Ive decided to lend my thoughts on two very popular (and also very similar) polymer service pistols. The Walther PPQ and HK VP9 are two outstanding new handguns competing for your dollar. As much as Glock and some others are their main competition, I firmly believe that the PPQ was sparked by the highly regarded HK P30 and, after that, the VP9 was introduced in part to show Walther that they arent the only German outfit who can make an outstanding striker fired pistol. Comparison between these two is inevitable for several reasons. They are both fairly new offerings, they are both built by well respected German companies, they look similar, they feel similar, and they are priced closely. The PPQ used for the comparison is the original design with the paddle mag release.
This comparison will not be easy. I like both pistols quite a bit and I honestly dont find much to fault with either of them. I also dont see any great differences between them, so keep that in mind as you read through the report. Just because I may give one pistol the advantage over the other in a given category does not mean that the other is not a a very close second. In other words, I will be splitting hairs throughout the report. Though its been a while since I have done one, I will format this comparison in much the same way as I have done in the past. It will be broken down into several different categories with me picking a winner or a draw in each. Let me also say that this is obviously only one persons opinion. I did not solicit feedback from other owners. While we have all heard a great deal about these two guns from many people, I tried to block all of that out and just focus on the two guns in front of me.
Before I begin I want one last bit of information known for those that may not. Polymer service pistols like these are not my specialty. Im not a student of them like I am with say the M1911 and a few others, so this comparison will be quite amateur. If I misspeak in any way, I apologize in advance. Just because Im fortunate enough to own them does not make me an expert in any way, shape, or form, so please do keep everything in perspective.
With all that said, lets get started...
I have had two opportunities to shoot these pistols side to side. Most recently, I put about 150 rounds through each, alternating back to back between them. I have also spent a good deal of time doing some tabletop comparing between them.
Reliability: I only have 250 to 300 rounds though each pistol and neither have had a single issue or malfunction of any kind. I would not have expected anything less, of course. Maybe with more trigger time and thousands of rounds down range, I could declare a winner. As it stands, I can not. Tie
Accuracy: I will start by stating that I am far from a great shot. I may be slightly above average just due to the amount of shooting Ive done over the last 20 years. However, I certainly have no God given talent in marksmanship. What I was able to determine is that both pistols are more than accurate enough for a polymer combat pistol. I was also able to determine that I shoot the HK a little better. The VP9 gave me better groups slow firing from a rest, faster firing offhand, and everything in between. In fact, on my first range trip with my PPQ, I shot a friends VP9 and shot it better than the Walther before I even owned one. Is the advantage enough to make any difference in real world combat shooting? I highly doubt it. Still, the HK clearly had a noticeable advantage on paper at 10 yards. Somebody else could probably pick up both and shoot the PPQ better, but for me the HK took the honors. Winner - HK VP9
Grip comfort: Im going to break down ergonomics into two groups, grip comfort and controls. Right now I will speak solely from a comfort and grip security standpoint. I feel the ergonomics of the grips are a very strong point for both of these pistols. They are among the most comfortable pistols to hold and shoot on the market today. The grip texturing on both is also fantastic. They both have interchangeable back straps and the HK even has different side plates. However, the standard setup they ship with work best for my smaller hands. For me, the trigger reach is about perfect on both guns. Im going to give an ever so slight advantage to the HK. The grip simply fills my palm a little better then the Walther does and is, likewise, more comfortable to shoot. Winner - HK VP9
Controls: Another very important aspect of a guns ergonomics is the placement of the controls. Both pistols have outstanding controls located in just the right spot. Both guns have ambidextrous slide releases and mag releases. Although a little gimmicky, I do like the HKs charging supports on the rear of the slide, but I dont necessarily see it as any advantage over the Walther. Both have great slide serrations that allow a secure grip when racking. The Walthers mag release levers are a bit longer, making it easier for my index finger to find them without altering my grip on the gun. For that alone, I'm giving the PPQ the nod. Winner - Walther PPQ
Build quality: Obviously, this is very important when choosing a gun for the long haul. While I certainly didnt conduct any torture testing and obviously cant comment on long term durability, I will make a few observations. HK build quality is impeccable. I wasnt sure exactly what to expect when I first heard about this pistol and, especially, its price point. Im happy to say that all the quality many of us have come to expect from HK is proudly displayed in the VP9. From the steel sights and guide rod, to the solid, sturdy take down lever and controls, to the loud click when you ram a magazine home, the HK never fails to impress. They tend to over-engineer everything they build and the VP9 is certainly no exception. The Walther is a very good quality pistol, but even taking its plastic sights and guide rod out of the equation, it doesnt feel like quite the pistol the HK is. Whether the VP9s build quality will give it any advantage in the real world over a decade of hard use, I have no idea. However, for this comparison, Im giving the advantage to the VP9. Winner - HK VP9
Finish: I can usually ascertain a difference in finish between two firearms. However, these two have finishes that look and feel virtually identical. Even the shade of dark gray/black is spot on. If I daily carried both of these for six months, I could comment on the finishes durability. Right now, I cant pick a winner. Tie
Sights: As I already mentioned, the HK ships with steel sights, while the Walther comes with plastic sights. While neither have night sights standard, I like the HKs yellow glowing sights better than the standard white dots on the Walther. As for the sight picture, the VP9 is a bit easier for me to bring back on target. Winner - HK VP9
Styling/aesthetics: It goes without saying that this is purely a matter of opinion. As far as polymer pistols are concerned, the way they look is well down on my list of priorities. Generally speaking, they arent the most pleasing to the eye. That being said, I feel these two models are among the better looking polymer pistols on the market. I prefer the slightly shorter slide profile of the HK. I also prefer the looks of the HKs grip, trigger guard, and roll marking. Winner - HK VP9.
