Walther P99 vs. Glock 19

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kindred_spirits

Joined
Jul 16, 2006
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Hey guys, I've been debating on these two for my first handgun purchase. How does the P99 compare to the G19? I know the size and weight are about the same. Ergos appear better on the P99, but I haven't found one to handle yet. The interchangeable backstraps are a plus on the P99.

And to those who own the P99, do you have the AS or QA model? Thanks!
 
Handle and shoot both pistols. Then, buy the one you like better. :)
Glock for this Boyee.
 
I have both and like both alot.. The Walther is like a Glock with more bells and whistles. With that comes more possibility of failure, but they are built well and not likely to break.
If it was going to be my ONLY pistol I would opt for the Glock..
 
If it is your first & only pistol for now I like the glock.

The walther probably has a more ergonomic grip, but its not just how the gun feels when you are finger fucking it, it is how it handles under recoil. The glock grip angle & bore axis makes for good muzzle control.

If you maybe want to get a full size gun later that uses the same magazines & if you want various accessories & stuff the glock is better for that naturally.

But I have never shot this walther.

FYI, you can simply sand down the grip of the G17 & then stick G19 mags right in it.

I carry G34 w/ a Glock light on the rail in a stiff nylon "tactial" hip holster. The holster has ambidextrous positioning of the belt clip so I actually clip it to inside the pants on strong side. That light is as narrow as the gun so pulling it out of your belt is no problem. It is hard to shoot w/ gun & a separate flashlight so I try to avoid that if possible.
 
BTW, when you put a Hogue grip sleeve on a small frame glock (eg 17, 19 etc) it feels really great. The grip sleeve has finger grooves that perfectly fit over the finger grooves of a gen 3 frame glock & it gives you nice palm swells.
 
I've test driven a 4" barrel springfield XD 9mm. I like it quite a bit. Not sure if you have considered it but its very similar to the two you are considering and comes with a holster, mags etc.
 
This is coming from a certified Walther freak. The P99 does not deserve to carry the Walther name, IMO. As much as I hate to say it, buy the Glock.
 
If you're looking for something along those lines don't count out the Springfield XD or Smith and Wesson M&P series unless you're dead set between the two. If so, then I'd go with the Glock.
 
Thanks for the input guys.

I've looked XD and the M&P, I'll try to handle those as well.

jdm61 said:
This is coming from a certified Walther freak. The P99 does not deserve to carry the Walther name, IMO. As much as I hate to say it, buy the Glock.
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I'm interested to know why. I usually hear glowing reviews of the P99.
 
I have a Glock 22 in .40 cal. I like it. As another poster already stated, you may want to check out the comparable springfield XD. I like the feel of the trigger better on the XD's. And they also seem to have a more comfortable grip. I really like them.

The Glock will work for you. I would recommend either the XD or the Glock over the P99, but that is just personal preference.
 
kindred_spirits said:
Thanks for the input guys.

I've looked XD and the M&P, I'll try to handle those as well.



I'm interested to know why. I usually hear glowing reviews of the P99.
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IMO, the ONLY glowing reviews for the P99 would come from people who had never handled a P5 or P88. I bought a P99 when they came out. I hated it from day one. It had a trigger that felt like it had sand or broken glass poured in it on double action. I gave it to my younger brother and he hated it (he owns a PPK and a PPK/S variants and I have own 2 PPK/S and a P5) It eventually got traded in on another gun. I originally bought mine because I could not afford a P88, even used. The P99 was Walther's first attempt at an "affordable" gun and the difference between it and their older guns is, as our British friends would say, as similar as chalk and cheese. IMO, the original P88 was possibly the finest double stack 9mm ever produced, but at an MSRP of around $1400 circa 1990, it damn sure better be the best!! You couldn't touch a used one back then for much less than a grand.:eek: It had an incredibly smooth action, all of the controls were in the right place, the ergos were fantastic and unlike the Sig's it didn't have a steel brick for a slide (I am actually a Sig fan, especially of the P220) It was sleek and compact like a Hi Power.
 
at 1 time i had a P88 and they were pretty cool imho, alas another one that got away lol.

between a glock and a P99 i would go with the glock myself, but the one P99 i have handled wasnt too bad, i dont like the walther(or anyone elses for that matter) DA/SA triggers though, much prefer the glocks.
 
