Walther’s PPQ M2 pellet pistol.
This report covers:
- Description
- Larger hands
- Backstrap
- Sights
- Rail
- Trigger
- Barrel
- Blowback
- Discussion
Well I have a new one for you today — the Walther PPQ M2 pellet pistol. At first glance it looks like a BB pistol, but it’s really a 21-shot pellet pistol.
Walther’s PPQ M2 is a 9mm 15-shot pistol that Walther says is concealable, but BB Pelletier disagrees. This is a full-sized semiauto with a 4-inch barrel. The firearm also comes in .22 rimfire as well. That one sells for less than $400, which these days is a real bargain. The centerfire that also comes in .40 S&W and .45 ACP and retails for over $500. Of course the pellet pistol we are examining retails for $120.
Description
This pistol weighs 1 lb. 14 oz., unloaded. The frame is polymer and the slide is non-ferrous metal. The pistol is powered by one 12-gram CO2 cartridge that lives in the magazine that’s housed inside the grip. The pistol is striker-fired and has a safety in the trigger that prevents accidental discharge by locking the trigger in place until the central blade is depressed — in other words, an intentional pull of the trigger.
The pistol also has a manual safety on the right side that can be applied by the trigger finger of a right-handed shooter, but requires an intentional forward push before it comes off again. It can also be done with just the trigger finger, but you have to think about what you are doing.
The safety is on the right side of the pistol and can be operated by one finger.
Larger hands
Walther says the pistol fits the hands like a glove, but not my average-sized mitts. I took the test pistol next door to my neighbor, Denny, whose hands are larger than mine with sausage fingers to boot. He told me the fit was fine. So this pellet pistol is made for shooters with larger hands.
I can hold it just fine, but it’s not as ergonomic for me as a P08 Luger. Given the magazine capacity of 15 in 9mm I imagine the ammo is double-stacked.
Backstrap
Now, the firearms do come with several backstraps that can be switched to enhance the fit in the shooter’s hand but the pellet pistol only has a single backstrap. However, that backstrap does come off the gun to reveal a large hex wrench for tightening the CO2 piercing screw. Is that cool or what?
The backstrap comes off to reveal the Allen wrench that tightens the CO2 piercing screw.
Sights
The firearm comes with tritium-filled night sights as most pistols do these days. The pellet pistol has white dots. And Denny noticed that the sights line up quite well, an observation with which I have to agree. Good job, Walther!
The rear sight adjusts for windage but not elevation. The front sight is a fixed post. In Part 2 we will see if there are elevation issues. If not it looks like we have everything we need.
The rear sight adjusts side-to-side but not up and down.
Rail
Just forward of the triggerguard there is a short Picatinny rail. It’s perfect for mounting a laser or a small tactical flashlight.
Trigger
In the pellet pistol the trigger has to advance the belt that feeds the pellets. Because of that it seems to have a long double action pull. But that’s with no gas in the gun. I will have more to say about that when I shoot the pistol.
Reporters gush all over the firearm’s trigger, yet when I read their reports they seem to be talking about a relatively standard 4.5-lb. pull. It almost seems as though people have forgotten what a good trigger pull is. I know that I am testing the pellet pistol, not the firearm, but I plan to focus on the trigger.
Barrel
Okay, Umarex, the company who markets the Taiwanese-made PPQ M2 pellet pistol goes so far as to say on the blister pack that the pistol has a metal barrel. But no mention of rifling anywhere on the package or in the manual.
Why would they say that the barrel is metal? What benefit is that? Aren’t all pellet pistol barrels metal? Are companies putting in plastic barrels these days?
Is whomever is in charge of the writing that goes on the blister pack unfamiliar with rifled barrels, or are they trying to skate around the obvious — an unrifled barrel? BB had to know. So he looked down the barrel and thought he saw some spiral scratches that are called rifling. Not satisfied, he pushed a pellet through the barrel and the impressions on the rim of the pellet tell him that, indeed, the barrel of this pistol is rifled. Metal in the barrel doesn’t matter, kids. Rifling does.
Blowback
This pistol has blowback. The slide comes back about three-quarters as far as a firearm slide would and it is metal, so there is probably a good impulse. I will report on it in Part 2.
Semiautomatic?
Is this pistol really a semiautomatic? That is a good question. A semiautomatic firearm is one that cocks the hammer and loads a round every time it fires. From my past testing of similar Walther pellet pistols, I’m guessing this one relies on the trigger more than most true semiautos, but as I said I haven’t fired it yet. I’m saving that for Part 2.
Discussion
What we have in the PPQ M2 is a CO2-powered pellet pistol with a rifled barrel. In my mind that means it’s accurate — at least a little. What would satisfy me? Well I would like to see a pistol that can put 10 rounds into 2-inches at 10 meters. That would be a handgun that could bounce tin cans around the back yard or whack down those BadaBang paddles with some authority from 20 feet.