Trigger: Wow, this is really close. Again, both of these pistols have among the very best trigger pulls among all the polymer striker fired pistols on the market. They are not heavy, have crisp breaks, and short resets. I think they both have advantages over the other and Ill attempt to explain my thinking. I prefer the initial trigger pull of the HK, as there is less pre-travel, whereas the PPQs trigger needs to travel nearly to the back of the trigger guard to fire. However, once to the breaking point, the Walthers trigger feels slightly lighter and crisper than the VP9's trigger. The Walthers trigger also has a slightly shorter reset. To summarize, the trigger pull and reset are better on the Walther. The setup and position go to the HK, as it feels more natural to me. While slightly different, I cant give one a clear advantage over the other. Tie
Field stripping: The Walther is simply easier and quicker for me to break down and reassemble. You simply drop the mag, dry fire (if cocked), pull down the two levers and slide the slide off the frame. Reassembly is even easier. You simply line up the rails and pull straight back. There are no levers to worry about and lining up the slide and frame is about as easy as pistols get. The whole process is extremely easy and effortless. The VP9 is certainly not hard to disassemble, but it does take an extra step. Unlike the Walther, you have to rack the slide on the HK. After that, drop the mag, rotate the take down lever, release the slide, and then pull it off the front. However, I can never seem to remove the slide without pulling the trigger first, even though its disconnected at that point. Reassembly of the HK is also more difficult than the Walther. You have to lock the slide back and rotate the take down lever back. Also, I find lining up the slide and frame significantly more difficult on the HK. Again, neither are hard guns to break down, relatively speaking, but the Walther has a clear advantage here. Winner - Walther PPQ
Features: For the feature junkies out there, these two pistols should certainly give you your fix. Both have well contoured grips, ambi mag releases, ambi slide releases, front cocking serrations, rails, and interchangeable back straps. I guess with its charging supports and interchangeable side grip panels, Ill give the edge to HK. Winner - HK VP9
Packaging: Probably not an important issue to most of you and its not really a big deal to me either. However, I included it because many times the way a gun is packed is an indication of a company's attention to detail. Once again, the HK does not disappoint. Everything is just fit perfectly snug when you open that black case. The Walther is certainly packed well also, but the edge clearly goes to the HK. Winner - HK VP9
Id like to note a couple things before drawing a conclusion. One is that both of these pistols have 15 round magazines, but HKs mag and grip are slightly longer. As has been mentioned in many reviews of the VP9, it would be nice if it held an additional round or two. However, I dont think HK wanted anyone having a hard time loading their mags to full capacity. The HK also weighs a couple ounces more than the Walther. The slightly larger size and steel guide rod certainly explain that.
Conclusion:
Those who read the entire thread without skipping ahead should already know what my pick is. The Walther is a truly fantastic polymer service pistol and has been for a couple years now. However, HK has returned to the striker fire market with a world class combat gun. Out of twelve categories, the VP9 won seven compared to the Walthers two (three were ties). Practically everything the Walther does well, I feel the HK does a little better. The Walther won two categories, controls and field stripping. The control advantage was very minor, but I wanted to give credit where credit was due. The field stripping part is really not much of anything. It may take an extra couple seconds to break down and reassemble the HK. Other than that, I found the HK to be more accurate, higher quality, more comfortable, and better looking, along with a couple other minor category advantages. Though the difference is marginal, I find the VP9 to be the superior pistol. HK is back in the striker fire game with a vengeance here folks...
