Walther PPS
Encyclopedia
The Walther PPS is a semi-automatic pistol developed by the German
company Carl Walther GmbH Sportwaffen of Ulm
for concealed carry for civilians and plainclothes law enforcement personnel. It is available in either 9×19mm Parabellum or .40 S&W
chamberings. It was first shown in 2007 at the IWA & OutdoorClassics and is a slim polymer framed weapon of similar size to the Walther PPK
pistol. The PPS is however technically much more based on the Walther P99
pistol.
The PPS pistols are made under license in Poland by Fabryka Broni Radom.
cam-lock system adapted from the Hi-Power
pistol. The PPS has a glassfiber-reinforced polymer frame and steel slide assembly. It can be broken down into its main parts or field stripped with a take down catch without the help of tools.
The PPS has a trigger travel of approximately 6 mm (0.236220472440945 in) and a trigger pull of approximately 27 N (6.1 lbf). Unlike many other trigger systems preset internal strikers have a let-off point and trigger pull that remains unchanged from the first shot to the last and requires no decocker.
Ergonomics were a key focus in the design of the firearm, and as a result, three interchangeable grip backstraps are included (small, medium and large) to accommodate various hand shapes and sizes; this feature permits most shooters a comfortable and efficient grip on the firearm
The injection molded
grip frame contains 4 steel guide rails for the slide: two at the rear of the frame, and the remaining pair above the front of the trigger guard. The polymer grip has a non-slip surface on the sides and both the front and rear straps and a slightly funneled magazine well to aid magazine insertion. Under the dust cover the grip frame has an integrated mounting MIL-STD-1913 (Picatinny) rail for attaching accessories, such as a tactical light
or laser pointer.
The slide and other metal parts of the pistol are Tenifer treated (a nitriding process also used on Glock
pistols). The Tenifer finish is between 0.4 mm (0.015748031496063 in) and 0.5 mm (0.0196850393700787 in) in thickness, and is characterized by extreme resistance to wear and corrosion; it penetrates the metal, and treated parts have similar properties even below the surface to a certain depth. The Tenifer process produces a matte gray-colored, non-glare surface with a 64 Rockwell C
hardness rating (by comparison, an industrial diamond has a rating of 70 HRC) and a 99% resistance to salt water
corrosion (which meets or exceeds stainless steel
specifications), making the PPQ particularly suitable for individuals carrying the pistol concealed as the highly chloride-resistant finish allows the pistol to better endure the effects of perspiration.
PPS pistols are delivered in a polymer pistol case containing; the pistol, 3 backstraps of different sizes, 2 magazine (small and medium), magazine loader, instruction manual, warranty papers, factory test target showing 5 shots fired at 15 m (16.4 yd) distance and an envelope with the case of the proof round fired during the proof test
at the C.I.P. accredited Beschussamt Ulm (Proof House Ulm).
with lands and grooves. The stabilization of the bullets is achieved by conventional rifling
, using lands and grooves.
(trigger safety, internal firing pin safety and QuickSafe feature) of which the external integrated trigger safety inner lever mechanism contained within the trigger serves as an additional passive drop safety.
The pistol has a loaded chamber indicator
in the form of a witness opening at the top of the slide/ejection port. By looking into this opening the user can see if a cartridge is present in the chamber.
The magazines are made of steel for Walther by the Italian subcontractor MEC-GAR and have an anti friction coating for easy loading and anti-corrosion and witness holes to view how many rounds are in the magazine. A steel spring drives a plastic follower. The standard PPS magazines weigh 43 g (1.5 oz) (6/5 rounds of 9x19mm Parabellum/.40 S&W), 59 g (2.1 oz) }} (7/6 rounds of 9x19mm Parabellum/.40 S&W) and 67 g (2.4 oz) }} (8/7 rounds of 9x19mm Parabellum/.40 S&W).
After the last cartridge has been fired, the magazine follower exerts upward pressure on the slide stop causing it to engage the slide stop notch thereby holding it in the "open" position.
The slide stop release lever is located on the left side of the frame directly beneath the slide and can be manipulated by the thumb of the shooting hand for right handed shooters. When a cartridge is present in the chamber the pistol can be fired without the need of having a magazine inserted in the weapon. Walther does however offer a magazine disconnect as an optional safety on some PPS pistols that will prevent discharging the pistol without a magazine present in the pistol.
