2020 year of the Red dot?

[Quavodus]

A red dot would be a lot easier to get on target, when a crazy Antifa/Terrorist throws something at you or your car as your just minding your own business .

[tnhawk]

I put a Red Dot on my AR pistols but not ready to put one on my handguns yet.

 

[Dennis1209]

On 2/8/2020 at 12:36 PM, Grunt67 said:

My Walther PPS M2 w/ RSMc  9mm

 

Ah Walther... My first Walther, I just dropped $1,800.00 for a PPQ Q5 Match Pro SF. Did all my diligent research and watched many Youtube videos. When it came in last Friday, it was missing all three of the optic plates. Every video I watched it came with the three plate, there was absolutely nothing on Walthers website I could find about the optic plates. [it's buried in the manual section somewhere they said?]

Long story short. Got an email from Walther stating they stopped including the plates last November, not to raise the cost of the pistol again. You can order "one" for free, still waiting for it and haven't shot it yet. After two matches shooting an optic on my Canik SFX, I'm still having difficulty picking up the dot in a timely manner. As soon as I do pick it up, I like and shoot it better than the iron sights [old eyes]; but it's just one more thing that can and eventually will go wrong in a competition. 

[Grunt67]

On 5/19/2020 at 6:50 PM, TGO David said:

Pro Tip:  Don't fall for the lies of no-line / progressie bifocal lenses.  They are much harder to use with a red dot sight and maintain a crisp clear dot.  Use traditional bifocals with distinct single-vision areas.

 

Wasn't aware of that,  but makes sense now that I gave it some thought. They don't work well with iron sights either. I may go back to the old next time around .

Thanks for the heads up.

[Grunt67]

15 hours ago, Dennis1209 said:

Ah Walther... My first Walther, I just dropped $1,800.00 for a PPQ Q5 Match Pro SF. Did all my diligent research and watched many Youtube videos. When it came in last Friday, it was missing all three of the optic plates. Every video I watched it came with the three plate, there was absolutely nothing on Walthers website I could find about the optic plates. [it's buried in the manual section somewhere they said?]

Long story short. Got an email from Walther stating they stopped including the plates last November, not to raise the cost of the pistol again. You can order "one" for free, still waiting for it and haven't shot it yet. After two matches shooting an optic on my Canik SFX, I'm still having difficulty picking up the dot in a timely manner. As soon as I do pick it up, I like and shoot it better than the iron sights [old eyes]; but it's just one more thing that can and eventually will go wrong in a competition. 

Dennis, this may not be your situation, but, originally the PPS M2 RSMc, came with a plate, to replace the unit, if you chose to remove it for whatever reason. They stopped supplying it, including mine. I asked Walther about it, response was, because it never fit correctly .

To me, this makes no sense. I worked in tool & die 15 yrs, and it would be easy to correct.

That "may " be what happened with yours.

[hipower]

1 hour ago, Grunt67 said:

Dennis, this may not be your situation, but, originally the PPS M2 RSMc, came with a plate, to replace the unit, if you chose to remove it for whatever reason. They stopped supplying it, including mine. I asked Walther about it, response was, because it never fit correctly .

To me, this makes no sense. I worked in tool & die 15 yrs, and it would be easy to correct.

That "may " be what happened with yours.

Dang! I thought Walther was better than this to their customers. A sad state of affairs when you spend your hard earned money for a product of the quality and cost. only to then find it's not exactly what it was "represented" to be.

Edited June 17, 2020 by hipower

[Grunt67]

14 minutes ago, hipower said:

Dang! I thought Walther was better than this to their customers. A sad state of affairs when you spend your hard earned money for a product of the quality and cost. only to then find it's not exactly what it was "represented" to be.

Hi power, Walther's C S has usually been good.

I have no explanation for the above issue. I would love to get my paws on one of these I'll fitting plates & see why it wouldn't & why it couldn't be corrected. Guess we'll never know. I don't know if this was made in house, or outsourced.  Oh, well......

