German firearms manufacturer Walther unveils new versions of the PPQ M2 and PPS M2 50803162

 
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IWA
2016
4 - 7 March 2016
Nuremberg, Germany
 
at IWA 2016
 
 
German firearms manufacturer Walther unveils new versions of the PPQ M2 and PPS M2
When it premiered last summer in the USA, Walther’s .45 ACP pistol not only delighted American customers, it generated widespread interest in Germany and neighboring EU countries. People started asking: When can we get the PPQ45 here?
     
When it premiered last summer in the USA, Walther’s .45 ACP pistol not only delighted American customers, it generated widespread interest in Germany and neighboring EU countries. People started asking: When can we get the PPQ45 here?The Walther PPQM2 is now avalaible in .45-caliber version in Europe
     
The answer will come at the IWA in early March. Having already won high marks from major gun magazines in the US (for example, Guns & Ammo named it the “2015 Handgun of the Year”), the pistol will then become available to European .45-caliber fans.

Despite the gun’s larger caliber, the barrel axis is not any higher than in the 9-mm Luger version of the PPQ! The trigger guard was slightly recessed above the middle finger to permit a higher grip. This improvement, in combination with the ergonomically shaped frame, makes the PPQ45 easy to handle even in rapid firing and presses less against the hand than pistols with a metal frame. Shooters with small and medium-sized hands, who have trouble with other .45 ACP pistols, will notice this advantage right away. The grip of the PPQ45 is only one mm larger in circumference than that of the 9-mm Luger version, and the distance between the trigger and backstrap has remained the same at 72 mm. As with the 9-mm version, the circumference can be changed by switching between the two interchangeable backstraps (M and L).

The respectable magazine capacity of 12 +1 large-caliber cartridges is another plus. As with other M2 pistols, the magazine release is on the left, but for left-handers a button for the right side is supplied with each gun and is easy to install. The polygonal barrel, which is used for the first time in a PPQ, has a length of 108 mm (4.25 inches). The empty pistol weighs 113 grams more than its 9-mm cousin.
     
When it premiered last summer in the USA, Walther’s .45 ACP pistol not only delighted American customers, it generated widespread interest in Germany and neighboring EU countries. People started asking: When can we get the PPQ45 here?PPS M2 (shown with 6-round magazine)
     
The handy, compact WALTHER PPS is coming out in 2016 in an improved version called the PPS M2. The frame and slide have been redesigned to fit with the current Q line. In addition, the magazine release lever in the trigger guard has been replaced by a button at the left of the frame, a feature especially preferred by international customers. This is indicated by the manufacturer’s additional designation, M2. The frame now has a more ergonomic shape, and the grip circumference has been adapted to the most common hand sizes (see table on next page), eliminating the need for interchangeable backstrap inserts.

The M2 trigger blade and the embedded trigger safety now have a more comfortable shape, which especially facilitates rapid firing. A 3-dot steel sight with phosphorescent markings comes as standard.

In future the PPS M2 will be available worldwide only as a 9 mm x 19 Police Set with three different magazines: for 6, 7 and 8 rounds. The 6-round version is the most compact, while the longer magazines provide a better grip for big hands. Previous PPS models can no longer be supplied, and owing to the repositioned magazine release the new magazines will fit only the PPS M2 pistols.