Virginia Gun Owners Forum - VGOF

Hey all,

I was wondering if anyone has any experience with the Smith & Wesson SW99. I bought one because I like the features, design, and feel of the Walther P99 (one of the biggest points being the easy to use magazine release located on the trigger guard) and the S&W/Walther version cost a couple hundred bucks less.

Everybody I talked to (mostly dealers at the show where I bought it) seemed to think that the only real difference between the SW99 and its P99 ancestor was that S&W manufactured the upper and assembled it with the German frame in the States in order to save some cost to the end user on import duties and the like.

I haven't found much in the way of reviews of the SW99 online, so I'm interested in getting some feedback. I haven't put enough rounds through it (<200) to get a good feel for it yet, though my initial impressions are good.

Does anyone have any experience with the SW99? Can you compare it to the P99? If not, assuming they are as alike as the people I talked to led me to believe (which all my research seems to support), how do you all feel about the P99?

Thanks!

P.S. Mine is chambered in .40S&W, if that makes a difference in your feedback

I have the P99, love the gun, you are right about the upper being made here, it is by SW, where the entire assembly is made in Germany with the P99.

Other than that and aesthetic differences they are the same.

Congrats, I love mine.

I have the SW99OL chambered in .40 and I love it. It has a very quick response, it's smooth and reliable. The dealers that you've been talking to are mostly right, but one difference that I have to bring to light is the trigger pull. I think then, it just comes down to preference. If you have any questions about this weapon, feel free to ask.

I Had the S&W SW990L in .45. I hated the trigger pull on this model. I also did not like the sights - they always seemed to move.

I sold that pistol and bought a Walther P99 AS in .40. I love this handgun. 3500 trouble-free rounds so far. The sights are much better. I much prefer the trigger system in this one. I have considered buying another SW99 with the same trigger style as the AS system, but I think the extra cost for the P99 was worth it. Too bad Walther doesn't make the .45 version. It was reliable too. Only a couple problems with some +P ammo. 1000 rounds of regular pressure ammo fed and fired perfectly.

It's too bad the P99/SW99 pistols aren't more popular. I think they fill that same great size as the Glock 19 - smaller than most service sized pistols, but bigger than the subcompacts.

Gosh, I wish you'd tried the .40 first. Nice clean break. Crisp reset. Don't know what to say about your sights, though. Mine have stayed true for a looooong time. My most recent guns fired aside from mine were the HK USP .40 and the XD .40. I like them both.