new walther pps

[Miltiades]

Interesting, but...

From a size, weight and functional standpoint, the new Walther PPS is very similar to the Kahr P9. Given that the Kahr has been on the market for a few years and has been well tested, I think I would prefer it to the new and untried Walther at this point. The Kahr is also somewhat thinner (0.90 inches thick vs. 1.04 inches thick) than the Walther, which makes it more attractive in a CCW application, I think.

[ts]

Nice to have but don't really need it because I already got the XDs, Glocks that fills that niche...

Looks alright to me.

Yeah...

This gun looks like hybrid of Glock and Steyr M-A1... Don't like either one of them anyway.

It does - how ever I like Glocks.

[CaleeforniaKid]

The real big question is 'Will it get on the approved list?'

I dropped Walther an email the other day and received a reply that the PPS had been submitted to the California DOJ for approval and they are currently waiting for the results.

[The SoCal Gunner]

Looks butt ugly to me. I'd go with a Kahr. I do want a Walther P99 though.

[CALI-gula]

Too many sharp angles, too many nooks and crannies for no real reason other than to trap dirt and get hung up on things. The positioning of operational levers look misplaced from a natural hold and where your fingers could utilize them efficiently without excessive reach.

Tolerances in the sample photo look lousy. Visually it looks like the english muffin of black-plastic tupperware guns with bevels and ridges added merely to give it some kind of character - it ends up reminding me of the bad, purposeless design additions on Camaros from the 1980's with a bunch of bad body panel doo-dads like scallops, scoops, louvres, and cheesy wings from GM direct, but you would have sworn some 16 year old kid had added it all as aftermarket tack-ons from JC Whitney.

It also reminds me of a Hi-Point with waffling like the bottom of a tennis shoe just to break up what really only needs to be a smooth monolithic form.

What is so special about this gun that Kahr, Glock, KelTec, Steyr, HK, Springfield, Smith, etc., have not already covered with their own black-plastics, but have already mastered, and done better? How is it any step ahead, improvement upon, or better than their own Walther P88 or P5 from over a decade ago?

Walther is no longer setting the trend in design, they are merely reaching, chasing, or following what the others noted above have already done, and already done better. I don't get these frilly design exercises just to dress up what are essentially Glocks (from any of these manufacturers) nor what seems like a backward step for Walther into something not much better than a Hi-Point pistol.

Walther is just not what they used to be.

Here is what Walther should do; everyone has got a gun like this one, and everyone has got a 1911. Walther should fill a void: beef up the PPK into chambering .40S&W and .45ACP. It would be a larger version of the PPK, short barrel, with same proportions, kind of like the older blow-back HK P9S in .45ACP (one really good gun, so much so that Navy SEALS adopted it for a time) and there would be nothing like it currently on the market. DON'T do it in polymer - make it blackened stainless. Plus, the PPK type design could already fit into California's requirements for loaded chamber indicator and mag disconnect with minimal effort. Currently, it would be the only fixed-barrel/blow back .45 on the market, and probably incredibly accurate; to get of what I am thinking, imagine something like a P7M8 but in .45ACP with the nicer lines, conventional operation, and great ergonomics.

.

[saki302]

Problem with the PPK is it's a blowback design- the upper limit for a blowback pistol without a super heavy slide (Hi Point) is .380. That's also why the PPK seems to kick harder than my P3At which is less than 1/2 the weight- blowback vs. locked breech.
The P9s isn't pure blowback- it's roller-delayed (used to own one- very familiar with cleaning and lubing the rollers!).

If they could re-engineer the PPK into a locked breech or gas-delayed blowback pistol, I have no doubt it could remain the same size yet fire a full power 9mm round. That would be a nifty little gun and probably have less felt recoil than it does now (a stiff Wolff recoil spring does wonders on the current PPK).

A .45 PPK would be huge! No more slide railing though

-Dave

[MedSpec65]

Positive review by Patrick Sweeney in September's Guns & Ammo. MSRP of $622.00 is decent. Comes in .40 S&W as well as 9mm. Imported and marketed by Smith & Wesson. It's got my interest.

[CALI-gula]

Problem with the PPK is it's a blowback design- the upper limit for a blowback pistol without a super heavy slide (Hi Point) is .380. That's also why the PPK seems to kick harder than my P3At which is less than 1/2 the weight- blowback vs. locked breech.
The P9s isn't pure blowback- it's roller-delayed (used to own one- very familiar with cleaning and lubing the rollers!).

If they could re-engineer the PPK into a locked breech or gas-delayed blowback pistol, I have no doubt it could remain the same size yet fire a full power 9mm round. That would be a nifty little gun and probably have less felt recoil than it does now (a stiff Wolff recoil spring does wonders on the current PPK).

A .45 PPK would be huge! No more slide railing though

-Dave

Yes, that was my thinking too - the reason I cited the P9S, specifically because of the roller-delayed G3 style or CZ-52 like influence. I should think it would be best to adopt the principle. Or a gas delayed blowback like on the Steyr GBs might work, which was also a nifty gun (albeit, in 9mm).

