Tag: new gun

Categories
Handguns

Walther PPQ Subcompact

Walther PPQ SubCompact

Walther Arms announced its latest pistol: the Walther PPQ SubCompact. This new 9mm handgun takes all of the popular features of the PPQ M2 and puts them into a more concealable platform. This announcement was made at the 2018 SHOT Show where the guns were on display at the Industry Day at the Range event.

The Basics

In many ways the Walther PPQ SSC is just a chopped PPQ M2. However, that description diminishes how good this pistol could be. Nevertheless, it shares many of the iconic features of the larger gun just in a smaller package.

The PPQ Sub Compact has a 3.5″ barrel with a 1:10″ twist. This is 0.5″ shorter than the standard PPQ M2. One of the key measurements of a concealable handgun is the grip length. While Walther doesn’t give a measurement for the grip alone, the height of the gun is listed as 4.4″. This is a drop of 0.9″ from the full size pistol.

In more concrete terms, this means that the subcompact version of the gun is not long enough for the pinky to wrap around the grip. With the gun chambered in 9mm, 10 rounds fit into a flush seating magazine.

What is very nice is full compatibility with the larger 15-round and 17-round magazines of the larger PPQ guns. These mags use a spacer sleeve to provide a full grip on the gun. Also, the spacer sleeve prevents the magazine from striking the ejector when inserted into the pistol.

Walther PPQ SC specs

There is no immediate word if a .40 S&W chambered gun will be offered in the future. I doubt that adding the .40 S&W is a priority for Walther Arms since the 9mm is the most popular self-defense cartridge in existence. However, I could see them introducing it as it could be used as a backup gun for law enforcement agencies in a manner similar to how Glock positions the G17/G22 and G26/G27 pistols.

Walther continues the use of a push button style magazine release on this pistol. While I prefer this, I know there are many Walther fans who like the lever style release. While not truly ambidextrous, the button can be moved to the right side of the gun if you prefer.

Keeping with the idea of matching the gun to the shooter, Walther Arms retains the ambidextrous slide stop lever. Additionally, the grip has backstrap panels that are swappable.

Walther PPQ SC left side photo
Walther PPQ SC ambidextrous controls
Walther PPQ SC diagram
Walther PPQ SC backstraps
Walther PPQ SC with extended magazine
Walther PPQ SC right side of gun

Specifications

Caliber9mm
Capacity10 rounds, 15 rounds in extended mag
ActionQuick Defense Trigger, semi-auto
Barrel Length3.5″
Overall Length5.4″
Weight21.2 oz
Height4.4″
Width1.3″
Gripintegral polymer
Finishblack
MSRP at introduction$649

Price and Shipping

The PPQ SC has a suggested retail price of $649.

Walther Arms states the PPQ Sub Compact is shipping now. You should be able to slide by your local gun shop and order one up today. I would expect demand to be heavy for these initially, so you may have a delay depending on how many your dealer can get.

While I will likely keep my Walther PPS M2 as my daily carry gun, I am very interested in this gun. Having additional rounds on tap is certainly a good thing. The ability to use larger magazines in the PPQ SubCompact is also very interesting to me.

I look forward to trying one of these out in the near future.

Last Update: October 16, 2022

Special thanks to Paul Carlson of the Safety Solutions Academy. Carlson is a top notch defensive firearms instructor and an honorable man. If you ever have a chance to shoot with Carlson, jump at the opportunity. You won’t regret it.

While I haven’t yet had a chance to shoot this pistol, Carlson did and was able to provide these photos. Later today, he will have a video that I will post here.

Categories
Handguns

FERRO 9mm Pistol from DRD Tactical: Steel Frame Glock

DRD Ferro 9mm pistol

DRD Tactical announced it would show the new FERRO 9mm pistol at the 2018 SHOT Show. The new pistol is fed from Glock compatible magazines, but unlike a Glock pistol, it has a significant twist: it has a steel frame.