[Dennis1209]

8 hours ago, hipower said:

Dang! I thought Walther was better than this to their customers. A sad state of affairs when you spend your hard earned money for a product of the quality and cost. only to then find it's not exactly what it was "represented" to be.

Hi, long time no see...

I think Walther is the second oldest gun maker right behind Beretta and had a great reputation. I'm shooting a Canik TP9 SFX in competition, and for the money it's an excellent gun but, for me it doesn't "feel" right in my hand [my logic and reasoning to purchase another gun]. A buddy of mine showed me his Walther Q5 Match Pro SF and let me shoot it. By far, the ergonomics and fit to my hand and liking is like no other. For months before buying one I was struggling between it and the CZ Shadow 2 and I was leaning towards the CZ because of its popularity. But, not having access to actually holding one and shooting it, I elected to put my economic stimulus check toward it [good ole Uncle Sugar ].

I'm having nothing but trouble with Walther since I got the gun last week. My FFL ordered the wrong spare magazines I needed and went to their website to order them and other spare parts for it, and they're all sold out of everything I wanted with no back ordering or expected due dates. The only other place I could find that had them in stock was "Cheaper Than Dirt". I can't disparage that place enough and won't say how much I got soaked to get two magazines delivered. 

Finally got around to shooting it yesterday morning, after adjusting the iron sights some, I'm going to like it. But these old eyes need the advantage of a red dot, shooting with my bi-focal's I have to cant my neck back. After contacting Walther about the three optic plates that are suppose to come in the box, they sent me a link to now get 'one' free optic plate, no telling when that will arrive? Trying to find that information on their website is deeply hidden, and I still can't find who or where to buy just a replacement recoil spring without the guide rod, just the $129.00 Tungsten replacement. 

I hope everything I need and ordered arrives before my 'Steel Challenge' this month so I can get it together and use it, this is taking forever it seems. Somebody please pass me a Kleenex 

[hipower]

Wow. That's quite discouraging. Lets see, where do I start.

First, congrats on the Q5 Match. I looked at one with a longing in my heart and an empty budget. It feels wonderful, like all the PPQ styles, like it was molded for me. I really like it.

The CZ...well, that's another I cannot buy, just out of my reach for a while...probably a very long while. I liked the Shadow, but found it just too big in the girth of the grip( that sounds intriguing...girth of the grip...lol). However the Shadow 2 is amazingly comfortable and very easy to hold for me. I did try to do some trading at a lgs, but just couldn't make that work on my side. Would have worked out to a 2 gun plus cash for it. I just couldn't and had to refuse the offer.

I guess the only thing to say is that Walther has become so big and popular that the tradition of customer support they had is waning. Sad. Love the 2 I have.  I just don't think I will keep the PPQ 45 though, I'm finding it just a bit harsh for my arthritis right now.

Now for the Caniks. As you may have seen on my comments...I have gone completely gonzo over the Canik line. My first, the TP9SA, I just freaking love it. holds and shoots very naturally for me, and its trigger is totally amazing.

Of course, I just had to get the SFX...and like it just as much. For some reason, I haven't quite gotten as much love for the Elite model though.

Currently, I'm picking up any, and not many out there readily available and as cheap as they were initially, of the origional steel frame line. I bought a T100 and it's one of the best shooting metal frames I own. Got a Shark from one of our brothers-in-arms here. It's pretty much just a hard chromed T100, but I really like it. Got enough mass to make the 9 feel almost like a 38 from a k-frame smith.

Red dots...yes I want/need to get into them. As you say older eyes and irons present a challenge. But since I've not gotten into any of the match forms as I'd hoped, just haven't pushed the idea.

