Walther P99, great that prices are lower, but how's the supply?

[Beyond_Visual_Range]

I heard a rumor from a friend that the German made P99 are drying up, and the new ones will all have S&W mark. Is this true?

[Extremist]

Nope, unfounded rumor. Supplies are getting better. When the price cut was announced, RSR Wholesale had none. Now they are showing a supply of 25+ standard P99 9mms. They have a variety of others.

James

[P99]

The rumor has some truth to it, but it has been twisted.

What has happened is as of the SHOTSHOW, WaltherUSA is out of business. This means that S&W is the only importer of P99's and P22's. Earl's Repair no longer has a licensing agreement for the P99 or P22. He can still get the older stuff and may be able to get the P99's and P22's in a couple of months when he finds a new supplier in Germany. As far as the P99's you will now see Springfield laser engraved on the gun, instead of WaltherUSA. I'm not sure if it will say S&W however. Only time will tell.

If you want a CP99, Crossman now has the rights to that air gun.

I've heard that this may not last long (S&W as importers). Apparently they've really screwed it up, so we may see a new importer within a year. We can only hope.

P99

[Extremist]

Hey P99,

This means that S&W is the only importer of P99's and P22's. Earl's Repair no longer has a licensing agreement for the P99 or P22. He can still get the older stuff and may be able to get the P99's and P22's in a couple of months when he finds a new supplier in Germany.

This is not exactly what Earl told me at the Shot Show. Walther USA AND S&W have apparently filed papers for going "out of business", but S&W will still make and distribute S&W pistols and Walther PPK and PPK/S pistols. There will also be a "Walther, USA LLC" importing company (just like today), that will still import P99s and P22s.

However, Earl said nothing about him not being able to import Walthers directly from Germany and getting them from S&W, in fact he told me he will still get some from both. He DID say that he has cancelled his contracts for the PPK and PPK/S that S&W is making in their Maine plant. He doesn't like the fact that they are now castings, rather than forged. He says he's not going to sell them.

As far as the P99's you will now see Springfield laser engraved on the gun, instead of WaltherUSA. I'm not sure if it will say S&W however.

My brand spanking new AB Date Code P99 I got about 2 weeks ago still had the "Walther, USA LLC, Springfield, MA" lasered on it. I don't believe this is going to change.

Regards,
James

[P99]

James,

Earl told me on the phone Monday that he can no longer get the P99 and P22 and that he got screwed when Walther lowered the price of the P99's. He wasn't too happy when I talked to him. He did say that he was trying to get the P99's and P22's from a distributer in Germany, thus bypassing Walther and S&W. The reason I called Earl in the first place was that I had my name on a P22 "First Edition" and he wrote me back saying he couldn't get me one. That's when he told me all of this.

Either way, it doesn't sound good.

P99

[prisoner6]

My 5" P22 had the Walther laser engravings on it, but the 3.4" sitting in the case at the store I frequent says Smith&Wesson instead. Just FYI.

[Extremist]

Hmm, Veeeeeery interesting as Sgt. Schultz would say. Must be new news since the Shot Show. I'm supposed to have my name on a "First Edition" P22 at RSR, we'll see.

Yes, I believe there is no love lost between Earl's and WaltherUSA.

We shall see :D

Thanks for the info.

James

[JMC]

Yes, I believe there is no love lost between Earl's and WaltherUSA.

I have found this to be true also after to speaking with all parties concerned.

Kurt Hindle of Walther-USA told me not long ago that Earl's imports everything except the P99, I don't know about the P22, which he had to get from Walther-USA.

I would like to see Earl become the importer for the P99 to insure they will get here. :D

My brand spanking new AB Date Code P99 I got about 2 weeks ago still had the "Walther, USA LLC, Springfield, MA" lasered on it. I don't believe this is going to change.

Mine also and it's about a month old.

BTW, my P99's are on my web site below. The P99 QA isn't mine, I don't have a QA yet. :(

[mparris71]

Hi,
When I got my P99 a week or so ago there was a paper with it that said that “As of January 2002, all warranty repair will be conducted at the following location: Smith & Wesson 2100 Roosevelt Avenue ect…..” :barf: I hope nothing goes wrong with my P99 because I don’t want to give S&W even that much business
MP

[P99]

Kurt Hindle is the biggest jerk in the gun business. I had a deal for some special P99's to be made and he stopped it a month later after I had already put money down on these pistols. Luckily Walther Germany got word of it and asked Earl to help me out. Earl got me the pistols I wanted. Its a long story, but Kurt was really a jerk to me and as far as I could tell he didn't know squat about Walther pistols. I think he just a stupid bean counter.

