Happy After-ban, everyone!  Have been oogling a 99 for a while, now that the hicaps will be easy to find it must be time.  Does anyone have any input as to the difference between the Walther or the S&W in terms of quality, accuracy, etc??  Thanks for your time!

Three huh?
OK......




Everyone says Walther is better but who knows for sure (not me)?

Go fire both and see wich you prefer (I know, the major differences are only cosmetic but word is that the SW99 has looser tolerances and has had some reliability issues).

I went with the Walther because I liked it better.  The S&W gun is not an exact copy of the Walther.  The different slide, etc makes it handle differently.  They both are very nice guns and there's nothing wrong with the S&W.  I handled both at the gunshop and they were both nice, just different feeling.  In the end I liked the feel of the Walther better, so I ended up buying one of those.  Performance wise, there's not really any true difference.

I'd go and handle the two of them and buy what you like.  Either one will work out of ryou as a fantastic gun.  S&W does the customer support for both here in the USA, and they're doing a very good job at it too.  You really can't go wrong.

Ross

Thanks, and sorry about the three postings - it didn't seem like it was being published until the third time, then there were three, and I couldn't figure out how to delete the other two.  Not the world's most computer-masterful person......

This might help you decide.

www.praxagora.com/lunde/WaltherP99FAQ/

The most obvious difference is the size of the hole in the barrel.  You can get the P99 in .45ACP from S&W but not from Walther.

You can't get a P99 in .45 from any one.

You can get a SW99 in .45 from Smith and Wesson.

There's a difference.

Nice nitpickhinking.gif S&W does not sell a P99.  I should have been clearer.   ordinaryguy asked about the Walther made P99 vs the S&W made version.  The S&W version is called the SW99 not P99.  The SW99 uses a Walther made frame with a rounded trigger guard and a S&W made slide.  The P99 uses a Walther made frame with a squared off trigger guard and a Walther made slide.  The P99 is available in 9mm & .40S&W.  The SW99 is available in 9mm, 40S&W, and .45ACP.  The main difference between the P99 and the SW99 is the availability of .45ACP in the SW99.  Minor differences include the model name and the shape of the trigger guard.

Quoted: The main difference between the P99 and the SW99 is the availability of .45ACP in the SW99.  Minor differences include the model name and the shape of the trigger guard.

Plus the SW99 has a  reletively inferior materialfinish.

Quoted: Quoted: The main difference between the P99 and the SW99 is the availability of .45ACP in the SW99.  Minor differences include the model name and the shape of the trigger guard. Plus the SW99 slide is made of reletively inferior material.

Thats the first I've heard of that. Can you provide any information to support this statement?

Key word here is reletively.

The SW99 has a stainless steel melonite-finished slide.

The P99 has a tennifer-treated carbon steel slide.

Quoted: Key word here is reletively. The SW99 has a stainless steel melonite-finished slide. The P99 has a tennifer-treated carbon steel slide.

So how is stainless an inferior material to carbon steel?  

Plus the SW99 slide is made of reletively inferior material.

You ARE talking about the "material" and not the finnish, correct?

Ross

My bad, I was thinking finish but material came out.

If it makes any difference, Smith is now giving out free high standard capacity mags if you buy one and it does not iclude them.  So you end up with 2 ten round range mags, and 2 good ones.  I ended up getting a SW99 because the price was right and I liked the rounded trigger guard.

Brian

Walther-USA is offering the same two free standard-cap mag deal.

Quoted: Walther-USA is offering the same two free standard-cap mag deal.

I bought my P99 last October.  What is this "2 free hi cap mag deal" you are refering to.  please elaborate.  

I bought the Walther for 2 superficial reasons:  1) it looks better than the S&W and 2) I just wanted a Walther.  I have also heard that the level of quality is not as high in the Smith but I have no proof.  I have shot a SW99 and it shot just fine.  I beleive the only real desicion making item is the fact that the SW99 is offered in 45.  If you want a 45 then go S&W if not go Walther.

I own a p99 and a sw99 compact both in 9mm,  I love them both in fact sold my glocks when I got my p99 better pistop in all respects.  The S&W shoots just as well and eats all ammo even cheap stuff it is not as acurate as my walther but it is a compact not regular size.  The biggest difference between the two pistols at service size is the light rail.  S&W can take an m6 while walther needs a special light or an adapter

I can't speak at all to the P99 question--never fired one; never even held one perhaps.  But someone mentioned reliability concerns with the SW99, so before we scare you away from an excellent piece, let me pitch in.

I bought a new SW99 in .40 when the model first came out.  Immediately after purchase, I rounded up 14 different ammos and fed them all through with no problems.  Now, something like 3500 jamless rounds later, my Smith still looks new, fires accurately, and is my primary concealed carry weapon.  

Three things I would change: (1) Mag capacity.  Mine are ban-era tenners.  New 12s would solve that.  (2) Size.  It's just a tad big on my small frame.  In the future, I will look to something that hides better on me.  (3) sights.  I just don't care for three dots of the same color and size.  Call it a great personal inadequacy if you must.  I prefer Glock sights.  Or maybe I just need to shoot more often, which would be a pleasure with my SW99.

Anyway, don't let 'questionable reliability' stand in your way without a good, solid source for the concern.  For whatever 5000 rounds are worth to your peace of mind, my experience with the Smith has been impeccable.

Oh...and I LOVE the ambidextrous mag release!  In fact, I like every lever on the Smith better than every lever on my Glock G20.  So handy, so painless.

Hey you can get glock style sights for P99 or SW 99 Earl's repair shop.

I bought a P-99 chambered in .40 and a good friend of mine bought a S&W-99 chambered in 9mm. My friend is an LEO and he carries his S&W-99 exclusively. He has not, to my knowledge, had any problems whatsoever with his pistol and has put a couple thousand rounds through it. My P-99 OTOH is very low mileage, but have not had any problems with it. My friend is also a former Glock owner. Mags are still rare to be found at gun shows. My recent trip to Knob Creek was no help either.