And oh how sorry you had to deal with CTD. Once was enough for me. I've been lucky/prudent/spendy enough that I have 6 mags each for all my PPQ and Caniks. Anytime I found one, I've snatched it. Not always cheap, but I have them. But getting harder to get Canik mags cheap since the guns have gotten so popular. I guess that old habit of wanting at least 6 mags each for my 1911s has come in handy at last.

Good luck in your matches and hope you can get the parts for the Q5 quickly.

[deerslayer]

3 hours ago, Dennis1209 said:

and I still can't find who or where to buy just a replacement recoil spring without the guide rod, just the $129.00 Tungsten replacement.

Looks like both of these manufacturers use ISMI Glock style recoil springs for their PPQ guide rods:

https://ssguiderods.com/shop/walther/walther-ppq-m2-stainless-steel-guide-rod/

https://www.zrtacticalsolutions.com/shop/walther-ppq-uncaptured-stainless-guide-rod/

[Dennis1209]

20 hours ago, deerslayer said:

Looks like both of these manufacturers use ISMI Glock style recoil springs for their PPQ guide rods:

https://ssguiderods.com/shop/walther/walther-ppq-m2-stainless-steel-guide-rod/

https://www.zrtacticalsolutions.com/shop/walther-ppq-uncaptured-stainless-guide-rod/

Thanks for the information and sources. I've checked all the main vendors to find just a replacement guide rod spring and nowhere I've ran across does anyone mention Glock springs for Walther's. Would you happen to know where I can find out what the factory recoil spring weight is on a Q5 Match Steel Frame? 

Also, will a standard Glock spring work, or does it have to be a flat wire spring? Thanks a bunch!

[Dennis1209]

22 hours ago, hipower said:

Wow. That's quite discouraging. Lets see, where do I start.

First, congrats on the Q5 Match. I looked at one with a longing in my heart and an empty budget. It feels wonderful, like all the PPQ styles, like it was molded for me. I really like it.

The CZ...well, that's another I cannot buy, just out of my reach for a while...probably a very long while. I liked the Shadow, but found it just too big in the girth of the grip( that sounds intriguing...girth of the grip...lol). However the Shadow 2 is amazingly comfortable and very easy to hold for me. I did try to do some trading at a lgs, but just couldn't make that work on my side. Would have worked out to a 2 gun plus cash for it. I just couldn't and had to refuse the offer.

I guess the only thing to say is that Walther has become so big and popular that the tradition of customer support they had is waning. Sad. Love the 2 I have.  I just don't think I will keep the PPQ 45 though, I'm finding it just a bit harsh for my arthritis right now.

Now for the Caniks. As you may have seen on my comments...I have gone completely gonzo over the Canik line. My first, the TP9SA, I just freaking love it. holds and shoots very naturally for me, and its trigger is totally amazing.

Of course, I just had to get the SFX...and like it just as much. For some reason, I haven't quite gotten as much love for the Elite model though.

Currently, I'm picking up any, and not many out there readily available and as cheap as they were initially, of the origional steel frame line. I bought a T100 and it's one of the best shooting metal frames I own. Got a Shark from one of our brothers-in-arms here. It's pretty much just a hard chromed T100, but I really like it. Got enough mass to make the 9 feel almost like a 38 from a k-frame smith.

Red dots...yes I want/need to get into them. As you say older eyes and irons present a challenge. But since I've not gotten into any of the match forms as I'd hoped, just haven't pushed the idea.

And oh how sorry you had to deal with CTD. Once was enough for me. I've been lucky/prudent/spendy enough that I have 6 mags each for all my PPQ and Caniks. Anytime I found one, I've snatched it. Not always cheap, but I have them. But getting harder to get Canik mags cheap since the guns have gotten so popular. I guess that old habit of wanting at least 6 mags each for my 1911s has come in handy at last.

Good luck in your matches and hope you can get the parts for the Q5 quickly.

Hello hipower, nice to talk to you again, its been awhile.

