Why I Shoot a Walther

Why I Shoot a Walther

This is a question that seems to crop up from time to time from the various, and rabid Glock fanboys, who automatically assume that anyone not shooting a Glock is just half bright. Oh, how those who live in glass houses should not throw stones. Mind you, it's not the average everyday person who chooses to shoot a Glock that I have an issue with, I respect it as a fine firearm, my issue is with the person who feels the need to convince me how right he is. Insecure much?

Is there a more iconic Walther than the PPK? Does James Bond wear it better than anyone?

James Bond, Walther PPK

One of my first experiences when I attended my first club IDPA match, just to watch, was having people ask me what I was going to shoot. At the time I was leaning towards the H&K P30 because I liked the way it felt in my hand, I had rented it, and enjoyed it. I was new, eager to learn, and instead of explaining the sport, I had more people telling me why I needed to shoot a Glock. Anyone who knows me, knows that the quickest way to get me to hate something, is to effusively tell me why I need to like it. Let me make my mind up for myself, I'm not three, I don't need my hand held, and I'm fully capable of making my own decisions. Evidently that concept is a challenging for some folks from the get go. While that night did cement my decision to go H&K, hell, anything but Glock. Even I was willing to admit not long after that I had made a mistake. It was a mistake made because I did not knowing what I did not know, and I did not understand what was going to be important to me. It was hard to admit to my wife that I had made a $1,000 plus mistake, but I kept my eyes open for a Walther PPQ. I kept my eyes open, and finally found what I was looking for. Fortunately I was able to sell my P30L to a friend and not a huge loss, but I also found something that was right for me.

H&K P30

The Walther PPQ was actually a runner-up to the P30L when I started hunting for a firearm to buy. The fact that the Walther I knew best was the PPK, was a negative, it felt like a company that was living on the reputation of a single cultural icon, instead of being a leading innovator of modern, and high quality firearms. In some ways, I attribute that to Walther's curious decision to partner with Smith and Wesson to import and distribute for them in the United States for many years. While it may have made some sense, why on earth would S&W advertise and push a Walther product like the P99 that was arguably better than the M&P product line? When Walther came up with the PPQ, a derivative of the P99, that is a hands down better offering than the M&P again, why would S&W risk losing sales pushing a competitive product? We won't even touch on the slim PPS which offers more than the S&W Shield. Walther righted the ship by opening up here in the States earlier this year, and now they can push their own product here, but unfortunately, they still have a long way to go. A small market presence has done Walther no favors. What made it a challenge, was that to get to know the PPQ, you have to look harder to evaluate information, most gun shop employee's don't know much beyond a few big brands, and tend to steer customers to what they know. I had to look harder, travel a little further to rent and experience it first hand, and since it was a challenge, it never stood on equal ground with the P30 for me, at least until I understood how much the trigger meant to me.

The transition for me from the H&K P30L to the Walther PPQ was a easy one. They share a similar set of ergonomics, but the PPQ, I felt had a slightly higher bore axis, and was a hair fippier, that said, the 5.5 lb trigger with a clean break, and short reset was a night and day difference from the P30. Of course the general comment most folks would have, is that the P30 is a “combat” handgun, and not a competition handgun, so it’s not like I’m comparing apples to apples, and that I really should be comparing the PPQ to something else. For the purposes of our discussion, let’s move on to the largest perpetrators in the sport, the Glock fans, who automatically assume that anyone not shooting a Glock has something wrong with them.

Out of the box, comparing a Walther PPQ to a Glock 17 or a 19 is almost embarrassing, and not for the PPQ. When I bought my PPQ, I paid less money than a Gen 4 Glock 17 or 19 is currently going for. I shot it for 7 months bone stock, and I finally made the change to the Dawson .100 Fiber Optic Front Sights, and .125 Blacked out Rear Sights. Most Glock owners I know say that the first thing that they do, is get rid of the awful Glock factory sights and go aftermarket. The stock Walther PPQ trigger is smooth as glass, has a crisp break, and short reset, comparing the stock Glock trigger is nearly laughable. People end up paying between $15 and $150 for a better trigger, then having to spend the time or the money to put them in, or have a gunsmith put them in.  Mind you, that’s added expense just to be in as good, or marginally better than the PPQ.

