Walther PPX

[pelo801]

anyone seen this yet?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32UsUTkpQto

it doesn't look as blocky now that i see it held in some one's hand. not as Hi point-ish as i originally thought. a lot more smaller PPQ like

the video is kinda funny though, he's the director of marketing and has to look at the pistol to read the name of it. not very accrediting.

[Fishbed77]

it doesn't look as blocky now that i see it held in some one's hand. not as Hi point-ish as i originally thought. a lot more smaller PPQ like

the video is kinda funny though, he's the director of marketing and has to look at the pistol to read the name of it. not very accrediting.

I would think the director of marketing for a major firearms company would know better than to hold a firearm with his finger hooked around the trigger for an entire video.

[Theohazard]

If I wanted a gun that looked like a brick with a pistol grip I'd save myself some money and buy a Hi-Point.

[LockedBreech]

Gross.

I think the PPQ looks absurd, way worse than a Glock, but can forgive that due to comfort and a wonderful trigger. But this PPX might push that gag reflex a bit too far.

Walther makes such a great gun, I wish they'd make one that looks the part (aside from the lovely P99 and PPK).

[carguychris]

so the american commercial market wants ugly as sin pistols w/ crappy ergos..

I don't think it's fair to make definitive statements about the ergonomics until the pistol reaches store shelves. I can't tell how a pistol will fit my hand by looking at a picture; can you?

Re: market potential of "ugly as sin" pistols... let's see, I can think of several pistols that are large, blocky, and somewhat ugly, but have decent to very good ergonomics, are inexpensive, and are very popular with first-time buyers.

S&W SD-series
Ruger P95
Taurus 24/7

I'd say that Walther is following a well-established formula.

[ScotchMan]

I think the P99 and especially PPQ are beautiful guns. I agree with the sentiment that Walther is making something for the American audience, maybe even law enforcement, who have traditionally ruled out German guns on price alone.

The trigger concerns me a little. Hammer-fired I am all for, but a DAO might be really bad. If it is like the H&K LEM system then it will sell well for being such a great system in an inexpensive gun.

I think this is a good move on Walther's part, especially with them increasing their presence in the American market by doing their own distribution. I do prefer the European-style mag release, but I'll certainly be interested in handling one and would consider buying it if the trigger is nice and its not made by Umarex.

[TheRaskalKing]

The grip actually looks to me like it MIGHT fit my hand somewhat comfortably, or at very least... interesting...ly? The flat part at the bottom or the backstrap is intriguing.

I'm not really digging it though. The bore axis, as the OP noted, looks CRAZY high. I also think they made a mistake with moving the mag release, as well as with ditching the HK style (I'm not sure what else to call it) slide stop lever. I've never really been a Walther fan, but have always appreciated that they do things differently and make high quality items.

This sort of kills that idea for me. I know the Hi-point comment has already been made but GOOD GRIEF! Why did they make the slide/upper so dang tall and blocky?

Come on Walther, go back to the P99AS!

[Fishbed77]

Come on Walther, go back to the P99AS!

Walther still makes the P99AS and they have said they have no intention of discontinuing it anytime in the foreseable future.

The PPX is what it is - an entry-level semi-automatic similar to the S&W Sigma/SD-series, Sig P250, or Ruger P95.

[TheRaskalKing]

Walther still makes the P99AS and they have said they have no intention of discontinuing it anytime in the foreseable future.

The PPX is what it is - an entry-level semi-automatic similar to the S&W Sigma/SD-series, Sig P250, or Ruger P95.

Fair enough, Fishbed. And Walther may have something good to offer with the PPX in that price point.

My feeling is that I want to see more P99 quality guns and less P95/Sigma quality guns. They each have their place and purpose, not saying the lower price point is worthless by any means.

[Fishbed77]

Fair enough, Fishbed. And Walther may have something good to offer with the PPX in that price point.

My feeling is that I want to see more P99 quality guns and less P95/Sigma quality guns. They each have their place and purpose, not saying the lower price point is worthless by any means.

That's my feeling as well, but the simple fact is that the P99/PPQ is already one of the best (if not THE best) polymer pistol designs on the market today. Walther really has nowhere to go but downmarket, and there apparently is a lot of money to be made with less-expensive guns.

I'm not thrilled about this, as I feel it cheapens a great name (similar to the Umarex-manufactured guns like the P22 and PK380), but if it keeps great guns like the P99/PPQ and PPS coming, I guess I won't complain too much.