I still think it would make for a very accurate .45ACP unlike anything currently available.

.

[CALI-gula]

Blow (back) me!!










And some truly innovative Walthers of days gone by....



.

[lunde]

CALI-gula, you wrote:

Too many sharp angles, too many nooks and crannies for no real reason other than to trap dirt and get hung up on things. The positioning of operational levers look misplaced from a natural hold and where your fingers could utilize them efficiently without excessive reach.

Tolerances in the sample photo look lousy. Visually it looks like the english muffin of black-plastic tupperware guns with bevels and ridges added merely to give it some kind of character - it ends up reminding me of the bad, purposeless design additions on Camaros from the 1980's with a bunch of bad body panel doo-dads like scallops, scoops, louvres, and cheesy wings from GM direct, but you would have sworn some 16 year old kid had added it all as aftermarket tack-ons from JC Whitney.

It also reminds me of a Hi-Point with waffling like the bottom of a tennis shoe just to break up what really only needs to be a smooth monolithic form.

No disrespect intended, but it sounds like you have yet to handle and inspect one of these fine pistols. Size-wise, it's comparable to a Glock 26, but significantly thinner. There are no sharp corners anywhere, protrusions are minimal, the texturing on the frame is minimal, the slide serrations are very functional, and overall parts fit and workmanship is outstanding.

What is so special about this gun that Kahr, Glock, KelTec, Steyr, HK, Springfield, Smith, etc., have not already covered with their own black-plastics, but have already mastered, and done better? How is it any step ahead, improvement upon, or better than their own Walther P88 or P5 from over a decade ago?

To some extent, it is just another pistol. But, that can be stated for virtually any new offering from any company.

What Walther has done, in my opinion, is to give us what Glock should have done long ago: a high-quality thin single-stack 9mm. Walther's own P5, P88, and P99 (and their respective Compact versions) are still relatively wide compared to the PPS.

When you guys have a chance, check out the web site that Carl Walther set up for the PPS: http://walther-pps.com/

It is in German now, but should be available in English soon.

[stingray4540]

Were the heck is the magazine reliese on that thing!?!

[ts]

Were the heck is the magazine reliese on that thing!?!

Trigger guard.

[CALI-gula]

CALI-gula, you wrote:No disrespect intended, but it sounds like you have yet to handle and inspect one of these fine pistols. Size-wise, it's comparable to a Glock 26, but significantly thinner. ...

Oh, none taken. But looking at the photo, even checking out the link, it further molds my opinions of it. I still see sharp 90 degree angles on every edge, odd angles, a long trigger guard which is odd for a gun trying to stay small, and ridges and protrusions that should be avoided on small carry guns except around the grip.

I actually prefer the double stack mag on the Glock 26 due to it giving a roundness of the grip for a better fit in the hand. I'm willing to sacrifice the thinness for a better hold and ergonomics. Ironically, you are comparing it to the Glock 26, whereby I think the Glock 26 will still prove the better gun, not only due to the simplicity, but because it has the wider grip. I like my KelTec P32, my Colt Pocket 9's, Mustang .380's, PPK's, and a few other pocket guns in .380, but at some point, a gun is too narrow - which is exactly why I like my Glock 26 over all of the former, plus it still carries plenty of back-up potential (I'll take 10 over 6 anytime) and from the looks of it, when you start adding the 8 round magazine available, you have now made something the size of a large frame gun and defeated the intent of a small/large caliber due to the single stack.

But I do get what you are trying to say... and I may have been a little harsh with my assessment - it was one of the more chiding replies I've ever written about a new gun, as I am disgusted with the lack of originality and innovation coming out of all the manufacturers. To see it coming from one of my favorite manufacturers of all time bothers me even more. I'm seeing the S&W influence in this new Walther; I like S&W guns, mostly their wheel and 1911 models, but Walther should just change its name to Smith & Walther, and therefore Walther's new logos for the changeover and marketing when Smith eventually takes over the company could simply take double meaning by using the 100 year old "S&W" trademark branding.

.

[Exiledviking]

Looks nice. Would have to shoot one to see if the bore being that far up affects the shot-to-shot recovery...


Cali-Gula, you know you are a gun enthusiast when you can name/model all but one of the handguns in your photos.

What a cool collection!!!

[saki302]

Hahaha- blow-back mountain!!

What the heck is the first pistol? I've seen it before, but can't remember the name..

Only the VP70Z and PPK are true blowback though (maybe the 1st weird one too). The P5 is locked breech (falling block, like P38 or 92FS), and the rest are roller or gas delayed. The VP70 has a heavy slide

The only bad thing about gas delayed actions is they get hot- I always wanted a Steyr GB though, just to have.

They did almost make the .45 you wanted- the HK P7M7, but it never saw full production.

-Dave