First Question?

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mikep99

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First I would like to say Hello and I am glad to have joined this forum. I have been looking for a forum like this for a month now! I am so glad I found one and hope to enjoy many forum discussions with many of you.


I want to ask a question which is a huge delima for my right now.

I purchased recently a Walther P99 .40 caliber. It is due in the 21st of June. As you all know Smith-Wesson distributes them here in the US so I am somewhat getting a hybrid of the P99. I love the feel of it. I have never shot one personally.

I am here to ask your opinoins on this. The other day I held the SW99 compact and loved it. I have become indecivise as to which one to pick. I want the .40 since people argue it has great stopping power, but I also like the compact. The guy told me that if I get the compact in a .40 I will have a tremendous amount of recoil.

So I am down to choosing between the Walther P99 .40 10+1 or the SW99 Compact 9mm 10+1. The guy told me the P99 has a 1 year warranty the SW99(which according to him they don't make anymore) has a lifetime warranty.

I want to be able to go to the range and enjoy my weapon but also know that I can conceal it comfortable and have the power to stop someone if it comes to that(which I hope it never does).


In addition to my question I would like it if some of you can comment on my choice of the Walther P99.


Thank you so much in advance and I hope to hear from some of you very soon.
 
The best thing you can do to improve your effectiveness in a fight is to practice. 9mm ammo is much cheaper than .40, and the reduced recoil makes it a little easier to master the basics.

I'd go with the 9. After you get good, you can always get another gun! (I suspect you could probably get the parts to convert your 9 to a .40, if you wanted to).
 
I think that I might just go with the .40 just because it has been my favorite for a while. I really hope that the Walther P99 is reliable enough for me to depend on it and to have a good time at the range.
 
The Walthers have a pretty good reputation for reliability, so I don't think you need to worry about that. The important thing is to get a decent handgun and practice, practice, practice!!! You'll almost certainly buy more handguns once you've attained a level of training and experience that allows you to judge the various models available as being better or worse for your needs. Put a couple of thousand rounds downrange, borrow and try others' guns, and then decide what you really want.

BTW, the 9mm. recommendation for practice is a good one: 9mm. ball ammo can often be had for half the price of other calibers. This helps if you don't have a large ammo budget. However, .40 is an excellent choice for defensive use, so if you can afford the ammo, go right ahead.
 
Mike,

Welcome to the forums.

Now to answer your question.

I strongly suggest that you go to the range and rent one of each. Run a box of ammo through each and buy the one you like the best.

I personally think the recoil from the .40 is snappier and less managable for me. I carry a .45 and find the recoil much more managable. Everyone is different and you should try them both before you buy.

I hope this helps.

DM

By the way, I can usually buy .45 fmj on sale for a little over $8 a box, 9mm is usually about a buck or a more cheaper .
 
Mike, welcome to the High Road. I want to echo the cost issue on 9mm. I have a Taurus pt-99 and I take it to the range quite a bit. It does not take long to burn through 150 rnds of ammo. The best thing you can do is PRACTICE. As they say on the shotgun board, BA/UU/R(buy ammo/use up/repeat).
 
Welcome Mike.

As D.M. said go to a good range/gun shop and rent.

Having said that, I have a Glock 27 in 40 and a Kel-Tek in .380. The recoil from the Glock is nothing compaired to the Kel-Tek. That P3AT has a really nasty snap for a recoil!

The reason I bought them is they are the biggest calibre in the lightest package. I will become used to the Kel-Tek so I don't concider it a problem.

Get what fits your hand, carry style and, budget. Then shoot the hell out of it.
 
I personally think the recoil from the .40 is snappier and less managable for me. I carry a .45 and find the recoil much more managable. Everyone is different and you should try them both before you buy.
Click to expand...

Truer words have not been spoken. I have a .45 full size 1911, and a compact 9mm. The recoil on the .45 is more managable than the 9mm.
 
Having said that, I have a Glock 27 in 40 and a Kel-Tek in .380. The recoil from the Glock is nothing compaired to the Kel-Tek. That P3AT has a really nasty snap for a recoil!
Click to expand...

I agree with jeffnvk that recoil perception is a combination of caliber and the gun--and the user. For example, I also own a Kel-Tec in .380 and have no trouble with its recoil. First time I shot it I expected to shoot a mag or two, then shoot another pistol for a while to rest my hand, then come back to it. I would up shooting 70 rounds straight because the recoil didn't bother me. Might be the shape of my hand is more conducive to the Kel-Tec .308?

I have a brother with a mini-Glock in .40. I put 20 rounds through that and found it snappier than the .Kel-Tec .380. Not bad or hard to handle, just harder than the .380.

Just acquired a Taurus PT-145--a small, concealable pistol in .45acp. Its recoil seems to me to be a little more than the Glock .40. But, it could be a memory malfunction due to my age. Or it could be my hand size.

Different people seem to experience recoil differently. Best advice yet is to rent several and try them. See what works for you.
 
The P99 in 9mm is my carry gun. Before I started making handloads, I shot 3000 factory rounds through it with 3 malfunctions: Each was a failure to go into battery, possibly caused by insufficient lube on the front barrel hood where it interfaces with the slide (use a good gun grease there). My handloads aren't as reliable, but I'm still figuring out how to make those properly.

If I were to do it again, I'd get a 1911, but that's because the 1911's single stack magazine fits cozier in my hand than the P99's double-stack magazine, even when I use the small grip insert. But I have very tiny hands. I shoot my P99 much better than I shoot dad's 1911 Gold Cup, but that might be the difference between 3000+ rounds of practice and 100.

