Now that Walther has come out with the PPS, the proverbial replacement for the PPK, how long does everyone think it will be before Walther comes out with a replacement to the P99? Personally, I feel that the older it gets, the better it's getting but with all these manufacturers coming out with new models and designs, at some point Walther will too. Whenever they do, I'd just like to see some caliber options. What about you guys?
P99 lifespan
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I think it will be a while, personally.
GLOCK is offering essentially the same thing as they did 20+ years ago.
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Don't be in such a hurry. The other major German manufacturers are relative newbies compared to Walther.
The P.38 and PP series has been around for more than 60 years without a major change or redesign and they are still popular.
Why would Walther (knowing Walther) replace the P99 with another 9mm?
They might introduce another 9mm down the road, but I don't think it would neccesarily replace the P99.
I'd like to see something in steel myself.
The P.38 and PP series has been around for more than 60 years without a major change or redesign and they are still popular.
Why would Walther (knowing Walther) replace the P99 with another 9mm?
They might introduce another 9mm down the road, but I don't think it would neccesarily replace the P99.
I'd like to see something in steel myself.
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536 Posts
I'll agree with the opinion that it will be several years. Look at how long the P38/P1 was Walther's main offering - decades. There were refinements here and there, but they had what they considered to be an optimal gun that sold well enough and pleased enough buyers to keep producing them.
Secondly, as already mentioned - many of the other companies' latest guns are simply offering features the P99 already has. Glock improved the grip with grooves (although some people hate them), the M&P and the Ruger SR9 have various backstrap options, etc. I'm not saying they're playing catchup exactly... however, there are few things being done by anyone that Walther hasn't already done. The only real advance I can think of at the moment is Sig's new gun with replaceable frames.
As to caliber, my gut feeling is that offering 14 different sizes and calibers (ala Glock) is a distinctly American thing - and the market is saturated with choices if you wish to shoot an American caliber. Most of Europe is quite happy with 9mm. It's the main caliber for the US Military, NATO, etc. Of course, .40 is a new favorite of American LEOs, but the P99 has already covered that base.
Historically, Walthers has mainly been a 9mm company. You've had smaller things (ex: .32 and .380) thrown in there, but they've never made a big move towards something like 45 ACP.... and I don't see them embracing .357Sig or .45GAP merely on principle.
The PPS answered a need that a lot of people asked for - a singlestacked concealable gun. I suspect you'll see a .40 version, or perhaps even different trigger options (AS?) for the PPS before you'll see the P99 replaced with a different weapon.
Walther isn't Glock - they don't make a gun for every purpose.... fullsized for carry, longslide for target practice, automatic 9mm for wasting ammo, midget .45 for CC, etc etc. I think that Walther long ago decided their niche was combat handguns, with a small deviation to the CCW crowd here and there.
Just my option though.
thorn
Secondly, as already mentioned - many of the other companies' latest guns are simply offering features the P99 already has. Glock improved the grip with grooves (although some people hate them), the M&P and the Ruger SR9 have various backstrap options, etc. I'm not saying they're playing catchup exactly... however, there are few things being done by anyone that Walther hasn't already done. The only real advance I can think of at the moment is Sig's new gun with replaceable frames.
As to caliber, my gut feeling is that offering 14 different sizes and calibers (ala Glock) is a distinctly American thing - and the market is saturated with choices if you wish to shoot an American caliber. Most of Europe is quite happy with 9mm. It's the main caliber for the US Military, NATO, etc. Of course, .40 is a new favorite of American LEOs, but the P99 has already covered that base.
Historically, Walthers has mainly been a 9mm company. You've had smaller things (ex: .32 and .380) thrown in there, but they've never made a big move towards something like 45 ACP.... and I don't see them embracing .357Sig or .45GAP merely on principle.
The PPS answered a need that a lot of people asked for - a singlestacked concealable gun. I suspect you'll see a .40 version, or perhaps even different trigger options (AS?) for the PPS before you'll see the P99 replaced with a different weapon.
Walther isn't Glock - they don't make a gun for every purpose.... fullsized for carry, longslide for target practice, automatic 9mm for wasting ammo, midget .45 for CC, etc etc. I think that Walther long ago decided their niche was combat handguns, with a small deviation to the CCW crowd here and there.
Just my option though.
thorn
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358 Posts
I honestly don't think anything will be replaced, but I would like to see more of selection. Such as 5 inch barrel. Newer grip design allowing for maybe front straps etc. The more modifiable it is the more the tinker, and average shooter will picka Walther. Why are 1911s so popular? Because you can modify the hell out of them. Glocks and to some extent the XD have experinced modification frenzies which have greatly improved sales.
The things I ask from walther are look for constant improvment without going nuts. More Reliable, maybe a few more modifiable componets, different calibers, and different sizes.
The things I ask from walther are look for constant improvment without going nuts. More Reliable, maybe a few more modifiable componets, different calibers, and different sizes.
Like I said, I love the way the P99 has progressed and in true Walther fashion, it just keeps getting better and better. However, many of the manufacturers are constantly introducing new models, calibers etc. and that's what drives sales and profit. Maybe I'm just looking at it from a US market perspective along with Walther's popularity, or better said lack of, here.
I agree, whenever Walther introduces a new model, the P99 will most likely remain in production. It's just kind of fun to wonder what direction Walther will go in when it's time to introduce a new one.
I agree, whenever Walther introduces a new model, the P99 will most likely remain in production. It's just kind of fun to wonder what direction Walther will go in when it's time to introduce a new one.
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1,134 Posts
Maybe we should start a thread about what we would like. I think the P99 is here to stay, it is really what other companies are copying, the HK(what ever the number is), S&W MP and any other guns that have changeable grip configurations. Walther was the first to offer a polymer pistol with a decent grip frame. They could keep tweeking that I suppose. Adding a .45 would be a good marketing move, but I don't think Walther understands the American shooting community as well, and they probably won't offer one. After the P38 phased out and the PP, they scrambled to find new designs in the PP Super, P5's and P88's, but hit a home run with the P99 offered in two trigger configs. I am guessing we will see the next new Walther service pistol in, ummmm about 2056 . It's the German metality, if something works why change it, just build 20 different variations on the original working model.
. It's the German metality, if something works why change it, just build 20 different variations on the original working model.
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1,134 Posts
Correction, the S&W Sigma as the first decent polymer grip, but it wasn't interchageable for size.
uncut,
Do you know something you're not telling?? Sounds as though you may have some inside info. Am I reading you correctly?
.
Common Sense...The Rarest Of All Senses
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- HK P2000
- SIG Pro
- S&W M&P
- Beretta PX4
- Ruger SR9
These are just a few guns that copy Walther's adjustable backstraps idea.
- SIG Pro
- S&W M&P
- Beretta PX4
- Ruger SR9
These are just a few guns that copy Walther's adjustable backstraps idea.
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4,589 Posts
uncut,
Do you know something you're not telling?? Sounds as though you may have some inside info. Am I reading you correctly?
No not really.....all I know is that whatever they are working on is not going to be around for some time to come and maybe we should make it 3 years
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