Walther P22Q - AmbGun Minuteman 180 Review and Why I Bought Two

Ambgun Walther Page
https://www.ambgun.com/ambidextral-pistol/walther
AmbGun Rounds Per Size and Weight Spreadsheet
https://www.ambgun.com/ambidextral-pistol/pistol-size-weight
AmbGun 2023 P22Q Minuteman Review
https://youtube.com/shorts/Jsh5HKSKjk0
AmbGun Review of the Umarex Airsoft P22Q
https://youtu.be/PBVUmtNk7ks

A Sportsman’s Warehouse Black Friday deal on the Walther P22Q that featured a price lower than a P17 and included 200 rounds of Federal Punch led me to give the P22Q another try. Last year I ended up making use of Walther’s 30 day money back guarantee after a 90% failure rate in double action, loose rear sight, and a pokey spring on the hammer pivot.

I’m happy that this one has a snug rear sight, a less pokey spring, and with a hundred rounds dedicated to just double action, it ran very reliably.

Overall single action and double action…100 rounds of CCI Mini-Mag was 100%...as was 100 rounds of Aquila 40 gr HV. I tried some standard velocity CCI Blazer and it was 80% reliable. Ironically, Federal Punch was a mess, failing to cycle exactly 50% of the time. I suspect with additional break-in I’ll see an improvement in Punch, but I’m going to dedicate my Punch stash to revolvers only. Semi-autos just seem to struggle with Punch’s slightly longer case.

So Mini-Mag it is. I’m very pleased to have the little pistol back in my armory. I really like the option of a self-defense 22 that is single action and double action. With a round chambered, hammer down in half cock, the double action long trigger pull is a additional layer of safety.

Safeties, the P22Q has lots of them. Firing pin block plunger disengaged by trigger bar. An ambi thumb safety that physically blocks the hammer from striking the firing pin…awesome for MantisX dry firing. Magazine disconnect safety, that I and most other shooters dislike. Walther should throw on a trigger dongle safety and a grip safety just to have them all.

Magazine disconnects…I removed the mag disconnect from my LCP II, but I’m beginning to make my peace with them. I don’t think any experienced shooter likes them, but think of what happens after you die. Who in your family might be tasked with processing your firearms. I’d trust my 4 year old grandson to clear and make my pistol safe. But some other adult family members, maybe not. If there be an afterlife, I sure don’t want to be looking down in horror as a beloved ejects the mag and then fumbles around with the pistol - a cartridge still in the chamber.

Will I be switching from the P17 to the P22Q for CCW? Probably not. I prefer the P17’s paddle mag release, thinner, lighter, more rounds per size and weight, and slightly longer barrel. The P17 mags are about 1/3rd the price of the P22’s magazines. And half the weight.

Who would be the ideal candidate for the Walther P22Q? Someone who wants to fondle and appreciate the better craftsmanship and elegance of the German pistol. Someone who wants layers of safeties. Someone who understands the diminishing marginal utility of each additional round beyond a baseline. And someone who likes the option of single action/double action. The P22Q grip feels great in the hand, too, but I prefer the P17’s narrow, less comfy grip, that indexes slightly better for point shooting.

There is some online “controversy” suggesting that the P22Q is manufactured by Umarex…Umarex being more well known for airsoft products. Umarex owns Walther, so maybe some parts are…maybe the grip frame. I do like that there is a very affordable Umarex P22 airsoft pistol available…one of my grandson’s favorites. There is something to be said for the option of practicing point shooting conveniently in your home with airsoft and styrofoam cups. Although Umarex needs to update it to match the current iteration of P22 grip and slide…and fix the slide stop and safety to work like the real thing. Although, I’d rather dry fire practice with the real P22Q using MantisX, Mantis Laser Academy, and an Accurize laser.
I have five P17’s that have all been awesome. With a sample size of two, my experience with the P22Q went to 50%. I was so happy with the good side of the 50%, that I returned to the Black Friday sale and picked up a second. A quick trip to the range, the second performed identically…perfect with Mini-Mag, awful with Punch…in fact it was even worse with Punch since I had to knock out every spent case with a cleaning rod. So now, with a sample size of three, I’m 68%. I am wondering why Walther partnered with Federal Punch, seems like it will be damaging to their reputation and cause lots of customer service heartache. I recommend the P22Q, Just use the Punch for something else, feed the it Mini-Mag.
I think that even if you get a bad one that fails to operate in double action, Walther will quickly take care of it…or just cash in on their 30 day money back guarantee and get another. I don’t know of any other firearm manufacturer who has the money back guarantee option. That alone says a lot.