[spooln]

well i'm a newb but let me first say i'm in love with the p99. I'm only 19 but i will me getting my first handgun hopefully soon. My Dad will be signing for it and just cause i'm young does't mean i'm dumb i know guns aren't toys but i just love to shoot. Because of my age i won't be carrying this gun all the time only in its case. I think i want the 9mm but you guys are the real gurus so i haven't really decided. i don't understand the different types of p99 (doa,qa,as). What do you guys recommend. I've been shooting my friends springfield xd 9mm ported and i like the way it shoots. i really don't know to much of the gun language so don't loose me. thanks for all of your help in advanced.

 

[Stoping Power]

i recomende the p99 Anti Stress Double and single action is safer and is a good gun

btw i got my first registered gun at 18 years old

 

[Stoping Power]

be carefull and practice a lot

take trainning on tactics and safe for guns

 

[spooln]

Practicing a lot won't be a problem at all. my dad owns 25 arches so I can go shooting whenever I want or when I can afford ammo.

 

[Nocturnal]

I recommend getting some classes as well. I took the NRA Pistol Basics class and found it quite informative. It may not be cool or macho but it does make you a safer and better gun user/owner. Work on the basics first before going nuts with rapid fire and shooting at things other than targets. For that reason going to a range is good because you are forced to observe safety rules and regulations even if it restricts what you are allowed to do.

Taking the NRA class will also explain the differences between DAO, SA, DA/SA etc. In the meantime check out the Walther site for a graph that shows trigger pulls for each trigger mode. It explains it clearer than anyone could write it here.

 

[Navy87Guy]

The best advice I can give you is handle and test fire as many different models as you can -- then pick the one that feels and shoots the best for you. Nobody else can tell you which gun is the best...all we can do is tell you the pros and cons that we've experienced. Personally, I like a wide range of guns (as you can see from my signature line!) I will say that my Walther P99 AS is my favorite...it feels and shoots the best for me. But I'd be very happy taking one of the Rugers or the Sig or the Glock or the Steyr or the CZ. They're all good choices for me. An XD, however, is not. I can't stand the feel of the grip safety. That's what I mean about it being personal -- only you can decide what feels good.

I second the recommendation to take a formal course. I thought I knew something about shooting...until a professional showed me. There are also some good books out there to read to help you compare the different shooting styles and find the one that works for you.

Good luck and shoot safely!

Jim

 

[LongRange]

I agree with Nave87Guy. There are a lot of pistols out there and they each have their loyal owners for one reason or another. It could be the fit, finish, make, caliber, or all the above that makes a person pick one pistol over another. In my case I chose the P99 over most of the others due to the way it fit my hand and the Walther reputation for quality. I own other handguns and I use the same criteria in choosing them.

I also agree that you should take a good firearms course from a NRA certified instructor. In my younger years I had shot a lot and thought of myself as being a good shot. That was before I went into Law Enforcement and a good instructor get a hold of me. He taught me gun safety and how to shoot. He had to break a lot of my bad habits and that was done with a lot of PPC shooting, but because of that training I have shot in the Expert category for the last 20 years. Enough can not be said of training and practice.

Good luck on your decision.

LongRange

 

[spooln]

wow thanks for all the help. i'm going to ask my local gunshop if they know about any schools i can go to. I don't think i'll get a chance to shoot a wide varity of guns. I"ve shot glock, springfield, berretta, and thats about it. I chose walther cause i like the style, feel and the quality of the gun. i have very small hands so the changeable back straps on the walther is ideal for me.

 

[onebigcubano]

Join IDPA. I saw a 16 year old kid out there on the line and shooting with everyone else so you don't need a carry license.

I have the same question as yourself...9mm or .40 for my first handgun. This is what I concluded- I know I can shoot the 9mm but I do not know if I can handle the .40. So as my first gun which I won't be carrying for a while for different reasons than yourself...I chose the .40. If I decide I can't handle the .40 (by shooting IDPA etc) then I can always sell it and get a 9mm later. This makes sense for me since I expect to move to a .45 ACP carry firearm in the future and need to know if I can handle the larger calibers. If I got the 9mm I would never know if I can handle the larger calibers. I would rather know this information before I started carrying.

 

[spooln]

thanks for the response i'm going to look into that. I like the 9mm cause ammo is cheaper but i like the idea of having a .40 for some extra power. Where are some good places to get both 9mm and .40 ammo. I've never shot a 40 only the springfield 9mm, a berretta 92 of my dads, and some other small revolvers. Does the QA come with the decocking mode. It seems like i've seen some with and some without or am i just confused.