Empty magazines are released by depressing ambidextrous magazine release levers incorporated into the trigger guard
.
are made of steel. The rear sighting element is adjustable for windage
by drifting and the front sighting element can be adjusted for elevation
by exchanging the front sight. For this Walther offers front sight elements in four differing heights. The standard sights have 3 high-contrast dots which serve as contrast enhancements and have been painted with afterglow paint to aid target acquisition under unfavourable lighting conditions. Due to product evolution in the Walther pistol line the PPS maintains compatibility with Walther P99
sights
The sight radius is 137 mm (5.4 in).
may affect the wear characteristics of the PPQ pistol or exceed the margin of safety. Use of “Plus-P” ammunition may according to Walther result in the need for more frequent service.
Walther recommends against the use of “Plus-P-Plus” (+P+) overpressure ammunition in Walther firearms. This marking on the ammunition designates that it exceeds established industry standards, but the designation does not represent defined pressure limits and therefore such ammunition may vary significantly as to the pressures generated.
s, magazine flashlight adapters, holsters, magazines, and magazine loaders are offered as factory accessories.
with the part number WAWAP10002FC, and another in 9 mm to have "First Edition" printed on the slide with part number WAWAP10003FC.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
company Carl Walther GmbH Sportwaffen of Ulm
Ulm
Ulm is a city in the federal German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the River Danube. The city, whose population is estimated at 120,000 , forms an urban district of its own and is the administrative seat of the Alb-Donau district. Ulm, founded around 850, is rich in history and...
for concealed carry for civilians and plainclothes law enforcement personnel. It is available in either 9×19mm Parabellum or .40 S&W
.40 S&W
The .40 S&W is a rimless pistol cartridge developed jointly by major American firearms manufacturers Winchester and Smith & Wesson. The .40 S&W was developed from the ground up as a law enforcement cartridge designed to duplicate performance of the FBI's reduced velocity 10mm cartridge which could...
chamberings. It was first shown in 2007 at the IWA & OutdoorClassics and is a slim polymer framed weapon of similar size to the Walther PPK
Walther PPK
The Walther PP series pistols are blowback-operated semi-automatic pistols.They feature an exposed hammer, a double-action trigger mechanism, a single-column magazine, and a fixed barrel which also acts as the guide rod for the recoil spring...
pistol. The PPS is however technically much more based on the Walther P99
Walther P99
The Walther P99 is a semi-automatic pistol developed by the German company Carl Walther GmbH Sportwaffen of Ulm for law enforcement, security forces and the civilian shooting market as a replacement for the Walther P5 and the P88...
pistol.
The PPS pistols are made under license in Poland by Fabryka Broni Radom.
Operating mechanism
The Walther PPS is a short recoil-operated locked breech semi-automatic pistol that uses a modified BrowningJohn Browning
John Moses Browning , born in Ogden, Utah, was an American firearms designer who developed many varieties of military and civilian firearms, cartridges, and gun mechanisms, many of which are still in use around the world...
cam-lock system adapted from the Hi-Power
Browning Hi-Power
The Browning Hi-Power is a single-action, 9 mm semi-automatic handgun. It is based on a design by American firearms inventor John Browning, and completed by Dieudonné Saive at Fabrique Nationale of Herstal, Belgium. Browning died in 1926, several years before the design was finalized...
pistol. The PPS has a glassfiber-reinforced polymer frame and steel slide assembly. It can be broken down into its main parts or field stripped with a take down catch without the help of tools.
Features
The internal pre-loaded internal striker is a variant of the partially cocked striker system of the Walther P99 Quick Action model. When the trigger is pulled, the already partially cocked striker is fully cocked and released, firing the pistol. An indicator on the back of the slide shows if the striker is partially cocked. The 'QuickSafe' trigger variant main difference with the Walther P99 Quick Action trigger is that removing the PPS pistol's backstrap will disable the gun for safe storage by decocking and blocking the striker until the backstrap is reinstalled.The PPS has a trigger travel of approximately 6 mm (0.236220472440945 in) and a trigger pull of approximately 27 N (6.1 lbf). Unlike many other trigger systems preset internal strikers have a let-off point and trigger pull that remains unchanged from the first shot to the last and requires no decocker.
Ergonomics were a key focus in the design of the firearm, and as a result, three interchangeable grip backstraps are included (small, medium and large) to accommodate various hand shapes and sizes; this feature permits most shooters a comfortable and efficient grip on the firearm
The injection molded
Injection molding
Injection molding is a manufacturing process for producing parts from both thermoplastic and thermosetting plastic materials. Material is fed into a heated barrel, mixed, and forced into a mold cavity where it cools and hardens to the configuration of the cavity...
grip frame contains 4 steel guide rails for the slide: two at the rear of the frame, and the remaining pair above the front of the trigger guard. The polymer grip has a non-slip surface on the sides and both the front and rear straps and a slightly funneled magazine well to aid magazine insertion. Under the dust cover the grip frame has an integrated mounting MIL-STD-1913 (Picatinny) rail for attaching accessories, such as a tactical light
Tactical light
A tactical light is a flashlight used in conjunction with a firearm to aid low light target identification, allowing the marksman to simultaneously aim and illuminate the target. Tactical lights can be handheld or mounted to the weapon with the light beam parallel to the bore...
or laser pointer.