The P99's trigger was confusing for the first 500 rounds (I'm slow), but now I just wonder what the fuss is about when people say it's complex. I like the trigger reset, the ambidextrous magazine release, the decocker, and the easy field strip.
 
By "Failure to go into battery," I mean that the slide came back normally, ejected the spent casing normally, came forward and stripped a cartridge from the magazine normally, and nearly chambered it. The slide stopped shy of fully inserting the new cartridge into the chamber. In this "out of battery" position, the P99 won't fire (a good thing -- I understand that an out of battery firing can ruin your day, since part of the cartridge is now supported by air rather than nice, strong steel). Just rapping the back of the slide with the heel of one hand is enough to move the slide forward the rest of the way, chambering the round and make it ready to fire.

The second time this happened, I called S&W. The factory rep told me that the top front of the barrel hood needs a bit of good gun grease. Indeed, when the out-of-battery conditions occured, it was at exactly the point where the barrel hood rubs against the slide as the barrel is tilting back up into its firing position. I started using a bit of Shooter's Choice on the top front of the barrel hood. I had one more out-of-battery since then. I had been carrying the gun for a month without cleaning or firing it (yeah, I know... I'll go stand in the corner); I guessed that there was no longer sufficient lube left on the barrel hood.

Added:

Mike, are you shaking the jar to see if the Glock pros and antis will fight? :)

Every gun ever made has experienced malfunctions. I sincerely believe that most of what makes a gun good is its owner, who naturally practices enough that the use and care of the gun become second nature. And if the use and care of the gun is second nature, than whatever features or quirks the gun has won't matter all that much. You're going to practice a lot, right? If you are, any quality weapon will do.

As Chuck Yeager used to say about air combat, "It's the man, not the machine."
 
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The first defensive-caliber handgun I ever fired was a Smith & Wesson in .40.

I don't remember which model it was, but it was a duty-size gun. I rented it at the range and shot off 50 rounds for some "stress relief" after a hard day at work. Also, I was preparing to purchase a handgun for self-defense down the road, and was curious about the round.

Although it was a rather "hard-hitting, snappy" round, I didn't find it unmanageable, and shooting at a B-27 target 17 yards away I managed to put the rounds where they needed to go, with VERY LITTLE experience in firing handguns.

So, no, I don't find the .40 S&W recoil to be "tremendous," as your dealer put it.

I've also shot a few 9mm handguns, including the P99 and SW99. I was able to handle them well and put good shots on the paper at 10 yards, but didn't necessarily care for the "muzzle flip" (rise of the muzzle during recoil) from the high velocity of the round. Just found it took me longer to put my front sight back on target.

I carry a compact .45ACP, just because I've shot .45's before and find their recoil to cause the pistol to kick "back" rather than "up", therefore being more manageable for my "smaller" hands (I'm actually rather "scrawny" at 5'10" 164 lbs., with a small "beer belly" - Don't ask me either, because I seldom drink LOL).

Last summer, I remember shooting a Taurus Airweight in .38 Spl. +P. That I actually found to be too harsh (compared to my heavier non-+P Weirauch snub-nose) and would never consider regularly practicing with (at least in the higher-pressured round).

So, it can even vary from gun to gun. I've seen one person claim the recoil on a Kahr PM40 to be a little rough, while the Glock 27 .40 was toted as "quite manageable".

Like others have said, best bet is to try a few different ones, then make your decision based on your own personal experiences.

Good luck and safe, happy shooting! Welcome to The High Road.

-38SnubFan
 
Here's an idea if you don't have a range that rents handguns. Buy three Hi Points, one each in 9mm, 40sw and 45. The 3 Hi points will cost about the same as one of the guns previously mentioned and you can test ammo to your heart's content. Just a thought :D .

Seriously, I wouldn't worry about the recoil too much. My XD-40 doesn't kick more than any 9mm I've handled. Practice ammo is a little more expensive, but not that much if you're careful where you buy. The best place I found to buy ammo was a Car repair/sporting goods store- $5.50 for a box of 50 CCI blazer. Great practise ammo.

It still boils down to what fits best in your hand and what you are comfortable with.
 
Well I can't wait until I get my Walther P99
WAP65000.jpg




Do any of you know of really nice holsters that can be concealed either in your pants, close to your hands, or on your chest area?
 
also I Have Been Searching In The Forums And Have Not Had Any Luck. I Did Not Post A New Thread Because I Have This One. Does Anyone Know Where I Can Get A Gun Safe Where I Can Put My Gun In And Is Relatively Small And Can Be Put Under The Bed. Thank You
 
Mike welcome.

I use a safe called the handgun vault. Search and you will find many threads on these. Wholesalehunter.com should have them at a decent price. Also, Walmart carries a safe that should work for you. It uses an electronic keypad and is less than so of the other safes.

As for holsters, they tend to be a very personal decision. First--find out the legal requirement for carrying a handgun where you live. Holsters really fall into several categories. You need to experiment to find out what works with your body type and style of dress. Holsters carried at the waist are either worn inside the waistband (IWB) of your pants, or outside. Outside tends to be more comfortable, but harder to conceal. A good IWB will be comfortable and allow more concealment options. Shoulder holster and other types may also work for you, but the most common method of carry is on the waist.

Holsters are generally made of either leather or plastic. There are pros and cons to each, but honestly, they are both good decisions. For suggestions on where to buy, search for holster makers. There was a recent thread in the accessories section with links to many holster providers.

One thing to understand--you can pay a lot or a little for a holster. If you are looking at leather, plan on paying betwenn $60 and $200 for a good holster. You do get what you pay for.

A final though on carry. Get a good belt. It makes all the difference in the world.

Good luck and enjoy your new handgun.

Where are you located? Many of us don't mind meeting up and shooting together from time to time.

--usp_fan
 
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