Yes it is a little pricy but it’s a pellet pistol, not a BB gun. I’m hoping to be very surprised by the performance of this pistol.
B.B.
We thank goodness it is not that 10lbs trigger pull of the last pistol!
What is with the recent double triggers???
-Y
PS is a double barreled shotgun next in the line of tests?
PPS upon closer look, is that a double trigger or just a single really fat trigger blade?
Yogi,
You have to ask Glock about this doubl;e trigger. They designed it first.
BB
BB,
Glock? I thought maybe Savage had. Learn something new every day.
Yogi
Maybe BB can do a report on the Wingshot ll double barrel. I know he did reports on the single barrel Wingshot but don’t know about the double barrel Wingshot.
BB,
No picture of the magazine feed but I can imagine that the belt is moving about like that of the Sig Sauer P320 M17 CO2 pellet pistol
Siraniko
PS Section Discussion 4th sentence Well I would like to see a pistol that can put 10 pounds (rounds) into 2-inches at 10 meters.
Siraniko,
I fixed it. Thanks,
BB
Siraniko,
Shh, if word gets out that BB has a belt-fed weapon he’ll get raided by the ATF
Jesting aside, I wonder how reliable the belts are in this Walther and the Sig Sauer pistol and Virtus MCX PCP air rifle.
BR
Stop it. 😉
B.B.
I have shot my PPQ M2 already. I think the trigger is double action only. The trigger mechanism interfaces with the ratchet wheel on the magazine to advance the pellet belt. As you pull back on the trigger, you will feel the resistance as the trigger cocks the striker before releasing it. As far as I can tell, the slide movement does nothing to cock the striker.
So far I have only shot the pistol from a distance of 18 feet to target using a 6 o’clock aim on 2 inch shot spots. I started with a short distance to determine how the pistol shots group at a short distance before attempting to do a longer distance. My pistol did not require any windage adjustment. My shots mostly hit on the 2 inch shot spot with a few just off the edges of the shot spots producing 10 shot groups in the 1 to 2 inch size range. With your greater shooting skill, I think you may be able to get smaller groups.
The trigger felt very heavy initially, but lightened up considerably after several dry fires.
cstoehr,
I myself would call that a revolver action myself. The trigger is advancing the belt (or rotating the cylinder) AND cocking the striker.
I know most will not understand, but I am wondering if the blowback can be disabled easily in this and other replica pellet pistols.
RR
I can’t say if the blowback can be disabled. That’s a question to ask Umarex tech support.
Here’s an example of the 10 shot groups this PPQ M2 is giving me.
Pellet: H&N Match Pistol
bench rested
18 feet to target
open sights
aim: 6 o’clock on shot spot
BB
The trigger reminds me of the Savage accu trigger they use on some of their rifles. Which I do like on the Savages.
Myself also.
RR
Yep.
So, if FM may ask, what is your go-to concealed carry “little friend,” B.B.? Always seeking advice from the experts…by the way, fully agree on the ergonomics of the P08; as my shooting buddy puts it, “a natural pointer.”
FM,
RR will bet money it is a compact version of Mr. Browning’s 1911. KISS.
Basil,
I carry a Sig P365. It’s quite accurate, has very little recoil and it conceals well.
BB
Thank you for providing this food for thought.
BB,
You do really need to slow down a bit a work on your photography. You make it quite challenging to see some of the details.
1st paragraph: At first glance it looks like a BB pistol, but it’s really a 21-shot pellet pistol.
2nd paragraph: Of course the BB pistol we are examining….
No big deal though
Doc
Doc,
I thought it was a big deal. Thanks,
BB
BB
Alot of describing stuff in your report.
So what is this pistol really going to be used for?
Is it a bb pistol or a pellet pistol?
Gunfun1,
I would say because they bothered to use that chain link magazine that it is more for pellets than BBs. As far as use goes I think that will depend upon the owner and how lucky one can get an accurate shot out of their individual pistol.
Siraniko
Siraniko
I mean what do they really want the gun for.
If reality training of the firearm does it meet criteria?
Gunfun1,
I suspect that if someone bought the firearm as their very first ever it could be said to meet at least the minimal function/sight picture training tool requirement. But until we see the groups on target any replacement value for actual rounds on target training for more experienced shooters is just a guess. Even then the lack of sound, similar recoil and the lack of any muzzle flash are all limits on usefulness of any airgun or even rimfire trainer in my outlook.
Let’s wait and see how the Walther does for BB on singles and then if it groups on fast doubles or triplets.
shootski
Shootski
Well you said that pretty straight up.
You guys crack me up when you say this one is a little pricey at $120. In the UK it’s $270!
Is that to discourage people from buying it?
Strangely people still pay these prices. Virtually everything airgun related is double the price in the UK over the US
Maybe ‘they’ don’t have a word/term for rifling, but they do for metal barrel…sarcastic humor.