Is Walther PPQ Really Underrated?
Out of all the handgun manufacturers on the planet, maybe none of them is as underestimated as Walther.
Walther has reliably been delivering excellent guns since 1886 and a large number of their guns are amongst the most famous on the planet, including the PPK, P38, and the P99.
Their guns are used as sidearms for various military and law enforcement organizations across the globe. But, besides this, Walther never seems to be held in as high regard as all other gun manufacturers, for example, Glock, Smith and Wesson, HK, or SIG Sauer.
Why would that be? Nobody knows.
In any case, one thing is for sure: Walther makes great stuff and their products truly merit more consideration. One such item is their PPQ gun.
The PPQ created a significant ruckus back when it was first delivered in 2011 for one straightforward reason: the trigger.
We’ll discuss the PPQ’s trigger and its numerous different highlights and uses in this article.
WHAT IS THE PPQ?
More or less, the PPQ is an advancement of the P99 pistol. The P99 was first delivered in the mid-late 1990s. It was special since it basically joined the DA/SA trigger mode with the striker fired gun. As such, it resembled blending the trigger arrangement of a SIG P226 or Beretta 92 with a Glock platform.
Because of that, the P99 was perhaps the most innovative gun ever. The initial shot was long similar to a DA trigger force, while all ensuing shots were short.
For example, if you wanted your first shot to be short, as opposed to physically cockerel a hammer, you would rather pull the slide back by a fourth of an inch. You could just press a button on the top of the slide to decock the weapon.
The P99 is a genuinely fantastic weapon that was built to similar standarts as Glock, and it was used by numerous European militaries and police as their standard sidearm.
However, in the US, the P99 just never dominated. Glocks had dominated the market on this kind of weapon configuration and the market was in need of a new arrival to bring some diversity.
In 2011, Walther tried to change this by transforming the P99 into the PPQ (called the P99Q in Europe). The PPQ is essentially a P99 with improved ergonomics and with a Glock style trigger, but it is lot lighter and responsive in comparison to different weapons available.
HIGHLIGHTS
The PPQ is a lot like a Glock regarding its construction. It comes up short on outside safety features (aside from the bladed security before the trigger that should be depressed for the trigger to be pulled), is striker-fired and takes down to a great extent in a similar way.
However, the PPQ has numerous different highlights too. The PPQ has a wonderful ambidextrous slide release switch for comfort and to ease the use for both right-hand and left-hand shooters.
It is also equipped with a red loaded chamber pointer on the right side of the slide, and a Picatinny rail on the lower part of the frame, which makes it simple to add lights or lasers. The ergonomics are brilliant. Walther guns are notable in all cases for being very ergonomic and giving you a feeling of comfort while you are shooting. Three backstraps come with the firearm: little, medium, and max size. Yet, the most distinct element of the PPQ and the element that has made it stand apart among its rivals is the trigger. The five-pound trigger pulls light and crisp, with a decent break and extremely short reset. Walther claims the title of the lightest trigger pull of any striker-fired gun available.
There’s no doubt that the trigger pull on the PPQ is lighter and more precise than the one on the Glock or the M&P. Other striker-fired weapons with trigger pulls that are similar in feeling to the PPQ incorporate the CZ-P10C, HK VP9, and the Canik TP9SA/SF (which is essentially a Walther clone).
QUALITY
The PPQ is a high-quality gun. Both the P99 and the PPQ have been through various tests and they have performed very well.
The PPQ is a solid handgun that will take care of pretty much anything you put through it. The slide is steel and built with a truly tough Tenifer finish, which is the same one that Glock utilizes and it is amazingly rust and corrosion-resistant giving the gun the ability to be used in extreme environments as well.
Two parts of the PPQ that you will notice, and many people will refer to these aspects as negative, are the polymer guide rod and the plastic sights. They can be replaced with costume ones, yet it will be an additional cost and is something you need to think about.
CUSTOMIZATION
The customization is one region where the PPQ falls a little behind, comparing it with other models on the market like the Glock, S&W M&P, or the Beretta 92.
That being stated, this will change as the firearm turns out to become better known, and there are more customization alternatives for the PPQ now that there were simply a year ago or earlier.
Taking into consideration that you may need some aftermarket parts, you will experience no difficulty finding additional sights, triggers, guide rods, or holsters to use on your gun. The guide rod and sights specifically are two things that you would have to replace immediately with metal ones.
VARIATIONS
The Walther PPQ is accessible in four distinct types and a wide range of variations. The types are .22 LR, 9mm Luger, .40 S&W, and .45 ACP. Out of these, the 9mm is the most well-known variant also the most requested configuration on the market.
Other than the calibre variations, the PPQ comes in various sizes. The standard model highlights a barrel length of 4 inches (4.25 creeps with the .45 ACP form). Walther additionally makes adaptations of the PPQ that have longer barrels, target highlights, for example, the SC (subcompact) that is a similar size to a Glock 26.
Below you will find a list of the current variations of the Walther PPQ:
- Walther PPQ SD Strategic .22 LR
- Walther PPQ 5″ .22 LR
- Walther PPQ M2 9mm
- Walther PPQ M2 Naval force 9mm
- Walther PPQ M2 FDE 9mm
- Walther PPQ M2 OD 9mm
- Walther PPQ M2 Tungsten 9mm
- Walther PPQ M2 Q4 TAC 9mm
- Walther PPQ M2 Q5 Match 9mm
- Walther PPQ M2 5″ 9mm
- Walther PPQ M2 5″ Standard 9mm
- Walther PPQ M1 Classic 9mm configuration
- Walther PPQ M2 .40 S&W
- Walther PPQ M2 5″ .40 S&W
- Walther PPQ .45 ACP
- Walther PPQ SD .45 ACP
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THE PROS AND CONS
Here is a list of the PPQ advantages:
- Superb quality parts
- Excellent ergonomics
- Light and crisp trigger draw
- Very reliable
- Build with High-quality materials
- Precise
Disadvantages :
- The guide rod is of polymer
- Sights are polymer
THE END
The PPQ is accessible in the $800 to $900 territory, which is about a similar value you can hope to pay for an equivalent Glock or Smith and Wesson M&P.
At that value point, you’re getting a good deal for the cash with the PPQ. It’s solid, precise, and has the absolute best ergonomics and trigger draw of any striker-fired gun that you can purchase nowadays.