[kahrguy]

walthers designer must be a blind man. No one could design a firearm to this ugly and mean to do it. It make a high point look ok.

[ClydeFrog]

Yes, the PPX is a bit "fugly" . It also looks like a stout blunt object if 15/17 rounds of JHP doesn't stop the threat. lol

The chunky/brick design seems spartan too but if it's easy to clean & can hold up to bad weather then so be it.
I'd be interested to know why Smith and Wesson cut ties with Walther America. Do any forum members know if Walther America will still offer US customers a full lifetime service warranty?

My big concerns for the PPX line is that early models hold up well. Like the first Ruger SR9s, I wouldn't want to buy a new PPX then have it crap out.
FWIW: The SR9 went on to get a few "Handgun of the Year" honors by the firearm industry.

I agree with Fishbed's remarks.
Clyde

[Fishbed77]

I'd be interested to know why Smith and Wesson cut ties with Walther America. Do any forum members know if Walther America will still offer US customers a full lifetime service warranty?

From what everyone can gather, it seems to be the other way around.

Walther was the one that sought to cut ties with S&W, largely due to S&W's abysmal marketing efforts with regards to the P99, PPS, and PPQ pistols over the years (which of course happen to compete with S&W products). The P99AS, for example, is probably the best DA/SA pistol on the market today, yet almost no one in America seems to know about them.

As far as the lifetime warranty question goes, I don't think that question has been answered yet. However, with most of Walther America's competitors in the US market offering lifetime warranties, I would be highly surprised if they didn't.

[RamItOne]

It was a 10 year commitment that is now over.

[TennJed]

I know people say looks do not matter, but in this day and age we have so many quality guns to choose from there is no reason to pick a gun you hate the looks of. There is always another gun out that that can do the same thing in a better looking package

[eviltravis]

There is a new generation of PPQ pistols coming soon - The PPQM2. It has the mag release like the PPX, but otherwise looks like the PPQ we all know and love. Sadly they do not use the same magazines...

http://www.waltherarms.com/products/handguns/ppq-m2/

Internet rumor is that the original version of the PPQ with the European/paddle style magazine release under the trigger guard is going to be discontinued. I really hope that this is not true, because I prefer the paddle style release.

[therealtwitch]

ppk= beautiful
Pps= even better IMHO
Ppx= who designed that thing and will someone please check their eyes!

That thing is hideous.

[mumbo719]

LOL, Walther hired Hi Point designers.

[Fishbed77]

Internet rumor is that the original version of the PPQ with the European/paddle style magazine release under the trigger guard is going to be discontinued. I really hope that this is not true, because I prefer the paddle style release.

Sadly they do not use the same magazines...

That's a shame.

The superior Walther mag release and P99 mag compatibility are two of the high points of the the PPQ design.

[fastbolt]

As far as the lifetime warranty question goes, I don't think that question has been answered yet. However, with most of Walther America's competitors in the US market offering lifetime warranties, I would be highly surprised if they didn't.

Pages 32/33 of the owner instruction manual answers the question.
http://www.waltherarms.com/resources...nual%20PPX.pdf

1-year warranty to the original owner, which is what Walther has done all along ... with the exception of a limited lifetime warranty originally offered for American owners of the PPQ (which they started when it was being imported by S&W's Walther America).

The limited lifetime warranty appears to be carried over to the PPQ M2 being imported by Walther Arms, as can be seen in their instruction manual on their website - http://www.waltherarms.com/resources...ries%20USA.pdf

The P99 appears to continue with the same 1-year warranty, as is stated in the instruction manual - http://www.waltherarms.com/resources...nual%20P99.pdf

I'd guess the PPX is intended to offer the American commercial (Non-LE/Gov) market an affordable sporting/defense pistol of standard size, much like S&W did with the SD series after they released their M&P (and which eventually became the SD VE, with the Sigma disappearing from their catalog).

The change in the mag catch button on a couple of the new models would seem to make good sense, as it's described as a traditional design. Walther's been using it for decades, and the American customer has often looked askance on other designs. Seems like good business sense based upon marketing research.

Not sure if or when Walther will develop an armorer program in the US for their new import company (although they certainly have one in the rest of the world, and they worked with S&W to maintain one for P99/SW99 during their alliance). If they do, and it becomes a field class, with one held close enough to me to be reasonable, I might attend another one. (I did 3 of them when S&W was giving them.) They've been continually making revisions, refinements and subtle design changes in their 99 series over the years.