For fans of the James Bond franchise, most notably Pierce Brosnan’s run as the MI6 secret agent, we enjoyed that moment when he pulls out his Walther pistol, attach a suppressor and combat several shooters or sneak through walls and windows to uncover concealed devices. The real-life P99 is intended to function the same way for several government and law enforcement units.
The Next-Generation Pistol
Initially conceptualized in 1994, the P99 is a semi-automatic handgun developed by the German company Walther Sportwaffen. The designation of “P99” assigned to the pistol was mistaken as the year it began production, but full-production for the gun went full-scale by the year 1997. The P99 is a compact carry sidearm positively received by many law-enforcers.
Walther Sportwaffen initiated a pistol development program to replace the Walther P88. The main objective of the company was for the Walther P99 to feature the next generation of law-enforcement sidearms without compromising their signature compact size and durability. The P99 was designed to represent a modern-style police handgun that can easily be accessed during self-defense situations.
The P99 was to be manufactured with low-cost materials that incorporated all the latest developments in handgun technology. It was designated to be affordable compared to the Walther P88, which did not achieve enough commercial success due to its high prices. Since its unveiling, the P99 saw great potential for further improvements and was praised by many shooters.
The bullet capacity of the P99 offers a 10-round magazine rather than the standard 15-round magazine famous in recent Walther pistol models. The P99 handgun features a highly-ergonomic grip with three interchangeable backstraps uncommon to most pistol variants of the period. The ambidextrous magazine release of the P99 makes way for universal use amongst left or right-handed shooting enthusiasts.
Variants of the P99
Intended to be the Avante Garde of Walther Sportwaffen, the P99 was fielded by several law-enforcement units. Following many reviews and user feedback, the P99 was redesigned and can now be purchased with several variants suitable for different situations. The P99 utilizes an internal striker mechanism as opposed to internal hammer firing components. It is one of the early handguns which features an integrated accessory rail for pistol gun lights, lasers, and IR designators.
-
P99AS (Anti-Stress)
The P99AS is designed to incorporate well-rounded ergonomics. It featured a 15-round magazine load and chambered in the 9mm ammunition. The P99AS has a double-sided magazine release which can be activated by your pointer finger or thumb during reloading sequences. The single-action mode for the P99AS is automatically set after a round is chambered offering the shooter a light yet longer trigger squeeze.
-
P99DAO (Double-Action Only)
The P99DAO was previously manufactured and produced as the Walther P990. The double-action mechanism is achieved after a round is chambered, setting the striker into a double-action trigger pull. The double-action mode is known to be the safest that a P99 can be employed.
-
P99QA (Quick Action)
The P99QA offers a unique Quick Action Trigger System. It is a pre-cocked striker mechanism similar to most Glock handguns. The length of the trigger pull varies from different pistol model outputs which are based upon the number of the striker installed. The higher the number represented by the striker, the longer the trigger pull. The trigger system of the P99QA makes for a consistent trigger pull which could last when firing the entire magazine capacity.
-
P99C Compact
Walther’s P99C Compact shares several design attributes with its recent iterations. It is the compact variant of the P99 gun series and can be appropriately operated by using both hands. The P99C is designed for maximum concealment whose magazines can be modified with finger extensions. The handgun combines all three action types common to current P99 models.
Conclusion
The P99 is developed as a replacement for Walther Sportwaffen’s previous P88 handgun model. It is chambered to fire the 9mm ammunition and marketed to law enforcement, police, and civilian shooters. The P99 is intended to represent the modernized pistol for police use incorporating all the latest-technologies for handgun design and production.
0 Comments