The slide and other metal parts of the pistol are Tenifer treated (a nitriding process also used on Glock
Glock
Glock Ges.m.b.H. is a weapons manufacturer headquartered in Deutsch-Wagram, Austria, named after its founder, Gaston Glock...
pistols). The Tenifer finish is between 0.4 mm (0.015748031496063 in) and 0.5 mm (0.0196850393700787 in) in thickness, and is characterized by extreme resistance to wear and corrosion; it penetrates the metal, and treated parts have similar properties even below the surface to a certain depth. The Tenifer process produces a matte gray-colored, non-glare surface with a 64 Rockwell C
Rockwell scale
The Rockwell scale is a hardness scale based on the indentation hardness of a material. The Rockwell test determines the hardness by measuring the depth of penetration of an indenter under a large load compared to the penetration made by a preload. There are different scales, denoted by a single...
hardness rating (by comparison, an industrial diamond has a rating of 70 HRC) and a 99% resistance to salt water
Seawater
Seawater is water from a sea or ocean. On average, seawater in the world's oceans has a salinity of about 3.5% . This means that every kilogram of seawater has approximately of dissolved salts . The average density of seawater at the ocean surface is 1.025 g/ml...
corrosion (which meets or exceeds stainless steel
Stainless steel
In metallurgy, stainless steel, also known as inox steel or inox from French "inoxydable", is defined as a steel alloy with a minimum of 10.5 or 11% chromium content by mass....
specifications), making the PPQ particularly suitable for individuals carrying the pistol concealed as the highly chloride-resistant finish allows the pistol to better endure the effects of perspiration.
PPS pistols are delivered in a polymer pistol case containing; the pistol, 3 backstraps of different sizes, 2 magazine (small and medium), magazine loader, instruction manual, warranty papers, factory test target showing 5 shots fired at 15 m (16.4 yd) distance and an envelope with the case of the proof round fired during the proof test
Proof test
A proof test is a test wherein a deliberately over-pressured round is fired from a firearm in order to verify that the firearm is not defective and will not explode on firing. The firearm is inspected after the test, and if it is found to be in sound condition, then it is marked with a proof mark...
at the C.I.P. accredited Beschussamt Ulm (Proof House Ulm).
Barrel
The PPS pistol has a traditional barrelGun barrel
A gun barrel is the tube, usually metal, through which a controlled explosion or rapid expansion of gases are released in order to propel a projectile out of the end at a high velocity....
with lands and grooves. The stabilization of the bullets is achieved by conventional rifling
Rifling
Rifling is the process of making helical grooves in the barrel of a gun or firearm, which imparts a spin to a projectile around its long axis...
, using lands and grooves.
Safety
The PPS features three safetiesSafety (firearms)
In firearms, a safety or safety catch is a mechanism used to help prevent the accidental discharge of a firearm, helping to ensure safer handling....
(trigger safety, internal firing pin safety and QuickSafe feature) of which the external integrated trigger safety inner lever mechanism contained within the trigger serves as an additional passive drop safety.
The pistol has a loaded chamber indicator
Loaded chamber indicator
The loaded chamber indicator is a safety device present on many semi-automatic slide handguns intended to alert an operator that there is a round in the chamber...
in the form of a witness opening at the top of the slide/ejection port. By looking into this opening the user can see if a cartridge is present in the chamber.
Feeding
The PPS feeds from single stack magazines of varying capacity. The various magazine capacities are achieved by small, medium (+1) or large (+2) magazine floorplates. The small magazine is flush with grip bottom. The extended +1 and +2 floorplates integrate with the gripframe adding finger rest space for better grip.The magazines are made of steel for Walther by the Italian subcontractor MEC-GAR and have an anti friction coating for easy loading and anti-corrosion and witness holes to view how many rounds are in the magazine. A steel spring drives a plastic follower. The standard PPS magazines weigh 43 g (1.5 oz) (6/5 rounds of 9x19mm Parabellum/.40 S&W), 59 g (2.1 oz) }} (7/6 rounds of 9x19mm Parabellum/.40 S&W) and 67 g (2.4 oz) }} (8/7 rounds of 9x19mm Parabellum/.40 S&W).
