PPQ problems

[radon]

Picked up a Walther PPQ in 9mm a few days ago as a replacement to my P99. The P99 was great and never jammed, but I traded it in because I wanted a standard light rail (which the P99 still does not provide even after 3 generations).

The PPQ fed about 100 rounds of WWB flawlessly. But then I switched over to my carry ammo--speer gold dot. Every magazine I tried (3), and every time, the gun would jam on the 3rd round by failing to go fully into battery (the rear of the slide stuck out about 1/2 inch). I could not rack the slide either. Only way to clear was to remove magazine, whack the rear of the slide to force it into battery (this could not be done with the magazine in place) and then the gun would fire the round in the chamber. Very frustrating (and a reminder why we should always test our carry ammo).

Other observations:
The single action trigger on my old P99 was better then the PPQ (lighter take-up, and let-off was crisper too). I also think the P99's reset was very slightly shorter too, but I can't swear to that.

The grip on the PPQ felt better (more form fitting, less slippery) than the P99.

My p99 was more accurate than the PPQ FOR ME, by a significant degree. Not sure if this was mechanical accuracy or ergonomics based, but I absolutely shoot the P99 better.

The PPQ has more felt recoil than my M&P, and about the same as my old P99. Manageable, but it's still there...

Of course I'm sending it in for repair, but not sure what I'll do when I get it back (I tend to have a long memory when it comes to malfunctions).

[Cazwell]

Picked up a Walther PPQ in 9mm a few days ago as a replacement to my P99. The P99 was great and never jammed, but I traded it in because I wanted a standard light rail (which the P99 still does not provide even after 3 generations).

The PPQ fed about 100 rounds of WWB flawlessly. But then I switched over to my carry ammo--speer gold dot. Every magazine I tried (3), and every time, the gun would jam on the 3rd round by failing to go fully into battery (the rear of the slide stuck out about 1/2 inch). I could not rack the slide either. Only way to clear was to remove magazine, whack the rear of the slide to force it into battery (this could not be done with the magazine in place) and then the gun would fire the round in the chamber. Very frustrating (and a reminder why we should always test our carry ammo).

Other observations:
The single action trigger on my old P99 was better then the PPQ (lighter take-up, and let-off was crisper too). I also think the P99's reset was very slightly shorter too, but I can't swear to that.

The grip on the PPQ felt better (more form fitting, less slippery) than the P99.

Interesting. I hope you keep us posted.

My p99 was more accurate than the PPQ FOR ME, by a significant degree. Not sure if this was mechanical accuracy or ergonomics based, but I absolutely shoot the P99 better.

Would you attribute this to familiarity and trigger time on the P99? Perhaps once you have more time on the PPQ this won't be the case?

The PPQ has more felt recoil than my M&P, and about the same as my old P99. Manageable, but it's still there...

I look forward to shooting a PPQ myself, so I can see what all this felt recoil/muzzle flip business is about. Having said that, the M&P is the softest shooting gun I owned.

Of course I'm sending it in for repair, but not sure what I'll do when I get it back (I tend to have a long memory when it comes to malfunctions).

With the stellar reviews the gun gets by in large, and given the success you seemed to have had with the P99.... I hope you give Walther/PPQ a second chance... at least enough to let the rest of us know how the fix went!

[Alaskapopo]

Picked up a Walther PPQ in 9mm a few days ago as a replacement to my P99. The P99 was great and never jammed, but I traded it in because I wanted a standard light rail (which the P99 still does not provide even after 3 generations).

The PPQ fed about 100 rounds of WWB flawlessly. But then I switched over to my carry ammo--speer gold dot. Every magazine I tried (3), and every time, the gun would jam on the 3rd round by failing to go fully into battery (the rear of the slide stuck out about 1/2 inch). I could not rack the slide either. Only way to clear was to remove magazine, whack the rear of the slide to force it into battery (this could not be done with the magazine in place) and then the gun would fire the round in the chamber. Very frustrating (and a reminder why we should always test our carry ammo).

Other observations:
The single action trigger on my old P99 was better then the PPQ (lighter take-up, and let-off was crisper too). I also think the P99's reset was very slightly shorter too, but I can't swear to that.

The grip on the PPQ felt better (more form fitting, less slippery) than the P99.