Winner: HK VP9
Now, this does not mean that owners of the PPQ need to go trade in their Walther for the HK. Like I said from the start, its hard to find much to fault in either of these pistols and any advantage for either of them would be minor. Ill also encourage VP9 owners who are also considering buying the Walther to do so. If you have the means and can justify it, why not have both? :supergrin:
Ill now post some pictures of different aspects and angles of each gun back to back for a quick visual comparison.
This comparison will not be easy. I like both pistols quite a bit and I honestly dont find much to fault with either of them. I also dont see any great differences between them, so keep that in mind as you read through the report. Just because I may give one pistol the advantage over the other in a given category does not mean that the other is not a a very close second. In other words, I will be splitting hairs throughout the report. Though its been a while since I have done one, I will format this comparison in much the same way as I have done in the past. It will be broken down into several different categories with me picking a winner or a draw in each. Let me also say that this is obviously only one persons opinion. I did not solicit feedback from other owners. While we have all heard a great deal about these two guns from many people, I tried to block all of that out and just focus on the two guns in front of me.
Before I begin I want one last bit of information known for those that may not. Polymer service pistols like these are not my specialty. Im not a student of them like I am with say the M1911 and a few others, so this comparison will be quite amateur. If I misspeak in any way, I apologize in advance. Just because Im fortunate enough to own them does not make me an expert in any way, shape, or form, so please do keep everything in perspective.
With all that said, lets get started...
I have had two opportunities to shoot these pistols side to side. Most recently, I put about 150 rounds through each, alternating back to back between them. I have also spent a good deal of time doing some tabletop comparing between them.
Reliability: I only have 250 to 300 rounds though each pistol and neither have had a single issue or malfunction of any kind. I would not have expected anything less, of course. Maybe with more trigger time and thousands of rounds down range, I could declare a winner. As it stands, I can not. Tie
Accuracy: I will start by stating that I am far from a great shot. I may be slightly above average just due to the amount of shooting Ive done over the last 20 years. However, I certainly have no God given talent in marksmanship. What I was able to determine is that both pistols are more than accurate enough for a polymer combat pistol. I was also able to determine that I shoot the HK a little better. The VP9 gave me better groups slow firing from a rest, faster firing offhand, and everything in between. In fact, on my first range trip with my PPQ, I shot a friends VP9 and shot it better than the Walther before I even owned one. Is the advantage enough to make any difference in real world combat shooting? I highly doubt it. Still, the HK clearly had a noticeable advantage on paper at 10 yards. Somebody else could probably pick up both and shoot the PPQ better, but for me the HK took the honors. Winner - HK VP9
Grip comfort: Im going to break down ergonomics into two groups, grip comfort and controls. Right now I will speak solely from a comfort and grip security standpoint. I feel the ergonomics of the grips are a very strong point for both of these pistols. They are among the most comfortable pistols to hold and shoot on the market today. The grip texturing on both is also fantastic. They both have interchangeable back straps and the HK even has different side plates. However, the standard setup they ship with work best for my smaller hands. For me, the trigger reach is about perfect on both guns. Im going to give an ever so slight advantage to the HK. The grip simply fills my palm a little better then the Walther does and is, likewise, more comfortable to shoot. Winner - HK VP9
Controls: Another very important aspect of a guns ergonomics is the placement of the controls. Both pistols have outstanding controls located in just the right spot. Both guns have ambidextrous slide releases and mag releases. Although a little gimmicky, I do like the HKs charging supports on the rear of the slide, but I dont necessarily see it as any advantage over the Walther. Both have great slide serrations that allow a secure grip when racking. The Walthers mag release levers are a bit longer, making it easier for my index finger to find them without altering my grip on the gun. For that alone, I'm giving the PPQ the nod. Winner - Walther PPQ
Build quality: Obviously, this is very important when choosing a gun for the long haul. While I certainly didnt conduct any torture testing and obviously cant comment on long term durability, I will make a few observations. HK build quality is impeccable. I wasnt sure exactly what to expect when I first heard about this pistol and, especially, its price point. Im happy to say that all the quality many of us have come to expect from HK is proudly displayed in the VP9. From the steel sights and guide rod, to the solid, sturdy take down lever and controls, to the loud click when you ram a magazine home, the HK never fails to impress. They tend to over-engineer everything they build and the VP9 is certainly no exception. The Walther is a very good quality pistol, but even taking its plastic sights and guide rod out of the equation, it doesnt feel like quite the pistol the HK is. Whether the VP9s build quality will give it any advantage in the real world over a decade of hard use, I have no idea. However, for this comparison, Im giving the advantage to the VP9. Winner - HK VP9
Finish: I can usually ascertain a difference in finish between two firearms. However, these two have finishes that look and feel virtually identical. Even the shade of dark gray/black is spot on. If I daily carried both of these for six months, I could comment on the finishes durability. Right now, I cant pick a winner. Tie
Sights: As I already mentioned, the HK ships with steel sights, while the Walther comes with plastic sights. While neither have night sights standard, I like the HKs yellow glowing sights better than the standard white dots on the Walther. As for the sight picture, the VP9 is a bit easier for me to bring back on target. Winner - HK VP9
Styling/aesthetics: It goes without saying that this is purely a matter of opinion. As far as polymer pistols are concerned, the way they look is well down on my list of priorities. Generally speaking, they arent the most pleasing to the eye. That being said, I feel these two models are among the better looking polymer pistols on the market. I prefer the slightly shorter slide profile of the HK. I also prefer the looks of the HKs grip, trigger guard, and roll marking. Winner - HK VP9.
