According to Earl, ALL .40S&W caliber P99's are now made here in the states (except of course for the frames). They are forging the proof marks since they don't mean anything in the U.S. I don't know what the cut-off of serial numbers is for German made vs. US made 40S&W P99's is. A real roll mark in the steel of the slide is a good indicator of a German-built P99, at least until about early 2001. Also, S&W is purportedly using SS to build the P99 40 S&W slide so it can be checked by scratching the inside of the slide and checking the steel under ther finish. Tennifer will not take well to SS.
I don't know whether to believe this or not. I don't think Earl would lie to me, but I find it hard to believe that S&W is deceiving the public with Walthers blessing. If they are, then shame on Walther. I have trusted this name since I saw my first handgun, and now they do this?
I'm not sure how S&W can get away with doing this. SIG-Sauer got caught doing this a couple of years ago when they still roll marked their slides "Made in Germany" Now their handguns have "Frame made in Germany" rollmarked on the frame. The rest of the handgun has no proofmarks on the underside of the slide where it meets the dust cover, or on the hood of the barrel. Exiter, NH is on the slide now.
9mm P99's are still manufactured completely in Germany.