RUBZERK
Member
Im planning on buying my next toy next month but still undecided.
What do you prefer & WHY ????
Both guns are 40cal.
What do you prefer & WHY ????
Both guns are 40cal.
P99 QA or XD-40
- Thread starter RUBZERK
- Start date
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lyricsdad
Member
I am biased as I have not held the other pistol. but I own a p99 qa, i like it. the trigger is constant, its easy to field strip. finish is hard and it has adjustable backstraps so it can be custom fit to your hand.
I would like to get another on in 9mm but I think I will get a different brand for my 9mm fix one day.. but you never know..
I would like to get another on in 9mm but I think I will get a different brand for my 9mm fix one day.. but you never know..
Glocker
Member
I love my XD-40. I now know why the name XD name is in place, Xtreme Duty. this gun is made for abuse, clean it and go. can't hurt the gun. I'm sure the P99 is a good gun also, hope what you pick works for you.
RUBZERK
Member
Has anybody shot both guns ???
What are the likes & dislikes ??
What make one bette than the other ?
What are the likes & dislikes ??
What make one bette than the other ?
Last edited:
PCRCCW
Member
Ive shot both and personally Id take the XD. Both are very very good weapons, but I like the XD grip better even with the 99's adjustability. The QA has a good trigger thats consistant, but the XD's single action is very very good and carried Cond 1 you have the same trigger everytime.
I was more accurate with the XD probably because I found it more comfortable to shoot and hold.
I also like the sights better on the XD, the 99's are great but I dont like adjustable sights on a CCW.....to many little parts to chance for me.
I make about 10 XD holsters to every P99 holster I make, so the guns popularity as a CCW is more than I anticipated a while ago also.
In all honesty, these are just my opinions.....I know plenty of people who love the Walthers/Smith's..........I personally like the shape of the 99 better but would still buy an XD for me to carry.
Shoot well............
I was more accurate with the XD probably because I found it more comfortable to shoot and hold.
I also like the sights better on the XD, the 99's are great but I dont like adjustable sights on a CCW.....to many little parts to chance for me.
I make about 10 XD holsters to every P99 holster I make, so the guns popularity as a CCW is more than I anticipated a while ago also.
In all honesty, these are just my opinions.....I know plenty of people who love the Walthers/Smith's..........I personally like the shape of the 99 better but would still buy an XD for me to carry.
Shoot well............
larry starling
Member
Have owned both I perfered the XD over the P99! anyhow good luck in your choice both are fine guns! 
RUBZERK
Member
Anybody Else ???
extremefishin00
Member
- Joined
- Jan 11, 2003
- Messages
- 187
I own a Walther P99 with the QA, and I must admit that the trigger on the XD that I've fired was much lighter and smoother. Also, the XD seemed to have a little less "snap" compared to the Walther, although that is something that is easily taken care of with practice. Admittedly, the XD sub seemed to have less recoil than my Walther. I like the grips on both of them, they both fit the hand well, and are easy to keep a grip on. Both have ambi mag releases, though I think I prefer the flapper style on the Walther to the XD's. The Walther is one of the thinnest double stack nines on the market. The XD, though it isn't exactly thin, has a grip that most can use with no problems. Truthfully, I can't reccomend one over the other. They're both excellent weapons, and it's all based on your own experience and preferences.
Chris
Chris
SouthpawShootr
Member
My dad has a P99QA in 9mm (I own the regular DA/SA version) and we both have XD-9s. I've actually had 2 XDs. One, I bought lightly used for $300. The chamber on this gun was unually tight and it didn't like reloads. Choked on reloads that my Glocks and my S&W 9mms ate without complaint. I'll fault the reloads, b/c it never missed a beat with factory ammo. I eventually got rid of it for what I had in it and bought an XD-9 stainless. I read so much about problems with the finish that I was always thinking about rust (though I'll admit I never had a problem with mine). Besides I like stainless better. My own P99 was one of the QPQ finished gun, which as I understand it is teniferred the same as Glock. Metal workmanship is just a tad better on Walthers and it's "feel" more refined. Of course, last time I checked the Walther was about $100 more expensive than the XD. My dad's QA and my own P99 have a definite accuracy advantage over my XD (either of them). Reliability is about the same with factory ammo (read: no problems). My Walther didn't give me any problems with the reloads mentioned above. My recommendation would be Walther. Both XD and P99 are fine guns and the XD is a good value for the money, but I like the Walther better.