Trigger: Wow, this is really close. Again, both of these pistols have among the very best trigger pulls among all the polymer striker fired pistols on the market. They are not heavy, have crisp breaks, and short resets. I think they both have advantages over the other and Ill attempt to explain my thinking. I prefer the initial trigger pull of the HK, as there is less pre-travel, whereas the PPQs trigger needs to travel nearly to the back of the trigger guard to fire. However, once to the breaking point, the Walthers trigger feels slightly lighter and crisper than the VP9's trigger. The Walthers trigger also has a slightly shorter reset. To summarize, the trigger pull and reset are better on the Walther. The setup and position go to the HK, as it feels more natural to me. While slightly different, I cant give one a clear advantage over the other. Tie
Field stripping: The Walther is simply easier and quicker for me to break down and reassemble. You simply drop the mag, dry fire (if cocked), pull down the two levers and slide the slide off the frame. Reassembly is even easier. You simply line up the rails and pull straight back. There are no levers to worry about and lining up the slide and frame is about as easy as pistols get. The whole process is extremely easy and effortless. The VP9 is certainly not hard to disassemble, but it does take an extra step. Unlike the Walther, you have to rack the slide on the HK. After that, drop the mag, rotate the take down lever, release the slide, and then pull it off the front. However, I can never seem to remove the slide without pulling the trigger first, even though its disconnected at that point. Reassembly of the HK is also more difficult than the Walther. You have to lock the slide back and rotate the take down lever back. Also, I find lining up the slide and frame significantly more difficult on the HK. Again, neither are hard guns to break down, relatively speaking, but the Walther has a clear advantage here. Winner - Walther PPQ
Features: For the feature junkies out there, these two pistols should certainly give you your fix. Both have well contoured grips, ambi mag releases, ambi slide releases, front cocking serrations, rails, and interchangeable back straps. I guess with its charging supports and interchangeable side grip panels, Ill give the edge to HK. Winner - HK VP9
Packaging: Probably not an important issue to most of you and its not really a big deal to me either. However, I included it because many times the way a gun is packed is an indication of a company's attention to detail. Once again, the HK does not disappoint. Everything is just fit perfectly snug when you open that black case. The Walther is certainly packed well also, but the edge clearly goes to the HK. Winner - HK VP9
Id like to note a couple things before drawing a conclusion. One is that both of these pistols have 15 round magazines, but HKs mag and grip are slightly longer. As has been mentioned in many reviews of the VP9, it would be nice if it held an additional round or two. However, I dont think HK wanted anyone having a hard time loading their mags to full capacity. The HK also weighs a couple ounces more than the Walther. The slightly larger size and steel guide rod certainly explain that.
Conclusion:
Those who read the entire thread without skipping ahead should already know what my pick is. The Walther is a truly fantastic polymer service pistol and has been for a couple years now. However, HK has returned to the striker fire market with a world class combat gun. Out of twelve categories, the VP9 won seven compared to the Walthers two (three were ties). Practically everything the Walther does well, I feel the HK does a little better. The Walther won two categories, controls and field stripping. The control advantage was very minor, but I wanted to give credit where credit was due. The field stripping part is really not much of anything. It may take an extra couple seconds to break down and reassemble the HK. Other than that, I found the HK to be more accurate, higher quality, more comfortable, and better looking, along with a couple other minor category advantages. Though the difference is marginal, I find the VP9 to be the superior pistol. HK is back in the striker fire game with a vengeance here folks...
Winner: HK VP9
Now, this does not mean that owners of the PPQ need to go trade in their Walther for the HK. Like I said from the start, its hard to find much to fault in either of these pistols and any advantage for either of them would be minor. Ill also encourage VP9 owners who are also considering buying the Walther to do so. If you have the means and can justify it, why not have both? :supergrin:
Ill now post some pictures of different aspects and angles of each gun back to back for a quick visual comparison.
