TheWombat

The mag release is one of the reasons I went for the PPS rather than the Shield, since my other main firearms are PPQ and HK45 which both have the paddle style magazine release. For someone who typically goes for Glocks/M&Ps etc I'd have thought the new M&P Shield is likely to rate higher than the PPS. TheWombat

Depending on when then I'm happy to come along and bring: Walther PPQ Walther PPS TheWombat

There are quite a few YouTube videos now comparing the PPS and Shield from a size perspective. From what I've seen they are close enough to the same size. The Shield carries one extra round it it's flush magazine (7 rounds) compared to the PPS (6 rounds). Both have extended magazines (Shield 8 rnd, PPS 7 and 8 rnd) if my memory is correct. My personal view, having held the Shield on Saturday is that If I had one I wouldn't use the Safety. It is fairly flush and not something I think could be easily toggled in an emergency situation. However the trigger lends itself to not requiring the Safety in reality. The Shield looks less square/blocky. The PPS has interchangeable back straps while the Shield does not. Both seem to be good options, more personal preference as to which is preferred including what style of magazine release works for you. I've not shot the Shield, but the PPS shoots well. TheWombat

Pizza Bob - interesting and useful! The Speer Lawman (53651) should be identical to 53616 I think. The only difference is that the 53651 is the version made available to Law Enforcement - i.e. it is just a difference in model number rather than pressures etc. While I didn't complete a blind test, the numbers above are interesting as the Speer Lawman felt distinctly like it had more recoil than the Federal. When I am next at the range I may try a blind test to see. TheWombat

No worries, we can arrange that. TheWombat

http://www.uniquetek.com/site/696296/product/T1314 and you can see photos of the two different sizes fitted to a PPS here: http://www.waltherforums.com/forum/pps/19713-limbsaver-pps.html hth TheWombat

Also consider the M&P Shield if you like M&Ps. Looks like a good alternative. TheWombat

MrsWombat tried it at RTSP today and she says she likes it. The recoil was ok (with American Eagle 124gr) and she liked the feel of it in her hands and, importantly for MrsWombat is that she likes the look of it. She is considering buying one for herself! I've just ordered a 'limbsaver' which is meant to make it even nicer to shoot. Then again I put 150 rounds through it in 30 minutes, including Speer Lawman and Winchester Nato rounds which have a bit more 'zip', and my hands were fine. I don't believe it needs the limbsaver, but since they only cost $12 and people on the Wather forum rave about them I thought I'd give them a go. The PPS is surprisingly accurate! TheWombat

No worries, firearms are like women... beauty is in the eye of the beholder... :-) TheWombat

Any specific reason you don't likes? After 1000 rounds I find the light LEM trigger pretty ok (although PPQ trigger much better), the ergonomics pretty good, the recoil fairly gentle, and the main reason I chose it is the magazine release is a similar style to the PPQ. I'm not sure they are worth twice the price of a Glock 21, Springfield etc. TheWombat

LOL - it's all sorted now. I did pick up and try the G21 yesterday while awaiting NICS.... hmmmmmmm :-) TheWombat

