Walther P99 AS vs. HK P30S V3

[poconojoe]

Walther is in 9 and the HK in 40.
Have taken them both to the range a few times. The HK (in my opinion) can not hold a candle to the Walther.
The Walther has a better quality feel to it, although both feel great in the hand fit wise.
The trigger on the HK is not even close to the trigger on the Walther. By shooting the Walther and the HK second you
just want to go back to the Walther. The recoil on the HK 40 is almost the same as the Walther in 9, which is a plus for the HK.
The trigger in SA on the HK is fine but the reset is about double that of the Walther(the Walther has about an eight of an inch reset).
How they can put a trigger like that on a gun valued at $900 is beyond me. The safety on the HK is nice because you can carry it
"cocked and locked" in SA mode however, it still has that long reset and the manual safety feels CHEAP!.
After Shooting the Walther you don't even want to soil your shooting with the HK, so I think most like myself would go back to shooting the Walther.
The Walther is $560-ish and worth every penny. I am far from saying that for the HK for $900.
Bottom line is I am not sure if I am going to keep the HK.

[jthrelf]

Nice review. I have always wondered about the appeal of HK handguns. I know they're very reliable and high quality, but I could never justify the much higher price tag compared to other polymers like Glock, Walther or M&P.

[Big-O]

AMEN!! Being one that came around to Walther's when their popularity seemed to be little more than the PPK (Walther didnt even manufacture them as I understand). I came into firearms after the P88 and just about when the 1st gen 'Goldeneye' P99's were replaced on the market by the current model. 2002 or so? I have been stunned by their performance and further stunned by their seeming minimal acceptance in the market and broader appeal. I carry a P99c AS in my rotation. Tackdriver. S/A reset every bit as divine as the PPQ. The only da/sa that is it's peer that I own is a sig srt (with the standard Sig trigger..dont like the slim trigger). I hear CZ's omega trigger is sweet but unfortunately I've not experienced one yet. All my HK's (except for my VP9..obviously), are LEM's.. I just couldnt justify anything else. I do like my HK's tho..

There was a time not so long ago when I thought Walther might be taking the P99 off the US market. I was worried for a bit. The frame design is looking a tad dated but in it's defense, it doesnt get slipery in my wet/sweaty hand like my PPQ does. It seems to stay put. PPQ needs a grip/polymer updating to bring it to what the CCP is, that weird little pistol's grip grippity grip-ness is perfection.

[borekfk]

Amen to the P99AS. Best dang 9mm I've handled. Made me sell most of my other handguns too. Really like that DA/SA trigger and like the fact I have a second strike capability if I ever need it.

[ChemicalReaper]

Amen to the P99AS. Best dang 9mm I've handled. Made me sell most of my other handguns too. Really like that DA/SA trigger and like the fact I have a second strike capability if I ever need it.

I love the Metal Gear Solid parody patches. I've never had the opportunity to fire a P99, but I can see its relation to the PPQ. Walthers I think are really underrated over here because S&W held the U.S. manufacturing license, but never put any money into advertising them.

[Pilot321]

I like them both, but prefer HK's. A better comparison may be the newer, striker fired HK VP9.

[vjb.knife]

I had exactly the opposite experience to the original poster comparing the P99 as well as the newer PPQ to the HK handguns. I still think the Walthers are a fine choice but for me, I prefer the HK's and the cost is not a factor when I go to buy a firearm. I have a few HK's as well as a few other things but for this type of pistol I like the HK.

[poconojoe]

On another note something "borekfk" stated above about "made me sell most of my other guns". I have my Shield in 9 on the market to sell. I started thinking why would I carry the Shield? The Walther is more forgiving to shoot accurately, The Walther has a 4 inch barrel as opposed to the 3 inch Shield... again for accuracy, weight on the Walther is only around 5 oz more(24oz) then the Shield(19oz), the Shield has much more recoil then the Walther for followup shots, and the most significant is the round count on the Walther is double! Shield 8+1 with pinky ext and Walther 15+1. I have a super comfortable IWB Kydex/leather "Firewall" holster and a OWB Serpa, I find it as comfortable to carry as the Shield. Bye Bye Shield.
In my cross hairs due to all this I am looking into a used PPQ model 1(I love the paddle release!) or possible new PPQ 45 due out soon. Thx.

[Jshtbt]

I recently acquired a p99 AS and it is absolutely my favorite pistol ever! Just perfect! I have sigs 229,p239, a mess of glocks,a 1911, xdm, and have shot just about every pistol on the market and the p99 blows them all away. I don't get why they weren't more popular. And it's a bond gun! How cool is that

[poconojoe]

Yes, great handgun the P99. I have had it since I started this post and still feel the same way, I love this pistol. I do carry my 1911 sometimes because I love 1911's. But 90% of the time is my Walther P99. I have a friend up in N.H. just try one at his range. He is now going to look for one. I am still really curious about the PPQ M1, I have seen nothing but good reviews about it.