Umarex Walther PPQ

I wanted to try another CO2 pistol after the Beretta 92FS. The Walther PPQ drew my attention for several reasons:

• it is also produced by Umarex and it shares the same clip with the Beretta, so I could reuse the clips in both pistols
• Umarex owns Walther and I heard that this pellet pistol was launched at the same time as the Walther PPQ firearm
• the Walther PPQ was relatively inexpensive and I was curious about the quality available at this price point
• the PPQ is one of the smallest pellet pistol replicas that Umarex makes these days
• I liked its look

Operation

The PPQ is based on a similar revolver mechanism as the Beretta 92FS and it shares the same clip with that pistol. The main differences are that the PPQ:

• is double action only (DAO) and has no hammer
• has a safety on the right side only (the safety of the 92FS has levers on both sides)
• has a plastic exterior
• has a rather unique CO2 loading mechanism
• has sights marked with paint
• is less expensive

The CO2 loading mechanism deserves more attention. It basically consists of two lids that cover the back of the grip and its bottom. Pulling down the bottom lid by its tip will open both of them. The bottom lid covers the screw for securing and piercing the CO2 powerlet, while the back lid uncovers the compartment where the powerlet should be introduced. Unscrew the piercing mechanism, oil the tip of the powerlet and introduce it in the compartment, then firmly screw the mechanism to secure and pierce the CO2 cylinder. I usually turn the screw a bit more after I hear the gas hissing and then I unscrew it just a tiny bit to make sure that the gas can flow out easily - I started doing this after reading about an issue that Tom Gaylord described in his review of the pistol (see part 2). Finally, the lids should be closed and here you need to close both by only pushing the back grip lid - that should engage and close the bottom lid as well. This is important - closing the bottom lid first will make it hard to close the back lid and you may damage the plastic as well, so remember to close both by having the back lid push close the bottom one. And keep those fingers out of the way!

Loading the clip is the same as on the Beretta 92FS and once that is done, the gun is ready to fire. Disengage the safety by pushing it forward and up and then you can fire by pulling the trigger.

The PPQ can fire both pellets and steel BBs and comes with separate clips for each of these. The pellet clip is a metal clip, identical to those used in the Beretta 92FS. The BB clip looks the same but is made of plastic. I have not used BBs in this gun, so my evaluation is done using only pellets.

Package and build

The PPQ is wrapped in a plastic box that you need to cut with scissors to extract the pistol, the manual, and the two clips. This is typical for pistols in this price range.

I like the build of the PPQ very much. The plastic looks even better than in the pictures I had seen online and feels very nice to touch. The trigger and the slide mechanism are made of metal - only the exterior is made of plastic. I expect this pistol to last as much as the Beretta.

I also like the shape of the pistol very much - it is very comfortable to hold. Looking at pictures of the firearm, it is hard to tell the difference. This is a very well made replica.

Unlike the Beretta, which was manufactured in Germany, this Walther pistol is made in Taiwan. It is not clear to me whether Umarex owns manufacturing facilities in Taiwan or simply contracted one of the experienced Taiwanese airgun makers, but whatever may be the case, I found this PPQ to be very well built and without the many small issues that I discovered in the Beretta 92FS.

Adjustable settings

The rear sight can be adjusted for windage. While there is no adjustment for elevation, I did not miss one.

Performance

Let me get the bad out of the way. During the first couple of CO2 cartridges, I experienced many misfires where gas would be released, but the pellet would remain stuck in the clip. I am not sure what caused this, but the situation has improved with subsequent use. Now, I might still get a pellet stuck, but it happens once per CO2 cartridge, if at all. Because of this initial issue, I have also avoided pushing the use of one CO2 powerlet beyond 60 shots. If you have the same experience, be patient - it should improve after about 100 shots.

The trigger of the PPQ, being DA, requires a longer pull and more force, but I found it to be very predictable (a good thing). As a result, I get pretty consistent groups with the PPQ. On average, I get better groups with the PPQ than with the 92FS, but with the 92FS I got better all-time groups.

Like the Beretta, the PPQ seems able to use the CO2 powerlet for more shots by using less gas with each shot. This also makes the PPQ as silent as the 92FS - they are both louder than the Crosman 1377C, but still more silent than other CO2 pistols.

I initially thought that the sight markings would be more helpful, but after a while I started ignoring them. The sights are pretty good.

As I said earlier, I really like the shape of this pistol - it feels very, very comfortable to hold.

Conclusion

There is nothing to reproach to the PPQ once you accept it as what it is - a replica pistol, not a target pistol. It is inexpensive, it looks and handles very well, and it shoots great even with the challenge of DAO. If you are looking for a reliable and inexpensive pistol replica, you should definitely have a look at the Walther PPQ.