Yesterday I picked up another family member. This time it was the Walther PPS in 9mm. The PPS will be my CCW firearm for out of state travel, particularly with the warmer weather approaching. For other times where clothing allows I will continue to use the PPQ for CCW. One of the reasons for choosing the PPS over other competitors e.g. M&P Shield, Nano etc is that it has a similar magazine release design to the Walther PPQ, which helps make it easier to switch between PPQ, PPS, HK45 etc. Photos PPS with the 6, 7 and 8rnd magazine. Brief Review The PPS was collected yesterday and taken home where it was field stripped, cleaned and relubed. The only modification to date was the addition of some grip-tape to the grips as a temporary measure for indoor shooting. I will likely get a 'limbsaver' to try as these are recommended on the Walther Forum. The firearm is easy to field strip, Glock-like with the need to pull the trigger. I don't have any issues with this however others may dislike this. The PPS is very narrow (0.91" excluding slidestop/takedown, or 1.04" including). I find it comfortable to hold and have fitted the larger replaceable backstrap. The 8rnd magazine is most comfortable for use followed by the 7rnd. The 6rnd magazine means no pinky finger which some may find uncomfortable or different. For CCW IWB with a 6rnd and a 8rnd spare magazine I believe it is a good contender. It is a little too large for standard pocket carry unless you have large pockets! With such a short slide and recoil spring, racking the slide back takes more effort than the PPQ, however doesn't seem to be a major issue. The trigger is heavier than the PPQ, being ~6.1lbs. I am expecting the trigger to settle down after a few hundred rounds. I shot 150 rounds today, a box of each of the following: Winchester Ranger 9mm Luger: 124gr FMJ NATO (RA9124N) Speer Lawman 9mm Luger: 124gr TMJ (53651) Federal American Eagle 9mm Luger: 124gr FMJ (AE9AP) No failures at all in the 150 rounds, which is excellent news. The recoil was manageable even with the hotter Speer Lawman round. I will be trying some Speer Gold Dot +P in the near future. I was only shooting at 5yds and 7yds for this first session, however the ease with which I could group bullets < 1" was uncanny. Bullets outside my groupings typically were hitting low (directly at 6 o'clock) which is predominantly a result of the stiffer trigger than I am used to. There was almost no flyers to the left, unlike for example with my HK45 where the flyers are typically at 7:30 rather than 6 o'clock. Accessories ordered: A couple of additional magazines Theis IWB holster Meprolight Night Sights Summary: After 150 rounds I am very very pleased with the PPS, it shot far more accurately than I was expecting considering its small size. The recoil was also less than expected. The only area where I am hoping to see some improvement is the trigger, which is a bit heavier/stiffer than I would like. As usual, Walther magazines are fairly pricey ($40-$45) hth TheWombat

Update on the HK45 after the first month of ownership and 980 rounds. After 175 rounds the HK45 went 'click' instead of 'bang', racking the slide, trying a different magazine made no difference. At first I thought this was something as a result of the LEM conversion. Back home, I field stripped the HK45 and cleaned it. Using snap caps things seemed to be working ok. It looked like the issue may have just been due not having cleaned the firearm when it was NIB. I normally always strip, clean and relube all new firearms and just hadn't done this with the HK45. The next range visit things went well with 74 rounds down range before switching back to the PPQ to check my one handed shooting following the issues I had at the GFH Low Light 2 class. 3rd range visit went well for 179 rounds until the dreaded 'click' instead of 'bang'. Back home it became clear that the firing pin was the issue. This time I took apart the firing pin assembly and gave it a good clean. In the last two days I've shot 560 rounds of the same ammunition as before without any dreaded clicks. My confidence in the HK is therefore increasing again. While I'd rather not have had the issue, it gave me a good opportunity to get to know the HK45 better. TheWombat

Some things to consider: Dry fire at home - while not necessary it is worth getting some A-Zoom Snap Caps. This will give you time to work on your trigger pull and technique. Practice and try different stances/grips. e.g. Weaver, Modified Weaver, Isosceles, Combat Isosceles to see which one suits you the most. I naturally fall into a modified weaver however am training myself to use Combat Isosceles. When at the range, put a snap cap randomly amongst your rounds in the magazine. When you pull the trigger and it goes click instead of bang you'll very easily see if you are anticipating recoil as the muzzle will move because of you, not because of a round firing. As you get more practice, consider these as well: If/When you are comfortable switching magazines (practice at home with empty ones), then only put a random amount of 2-5 rounds in each magazine when at the range. This will give you practice on reloading as you go. i.e. do some dot drills on the GFH targets (2 shots in number 1, 1 shot in number 4 etc) and if you run out of rounds in the middle you have to reload and continue. Practice your holster drawer at home with an empty firearm until you are comfortable, then depending on what range you are at you may/should be able to do holster drawer at the range. note: it is better to start slow with the right technique, speed will come as you practice more. Practice shooting with one hand (both left hand and right hand), with only 1 hand you'll begin to notice more how important your grip is. While a .45 is a great caliber, it may also be worth looking into a .22 or a 9mm for practicing as the ammunition cost is less. The nice thing with .22 is the recoil is so little that you can really focus on improving trigger control. hth TheWombat

