because it is a 45.

 

[boricua9mm]

I recently traded off my P99 AS 9mm. There's a lot to like about this gun, but in my case, I found that the SA trigger was far and away the best trigger pull for my uses. Unfortunately, putting the gun into this mode requires that you load the pistol and slowly pull the trigger back until it clicks into the SA mode. I didn't care for the AS mode at all, with the long take up, a click, and then an eventual BANG. Using it as a DA/SA gun was a step backwards for me, and if I wanted that setup, I'd just grab one of my SIGs.

Loading a pistol and doing the very thing that you've been taught NOT to do, since day one of handling a firearm, remained outside of my comfort zone.

Overall, I think they are very much nicer than a typical Glock, but I don't mind Glocks at all, so for me the answer was simple.

 

[wild cat mccane]

Not attacking, but what you are describing would be like carrying the Sig 226 with the hammer back. It could be done, but I think the majority of people would deem that unsafe.

The Anti Stress mode isn't ideal as noted. It is light, long, and has a click in the middle. However, if you like DA/SA, you end up with one of the best SA pull with the P99. The Anti Stress trigger never has to be used.

 

[boricua9mm]

Never said anything about carrying it; I wouldn't recommend carrying it that way either. However, as a bedside gun, it's a little different. Same thing applies, though; chambering a round and pulling the trigger when you DON'T intend to fire is not a workable solution even for most of us experienced shooters.

 

[ThePenguinKnight]

Never said anything about carrying it; I wouldn't recommend carrying it that way either. However, as a bedside gun, it's a little different. Same thing applies, though; chambering a round and pulling the trigger when you DON'T intend to fire is not a workable solution even for most of us experienced shooters.

I can't think of a situation where I would want to "stage the trigger" into SA mode unless I was preparing to shoot. The P99AS is a DA/SA pistol, and isn't meant to be left in SA mode unless you're actively using it.

Can you explain a situation where a person would want to chamber a round in their P99AS, and then stage the trigger into single-action mode with no intention of discharging the weapon? What benefit does this give over the anti-stress (AS) mode of the trigger?

If you want to shoot single action, you load the pistol then take up the slack, just like any other gun. The P99AS has a lot more slack (being defined as nearly-zero-weight pretravel on the trigger before reaching the "wall") than many pistols, but that is academic.

 

[herrwalther]

I didn't care for the AS mode at all, with the long take up, a click, and then an eventual BANG. Using it as a DA/SA gun was a step backwards for me, and if I wanted that setup, I'd just grab one of my SIGs.

On mine, I basically forget all about the SA mode and just use AS. That way I never touch the trigger unless I am trying to get it to fire. The weight of the AS and SA modes is the same as far as my trigger scale can tell.

 

[boricua9mm]

I can't think of a situation where I would want to "stage the trigger" into SA mode unless I was preparing to shoot. The P99AS is a DA/SA pistol, and isn't meant to be left in SA mode unless you're actively using it.

As in, preparing to shoot an intruder? Seems like you're then trying to stage a trigger under duress, which is surely going to cause you problems. The P99 AS is a striker fired pistol offering 3 trigger modes. I don't know why you'd demand that you use the crappier trigger. All three trigger modes are meant to be used, which is why they have engineered those provisions to enable it. In SA mode, the gun is no more "unsafe" than a chambered Glock or PPQ. The firing pin safety is still active. You either pull the trigger, or you don't. The end result is that the P99 AS is a gun that requires steadfast devotion, or else you're asking for problems.

Can you explain a situation where a person would want to chamber a round in their P99AS, and then stage the trigger into single-action mode with no intention of discharging the weapon? What benefit does this give over the anti-stress (AS) mode of the trigger?

This was already addressed by my original post, but I'll play ball. The BEST trigger pull the P99 has to offer is in Single Action mode. For personal defense, you'd be foolish to choose a gun or trigger setup that is more difficult to use. All the internet proclamations about not noticing the trigger pull during stress is pure BS, and it's exactly why so many people flat out miss important shots. They go to the range and punch paper one way, then place the gun in a different firing condition for self-preservation. It's a recipe for disaster, and this has been proven for a long time now.

The P99's trigger pull in SA mode is not much different from a Glock, albeit smoother and touch lighter. Better triggers contribute to better accuracy because you are not fighting a long, heavy trigger (or a long, swooping take-up with an annoying click in the middle) while trying to accurately place a shot. In case you haven't noticed in the past 30 years, this is one of the many reasons why guns with constant trigger pulls have taken over. It's also a big reason why the PPQ has enjoyed much success over the P99, and in spite of the Glock.

If you want to shoot single action, you load the pistol then take up the slack, just like any other gun. The P99AS has a lot more slack (being defined as nearly-zero-weight pretravel on the trigger before reaching the "wall") than many pistols, but that is academic.

If by academic, you mean completely distracting and unlike any other firearm out there, then sure. It's akin to "trigger creep" which many shooters will go to great lengths to eliminate from handguns that are cursed with it. Every P99 AS pistol I've encountered has a click point that is noticeably felt while the shooter is attempting to provide a continuous and thorough trigger pull.

Putting the gun into Single Action mode is not child's play.