ExtremeDooty
Member
Noting my username, guess which one I voted for. I love my XD-40 and rely on it for daily carry. I have no trouble with concealment and with a RafterS belt and IWB holster, I hardly know it's there.
But choosing a gun is like choosing a putter. All things being eaual, pick the one that feels the best in your hand.
But choosing a gun is like choosing a putter. All things being eaual, pick the one that feels the best in your hand.
RUBZERK
Member
Can anybody point out the flaws in both so i know what i may be in for in both cases ???
SouthpawShootr
Member
Flaws are going to be highly subjective here. One man's garbage...... I'll try and point out what I can, but keep in mind these are opinions and I'm certain to get disagreements. I'd be interested in see what others identify. As I see it, both may have very minor shortcomings, but either is an excellent choice (I know that doesn't help). Carbon steel XDs have well known problems with rust. Sights are a bear to replace, rivaling the legendary tight sighted Kahrs. P99 QA: You either like the trigger or you don't. Trigger pull is quite a bit longer than XDs. Price (then again the QAs seem to be on the way out so they're bargain priced right now - CDNN has them on closeout). Even with the adjustable backstraps, the grip doesn't fit everybody. Full-cap mags are still like hen's teeth and when they do pop up they're almost twice the price of the XD full-caps.
Pretty slim pickin's don't you think?
Glocks are my personal picks, so I don't shoot either my XD or P99 all that much.
Pretty slim pickin's don't you think?
Glocks are my personal picks, so I don't shoot either my XD or P99 all that much.
orangeninja
Member
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2003
- Messages
- 3,117
(This is a cut and paste of an old report I wrote. Though these guns are 9mm, in my experience, the similarities far outnumber the differences in the calibers with the exception of recoil. Recoil in the P99 in .40 would be stout. Enjoy)
I had the fortune to be able to go to the range the day before yesterday and pit 3 poly 9mm against each other head to head. The pistols were a Walther P99 DA/SA, a Glock 17 and a Springfield XD 9mm.
Here is the setup:
Ammo: Magtech 115 gr. FMJ
Targets: two types, one the diameter of a silver dollar, one the size of a quarter.
Standing Weaver and modified Weaver, slow aimed fire of 5 rounds, both eyes open (which is how I’ve been trained and am most comfortable shooting)
Conditions were fair at indoor range.
This was a test for accuracy but not from a bench. I can’t think of a single real world situation in where a bench would be available for shooting from. Think hostage shot. Each gun was fired the exact same way. Several five shot groups were given to each gun, approximately 6.
Targets were between 21 and 33 ft. away.
Walther P99 vs. Glock 17.
The Walther was a range rental, does not really get shot a whole lot. The P99 was given about 5 to 10 warm up rounds to get an accurate sight picture. The first DA pull was obviously a little off due to a heavy pull. The Single action shots were fairly good with about 1 to 1 ¾ inches spread. One strange thing however was that out of every single five shot group there would be one flyer a little more than 2 inches off, usually high and right.
Gun was light, felt good in the hand, was approximately the same size as the Glock 17 but more ergonomic. The Walther seemed to be less robust in design and materials than the Glock, with a cheaper feeling polymer frame, kind of reminded me of a Fobus holster material.
The recoil on the Walther was a fair amount snappier than the Glock, could be bore axis, could be the top heavy design, either way it was not overpowering by any stretch, I would not recommend this weapon in .40 S&W.
The layout of the controls was very strange. The magazine release was like an H&K with a leaver that I could only access with my index finger without having to change my grip from a shooting grip. This would absolutely suck for tactical reloads. I didn’t mind the de-cocker however, since I cannot think of any kind of “tactical†de-cock that didn’t belong on a crappy Hollywood movie.