After the last cartridge has been fired, the magazine follower exerts upward pressure on the slide stop causing it to engage the slide stop notch thereby holding it in the "open" position.
The slide stop release lever is located on the left side of the frame directly beneath the slide and can be manipulated by the thumb of the shooting hand for right handed shooters. When a cartridge is present in the chamber the pistol can be fired without the need of having a magazine inserted in the weapon. Walther does however offer a magazine disconnect as an optional safety on some PPS pistols that will prevent discharging the pistol without a magazine present in the pistol.
Empty magazines are released by depressing ambidextrous magazine release levers incorporated into the trigger guard
Trigger guard
A trigger guard is a loop surrounding the trigger of a firearm and protecting it from accidental discharge.Some assault rifles can have their trigger guard removed or positioned as not to impair firing with gloves for example in Arctic conditions....
.
Sights
The standard low profile iron sightsIron sights
Iron sights are a system of shaped alignment markers used as a sighting device to assist in the aiming of a device such as a firearm, crossbow, or telescope, and exclude the use of optics as in telescopic sights or reflector sights...
are made of steel. The rear sighting element is adjustable for windage
Windage
Windage is a force created on an object by friction when there is relative movement between air and the object.There are two causes of windage:# the object is moving and being slowed by resistance from the air...
by drifting and the front sighting element can be adjusted for elevation
Elevation (ballistics)
In ballistics, the elevation is the angle between the horizontal plane and the direction of the barrel of a gun, mortar or heavy artillery. Originally, elevation was a linear measure of how high the gunners had to physically lift the muzzle of a gun up from the gun carriage to hit targets at a...
by exchanging the front sight. For this Walther offers front sight elements in four differing heights. The standard sights have 3 high-contrast dots which serve as contrast enhancements and have been painted with afterglow paint to aid target acquisition under unfavourable lighting conditions. Due to product evolution in the Walther pistol line the PPS maintains compatibility with Walther P99
Walther P99
The Walther P99 is a semi-automatic pistol developed by the German company Carl Walther GmbH Sportwaffen of Ulm for law enforcement, security forces and the civilian shooting market as a replacement for the Walther P5 and the P88...
sights
The sight radius is 137 mm (5.4 in).
Overpressure ammunition
According to Walther “Plus-P” (+P) overpressure ammunitionOverpressure ammunition
Overpressure ammunition, commonly designated as +P or +P+, is small arms ammunition that has been loaded to a higher internal pressure than is standard for ammunition of its caliber , but less than the pressures generated by a proof round...
may affect the wear characteristics of the PPQ pistol or exceed the margin of safety. Use of “Plus-P” ammunition may according to Walther result in the need for more frequent service.
Walther recommends against the use of “Plus-P-Plus” (+P+) overpressure ammunition in Walther firearms. This marking on the ammunition designates that it exceeds established industry standards, but the designation does not represent defined pressure limits and therefore such ammunition may vary significantly as to the pressures generated.
Accessories
Factory accessories include: fixed metal 3-dot iron sights, fixed tritium night sights, adjustable sports iron sights, adjustable optic fibre iron sights, laser pointers, tactical lightTactical light
A tactical light is a flashlight used in conjunction with a firearm to aid low light target identification, allowing the marksman to simultaneously aim and illuminate the target. Tactical lights can be handheld or mounted to the weapon with the light beam parallel to the bore...
s, magazine flashlight adapters, holsters, magazines, and magazine loaders are offered as factory accessories.
Variants
Currently 3 models are listed for wholesale purchase. One is chambered in 9x19mm Parabellum with part number WAWAP10001FC, one in .40 S&W.40 S&W
The .40 S&W is a rimless pistol cartridge developed jointly by major American firearms manufacturers Winchester and Smith & Wesson. The .40 S&W was developed from the ground up as a law enforcement cartridge designed to duplicate performance of the FBI's reduced velocity 10mm cartridge which could...
with the part number WAWAP10002FC, and another in 9 mm to have "First Edition" printed on the slide with part number WAWAP10003FC.
Slide stop modification
Walther modified the slide stop lever and an accompanying spring on the PPS pistols to improve reliability. Early PPS pistols can be modified but need an enlargement of a hole in the pistol gripframe before the new style slide stop and spring can be installed. For this the pistol has to be sent in to the Walther customer service.Sources
External links
- Walther PPS on the official German Walther website
- Walther PPS on the USA Walther website
- Safety & Instruction Manual WALTHER PPS Pistol on the official German Walther website
- Safety & Instruction Manual WALTHER PPS Pistol on the USA Walther website
- Walther Defense Catalog 2011
- Walther PPS.com
- Walther PPS Handguns, Guns&Ammo, September 2007