M&P versus P99

**NCPatrolAR** · 03-03-08, 23:00

We were issued the SW99 (.40) here for several years and I found the gun to be a total POS. We had countless problems with the gun (guns failing to switch from Da to SA, sear housing breakages that rendered the guns inop, etc) which led to us canning it and going to the MP40. On a personal level, I didnt like: the extended slide stop (my thumbs would ride it and I'd never get a slide lock), the mag release lever (mag ejection was never positive and the action felt unatural. We also had an issue in an OIS with an officer that was unable to drop an expended mag due to muscle memory being established on push button mag releases), extremely long and heavy DA trigger pull, and the red dot on the striker being in motion (I would catch my being pulled to it). The SW-spec rail also presented a slight problem in getting pistol lights that would fit it.

When it comes to the M&P; it is easily my pistol of choice at this point. It fits my hand better, has better controls, conventional rail, etc. I also tend to shoot the M&P better (though I'm far from a great shooter).

**John_Wayne777** · 03-04-08, 07:26

Originally Posted by NCPatrolAR

We were issued the SW99 (.40) here for several years and I found the gun to be a total POS.

The SW99 is quite possibly the worst thing S&W has ever produced. Every agency I know of that adopted it had serious issues with the weapon. The NJSP actually selected the SW99 as a replacement for their P7M8 and P7M13 sidearms (which most troopers loved) and had nothing but problems, firstly because of some rather silly specifications laid out by NJSP, but after all of that was sorted out the basic quality of the weapon was just not good enough for anyone to bet their life on. The NJSP ditched the weapons entirely and bought Sig pistols.

This is why the all German made Walther P99s were so carefully sought out. They didn't seem to exhibit the same quality issues that the S&W made guns (S&W also, I believe, made at least some of the components for the P99 for a time). Of course, they also weren't adopted by any agency in any significant numbers by any LE agency in the US to my knowledge, so they haven't been beaten on as heavily as the M&P line has.

As I mentioned before, that's a pretty strong argument in favor of selecting the M&P in my opinion.....

**TY44934** · 03-05-08, 11:00

Originally Posted by John_Wayne777

The SW99 is quite possibly the worst thing S&W has ever produced. Every agency I know of that adopted it had serious issues with the weapon. . . .This is why the all German made Walther P99s were so carefully sought out. . . . As I mentioned before, that's a pretty strong argument in favor of selecting the M&P in my opinion.....

Maitresaman: you mention Maryland/Virginia/West Virginia. Looey and Todd G. are two of the top shooters in your area and both have extensive training/shooting backgrounds. These two guys are industry professionals and you would be wise to listen to the people who know.

If you decide to buy the Walther anyway, please listen to John_Wayne777 and at the very least, buy the GERMAN made gun and not the crappy copy pawned off on us as the "S&W99."

Before you ask: "isn't the M&P also a Smith product?" - keep in mind that some S&W products are known lemmons - including the S&W "Sigma" (aka "smegma" aka "stigma"). With their M&P however, Smith hit a grand slam and in the 2 years since it came out, the hard use it has seen proves that the M&P is a winner.

If you have not found a rental range in Maryland to try the S&W 99 - it is likely because the guns are all out for repair - if they even bother to offer a rental on a gun with such a poor repair history.

Regards,

D. Johnson

**Failure2Stop** · 03-05-08, 11:21

I have just shot the M&P in both .45 and 9mm, and a friend's Walther 99.

The M&Ps are simply fantastic. I would choose the M&P 9 over my G19.

I cannot say the same for the 99.

**MikeO** · 03-05-08, 14:45

I'll be the odd man out and say I prefer the P99 to the M&P9 as far as size goes. The M&P9 is too big, the M&P9c too small, the P99 just right. I also prefer the slide mounted decocker button to the internal sear release lever for takedown (the only thing I used it for).

Walther made the frames and internal parts for the P99 and SW99 in Germany. S&W made the slide and bbl for the SW99 in the USA. Some Walther P99s had slides and bbls made for them in the USA by S&W; they can be identified by the lack of the German proof marks on the slide and bbl. The Walther made slide/bbl are Tenifer over steel, the SW99s are Melonite over stainless.

**exitinyourhead** · 03-05-08, 14:51

I browsed through most of these posts sort of quickly. I don't know if it's been mentioned but if you are at a toss up between the two pistols, M&P has a 50 dollar rebate + 2 mags special going for a little while longer.

It's already a pretty reasonably priced pistol to start with.

**Abraxas** · 03-05-08, 17:01

I have a P99 and like it, I have had no major issues with the weapon itself. I have shot the 45 and 40 M&P and loved it. While the P99 is a fine weapon I have had a bitch of a time finding a decent holster for it, and as for parts well, those sometimes(most of the time) are also a pain in the ass to locate. So if I were to make the choice today I would go for the M&P. Just my opinion

**Abraxas** · 03-05-08, 17:10

Originally Posted by John_Wayne777

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. .

Wow, that is no kidding, I thought I was the only one to have that happen. What the hell was walther thinking with that