My p99 was more accurate than the PPQ FOR ME, by a significant degree. Not sure if this was mechanical accuracy or ergonomics based, but I absolutely shoot the P99 better.

The PPQ has more felt recoil than my M&P, and about the same as my old P99. Manageable, but it's still there...

Of course I'm sending it in for repair, but not sure what I'll do when I get it back (I tend to have a long memory when it comes to malfunctions).

Why not try different carry ammo. Its not terrible if your gun just does not like this one bullet. I had a P99 several years back in 40SW and that gun was an absolute bear to shoot. I did not care for it at all. Of course it would have been much more pleasant in 9mm I am sure. I was not a 9mm fan back then.
Pat

[radon]

I have short fingers and the grip on the PPQ was different than the P99 for me , so that might be the source of the accuracy difference (i.e., familiarity might cure it). I do note, however, that the target that came with my P99 showed a smaller group than the one that came with my PPQ--but who knows how the group was shot.

I also want to mention the gold dot ammo I was using (124 gr. +P) was about 10 years old (new old stock)--it's pretty hot ammo. I also noticed the OAL was slightly greater than the WWB. When I get the gun back I will also try my other carry round (Winchester Ranger 124 gr. +P and 127 gr. +P+) and report results.

My old P99 in 9mm never jammed, and I still have a p99 in .40 that I like and that has never jammed, so I remain a Walther fan.

[radon]

I agree that the P99 in .40 is not "fun" to shoot (especially since I have the 1st generation with the hump in the trigger guard that rubs your trigger finger), but I hit well with it and have confidence in it.

I wish they made a G19 with a factory thumb safety, or an M&P in the size of a G19.

[spr1]

Mine loves 124+P Gold Dots

[radon]

There is little doubt in my mind that the ammo is not to blame. I've fired a lot of guns in 25+ years, and I've never had one lock up as tight as this PPQ did, and be as difficult to clear. Would have been a complete disaster in a SD situation.

[DJK]

There is little doubt in my mind that the ammo is not to blame. I've fired a lot of guns in 25+ years, and I've never had one lock up as tight as this PPQ did, and be as difficult to clear. Would have been a complete disaster in a SD situation.

I had the same problem with my PPQ. The chamber is stepped. The OAL on my reloads works great in my M&Ps, but was too long for the PPQ. Do the drop test with your barrel and ammo and see if they are too long. I shortened the OAL and the problem went away. I didn't have any problems with Speer 124+p. My Speers are recent manufacture.

[radon]

Thanks for the tip--I will try the drop test tonight. I had my M&P 9c with me at the range and it fed the Speer GDs no problem.

The weird/crazy thing was the PPQ always hanging up on the 3rd round out of the mag. I cycled the 1st round into the chamber by dropping the slide on a fully loaded mag, so the 2nd would be fed by recoil action, and then the gun would not feed the 3rd round. I have no logical explanation for this behavior, except maybe the mag bodies are too short for the GDs, and they are hanging up just enough in the mag body between recoil impulse to gum up the action (when I unloaded the 3 mags I was using the rounds did not "jump" out of the mag body--there seemed to be a little bit of nose diving going on that delayed them ejecting). Who knows.

Interesting to note that my 1st generation P99 fed the GDs no problem, but that gun used a slightly different magazine than the PPQ and the current generation P99 (my understanding is the 9mm mags are not interchangeable between 1st generation P99 and other iterations of the P99/PPQ).

In any event, I'm starting to appreciate the 9c a lot more, especially after installing the Apex kit. Not as accurate as either the P99 or the PPQ, though.

[espnazi]

There is little doubt in my mind that the ammo is not to blame. I've fired a lot of guns in 25+ years, and I've never had one lock up as tight as this PPQ did, and be as difficult to clear. Would have been a complete disaster in a SD situation.

I had the exact same thing happen to me, but with 2 G19s. I had about 2k of that ammo and it has ran flawlessly through a couple of CZs and a P30 but when I tried it on a pair of g19s it happen as you described. I could not rack it or put into battery I basically had to take out the mag and hammer it with my fist. When I took the shot it would extract fine.

I though it was a problem with the glock when it happened twice in the same gun but then it happened with the second one. I attribute the problem to the OAL of the round.