P99

[JMC]

Since I purchased my first P99 late last year, I have had contact with Kurt Hindle via e-mail and on the phone a few times.

First, I have to say that I respect him for replying to the bottom line consumer as he does seeing as how he is at the top of their ladder here in the US.

Just try and get thru to Eion Stafford in VA, the head of HK! :eek:

I will say that Kurt Hindle may not be the most forthcoming individual I have spoken with but, at least he gives one an answer. His responses to me were sincere and honest as far as I was able to determine.

He went as far as to contact the VP in charge of sales in Germany for me in regard to the P99 "pre ban" magazine questions. He even gave me the man's e-mail and urged me to contact him directly for further info.

P99, your experinece with Kurt Hindle was a bad one, mine were positive ones. That's what makes the world go round.
However, I would not refer to Mr. Hindle as "the biggest jerk in the gun business". There are others that could and do put him to shame! ;)

[Extremist]

Just checked RSR. They have LOTS of P99 9mm standard blue (QTY 93). They have 10 P99QA 9mm (I gotta get one of these!) and they have 107 P99 .40S&W Military Frames in stock.

Now, before anyone gets their dealer to order the .40S&W Military frame ones, I'd have them check with their sales person and have them PERSONALLY pull one and make sure it has the proof mark on the right rear of the slide so you don't get one of the S&W knock offs.

This is RSR stock nationwide. Have your dealer contact his regional RSR distributer for them to check their stock OR your dealer can order directly and pay shipping.

Regards,
James

[Beyond_Visual_Range]

Well, thanks for all the info. I have the CDNN newest catalogue right here, and it states: Smith & Wesson SW99 9mm. and then underneath, the catalogue says "Walther Frame".

This makes me wonder if S&W intends to make SW99 their official lineup. If so, I could imagine them trying to squeeze Walther P99 direct imports out of the US market.

It's selling for $479.99 btw.

[Extremist]

Well the SW99 IS on the official S&W lineup, it has been for a couple of years. The SW99 does have a Walther made frame. That was part of the agreement with S&W to allow Walther to sell the S&W revolver in Germany under the Walther name.

The slide and barrel of the SW99 are made in Maine by S&W. Then mated to the Walther frame, and it becomes a SW99.

It's conceivable they want to squeeze the Walther P99 out of the market, but you couldn't tell by the way they were all buddy-buddy at the Shot Show.

You can get a REAL Walther P99 for about 479.99 if you shop around.:D

James

[Crookshanks]

If anyone's interested, www.fsguns.com is having a sale on P99's. The P99 in OD green, .40S&W only is $489, all other configurations are $529?

[Extremist]

I betcha a dollar the .40S&W Military ones he has are the S&W bastardized versions. That's why he's discounting them more.

Call and ask if the Walther logo and P99 logo are gold lasered and if it has the Eagle proof mark on the right rear of the slide.

Caveat Emptor.

James

[45Rookie]

Hey guys, the Rookie here wants to know whats wrong with S&W...............I am not joking. I have never fired one, but I have had a chance to handle the SW99. The recievers the same....just the side is different right??????......please educate me for no question no matter how many people are cracking up reading this right now is a studid question! Thanks!......If you dont want to post your opinion please email it to me at [email protected]
.....by the way the P99 is SWEEEEEEEEEEEET

[Extremist]

I personally don't have any experience shooting the SW99. I've handled them and they feel fine. It's just I prefer the P99 if they are they same price. I like the looks of the P99 over the SW99. If the SW99 was $50-$100 cheaper, I might consider one. But they are the same price. P99 wins.

The only head to head test I've seen of the SW99 vs P99 was in Gun Tests. Compared P99 .40S&W to SW99 .40S&W to Sigma .40S&W. Sigma sucked, SW99 was a hair more accurate, but Walther was a hair more reliable. Some premature slide locks were experienced in the first 100 rounds of firing on both the SW99 and P99, but the P99 did it less. I understand this problem has been fixed with a new slide catch spring.

(Actually, I went back and re-read the review: The P99 was 100% reliable in this test - it was unreliable in the 12/98 review and they gave it a "Don't Buy". The SW99 experienced some unwillingness to feed about 3% of the time)

Now, as for the S&W made P99 .40S&W Military green frame clones, the quality on them is easily discernable from the Walther made ones. The gold laser logo is thick lined and cheezy looking. The paint on the decocker wears very quickly (I've seen dealer guns NIB with paint worn on the decocker button). The slide serrations are not sharp fine pointed, but rounded. Yeah, maybe I'm picky, but, they are not the same as Walther German made slides.

My .02 worth.

James

[JMC]

45Rookie,

My first experience with the Walther P99 was at the '97 Shot Show. I was really impressed with the gun but my "want" was set aside for a couple of years for this gun.