Glock 17 shot predictably well. Accuracy put all five rounds within an inch of one another, almost every one in the target area of a quarter or just on the edges. The silver dollar sized target usually held at least 3 to 4 of the rounds, very tight groups.
Ergonomically the Glock was not as pleasant to shoot but had better sights. The Glock would be a little more difficult to conceal due to the hard lines of its grip and frame. The Glock seemed slightly heavier. The Glock also held 12 extra rounds over the P99. Recoil of the Glock was light. The Glock had a tendency to shoot high unless you are used to shooting a Glock, this is due to grip angle. Getting an improper grip on the Glock will almost assuredly result in pulling the trigger causing groups low and left, the nature of DAO’s.
Glock control layout was predictable with a workmanship like design. The magazine release was accessible by my thumb without changing grip but the slide release is very small. I do not have a problem with the slide release as is, but if you have smaller hands you may want to look into getting a slide release extension.
Here is the match up.
Accuracy: Glock wins hands down. No flyer, very tight groups, all groups were remarkably similar.
Ergonomics: Walther wins. Glock is not bad, just not good. The Walther was a much more natural pointer unless you take the time to learn to draw the Glock from the holster with the proper grip every time. The Glock will come right on target after you train yourself to shoot this type of weapon, however this will cause you to shoot almost every other type of handgun with “normal†grip angles low. Walther is much more of a natural feel.
Controls: Glock wins. Whoever likes H&K controls will like the Walther, personally I despise changing grip to drop a mag.
Fit and Finish: Glock wins. The material on the Walther did not seem nearly as rugged as the Glock, it was lighter, thinner.
Reliability: Glock wins. The P99 at this particular range does have a problem once in a blue moon according to the range masters. This could be due to limp wrist, who knows, the Glock 17 however really never jams though. This is second hand information and neither range master likes either Glock or Walther designs, so I don’t see them being terribly biased.
Value: Glock is cheaper than Walther unless of course you are getting the older model from CDNN. The Glock is flat out a better value. Cheaper, more accurate, better controls, more after market and smithy support etc.
Winner: Glock.
Glock vs. Springfield XD
The XD tested was a basic 4 inch barreled duty model 9mm with standard factory sights etc.
The XD had good ergonomics and was about the size of a Glock 19, thus smaller than the Glock 17. The XD did seem a little thicker than the Glock resembling a Sig in this regard. The XD had a capacity of 15 + 1 which is 2 rounds less than the Glock 17. The trigger was a little mushier overall but had a shorter break and reset.
Here’s how it shot, accuracy was equivalent of the Glock. If I had not labeled the targets themselves I would not be able to tell the difference between the two. The XD seemed a little heavier than the Glock and the recoil seemed to be less than that of the Glock, probably due to weight since this weapon obviously has a higher bore axis. Overall this is how it stacked up.
Accuracy: Same as the Glock 17. The only irritating thing was that from a distance of 21 to 33 feet the XD requires a 6 O’clock sight picture. I would place the target on top of the front sight after lining up the other 3 and hit dead center bull’s eye. Being that the Glock 17 likewise has a funky grip angle which causes you to have to shoot pointed downward, I call this a tie. Both guns easily shot 1 to 1 ½ inch groups time and time again with no flyers. Result is a draw.
Ergonomics: I may be one of the only people on earth who appreciate the fact that Glock pistols all but force you to a correct grip to be comfortable at all. That being said, the XD is much more comfortable to shoot bar none. The grip is much more natural and brings the pistol to bear with almost no fore thought. Not too fat for little hands, not too small for big hands. Winner is the Springfield XD.
Controls: The controls on the XD were metallic and they were larger, thus easier to manipulate quickly. The features on the XD such as forward cocking serrations are not really necessary in my opinion; neither is the cocked indicator since there is no way to de-cock the pistol short of pulling the trigger. The loaded chamber indicator is much better than that of the Glock being larger and more visible. The sights were metallic instead of plastic and the grip safety is not obtrusive at all. I never thought about the grip safety once during the entire shoot and it never takes any fore thought to engage it. I think it is a marvelous idea. Let’s talk triggers for a second. The trigger for the Glock is predictable and fairly easy to use. The XD trigger is much mushier and harder to predict though the reset is shorter as well as the actual trigger stroke itself. Both take about the same amount of pressure to engage but I am not sure if there are any aftermarket triggers or trigger jobs available for the XD as there are for the Glock. (Upon further research it appears that the XD is catching up in regard to trigger jobs) Either gun is serviceable and easy to learn though. Taking everything into consideration the winner is XD.
