[FIREARM REVIEW] Walther PPS M2 9mm

Last summer, a friend of mine had a Walther PPS 9mm shipped to my home-based FFL in order to transfer it over to him. It was honestly the first time I ever held one of the PPS firearms in my hand. And I liked it. Immediately. Kinda. There were some things that I wish they hadn’t done, and hoped they would improve upon.

Then, Walther sent me an email before SHOT Show telling me about the new PPS M2, and I was instantly excited to see what they had up their sleeve with the newest rendition.

Let me just say, I was not disappointed with the specs that were sent my way.

Specs:

From Walther’s PPS M2 product page on their website:

The new PPS M2 is everything you’re looking for in a compact handgun. The slim profile, push button magazine release, smooth trigger pull and Carl Walther signature ergonomics deliver the features that you want from Walther and are housed in a frame that fits just about anyone.

The new PPS M2 comes chambered in 9mm and .40 S&W. The PPS M2 9mm LE Edition comes equipped with phosphoric sights and 3 magazines.

Adam Blalock, Walther Arms CEO stated, “I have been really excited about the PPS M2 since the beginning of its development. The PPS Classic has been my everyday carry gun for years.  It’s a great gun and the idea of improving on the original was challenging …  but our team has done it.  The engineering enhancements and modifications that create the new M2 truly elevate this pistol into a class of its own.”

Alright, I’m sold. Let’s get into the findings with this new edition to the Walther line!

The focus here is all concealed carry. Many similarities with GLOCK are noticed right off the bat, such as the trigger safety and the way in which the firearm is taken down. If you watch the review video at the top of this article, I demonstrate just how that take-down works. Yea, it’s just like a GLOCK, and that’s why I love it. It’s simple.

In the above photo (and if you’re familiar with the PPS M1), you may notice that they did away with the Picatinny rail. In reality, I don’t believe that many people utilize the rail for concealed carry purposes.

The grip on this bad boy is, dare I say, the most comfortable grip I’ve ever felt on a handgun. And I’m not just saying that. When they designed the feel and texture of this grip, I imagine they put a heck of a lot of time and energy into getting it just right. It allows you to get a nice solid grip, but it just feels to natural and all-around awesome.

It’s almost like gripping rugged silk. I know, that’s not a thing, but it’s the best explanation that I can come up with. If you’ve held the PPS M2 in your hands, you probably understand what I’m talking about.

The trigger safety, just like on it’s older brother the M1, is a nice safety feature in case of a drop. The best thing in this picture, though, is the push button magazine release. On the M1 version of the PPS, it sported that dreaded paddle release that was just down-right awkward to use. This is a very welcomed change to the M2.

The trigger itself is also wider and redesigned, giving it a much better feel than on the M1.

The 3-dot metal sights are low-profile that allow easy draws without any snag. The sights are pretty simple and boring in my opinion, but most are. They definitely do the job and allow for quick target acquisition. The rear sights also have a screw to adjust for windage.

The sights on this new M2 are the same as the sights found on the M1.

Each PPS M2 comes with two magazines: The flush magazine and the extended magazine. With the extension, you get extra rounds as well as a full-frame grip on the firearm. If you’re on of those people who enjoys a place for your pinky, the extension is going to be the go-to for you.

The awesome texture that they sport on the grip is also on the extension, and feels just as good as the rest. Seriously, they did an excellent job with it.

The flush magazine allows for 6 rounds, while the extended magazine gives you one extra round (and a spot for your pinky).

The Walther PPS M2 also features slide serrations on the front of the slide, which I find particularly useful. Many times, I will find my hand in that area when I’m trying to lock the slide back, and having the serrations definitely helps with the process. Why all pistols don’t have slide serrations in both locations is a mystery to me. It’s time to make it a standard thing, IMHO.

The PPS M1 did not feature the front serrations, so good on you, Walther!

The firearm also sports a visual cocking indicator to let you know what’s going on, even in low light conditions. While I see this as being useful to some, I don’t particularly care for it. I don’t hate it, I just never look at it.

At the range, this firearm shoots as good as it looks. The great-feeling grip makes it comfortable and fun to shoot for extended periods of time, and the recoil is exactly what you’d expect from a compact firearm. If you’re a Springfield XDs fan, the recoil is very similar to the 9mm version.

The conclusion is this: If you’re in the market for a great, reliable firearm for concealed carry, you won’t be disappointed with this new offering from Walther. It shoots great, looks great, and has a lot of new features that will appeal to a broad spectrum of people who carry.