I really couldn't afford that Q5 either and it was on my wish list. Dear Santa Clause: Then a check for $1,200.00 unexpectedly showed up and a wry smile and thought came over me, LoL. I like my Canik TP9-SFX and it shoots 115 Gr. well but has problems shooting heavier loads, I've heard some do that and it can be fixed by installing a different Glock recoil spring? I have a 'rubber Talon grip installed on it, and last USPSA match my hands were sweaty and the grip was slipping around in my hands. Ordered the rough granular texture from Talon Grips and that should take care of that.

Ordered my Walther from the same FFL I purchased my TP9-SFX from and was looking around at the candy in the display cases while my NIC check was in progress. They had a new one in the display case and I looked at the price. I was amazed, it was about $200.00 more than I paid for mine, it must be getting popular and everything is going up in prices? Seen the price for one little package of hamburger lately, and can only purchase one??

I've got some arthritis in my hands and fingers too, and I found out the other day when I first shot my new Q5; it's the hardest pistol I have to rack, not exactly sure why? But after I've exercised my hands and fingers awhile, I get a little more strength back in them. That's the reason I sold my Kimber .45's, I could only rack them on my better days. What good is a pistol if you're not capable of racking it each and every time? My Canik has that great little slide handle that's perfect for those days when the mind says yes, but the hands say too many birthday candles...

I see and shoot much better with my ballistic bi-focal safety glasses but, I have to cant my neck back to focus and see the iron sights and it's not natural or comfortable. A red dot is the 'cats meow' but again, without corrective lenses it's not a sharp dot, there's a starburst halo to it. I also need more practice quickly acquiring the dot initially and not searching for it, but that will come with practice and time. It's really improved my accuracy but, it's just another thing that will eventually malfunction and fail at the worst time. 

I learned a lesson during the previous two year shortage period about not having adequate ammo, magazines, etc. for a prolonged shortage. With the exception of my .357 revolver, I standardized call my handguns to 9mm to simplify life. And ordered enough 9mm and magazines to practice and shoot matches like I normally do for at least a four year period. While most were enjoying themselves going BANG-BANG-BANG, I had to conserve, choose and restrict my activities; and that was no fun...

[deerslayer]

2 hours ago, Dennis1209 said:

Thanks for the information and sources. I've checked all the main vendors to find just a replacement guide rod spring and nowhere I've ran across does anyone mention Glock springs for Walther's. Would you happen to know where I can find out what the factory recoil spring weight is on a Q5 Match Steel Frame? 

Also, will a standard Glock spring work, or does it have to be a flat wire spring? Thanks a bunch!

A standard Glock spring is flat wire.  
A friend has a Q5 SF and he said the stock spring is HEAVY.  He said options are very limited for respringing with the stock guide rod.  He has the ZR guide rod above and a 13 pound Glock spring.  He was having trouble going back into battery and cured it with a Sprinco reduced striker spring (he really liked the way the gun felt with the 13).  Another friend has a 13 on his SF and it locks up fine with the ZR guide rod.  I would get a .250 diameter aftermarket steel guide rod (like either one above) that uses ISMI flat wire Glock springs and be done with it.  I would buy a 13 and a 15 pound spring and go from there.  One of those should be the ticket depending on your ammo, how far you’re throwing brass, and how the sights track.  

Edited June 18, 2020 by deerslayer

[hipower]

1 hour ago, Dennis1209 said:

Hello hipower, nice to talk to you again, its been awhile.

I really couldn't afford that Q5 either and it was on my wish list. Dear Santa Clause: Then a check for $1,200.00 unexpectedly showed up and a wry smile and thought came over me, LoL. I like my Canik TP9-SFX and it shoots 115 Gr. well but has problems shooting heavier loads, I've heard some do that and it can be fixed by installing a different Glock recoil spring? I have a 'rubber Talon grip installed on it, and last USPSA match my hands were sweaty and the grip was slipping around in my hands. Ordered the rough granular texture from Talon Grips and that should take care of that.