Glock 17

I understand that the Glock is built to last, is accurate, and almost never fails to go “bang” when the trigger is pulled. It may look like an ugly hunk of metal, it may feel like a brick in your hand. I’m not arguing that the Glock is an amazing firearm. It is. Glock has built up a great following due to it’s cheap pricing, solid construction, wide product line, and massive hype machine.  Understand that the Walther PPQ is built well, is incredibly accurate, always goes bang, and has amazing ergonomics to boot, it’s cheaper, and out of the box, it’s a better firearm, you don’t need to spend money like you do with the Glock. Sure, the Glock has better aftermarket support, but then again, it needs it…. Yes, I own a Glock 34, so I’m fairly comfortable saying that it needs work to the stock version.

Walther PPQ

My personal opinion, is that when talking about the best striker fired pistol available on the market today, Springfield and Smith and Wesson are not even part of the discussion. Both are decent guns with plenty of positives and negatives of each. Glock is without a doubt the reigning champion, and you can’t have the discussion without it. On quality and reputation alone, Glock is a heady choice. The Walther PPQ is the discerning person’s choice, it’s for those of us who researched it, who touched it, and ultimately tried it. Not only did we have an open mind, but were not overwhelmed by what the next guy was using, we were comfortable blazing our own path, a better, and untraveled path.

The reality of the situation in terms of shooting sports is fairly simple. I see rabid fanboys of every manufacturer, and all of them think that what they shoot is the best, and only choice on the market, most of them I see spending money, looking for a short cut, and are “C” class shooters. I see people spending thousands tuning a CZ, and the fact of the matter is that they can’t actually shoot worth a damn. Is it ironic that some of the most rabid fan's are those who can't actually shoot well? Perhaps something to explore down the road. My 4” barrel PPQ is a gun I can take to my “B” card and beyond. I have a friend who is about to make GM with a Berretta. I don’t want to say a gun and gear are inconsequential, but most shooters are not limited by their gun, they are limited by themselves. You don't need an XDM 5.25" with match grade barrel, or a Glock 34 (and I own both) to make a "B" class shooter, you don't need them to make master. If you can shoot, you'll do it with anything. So again, riddle me why I need to spend more for a base model, to have a worse grip, to need to spend more to bring it up to par? 

To me, the most rabid fanboys are the Glock fanboys, so they end up the target of my venom in these thoughts. What was the first use of a Glock pistol in the mainstream media? One of those shows that was fun while it lasted, but failed the test of time. Break out your pastel’s, your white one white suit and shoes with no socks. Don’t go all Sonny Crockett on us.

First Appearance of A Glock In Media

Just know Glock Fanboys, this is how I think of you, each and every time you spout your love of Glock, and share with me how it is the best firearm that a person can shoot, yes, you look that dated and dumb.

Glock Fanboys?

On the other hand, Walther is a cultural icon, for the discerning. You may never own an Aston Martin, an Omega chronograph, you may never beat the house at baccarat, save the world from an arch-villain and walk away with the beautiful girl. You can however own, and display the class of a cultural, and generational icon. A refined sense of elegance, of taste.

The bottom line is that people should shoot what they shoot best, regardless of who makes it. The Walther PPQ is a hidden gem, a secret know to the "in" club. It will likely never sell as man units as Glock does, but it will always remain a preferred choice for the intelligent shooter.

While Sean Connery is the ultimate Bond, I have one final thought for the Glock Fanboy's, from Daniel Craig, taken a bit out of context, but apropos, I've got an itch Glock Fanboy's, one that you've long been scratching.

"Now the whole world will know you died scratching my balls."