My next experience was while instructing on an LE firing line. One of the Instructors had a loaner SW99 for testing. It was all black and .40S&W w/the traditional DA/SA.

Actually were were testing the Winchester .40S&W frangible ammo (115gr I believe) and we used the SW99 for this.

I was quite impressed with the gun at the time. Function with several different types of ammo was 100%. The fit and feel of the gun for me was one of the best that I have experienced. Accuracy was very good but, there was something about the gun that I didn't like. Oh, it rattled (slide to frame fit).

One of the other Instructors present said that he had a, as he put it, "true Walther P99" and would bring it in the next day. His was also a .40S&W.

Well, the fit and finish of the Walther was far better than the SW99. The gun was tighter and had no rattles. The accuracy was on the same level as the SW99 as was the function with all ammo.

For myself, when I purchase a gun, or anything else for that matter, I would prefer to have the original model, not a knock off or copy.

[P99]

The big thing that I don't like about the SW99 or the P99 with S&W slide and barrel is the finish. S&W makes the slide and barrel out of stainless and then puts a Melonite blue job on them. All the examples that I've seen, this Melonite is flaking away. Brand new guns looked like they had been shot 5000 rounds already. The Walther has a carbon steal slide and barrel and is Tenifer finished. I've found it to be much more durable. As most Glock fans would atest to also.

The SW99 also felt gritty when the slide was cycled. Like someone put sand in it. The P99 is nice and smooth. Even though the frame of the SW99 is made by Walther, it felt slick in my hands. And I personally like the square look of the Walther frame compared to the rounded look of the SW99.

I don't have any experience shooting the SW99, so I can't comment on the functionality. I would assume they function the same.

P99

[P99]

JMC,

You are probably right that there are bigger jerks in the industry. But for now he is on the top of my list. I too was able to talk to him personally on the phone, which I will give him credit for, but I feel he didn't give me good customer service. He didn't even want to try and get these special order guns for me, even though a month earlier his right hand man told me the guns were on there way. So here my money sat for over a month without any of them telling me they didn't order the pistols. (It was a sizeable amount of cash too) And when I called him he gives me the run around. I was so mad after our conversation I wrote him an e-mail telling him how disappointed I was and that I would sell all my Walther's and never have a good thing to say about Walther again. Apparently this e-mail found it's way to Germany, because a week later I got a call from Earl. The first words out of his mouth were "Germany would sincerely like to appologize for the way you have been treated" Earl was extremely helpfull and he renewed my confidence in Walther. I now believe that Walther is truely commited to their customers and wants to ensure that their products are top notch quality and reliable. I think they have made some poor decisions in the people and companies that import their product to the States. I'm really hoping that we'll see a new distributer of Walther products in the near future. They need to distance themselves from S&W. Someone said that S&W and Walther sure seemed to be buddy buddy at the Shot Show. Well of course S&W was really warmed up to Walther, because during the past few years Walther was their only lifesaver. If they didn't have the import rights to Walther, they would have been in much dire straights from their Clinton agreement. Now that S&W is American owned again, I'm hoping that they'll straighten thing up. I love S&W revolvers, but their pistols leave a lot to be desired. And I don't think they really care about getting Walther products to the American public. In fact I think they would rather distroy the market share that Walther has and replace it with their own products.

I'll get off my soapbox now. :)

P99

[MACMAN10]

I didn't think S&W MADE the slides, just imported and assembled them??

Anyway, my BASTARD shoots good.I just hope no S&W parts blow up!!!!!

Where do I find the "Date code"?????

[Extremist]

S&W makes THEIR SW99 slides/barrels for mating with the Walther made frames. Interestingly enough, the SW99 slides should be "better" than the Walther's because they were originally designed for the .40S&W round and are stainless steel with melonite finish. Thus, the slides are the same size for the SW99 9mm and .40S&W. The 9mm barrel is actually "belled" to fit the larger slide hole that it mates with. The diameter of the 9mm barrel is smaller than the .40S&W but they belled the end of it. The barrels are stainless steel also with melonite finish.

The .40S&W slide for the Walther is actually longer and heavier than the 9mm slide. The Walther slides are high-carbon steel, but not stainless. They have a Tenifer finish.

I still like the Walther's better :D

James

[P99]

Mac,

Look for the two letters next to each other, usually near the Ulm Proof house Antler symbol. AA would be 2000. AB 2001.

P99

[P99]

JMC,

Nice Web site!

P99

[JMC]

P99,

Thanks. I just put up the Walther stuff a couple of days ago due to the many questions being asked about them.
No body seems to be looking though. They just ask! :confused: