Walther PPQ 45 - First Shots

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  • Czechnologist

    Concerned Citizen
    Mar 9, 2016
    6,522
    JtixJtA.jpg


    A year ago, you couldn't have given me a striker-fired pistol. I had this irrational prejudice towards anything that wasn't made of metal and didn't weigh damn near 4 lbs. Now, I own three of them. My friend Fidelity is only partially to blame this time, though. I put most of the blame on Walther for building a striker-fired pistol that's clearly head and shoulders above the competition, in terms of accuracy and trigger quality. I had to have one. Now, I have two. I'll probably add a Q5 Match and a PPS before the end of the year.

    OvqutRd.jpg

    50 rounds, 10 yards, Geco 230gr FMJ

    cu2y5Mh.jpg


    Had just enough time yesterday to go over to HTC and run a box of ammo thru it and what you see here are the first 50 shots at 10 yards on this target, unedited, in all their spaz-tastic, Blaster229 angst-inducing glory. My first six shots all went left but once I self-corrected, the rest of them went (more or less) where I wanted.

    I figured that recoil would be ridiculous, being that the pistol weighs only a few more ounces than its 9mm cousin and it is a .45 ACP but it wasn't bad at all! Definitely more pronounced than 9mm - it feels like you're shooting a .45 - but not that much more than most steel-framed 1911's I've shot. Kudos to Walther's design of the PPQ 45. How they managed to achieve that by simply increasing the size/weight of the slide and designing the grip to lower the bore-axis in the shooter's hand seems to me like a very German-thing to do. Those guys are scary-smart. It totally works.

    I know, I know. Aesthetically-speaking, the PPQ 45 is right up there at the top of the fugly-scale. To me, it looks like they took a Glock and a Hi Point and got Quasimodo to mash them together in a hydraulic press under the light of a full moon. I don't care, though. I didn't get it for its looks. :D
     
    Last edited:

    fidelity

    piled higher and deeper
    MDS Supporter
    Aug 15, 2012
    22,400
    Frederick County
    Looks like another shooter. And I think you may need to start reloading 45 ACP given your new acquisitions.

    I suspect you'll like the PPS M2 as a possible carry option. The more that I use it, the more that I'm impressed with it. You're a much better pistol marksman than I am, and I don't feel limited in my ability to hit what I want to hit with the PPS compared to one of the bigger, modern Walthers.

    I'm still waiting for Colt to release (in larger circulation) their new take on the Cobra, but Walther may get my money sooner with the current rebate and my increasing affinity to the PPS.

    Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
     

    MocoJed

    Active Member
    Nov 16, 2015
    474
    Loco Moco
    The PPQ M1 and the Q5 Match.

    Yup, that's where part of the temptation lies. Runs through mid-September.

    Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

    Through Sept. even better! I have a pps in 9mm, and I really like it. Have been thinking about getting a shield in .45, but may have to look at the ppq.
     

    Bigfoot21075

    Ultimate Member
    Nov 3, 2008
    1,404
    Elkridge, MD
    I took a look at the Wather at Hanover Armory. I could not get over how fantastic that trigger felt compared to my H and K USP. I think one of these may just have to follow me home. KILLER price for it as well.
     

    Czechnologist

    Concerned Citizen
    Mar 9, 2016
    6,522
    Went back this afternoon to try a few more shots:

    JfT41UZ.jpg

    10 yards, 25 rounds, standing offhand
    Sellier & Bellot 230gr FMJ

    34ZyF2E.jpg
    ZDd0U3m.jpg

    10 yards, 25 rounds, standing offhand
    Geco 230gr FMJ

    The PPQ 45 continues to impress me with its accuracy and great trigger. That's about as good as I can shoot any handgun at that distance, including my Colt Python with .38 target loads.
     

    tjohn55

    LDO for CNO!
    Jan 13, 2016
    151
    Willards, MD
    JtixJtA.jpg


    A year ago, you couldn't have given me a striker-fired pistol. I had this irrational prejudice towards anything that wasn't made of metal and didn't weigh damn near 4 lbs. Now, I own three of them. My friend Fidelity is only partially to blame this time, though. I put most of the blame on Walther for building a striker-fired pistol that's clearly head and shoulders above the competition, in terms of accuracy and trigger quality. I had to have one. Now, I have two. I'll probably add a Q5 Match and a PPS before the end of the year.

    OvqutRd.jpg

    50 rounds, 10 yards, Geco 230gr FMJ

    cu2y5Mh.jpg


    Had just enough time yesterday to go over to HTC and run a box of ammo thru it and what you see here are the first 50 shots at 10 yards on this target, unedited, in all their spaz-tastic, Blaster229 angst-inducing glory. My first six shots all went left but once I self-corrected, the rest of them went (more or less) where I wanted.