Fit and Finish: The finish on the XD is not Tenifer or even its equivalent. A used XD will look much more used than a used Glock with the same wear cosmetically. The stainless XD may be better, I don’t know. With the slide removed the Glock has a slight advantage to that of the XD and the back rail on the XD is plastic, but I’m not sure that it actually makes contact with the slide at all, still strange though. There is a slight difference in the quality of the frame in areas such as the seam where the two halves of the frame meet. It is more pronounced on the XD than on the Glock. Both use what seem to be identical grades of polymer and though I am splitting hairs here the Glock gets the win. Winner, Glock.
Reliability: According to my own experiences and that of both the range masters, you are much more likely to be struck by lightening on a clear summer day while in the pool on the roof of a Las Vegas hotel with super model Naomi Campbell than you are likely to see either weapon jam due to a mechanical problem. As far as I know this only applies to the 9mm versions of each weapon. (Legend has it that the .40’s are very similar) Each weapon has a very robust and well executed design. Tie.
Value: Depending upon your personal needs this can sway either way. In Law Enforcement there is a trend that TDA and DAO pistols will be the only thing acceptable on and off duty for an officer. In which case buying an XD will not get you there since most agencies consider their Ultra Safety Assurance to be a single action in reality. However, if you are Joe Anybody, the XD gets the nod here. With a lifetime warranty, great ergonomics, good capacity and a ton of aftermarket support, I would not hesitate to carry an XD. Being that the cost is less and you don’t need necessary upgrades like metallic sights, XD is a clear winner here. Overall winner, XD.
Glock vs. XD vs. P99
Since the Glock be the P99 and the XD beat the Glock, XD is the de facto winner overall.
I had the fortune to be able to go to the range the day before yesterday and pit 3 poly 9mm against each other head to head. The pistols were a Walther P99 DA/SA, a Glock 17 and a Springfield XD 9mm.
Here is the setup:
Ammo: Magtech 115 gr. FMJ
Targets: two types, one the diameter of a silver dollar, one the size of a quarter.
Standing Weaver and modified Weaver, slow aimed fire of 5 rounds, both eyes open (which is how I’ve been trained and am most comfortable shooting)
Conditions were fair at indoor range.
This was a test for accuracy but not from a bench. I can’t think of a single real world situation in where a bench would be available for shooting from. Think hostage shot. Each gun was fired the exact same way. Several five shot groups were given to each gun, approximately 6.
Targets were between 21 and 33 ft. away.
Walther P99 vs. Glock 17.
The Walther was a range rental, does not really get shot a whole lot. The P99 was given about 5 to 10 warm up rounds to get an accurate sight picture. The first DA pull was obviously a little off due to a heavy pull. The Single action shots were fairly good with about 1 to 1 ¾ inches spread. One strange thing however was that out of every single five shot group there would be one flyer a little more than 2 inches off, usually high and right.
Gun was light, felt good in the hand, was approximately the same size as the Glock 17 but more ergonomic. The Walther seemed to be less robust in design and materials than the Glock, with a cheaper feeling polymer frame, kind of reminded me of a Fobus holster material.
The recoil on the Walther was a fair amount snappier than the Glock, could be bore axis, could be the top heavy design, either way it was not overpowering by any stretch, I would not recommend this weapon in .40 S&W.
The layout of the controls was very strange. The magazine release was like an H&K with a leaver that I could only access with my index finger without having to change my grip from a shooting grip. This would absolutely suck for tactical reloads. I didn’t mind the de-cocker however, since I cannot think of any kind of “tactical†de-cock that didn’t belong on a crappy Hollywood movie.