A stainless steel frame is a bit heretical for many fans of the Glock system. Even though it wasn’t the first gun with a polymer frame, Glock popularized the concept back in the 1980s. Since then, there has been a significant trend toward polymer frames in military, law enforcement and self-defense handguns.

[Catch my review of the original Glock 17.]

However, there are many shooters who prefer to have a steel frame from which to launch projectiles. If you are of a like mind, it would seem the DRD Tactical FERRO is one possibility for you to consider.

In addition to the frame, DRD Tactical uses stainless steel for the barrel and slide as well. As shown in the above photograph, the FERRO can ship with a threaded 4.88″ barrel. You can also purchase it with a non-threaded 4.48″ barrel – the identical length to a standard Glock 17 pistol.

The trigger is provided by Apex Tactical Specialties. Additionally, the gun comes with an extended slide lock and magazine release. On top is a set of night sights.

DRD Tactical will ship the gun with three Magpul 17-round GL9 magazines.

Exactly how compatible this gun is with a Glock remains to be seen. I suspect that a lot of the parts interchange between a G17 and the FERRO. However, there may be some that do not.

The DRD FERRO 9mm will be offered with a black nitride finish and with a NiB Battleworn finish as is shown in the photo. DRD Tactical expects to ship the gun by spring of 2018. I do not have word on a price yet.

For those that are not familiar, DRD Tactical is a Georgia based company that is known for building high quality rifles like the APTUS, KIVAARI and quick takedown Paratus.

Categories
Handguns

Ruger EC9s – Inexpensive 9mm for Concealed Carry

Ruger EC9s

The Ruger EC9s is one of the most expensive – yet reliable – 9mm pistols currently on the market. Designed for concealed carry, this micro-compact pistol offers a lot of features which I review here.

Table Of Contents
  1. Where to Buy the Ruger EC9s
  2. Introduction of the EC9s
  3. EC9s Features
  4. Ruger EC9s Specifications
  5. EC9s Variants

If you don’t want to read the whole article, here’s the bottom line: the EC9s is a good quality defensive tool. It isn’t ideal, but for the price, it is one of the best you can get.

Let’s dive in.

Where to buy a EC9s

Where to Buy the Ruger EC9s

The EC9s is an incredible value. You can purchase this gun online through the affiliate links below and pick it up at your local gun shop.

Introduction of the EC9s

Days ahead of the 2018 SHOT Show, Ruger announced a new handgun aimed at being an affordable self-defense pistol: the EC9s.

The Ruger EC9s was a new model, but one that design cues from the company’s existing LC9s. The two guns shared many features and were the same size.

Ruger EC9s Review

However, the EC9s was significantly more affordable with a suggested retail price that was nearly $200 cheaper. As you might expect, people flocked to the less expensive gun. Eventually, Ruger discontinued the LC9s.

In the years since its introduction, the EC9s proved to be a reliable performer. Some early adopters reported issues with the striker mechanism, but those complaints fell away and the company seems to have fixed any problems in the production line.

EC9s Features

Sized for concealed carry, the EC9s is chambered for the 9mm cartridge. The 9mm is a proven defensive round, and when you select high-performance ammunition, it will perform admirably for you. Let’s review some of the additional features that make this gun a good consideration for CCW.

New Ruger EC9s pistol

The EC9s feeds from the same 7-round magazines that run in the LC9s. This can work to your benefit as mags marked for the discontinued LC9s might be found at a bargain price.

It has a 3.12″ barrel and weighs about 17 ounces unloaded. It is relatively compact with a height of 4.5″. Its thinness – only 0.9″ – should help it to conceal as easily as the LC9s did.

This is a striker-fired pistol. As with many striker-fired handguns, Ruger added a pivoting safety lever in the center of the trigger. This helps to prevent accidental discharges when the handgun is dropped.

Like many of Ruger’s pistols, this gun has a small thumb safety on the left side of the frame. While many people do not see the need for an external safety, many of Ruger’s customers appear to appreciate this option.