    I figured that recoil would be ridiculous, being that the pistol weighs only a few more ounces than its 9mm cousin and it is a .45 ACP but it wasn't bad at all! Definitely more pronounced than 9mm - it feels like you're shooting a .45 - but not that much more than most steel-framed 1911's I've shot. Kudos to Walther's design of the PPQ 45. How they managed to achieve that by simply increasing the size/weight of the slide and designing the grip to lower the bore-axis in the shooter's hand seems to me like a very German-thing to do. Those guys are scary-smart. It totally works.

    I know, I know. Aesthetically-speaking, the PPQ 45 is right up there at the top of the fugly-scale. To me, it looks like they took a Glock and a Hi Point and got Quasimodo to mash them together in a hydraulic press under the light of a full moon. I don't care, though. I didn't get it for its looks. :D
    The Q5 match is my most accurate and most fun to shoot gun. With the Leopold Pro is almost like cheating.
     

    Czechnologist

    Concerned Citizen
    Mar 9, 2016
    6,522
    The Q5 match is my most accurate and most fun to shoot gun. With the Leopold Pro is almost like cheating.

    I'd like to have one. Unfortunately, they're neither cheap nor easy to come by at the moment. I've shot a friend's and it was pretty amazing just with the factory sights. :thumbsup:
     

    fidelity

    piled higher and deeper
    MDS Supporter
    Aug 15, 2012
    22,400
    Frederick County
    ...

    The PPQ 45 continues to impress me with its accuracy and great trigger. That's about as good as I can shoot any handgun at that distance, including my Colt Python with .38 target loads.

    Wow, you probably like to leave spotless plates after dinner too. You got to start shooting target art with your PPQ on future outings (e.g. a smiley face should be a piece of cake ).
    The Q5 match is my most accurate and most fun to shoot gun. With the Leopold Pro is almost like cheating.
    Sweet. I ordered the same optic for my Q5 last night (after first getting cold feet about the Trijicon RMR - and then reading about the clarity of the Leupold objective - and finding it for $320). Did you keep the stock trigger, or go for the Apex flat trigger option?

    Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
     

    Czechnologist

    Concerned Citizen
    Mar 9, 2016
    6,522
    Hadn't really planned to shoot the PPQ 45 today but, took it along with my Dan Wesson Specialist Commander anyway. The goal was to get a feel for POA/POI at distances of 15-20 yards with the DW and maybe run another box of 50 thru the PPQ while it cooled off. Glad I brought it!

    For some reason today, though, I was 'favoring' (translation: 'spazzing') to the left of center with the DW so I wanted to determine if it was the same with the PPQ 45. It was. Wasn't exactly sure what I was doing wrong but, whatever it was, it was definitely me and not the guns.

    SO5pIrw.jpg
    ycB5Gzn.jpg

    15 yards, 25 rounds, Geco 230gr FMJ, standing offhand, slow fire

    But I never would've thought that two completely different types of pistols would compliment each other on the range as well as the Dan Wesson and the Walther do. It seems to be an easy switch.
     

    Blaster229

    God loves you, I don't.
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 14, 2010
    46,339
    Glen Burnie
    Your first shots were left (because of you) :) and you just continued to "shoot the group" which just happened to be the left side. People get fixated on this phenomena because no one likes to see stray fliers (instead of concentrating on the X) when they can have just one big group hole.

    And you were shooting too fast BTW LOL
     

    Czechnologist

    Concerned Citizen
    Mar 9, 2016
    6,522
    Yep, I tend to do that at distances past 10 yards. I'll fixate on the hole I can see, versus, focus on the center of the target. 15+ yards and I'm just thrilled to be able to see POI no matter where it is. Just another bad habit to break. Thanks! :)
     

    Czechnologist

    Concerned Citizen
    Mar 9, 2016
    6,522
    WW959i4.jpg


    It had been about a year since I went up to AGC to shoot with Steve and the guys at Stemmer's Run. They always run a safe match and every previous attempt to take the PPQ 45 outside had been foiled lately by bad weather.

    The first relay was marred by a completely spastic mag change. It was the kind of mag change that just makes you cringe and think, WTF. Have I been in the sun too long? It was hotter than hell today.

    The remaining relays went much better. They always do when I knock-over all six pins with the first six shots, though. I thought it was somewhat remarkable considering that I had never shot any type of 'match' with a striker-fired pistol before. I thought the trigger would slow me down or require additional shots (mag changes) but my average time with the PPQ 45 was about the same as it usually is with a 1911, which is what I usually shoot.

    This pistol just keeps on surprising me by how good it is.
     

    ED O

    Active Member
    May 18, 2013
    249
    Lusby
    Nice, I just purchase the PPQ45 friday and hope I get pick it up tomorrow. My first 45 was going to be a nice 1911 but when I fired my buddies PPQ45 I was sold.
     

    fidelity

    piled higher and deeper
    MDS Supporter
    Aug 15, 2012
    22,400
    Frederick County
    Definitely a win on capacity. 12 rounds of 45 ACP amounts to some serious lead (at 15 grams per each 230 grain bullet).
     

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