Glock 17 shot predictably well. Accuracy put all five rounds within an inch of one another, almost every one in the target area of a quarter or just on the edges. The silver dollar sized target usually held at least 3 to 4 of the rounds, very tight groups.
Ergonomically the Glock was not as pleasant to shoot but had better sights. The Glock would be a little more difficult to conceal due to the hard lines of its grip and frame. The Glock seemed slightly heavier. The Glock also held 12 extra rounds over the P99. Recoil of the Glock was light. The Glock had a tendency to shoot high unless you are used to shooting a Glock, this is due to grip angle. Getting an improper grip on the Glock will almost assuredly result in pulling the trigger causing groups low and left, the nature of DAO’s.
Glock control layout was predictable with a workmanship like design. The magazine release was accessible by my thumb without changing grip but the slide release is very small. I do not have a problem with the slide release as is, but if you have smaller hands you may want to look into getting a slide release extension.
Here is the match up.
Accuracy: Glock wins hands down. No flyer, very tight groups, all groups were remarkably similar.
Ergonomics: Walther wins. Glock is not bad, just not good. The Walther was a much more natural pointer unless you take the time to learn to draw the Glock from the holster with the proper grip every time. The Glock will come right on target after you train yourself to shoot this type of weapon, however this will cause you to shoot almost every other type of handgun with “normal†grip angles low. Walther is much more of a natural feel.
Controls: Glock wins. Whoever likes H&K controls will like the Walther, personally I despise changing grip to drop a mag.
Fit and Finish: Glock wins. The material on the Walther did not seem nearly as rugged as the Glock, it was lighter, thinner.
Reliability: Glock wins. The P99 at this particular range does have a problem once in a blue moon according to the range masters. This could be due to limp wrist, who knows, the Glock 17 however really never jams though. This is second hand information and neither range master likes either Glock or Walther designs, so I don’t see them being terribly biased.
Value: Glock is cheaper than Walther unless of course you are getting the older model from CDNN. The Glock is flat out a better value. Cheaper, more accurate, better controls, more after market and smithy support etc.
Winner: Glock.
Glock vs. Springfield XD
The XD tested was a basic 4 inch barreled duty model 9mm with standard factory sights etc.
The XD had good ergonomics and was about the size of a Glock 19, thus smaller than the Glock 17. The XD did seem a little thicker than the Glock resembling a Sig in this regard. The XD had a capacity of 15 + 1 which is 2 rounds less than the Glock 17. The trigger was a little mushier overall but had a shorter break and reset.
Here’s how it shot, accuracy was equivalent of the Glock. If I had not labeled the targets themselves I would not be able to tell the difference between the two. The XD seemed a little heavier than the Glock and the recoil seemed to be less than that of the Glock, probably due to weight since this weapon obviously has a higher bore axis. Overall this is how it stacked up.
Accuracy: Same as the Glock 17. The only irritating thing was that from a distance of 21 to 33 feet the XD requires a 6 O’clock sight picture. I would place the target on top of the front sight after lining up the other 3 and hit dead center bull’s eye. Being that the Glock 17 likewise has a funky grip angle which causes you to have to shoot pointed downward, I call this a tie. Both guns easily shot 1 to 1 ½ inch groups time and time again with no flyers. Result is a draw.
Ergonomics: I may be one of the only people on earth who appreciate the fact that Glock pistols all but force you to a correct grip to be comfortable at all. That being said, the XD is much more comfortable to shoot bar none. The grip is much more natural and brings the pistol to bear with almost no fore thought. Not too fat for little hands, not too small for big hands. Winner is the Springfield XD.
Controls: The controls on the XD were metallic and they were larger, thus easier to manipulate quickly. The features on the XD such as forward cocking serrations are not really necessary in my opinion; neither is the cocked indicator since there is no way to de-cock the pistol short of pulling the trigger. The loaded chamber indicator is much better than that of the Glock being larger and more visible. The sights were metallic instead of plastic and the grip safety is not obtrusive at all. I never thought about the grip safety once during the entire shoot and it never takes any fore thought to engage it. I think it is a marvelous idea. Let’s talk triggers for a second. The trigger for the Glock is predictable and fairly easy to use. The XD trigger is much mushier and harder to predict though the reset is shorter as well as the actual trigger stroke itself. Both take about the same amount of pressure to engage but I am not sure if there are any aftermarket triggers or trigger jobs available for the XD as there are for the Glock. (Upon further research it appears that the XD is catching up in regard to trigger jobs) Either gun is serviceable and easy to learn though. Taking everything into consideration the winner is XD.
