[Hemlock0013]

(Crossposted at Glocktalk)

I’m a longtime Glock owner thinking of making the leap to a Walther P99. I’ve handled them at gun shops, and was amazed at how good they feel in my hand (and my wife’s hand too...she always had a hard time with the Glocks). I just had a few questions before I whip out the credit card:

1. How hard is it to get parts and accessories for the P99?
2. How difficult is it to get repairs done if anything goes wrong?
3. Are there any problems/ trouble areas with the gun that I should be aware of?

Also, what are thoughts on the standard P99 vs. the P99QA? I lean heavily towards the P99QA, as it is more Glock-like and that is what I’m familiar with. I’m not a big fan of traditional DA/SA pistols. However, I hear really good things about the trigger on the standard P99. Alas, there are no ranges in my area that rent Walthers, so I don’t really have an opportunity to test fire one.

Thanks,
Hemlock0013

 

[BreakerMorant]

Before the Walther P99, I used to carry a Glock.  Like you, I was impressed by the P99's grip.  I drove out to a range that was an hour away from me to rent one.  It was a standard DA/SA.  Its accuracy was impressive.  However, since I had been carrying a Glock for quite some time, I wanted an action that was in line with the Glock's.  I'm happy with the QA but some people love DA/SA.  It is one of those personal preference things.  I prefer consistent trigger pulls as opposed to DA then SA.  I also think second strike capability is useless.  YMMV.

To answer your questions-

1. You can get parts and accessories, but the Walther P99 does not have anywhere near the selection you may be accustomed to finding for Glocks.  Glocks have been around for about 20 years and are widely used by law enforcement as well as civilians.  As long as you do the leg-work online, you should be able to find what you need regarding parts and accessories.

2.  I had a gunsmith who had no problems fixing them.  (Nothing went wrong with mine.)  He explained internally, they are very similar to Glocks.  A lot of the parts, like the trigger group, you just remove it and replace it with new components.  If you're looking to build a race gun or really trrick it out, I think you'll be disappointed.  It's not a 1911 that you can really go to town on.

3.  Regarding problems, I think a couple of people have had to replace recoil rods.  (I had to do that for my Glock before 5K rounds, but that's no big deal.)  Lately, there has been a bad batch of floor plates for the 10 round .40S&W mags.  S&W, Walther's American distributor, is sending out free replacements.  Other than that it's really isolated stuff and range stories (I heard that someone said they saw a guy who had a friend...)

If you want to pick up a QA, there is a guy on the board Voodoo17 who is thinking about selling his QA.  According to him it rubs his thumb wrong.  I suspect his grip is wrong because his claim is so out of the norm.  I know nothing about his particular gun or him as a seller, but it might be a good way to get a decent gun for a fair price.

Good luck

 

[9 and 10 mm Fan]

In terms of trigger choices most of what I shoot these days is either a Glock 20 or a 9 mm P-99 DA/SA.

I had shot Glocks for a while before I got the P-99. After shooting both trigger actions I decided that the QA was not as good as the Glock for me. On the other hand the DA/SA guns were extremely accurate for me with either trigger pull and a blast to shoot at the range. I find the second shot on the P-99 to be extremely good with a short light trigger reset compared to the stock Glocks.

For self defense use, the de-cocked DA/SA gives a reasonable first shot that will require a more deliberate action to fire.

 

[voodoo17]

Since I have had no problems with a Colt Officers model or the Sig P228 and P245 I find my grip to be fine for a weapon without a hook type protrusion on the back of the frame. I would appreciate some help with posting a picture in a reply so I can show the current structure of an arthritic digit, Breaker. It is still for sale, A P99 QA in 40 S&W.