Walther PPQ Review [Field Tested]

Walther doesn’t get the respect they deserve. They are one of those underrated companies that I can’t help but love. Part of that love comes from guns like the PPQ, specifically the five-inch model. Today, I’m going to take a deep look in this Walther PPQ review and examine why it blows Glock out of the water.

The World of Walther 

Walther, or more properly Carl Walther GmbH Sportwaffen, has been around since 1886 and has always been a bit of a pioneer. They are a household name due to their association with super-spy James Bond, a history buff’s best friend, and a refined option for someone who wants the best striker-fired, polymer-frame pistol on the market. 

The Walther PPQ is a descendant of the Walther P99. Unlike the P99, though, the PPQ is a single-action-only striker-fired gun. The PPQ originally came standard with a four-inch barrel, but Walther released the M2 variant with a 5-inch barrel citing demands from law enforcement. 

Since law enforcement doesn’t have a concealment requirement, the extra inch is nothing but a benefit. That benefit is a longer sight radius that improves accuracy, more weight, less recoil and muzzle rise, and even a little extra velocity. 

From that perspective, it was made for the law enforcement market but fits well in the home defense and even competition realm. Those use cases don’t require concealment, and the extra size can be a major benefit to the end-user. 

The PPQ series offers shooters a modern pistol. Walther has released it in 9mm, 40 S&W, and even 45 ACP. However, the 5-inch model is limited to 9mm. The double-stack magazine tosses you 15 rounds of 9mm. Predictably the gun’s outfitted with a rail for adding lights, lasers, and even cupholders. 

It’s a perfectly capable pistol ready out of the box for various roles. 

Walther PPQ Features

1 Ambidextrous Slide Stop

2 Reversible Magazine Release 

3 3-Dot Sights 

4 Picatinny Rail 

Walther PPQ Review – Our Take

Let’s start by talking about accuracy. Of all the stock polymer frame pistols on the market, the Walther PPQ M2 5 inch seems to be built from the ground up for accuracy. The 5-inch barrel and accommodating sight radius push the weapon to a different level of duty pistols. Combine that long sight radius with the famed PPQ trigger, and you get something magical. 

I had a drink of very nice scotch a long time ago, and ever since then, I’ve never been able to go back to the swill I can afford. The PPQ trigger is like that. After you experience the crispness, the short pull, the positive reset, and the overall awesomeness, you can’t go back to a standard trigger. 

The PPQ’s trigger blows away every striker-fired trigger on the market. It takes the most refined SAO triggers on. If I could add a red dot to this handgun, I would be able to split hairs. The trigger travel is .4 inches, and that’s it. At ten yards in the off-hand, I can land four rounds into one ragged, four-leaf clover-looking hole. At 20 yards, I’m putting a round between the eyes of my Sage Dynamics targets. At 50 yards, I’m ringing a ten-inch gong pretty dang consistently. 

Getting Groovy 

Walther seems to understand how the human hand works because they designed the grip with comfort in mind. It’s very nice and fits in the hand just right. You can swap the backstraps, but I found the standard to be quite nice. The little humps aren’t Glock Gen 3 bad and conform to the hand. 

The trigger guard has a very solid undercut that allows for a high grip on the gun, and the rear of the frame curves upward to protect your hand with a high grip. This helps you control the weapon and gives you a comfy grip on the gun. 

Walther installed a massive slide release on the gun, providing no challenge to dropping the slide. This speeds up your reloads, and the ambidextrous design makes it lefty friendly. The magazine release is a big ole button that’s easy to hit with just a thumb shift. 

The only downside I had was the texture is comfy but not very aggressive. Shooting the gun is also super comfortable, and the big PPQ with its 5-inch barrel tames recoil. Keeping complete control of your gun as you shoot quickly and purposefully is easy. 

Combative or competition shooting means speed, and shooting quickly and accurately requires control, and you get that control with the PPQ M2 5-inch model. Running drills showed the strength of the design and just how easy you can engage with it. 

Click or Pow? 

In terms of reliability, we live in the golden age of firearms. Most are reliable, and the PPQ M2 5-inch is no different. It sucks up ammo and spits out empty cases without complaint. If it’s factory-loaded ammo that’s loaded at least close to spec, then it will work through the PPQ. 

Price-wise, the PPQ M2 5 does a lot for not a lot of money. It’s not a gun I’d put into the budget category, but it’s priced right along with every other modern striker-fired pistol. I think you get a lot of great features for a relatively solid price. 

So, as you can see from this Walther PPQ review, I think it is incredibly accurate and comes with an excellent trigger. Furthermore, it is very ergonomic, although can feel a bit soft. But regardless of this, I still decided to add it to the list of best 9mms. As you will see, it didn’t take the #1 spot on the list – and not even in its class. However, it was definitely worth being list. So, be sure to check out which one(s) beat it.

Walther PPQ M2 5 Pros and Cons 

Walther PPQ Ammo

Walther PPQ Starter Pack

So what’s next? Well, if you decide to get the Walther PPQ, you’re going to need to pick up some must-have basics. Here’s our recommendation for what you need to get started.

• Gun Cleaning Kit: Otis All Caliber Elite Range Box on Amazon or build your own personalized cleaning kit with premium components.
• Shooting Glasses: All it takes is one piece of rogue hot brass, and you’ll learn the importance of shooting glasses. But not all glasses are built the same. See our recommendations for the Best Shooting Glasses.
• Hearing Protection: Firing a gun without wearing proper ear pro can be very dangerous and detrimental to your hearing. Find out the best hearing protection for you in our full length review.
• Storage: Check our our article on the Best Biometric Gun Safes
• Targets – If you’re wanting a great resource for shooting practice or zeroing your optics on your optics rifle or pistol, download our FREE Sighting in Targets below.

With the basics outta the way, let’s jump into some cool accessories you might want to consider when purchasing your Walther PPQ.

Walther PPQ Upgrades and Accessories

There’s a bunch of different options available to accessorize the Walther PPQ. However, if we had to choose only a few options… Here’s our picks.

Walther PPQ Accessories

1. Streamlight TLR-7 Weapon Light		White LED produces 500 lumens IPX7 Waterproof Low Profile	Check Amazon
2. Pineworld Biometric Gun Safe		Reliable Biometric Scanner Sturdy and Well Built Cheaper Than Most Biometrics	Check Amazon
3. Decibullz Custom Molded Earplugs		Great In-Ear option Custom molded – super easy and comfortable NRR: 31	Check Amazon
4. Walther PPQ 9mm Magazines		15 Round Capacity PDP Compact 9mm Steel Construction	Check Price

HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR Walther PPQ

Not only do you need to keep your firearms safe and secure, you’re also going to need to know how to take care of it. While scouring the internet, we came across this excellent video;

Important Links And Manuals For Your Walther PPQ

For more info regarding the Walther PPQ, check out the following resources:

• Walther PPQ Site
• Walther PPQ Manual
• Walther PPQ Features Video