Fit and Finish: The finish on the XD is not Tenifer or even its equivalent. A used XD will look much more used than a used Glock with the same wear cosmetically. The stainless XD may be better, I don’t know. With the slide removed the Glock has a slight advantage to that of the XD and the back rail on the XD is plastic, but I’m not sure that it actually makes contact with the slide at all, still strange though. There is a slight difference in the quality of the frame in areas such as the seam where the two halves of the frame meet. It is more pronounced on the XD than on the Glock. Both use what seem to be identical grades of polymer and though I am splitting hairs here the Glock gets the win. Winner, Glock.
Reliability: According to my own experiences and that of both the range masters, you are much more likely to be struck by lightening on a clear summer day while in the pool on the roof of a Las Vegas hotel with super model Naomi Campbell than you are likely to see either weapon jam due to a mechanical problem. As far as I know this only applies to the 9mm versions of each weapon. (Legend has it that the .40’s are very similar) Each weapon has a very robust and well executed design. Tie.
Value: Depending upon your personal needs this can sway either way. In Law Enforcement there is a trend that TDA and DAO pistols will be the only thing acceptable on and off duty for an officer. In which case buying an XD will not get you there since most agencies consider their Ultra Safety Assurance to be a single action in reality. However, if you are Joe Anybody, the XD gets the nod here. With a lifetime warranty, great ergonomics, good capacity and a ton of aftermarket support, I would not hesitate to carry an XD. Being that the cost is less and you don’t need necessary upgrades like metallic sights, XD is a clear winner here. Overall winner, XD.
Glock vs. XD vs. P99
Since the Glock be the P99 and the XD beat the Glock, XD is the de facto winner overall.
RUBZERK
Member
alduro, I must say that is a great write-up.
All things taken into my choice. Im kinda leaning torwards the XD. But i will be buying a P99 QA sometime down the road.
As of monday at noon, the poll is a 50-50 split. I guess its really a coin toss.
All things taken into my choice. Im kinda leaning torwards the XD. But i will be buying a P99 QA sometime down the road.
As of monday at noon, the poll is a 50-50 split. I guess its really a coin toss.
The only drawback I've heard of with either gun is that the XD can be picky about it's ammo, especially the cheap stuff and hollow points. Granted, it's still very very unlikely, but a small number of people have the occasional failure to feed.
This would be enough to flip me over to the P99, but really you get a good gun either way.
This would be enough to flip me over to the P99, but really you get a good gun either way.
Marshall
Member
XD for me, the trigger on the P99 is aweful, IMO.
XD has to be one of the easiest guns to take down and clean I have seen.
XD has to be one of the easiest guns to take down and clean I have seen.
GreenFurniture
Member
As much as I love the "real" Walther, I've got to give the nod to Springfield and their XD.
You won't regret it.
You won't regret it.
Ala Dan
Member in memoriam
I voted for the Springer XD~
Steel sights, ambi mag release, 1911 style grip safety what else could you
ask for?
Steel sights, ambi mag release, 1911 style grip safety what else could you
ask for?
RUBZERK
Member
Would a hogue grip fit on the XD ???
Even if i cut the top to aviod the grip safty.
Even if i cut the top to aviod the grip safty.
orangeninja
Member
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2003
- Messages
- 3,117
Yes, they will fit. You remove a small amount where the grip safety is and it should work fine. However, over on HS2000talk forum....(the XD forum) it has apparantly become the thing to have a mountain bike inner tube cut to fit the grip of your gun. It takes a little work, but has a more natural grip (no finger grooves) and provides a tad extra thickness and grip. This is the route I'd personally take.
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