I just checked the GFH calendar, looks like I popped into the First Steps Rifle class oops TheWombat

Hi guys, I popped my head in just before 10am, but looks like you guys hadn't arrived. I can highly recommend trying the GFH Urban Pistol 1 and 2 classes or the GFH 2nd Step as your next ones. The Urban Pistol classes are run by Chuck and Joe who will take it up a notch but also give you some very good feedback. Glad you had a good time. TheWombat

I will be at RTSP tomorrow morning, although not for a class. Enjoy it though, my experience of GFH has been positive. TheWombat

Typically carry at home. Since we are in NJ and have limited ability to carry outside (unless we cross the state border) then carrying at home provides the opportunity to get used to carrying, so that when in PA (or elsewhere) you're not constantly touching/checking your firearm. TheWombat

My experience of using lasers comes from the GFH Low Light classes and using my Viridian C5L and X5L Gen 2 light/lasers. 1) Having a light on a firearm, particularly your home defense or carry firearm is a big advantage. The light can be used to search, blind etc and makes for a much steadier shooting platform than using a separate flashlight in one hand. 2) However for the laser it is not so clear, I found using the laser had two main issues: a) When I switch the laser on I automatically stop using the sights and found I wasn't always extending my arms out for a good stance. This would be easily correctable through training. b) In the dark, it is very easy to follow the line of the laser back to the firearm, i.e. it gives away where you are. That could be an issue tactically. My conclusion from my experience is: a) light attached to firearm - Yes it is useful b) laser attached to firearm - Much less useful although some scenarios could benefit hth TheWombat

