M&P versus P99

[TBomb]

I haven't fired a Walther so I can't say anything about it, but I love my M&P .40. I have had it about a year now and have never had a single issue with it. I've put about 750 rounds of WWB through it with no hiccups at all. I love the ergonomics, and the interchangeable backstraps help with that a lot. I think if you go with the M&P you will not be disappointed in the least.

[Dave G]

I carried one for a couple years and was fairly happy with it. It was comfy, trigger is extremely short on SA, concealed well...etc. Couple things that bother people or that bothered me.

-Mag release- it is very hard/impossible to manipulate with gloves on...if is however very lefty friendly. When I carred on my left side with other guns I sometimes bumped the mag release...now many of the polymers are coming totally ambi

-Decock- I always had a big problem with having to use 2 hands to decock. Maybe some people with bear paws can reach it, I can't

-Availability- Maybe not so much now as the gun has gotten popular, but when I had one it was a pain in the rear trying to find holsters and mags...not to mention sights...and the rail they put on the first gen...WTF was that all about?

I will tell you that the SW99 and the P99 are not that same guns. My P99 ran very well and with the 9mm anyway I have never heard of anything major at all. The SW series...plenty.

It's a fine blaster, but for a "combat" gun I think there are better options.

[Dave G]

Also, the price on the P99 has gotten out of control.

[crowkiller]

Both good guns just get the one that "fits" you the best. FYI the Walther light rail is not the standard rail as found on the Glock, XD and HK P2000 it is a "special" S&W light rail a light made for the standard rail will not fit. Streamlight made a special S&W key that you can use to replace the standard key on the TLR so it will fit on the P99 and S&W autos.

[TBomb]

Both good guns just get the one that "fits" you the best. FYI the Walther light rail is not the standard rail as found on the Glock, XD and HK P2000 it is a "special" S&W light rail a light made for the standard rail will not fit. Streamlight made a special S&W key that you can use to replace the standard key on the TLR so it will fit on the P99 and S&W autos.

Just to clarify, the M&P's rail is a standard rail, as far as I know.

[John_Wayne777]

I
How do they compare (firing, accuracy, maintenance, reliability)?

Which is better?

As you can see, I own both. My P99 is an all German made 9mm gun with the standard DA/SA striker assembly in it.

My opinion of the P99 is VERY high. It is a very good little pistol that has been very reliable for me. In SA mode it has an excellent trigger, better than the trigger on any other striker fired pistol I have ever tried. The sights are very good and align quickly. It fits my big mitts without giving me slide bite.

Downsides are that the hump in the middle of the trigger guard is a friggin' stupid idea that tends to pinch the finger a bit during long range sessions. I've done some bubba-izing with a file to reduce the effect somewhat. Newer revisions thankfully leave that feature out, but I don't have much experience with them.

Now as to the comparison with the M&P, if I were to buy all over again I would go with the M&P for a few reasons:

1. The M&P fits my hand better than the P99.
2. Parts and armorer support are more readily available for the M&P.
3. Holsters are more readily available for the M&P.
4. CT grips are available for the M&P....to my knowledge that isn't true for the P99.
5. Hicap magazines are more readily available for the M&P.
6. The M&P's slide lock works more reliably in my hands than the P99's slide lock.
7. The P99 doesn't have the widespread adoption that the M&P has (in the US) and thus isn't going to have the same level of large-scale feedback that the M&P is going to have.
8. I believe the M&P can be had for less money, especially with the rebates currently offered.

The downside to the M&P is that their trigger out of the box kind of sucks. It improves with time and wear or a trip to Mr. Bowie or Mr. Burwell, but it isn't strictly necessary. I can shoot the stock M&P trigger well enough to get by.

Having said all of that, I don't want to leave the impression that the P99 is markedly inferior....I absolutely adore my little P99. It's been a superb little pistol and it is insanely accurate. To give you some idea, I actually used the pistol to shoot some clay targets out of the air that were launched by one of those spring-loaded launchers. The clay was about 35 yards away when I broke the trigger, and the 124 grain Speer +P Gold Dot center-punched the clay, smashing it into several large pieces.

Yes, there were witnesses. The people watching thought I was a god, so naturally I holstered up and stopped shooting.

...that being said, it's a sample of 1 and here at M4C we try to hold things to a higher standard than that.

As to which is better *for you* that's something only you can answer. I would definitely encourage you to get some trigger time on each and see which you seem to be the best with naturally. As I said, I'd lean to the M&P in your position simply for the known quantity factor. The P99 is an older design but there's already a MUCH larger knowledgebase out there about the M&P than there is about the P99.

Edit -- I have some comparison pictures I took with the P99 and M&P a while back...I'll post them later.

[John_Wayne777]

The M&P's internals appear to be more robust than the internals on my P99, especially the frame rails. Whether or not that translates into a more durable design or not I can't tell you.

[crowkiller]

Just to clarify, the M&P's rail is a standard rail, as far as I know.

M&P= Picatinny Rail
Glock= Standard Rail
P99 after '04 and other S&W autos= S&W's specific Rail

[Looey]

I will say go witht the M&P over the P99, if that is what your two choices. the M&P shoots better, also if you can get used to the mag release lever. the P99 feels slugish when you shoot it. I shoot a glock but between those too i would definetly say M&P.
if you are going to go with the P99 because it feels better in the hand, go with the AS model versus the QA.
and yes i have shot both 9mm and 40s&w on both models, the M&P is a better gun, hands down. they just need to get better mags

[ToddG]

The M&P is a better gun in all aspects. If you do any serious shooting you will regret buying the P99.

It doesn't really matter which one "feels" better at this point. Objectively look at the merits of each and pick the better one....

+1 on all counts. While I'm sure the P99 has its fans, it was never the gun the M&P is. The P99 is, for lack of a better term, quirky. The M&P, on the other hand, is essentially a product-improved version of the Glock (a description which tends to be unpopular with many of the fans from both camps).