Walther PDP Compact?

[Nick Memphis]

Which would you rather carry, a Walther PDP compact or a Sig P365 XMacro comp?

Yes, I'm just lighting money on fire because I haven't been racing anymore. I'm leaning towards the Walther because of the price and apparently fantastic reviews on how it shoots, and it just looks very cool, and made in Germany is always cool. I already have a Shield so I'm not sure I need another "really thin" handgun.

https://www.sportsmans.com/shooting...m-luger-4in-black-pistol-101-rounds/p/1935172 $664 with military discount new

I have a PDP Compact and its a great gun, but it will not conceal well as the slide is very wide and blocky. No experience with the XMacro but it looks a lot slimmer (Post#6).

If you go the PDP route, the Compact (vs Full Size) has lots of mag compatibility options - PPQ, PPQ Freedom mags, Canik TP9, Promag etc.)

 

[Z Arms LLC]

Although I love the PDPs, they are very snappy. Even the Pro X PMM being compensated it was still snappy, about the same level of snap as a stock Glock 17.

 

[weaverftw]

Exaggerated, yes. It's not a world changing thing, but it does make a difference. I am most accurate with my 1911s and they shoot great, but my sig M18 for example felt like it had more muzzle flip than a 9mm of that size should. Whether that's due to the height over bore, the top heavy balance of polymer guns, or just the design of that gun, idk.

I’m not sure if it’s the bore axis height exactly, or something to do with the mass of the slide being high up. But my Sig SP2022 is much more difficult to shoot well compared to Glocks, CZs, and many other guns I’ve owned and shot. It’s not that I CAN’T be accurate with it, but it just feels weird shooting it, like the thing is top heavy and the slide wants to rotate your entire grip up towards the sky. Then when the slide returns to battery it feels like the muzzle wants to dip.

Yes, you can train to handle it like you can with anything else, but it seems like just one more thing to focus on and if I’m consciously fighting that rotational force on recoil, I’m not thinking as much about other fundamentals like target focus or trigger control. I’ve recently fallen in love with a new SP-01 that feels like the muzzle stays glued to the target when you pull the trigger, totally different experience. Sig makes nice guns and I love my p365 but the SP2022/p226 slide shape just doesn’t feel right to me.

 

[recpark99]

I own both, they're both great guns. For carry I'd have to say the Sig would probably be the way to go. Doesn't hurt to get both, you'll have options and if you have to, you can sell one here on Caguns. Good luck.

 

[mblat1968]

Exaggerated, yes. It's not a world changing thing, but it does make a difference. I am most accurate with my 1911s and they shoot great, but my sig M18 for example felt like it had more muzzle flip than a 9mm of that size should. Whether that's due to the height over bore, the top heavy balance of polymer guns, or just the design of that gun, idk.

1911 also have best triggers there are...... and they are heavy ( usually ). So it is not exactly apple-to-apple

 

[Gawernator]

After looking at feedback here, on FB and from big channel reviews and from talking to my friends in the know, the PDP won out based on shootability and price. Many said it has the best trigger of any striker fired gun on the market, and it was around $180ish cheaper. It is thicker but if I CCW'd it, it would be more in the winter anyways so I don't really care. It isn't heavy and holds 15 rounds so it's g2g. Since I already have a Shield and P2000SK for CCW I wasn't too concerned with another small ccw. Plus maybe one day the VP9CC will come here.

Also a contender: https://www.turners.com/heckler-and-koch/hk-vp9a1-k-9mm-4-barrel-10-rnds-ca-compliant-1937172

 

[Gawernator]

1911 also have best triggers there are...... and they are heavy ( usually ). So it is not exactly apple-to-apple

Well, exactly. It would seem the trigger, grip, and mechanics of the gun are more important than the height over bore.
The trigger, grip geometry, texture, recoil spring/mass balance, sight tracking, and how the gun fits your hands usually matter more in actual shooting.
A high-bore-axis gun with a great trigger, good grip, predictable recoil, and enough mass can shoot better than a low-bore-axis gun with a mediocre trigger and grip. That is why guns like the P226, Beretta 92, 2011s, HKs, and Walthers can shoot extremely well despite not having Glock-low bore axis.

 

[weaverftw]

Well, exactly. It would seem the trigger, grip, and mechanics of the gun are more important than the height over bore.
The trigger, grip geometry, texture, recoil spring/mass balance, sight tracking, and how the gun fits your hands usually matter more in actual shooting.
A high-bore-axis gun with a great trigger, good grip, predictable recoil, and enough mass can shoot better than a low-bore-axis gun with a mediocre trigger and grip. That is why guns like the P226, Beretta 92, 2011s, HKs, and Walthers can shoot extremely well despite not having Glock-low bore axis.

I agree that all those other factors matter more… I think it’s not so much the bore axis itself but the weight distribution of the slide being top-heavy… it just makes the recoil impulse very odd and different, not linear at all.

 

[ReaperCustom45]

I agree that all those other factors matter more… I think it’s not so much the bore axis itself but the weight distribution of the slide being top-heavy… it just makes the recoil impulse very odd and different, not linear at all.

Indeed. More of a matter of reciprocating mass vs stationary mass. My M18 for example, 80% of the weight of that gun is the slide, thus why is feels like is rocks more during recoil than some of my other pistols. That's also why the X5 Legion shoots fantastic. Same slide as the M18, but a significantly heavier frame, and that thing doesn't jump like the M18 does during recoil.

 

[weaverftw]

Indeed. More of a matter of reciprocating mass vs stationary mass. My M18 for example, 80% of the weight of that gun is the slide, thus why is feels like is rocks more during recoil than some of my other pistols. That's also why the X5 Legion shoots fantastic. Same slide as the M18, but a significantly heavier frame, and that thing doesn't jump like the M18 does during recoil.

That’s good to know as I’ve been eyeing one and I suspect my SP2022’s polymer frame makes the issue more pronounced. I really like the look of the design and it’s a good gun overall but I can’t get past the weird recoil impulse. .40 probably doesn’t help

 

[Gawernator]

That’s good to know as I’ve been eyeing one and I suspect my SP2022’s polymer frame makes the issue more pronounced. I really like the look of the design and it’s a good gun overall but I can’t get past the weird recoil impulse. .40 probably doesn’t help

No definitely not, 9mm is way better for that. The fact you can put different grips on with different shapes and materials is wild. part of why I got it, it's like multiple guns in one

 

[mblat1968]

I would phrase it slightly different. Everything matters. Low bore helps too .
However it is just just one of the components and IMHO not the most important one. For me it is the trigger.
But all other things being equal I rather have a gun with low bore axis.

 

[CWINSD]

Which shoots better

Hmm, to me the two are very different. In terms of shootability, I'd say the PDP is better because it has a better trigger and longer sight radius, but thats because mine is a full size model.

However, I love my 365 X-Macro Comp. Trigger and ergos are still pretty good. By far my favorite sub compact, and I've tried a lot of them. Much better than my Hellcat Pro.

I think if you're planning to carry, the X-Macro would be my choice. It shoots great, comp is an improvment imo, and for my body type the perfect size. For me, I didn't like the size of the standard 365 because it was too small and I found my G19.3 to be too big to carry. I think the X-Macro is perfect, not too big but large enough to get all my fingers comfortably on the grip and still very thin.

The best thing to do is to try both out and go with the one you shoot better.

Most importantly, the best carry gun is the one you actually carry and not leave at home. Comfortability is key.