Well as tomorrow is the 5 month anniversary of owning my PPQ I thought it was time for an update... specially for Ray Ray who we know secretly wants a PPQ :-) Overall I've shot over 3500 rounds, it would be higher however a recent overseas vacation and some other purchases and weekend plans have meant limited opportunity to shoot in the 6 weeks. I still believe this is one of the best 9mm striker fired pistols currently available and have a high level of confidence in the PPQ. Reliability The only reliability issue I have experienced was during the GFH Low Light 2 course where within a single magazine I had 5 failures (either FTEs or double feeds) which I posted previously and I believe was due to shooting one handed while holding a torch in my mouth. I was unhappy with what happened and subsequently went to the range and shot ~250 rounds one handed without any issues at all, including holster draws, double/triple taps etc. I will therefore put this down to something I did rather than the firearm. Perhaps it was limp wristing or a result of the torch in the mouth? Ammunition used The PPQ has devoured all ammunition types I have tried. To date this includes: CCI Blazer Brass 9mm Luger: 115gr FMJ (5200) Federal American Eagle 9mm Luger: 124gr FMJ (AE9AP) Federal American Eagle 9mm Luger: 147gr FMJ FP (AE9FP) Federal Classic 9mm Luger: 147gr Hi-Shok JHP (9MS) Remington UMC 9mm Luger: 115gr FMJ (L9MM3) Remington UMC 9mm Luger: 115gr FNEB Leadless (LL9MM11) Remingtron UMC 9mm Luger: 147gr FMJ (L9MM9) Sellier & Bellot 9mm Luger: 115gr FMJ (V310452) Sellier & Bellot 9mm Luger: 124gr FMJ (V310492) Speer Gold Dot 9mm: 124gr +P Hollow Point (23617) Speer Gold Dot LE 9mm: 124gr +P Hollow Point (53617) Speer Lawman 9mm Luger: 115gr FMJ (53615) Speer Lawman 9mm Luger: 124gr FMJ (53616) Speer Lawman 9mm Luger: 124gr TMJ (53651) Speer Lawman 9mm Luger: 147gr TMJ FN (53620) Winchester Ranger 9mm Luger: 124gr FMJ NATO (RA9124N) Winchester USA 9mm Luger: 124gr FMJ NATO (Q4318) All the above have been shot without issue which includes ~250 hollow points. Accessories Bought In terms of accessories purchased, this has included: PPQ Blue gun (~$40) - I find it useful to have for certain exercises DeSantis Speed Scabbard holster - my initial leather holster, bought on special offer from Natchez however I dislike it and no longer use it. PJ Holster - cheap Kydex holster that was used at the range and GFH courses before being replaced with a Kaluban Cloak holster Theis Holster - excellent IWB hybrid holster - the standard holster I use if carrying the PPQ. Similar to a Crossbreed SuperTuck Kaluban Cloak holster - good OWB Kydex holster that was made to fit the PPQ & Viridian light/laser. I use it at many of the GFH courses if I am not using the Theis holster. Viridian C5L - a fairly expensive but small green laser/light unit. I am still a little unsure on its reliability however it fits the PPQ well. A firearm mounted light proved very beneficial during the GFH Low Light classes. Trijicon Night Sights - Green/Orange night sights proved themselves during the GFH Low Light classes. I have found that the fit is not perfect, there is a little wobble on the rear sight. This is easily fixed however not what I would expect. Magnum Research magazines - a cheaper 10 and 15 rnd magazines that I use during training classes without any issues. Use and CCW The PPQ is my home defense firearm and is kept near/on me when at home together with the Viridian C5L fitted. I am considering buying another PPQ so I have one with and one without the Viridian light for more flexibility, alternatively the HK45 with the Viridian X5Lgen 2 may take residence in my night stand. Depending on clothing being warn, body size etc then the PPQ can be used as a CCW firearm, albeit some people will find it a little large (it is slightly larger than a Glock 19). I will however be moving to using my Walther PPS as my standard CCW firearm as it is thinner and easier to conceal particularly with Spring/Summer approaching. In use The PPQ is light and has a higher bore axis than a Glock 19, therefore the felt recoil is a little more than the comparison Glock or M&P, it is however readily controllable. The two biggest positives of the PPQ are 1) the trigger and 2) the ergonomics. I believe most people will agree that the trigger is one of the best in a striker fired firearm, the break is clean, the reset is excellent and the weight is not too heavy. The ergonomics will be more subjective however I do find it fits my hand very well. One thing I do find is that the stippling on the grip is too gentle for me, and I would prefer it to be more aggressive particularly when shooting inside or in warmer weather. The replaceable backstraps help in ensuring a suitable fit for the user. I like the magazine release having readily adapted to it, however it will remain one of the items you either like or hate. I have since purchased a HK45 and a Walther PPS to continue the magazine release theme. Positives Trigger Ergonomics Less common than Glocks etc Magazine release - some people will like it Price - ~$500 for a PPQ, 2x15rnd magazines, magazine loader etc is good value Negatives Accessories still limited - e.g. sights however there are many more holsters now available compared to 5 months ago Magazine price - Walther magazines are over priced, using Magnum Research magazines brings the price down to an acceptable level (~$32 for 15 rnd) Stippling - a personal thing however I would prefer the stippling to be more aggressive Magazine release - some people will not like it MrsWombat thinks it is ugly Summary A worthy addition to my growing collection, the PPQ is my go-to gun and I rate it higher than my Ed Brown, HK45 etc. I would rate it 8/10. After 5 months of ownership I have no regrets and continue to take it to the range on a regular basis. All my GFH courses have used the PPQ. TheWombat

The Magnum Research MR Eagle "Fast Action" 9mm 15-Round Magazine Product Code: MAGFA915 can be had for between $30-$35 each depending on where you look. Quite a few of us have these and they seem to work well. I've also got a couple of the 10 round version which I'll be trying in the next week or so. TheWombat

I will soon have a PPS to join my PPQ, although still thinking that my PPQ needs a twin to keep it company :-) TheWombat

Results are as I would expect although I am sure it won't change the views of people. I'd like to see them repeat the test with Glock 19, S&W M&P, Walther PPQ, Springfield Armory XD etc :-) TheWombat

I have 3 Magnum Research MAGFA915 15rnd magazines. They work fine without any problems. I've put over 2500 rounds through them. TheWombat

Agreed - and while a few people have said they find the PPS uncomfortable, using a LimbSaver or Hogue grip seems to resolve the issue. TheWombat