If you're going to buy a P99, look for the German made ones, not the US made stuff by S&W. There's a much lower failure rate amongst the European made parts for whatever reason and I've heard nothing but crap reviews about the US stuff.

Here's an explanation on the trigger system on the P99:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyOZN_44Xd4

On the next subject: The Glock's a glock. Got the same reputation everywhere (general reliability, simplicity, etc) I've really got nothing to say about it since I"ve got no personal experience.

On a personal level, if you want something with a decocker and a chamber loaded indicator, go for the P99; otherwise, Glock all the way.
 
SIFU1A said:
at 1 time i had a P88 and they were pretty cool imho, alas another one that got away lol.

between a glock and a P99 i would go with the glock myself, but the one P99 i have handled wasnt too bad, i dont like the walther(or anyone elses for that matter) DA/SA triggers though, much prefer the glocks.
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I would be kicking myself;) The cheapest I ever saw a P88 was around $800 at a show and that was because some scumbag had stolen the case with the second mag from the guys table while he wasn't looking. You don't EVEN want to know what replacement mags cost for that pistol circa 1992. Even MORE than the extended 8 round factory mags for the .45 Sig 220!!!!!! I didn't have the cash at the time or I would have bought it even without the mag and case.
 
Kilroy Higgins said:
If you're going to buy a P99, look for the German made ones, not the US made stuff by S&W. There's a much lower failure rate amongst the European made parts for whatever reason and I've heard nothing but crap reviews about the US stuff.

Here's an explanation on the trigger system on the P99:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyOZN_44Xd4

On the next subject: The Glock's a glock. Got the same reputation everywhere (general reliability, simplicity, etc) I've really got nothing to say about it since I"ve got no personal experience.

On a personal level, if you want something with a decocker and a chamber loaded indicator, go for the P99; otherwise, Glock all the way.
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I have heard that too about the Smith made Walthers. That is strange since the original American (made in Alabama, IIRC) built PPK series pistols were VERY well built. I still have one of the original blued PPK/S models from the first production run and all of the ones we have are pre-Smith models. Never a bobble. The only thing I had done to my original one was to have the ramp polished to feed all HP ammo because it was built to the original German specs. The newer stainless ones came with a polished "American" chamber/ramp.
 
Lycosa said:
Handle and shoot both pistols. Then, buy the one you like better
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I think that's the best advice you've been given. :thumbup:

You can't tell how a handgun fits just from looking at pictures or even from handling them, firing them will give you a much better idea. For instance, a Glock feels pretty good in my hand but it doesn't work for me on the range.
 
jdm61 said:
I would be kicking myself;) The cheapest I ever saw a P88 was around $800 at a show and that was because some scumbag had stolen the case with the second mag from the guys table while he wasn't looking. You don't EVEN want to know what replacement mags cost for that pistol circa 1992. Even MORE than the extended 8 round factory mags for the .45 Sig 220!!!!!! I didn't have the cash at the time or I would have bought it even without the mag and case.
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yeah i collected walthers at one time and had several of 'em, a bud just had to have that P88 and i swapped him it for a SIG P220 and a few hundred dollars, wish i woulda kept it now, he ended up losing the thing in a pawn shop, probably got ~$250 or $300 for it.

i also had a P5, or my dad did, when he passed i gave it to my cousin who was raised, more or less, by my dad, as a momento, i presume he still has it, i didnt like that one as much as the '88 though, kinda "boxy" and not sleek like the '88, my dad liked it because it was similar to a P38 and he brought back one of those from WW2, which i do still have, a spreewerk one made in '42 with the holster, a german officer gave it to my dad when my dad took him prisoner, that one will go to my son,
 
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