One of the cost-saving measures used by the company is to use sights that are integral to the slide instead of replaceable sights that are dovetailed into place. Both the front and rear sights have serrations on their faces to reduce glare when shooting in bright light.

Another cost-saving decision made by the company was the inclusion of only one magazine. I always recommend having several magazines for each firearm you own as they tend to be the most likely point of failure in a gun. At least Ruger includes a pinky extension for the magazine floorplate.

Ruger EC9s

Originally, Ruger set the suggested retail price on these pistols at $299. After more than 5 years, Ruger continues to keep the price low on these guns. Currently, the suggested retail price is only $339.

Since dealers often sell Ruger products below full retail, it is conceivable that you could walk out of the local gun shop with one of these for less than $300 total with tax, transfer fees, etc.

All of the links above are to dealers with prices well under $300.

Ruger EC9s Specifications

Here are the specifications on the base model EC9s:

Model #3283
Caliber9mm
Magazine Capacity7 rounds
Included Magazinesone
Barrel Length3.12″
Overall Length6.0″
Width0.9″
Finishblack oxide
MSRP – at launch$299
MSRP – current$339

EC9s Variants

With a gun this popular, it is understandable that Ruger would want to offer variations to appeal to as many different shooters as possible.

purple Ruger EC9s

Ruger offers the EC9s in a rainbow of colors including those with purple, turquoise, gray, FDE and Muddy Girl colors. You can see the full line of EC9s color options through this affiliate link and this one.

Last Update: July 2, 2022

Categories
Rifles

New Rifle: Skeli X11

skeli x11 featured
new skeli x11 rifle

New rifles like the Skeli X11 are fun. Any time a gun manufacturer deviates from the mainstream, it causes the geek in me to take notice and try to get into the minds of the design team behind the weapon. At first blush, the new X11 promises a number of interesting things to examine and ponder.

Continue reading “New Rifle: Skeli X11”
Categories
Handguns

New Gun: The Walther Creed

Walther Creed

Walther Creed

Walther Arms is now introducing a new pistol called the Creed. The new Walther Creed promises to deliver all of the standard, high-quality features that the company’s handguns are known for, but at an incredibly low price: $399.

The new Creed is a full-size 9mm pistol with many of the same features that shooters have come to expect from the company’s other handguns, including:

  • polymer frame with the distinctive Walther ergonomics and texturing
  • Tennifer treated metal parts
  • reversible magazine release
  • Picatinny type accessory rail for the addition of a white light or laser
  • extended slide stop lever for easy manipulation with or without gloves

field stripping the Walther Creed pistol

The Creed is hammer fired, not striker fired, and uses a pre-cocking, double-action trigger. Walther states the trigger pull to be a constant 6.5 pounds and very smooth.

The gun has a 4″ barrel and ships with two 16-round magazines. A 10-round, restricted state version is also available. Unloaded, the gun weighs about 27 ounces.

new walther pistol creed

The Creed looks to be a less-expensive version of the PPX pistol. The two guns share many of the same features, and I would not be surprised to discover that the magazines are interchangeable between the two guns.

walther creed vs ppx comparison

Both guns are hammer fired with a 6.5 pound pull. Both guns have a 4″ barrel and hold 16+1 rounds of 9mm. Both guns weigh…wait for it…27 ounces.

There are some obvious differences between the two guns of course. The frames are molded slightly differently (look at the trigger guard and accessory rail, for example.)

Also, the slide on the PPX has more machining. The additional machining on the PPX could easily account for some of the price difference between the guns. Other companies have offered less expensive versions of guns that, while functionally very similar, had simplified machining and engineering processes.

On the whole, its not a bad business decision for Walther to go after the budget market. Smith & Wesson has been making huge money in this niche with its SD series of pistols.

In addition to the bottom line, the move can also benefit the customer. Someone who cannot afford a $500-$600 pistol may be able to swing a $350 one. So much the better that the customer have Walther as an option.