Ordered my Walther from the same FFL I purchased my TP9-SFX from and was looking around at the candy in the display cases while my NIC check was in progress. They had a new one in the display case and I looked at the price. I was amazed, it was about $200.00 more than I paid for mine, it must be getting popular and everything is going up in prices? Seen the price for one little package of hamburger lately, and can only purchase one??

I've got some arthritis in my hands and fingers too, and I found out the other day when I first shot my new Q5; it's the hardest pistol I have to rack, not exactly sure why? But after I've exercised my hands and fingers awhile, I get a little more strength back in them. That's the reason I sold my Kimber .45's, I could only rack them on my better days. What good is a pistol if you're not capable of racking it each and every time? My Canik has that great little slide handle that's perfect for those days when the mind says yes, but the hands say too many birthday candles...

I see and shoot much better with my ballistic bi-focal safety glasses but, I have to cant my neck back to focus and see the iron sights and it's not natural or comfortable. A red dot is the 'cats meow' but again, without corrective lenses it's not a sharp dot, there's a starburst halo to it. I also need more practice quickly acquiring the dot initially and not searching for it, but that will come with practice and time. It's really improved my accuracy but, it's just another thing that will eventually malfunction and fail at the worst time. 

I learned a lesson during the previous two year shortage period about not having adequate ammo, magazines, etc. for a prolonged shortage. With the exception of my .357 revolver, I standardized call my handguns to 9mm to simplify life. And ordered enough 9mm and magazines to practice and shoot matches like I normally do for at least a four year period. While most were enjoying themselves going BANG-BANG-BANG, I had to conserve, choose and restrict my activities; and that was no fun...

What with life in general, and the things that come with getting older; I have shot very much at all in the last 2 years. Getting my second knee replacement, caring for and then losing my father-in-law, getting his house ready for sale, etc.; all kept us pretty busy.

Then my falling several times and getting minor injuries, but the kicker was my fall as I stepped on the front porch. One step up and somehow I slid off it. Twisted as I went down, bounced my butt off the huge ceramic flower pot, hit the porch, then slid down to the ground. And as I did this, my new right knee was under me.

All this on the day I finished my pt! As I sat there, I wondered if I should even try to get up. Then thought a) no neighbors out for me to yell to, b) I felt really stupid having done this, and c) Susan would absolutely not stop harassing me after this if she came in and saw me on the ground!

So somehow I got up. Called orthopedic doc, he said come back in and get it x-rayed.

No obvious organic damage he says. Just torqued everything up nicely. It's been a constant pain since. From just a nagging ache to OMG! I need meds! Thankfully that part seems over. 

I don't have the flexibility and mobility we all had hoped for afterwards, but I can get around.

Then as the above mentioned house finally sold, we had to franticly get it empty. 2500 sqft home with a full basement. The basement was a killer. F-I-L was a builder, general contractor.

Bet you know where this is headed. lol Bless his soul, Frank never threw anything way after a job. Never know when it might be needed.

Well, 7 of us, 4 weeks, 2 huge drop dumpsters, and loads of the stuff each might want/use or just as a keepsake; and it was done. Of course my wife was in tears as we left for the last time. It wasn't a nice day for her. 

Well, with all that and taking care of our own household, we've kept busy. Like I have said many times, life does get in the way of plans we make.

Glad you are shooting and doing well. I had 2 outings during last 18 months. One to test my new G43X. Was so excited about it! After the first round, I knew I couldn't handle the little lightweight. Knew arthritis was setting in, and this proved it. Determined or stupid...you choose, I fired off 3 mags. Very much not fun. Lightening bolts with each shot. So I retired the G43x and sold it. Tried out the Shark and an old CZ 75 on the next trip. Results were quite different. Seems that for now at least, the steel frames are ok for me.

I think you're pretty tired of me by now, so I'll stop.

Good luck with your matches and the red dots.