Looking for advice on a handgun (Walther PPQ 5" or CZ SP-01 Shadow)

Hoag

Hoag

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Not long ago, I took what I thought was going to be a Club Level Holster Certification course. As it turned out, it was an IDPA Holster course. By the end of the course, I was thinking that IDPA seems like it would be a lot of fun and would be a good way (between practice and competition) to improve my skills significantly. My dilema is that what I currently have (and what I used for the course) is not ideally suited to IDPA. I have a Sig P226 Extreme. It is very accurate, but the Double Action trigger pull is very heavy and the first shot would either be slow as I concentrate on shot placement with a roughly 10 pound trigger pull or I could get off the best shot possible as quickly as possible and live with what will likely be less than ideal shot placement. Follow on shots (single action) are not a concern. In single action, it has a light trigger pull and the gun is equipped with Sig's "Short Reset Trigger (SRT)".

So, while ultimately, the final decision will rest with me alone, I am looking for some advice. What would you recommend? If I get a new gun, the two I am considering are the CZ SP-01 Shadow or the Walther PPQ with the 5 inch barrel. There are pros & cons to each option.

If I use my P226:
I am using a handgun with which I am already familiar so the learning curve will be limited to new skills associated with competition
Any funds which I would have spent on a new gun could be spent instead on ammunition/practice


If I choose the CZ SP-01 Shadow:
It is a proven gun that is widely used in IDPA and IPSC.
I really like the front fiber-optic sight
It is known to have a light recoil so follow on shots can be very fast
Comes with 3 magazines (won't have to buy any more right away even though I know that 3 is a bare minimum)
The DA trigger pull is typically lighter than that of the Sig P226

If I choose the Walther PPQ:
A 5 inch barrel has a longer sight radius so it SHOULD provide the capability for higher accuracy (all other things being equal)
It is a striker fire so EVERY trigger pull should be the same whether first shot or follow on shots
It is reported to have one of, if not the best triggers available
Much like a Forster Reloading Press, I simply have not seen any bad reviews. (Could it possibly really be that good?)


BTW, before anyone suggests "Buy both the CZ and the Walther and see which one you like", the reality is that I can only afford one of them so I want to make every effort to get the right one. Having said that, while some choices might be better than others, I really don't think that I have a bad choice out of the three options.
Anyways, I have a lot to think about and any advice that I get will be greatly appreciated.
 
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I'm going to hazard a guess and say that most people will choose the cz. Strangely, I prefer my m&p (I have not shot the ppq)
 
The only real negative right now on the PPQ is mag availability. If you can find enough extra magazines I'd say go for it.
I have the Navy version with the paddle mag release ( which I really like), not sure if the 5 inch has a button or the paddles.

If you can find Magnum Research Baby Eagle mags they work well in the PPQ's and are a bit cheaper.
 
My suggestion would be to do some work on the 226 trigger. Simply swapping out the hammer spring would cut the double action pull. (Wolf makes several hammer springs for this).
Also, lots of 2 shot practices (1 double action 1 single action shot ) will make you're shooting improve.
Would leave you lots of $$$ for ammo etc.
 
I shoot Idpa and most of the guys I shoot with have gone to the CZ Sp01 Shadow. I have one and love it. But in my opinion the biggest advantage is there are lots of them in use and parts are readily available.
 
Thanks Elmo. I appreciate hearing from someone who has both. You mentioned that the PPQ felt more "snappy" was this bad or merely a little different. (My Sig has minimal recoil and follow on shots are easy.)
 
Harley, thanks. Having never shot IDPA, I wasn't sure how competitive/co-operative it is. I thought that with so many CZ's in use that parts and advice (helpfull tips) might be abundant at a match, but I wasn't sure if it was a "Hey, try this, it might help ..." or an every man for himself type of environment.

Obviously, if there are so many people shooting CZ's, there is a reason for it.
 
The longer barrel is meaningless if the slide isn't also longer to give you a longer sight radius. So I'd go CZ
 
Slavex said:
The longer barrel is meaningless if the slide isn't also longer to give you a longer sight radius. So I'd go CZ
Click to expand...

The slide on the PPQ is a full length one. This pic shows it:

walther-ppq-m2-5-inch.jpg
 
Too bad Walther bent to all the Americans who are afraid of learning how to use a toggle release.

I'd be happy shooting either a CZ or a PPQ but I don't shoot my CZ as much as my PPQ.

Looks like the one pictured has compensator cut outs so that should take care of any 9mm flip that a guy might worry about...
 
Can-down said:
Too bad Walther bent to all the Americans who are afraid of learning how to use a toggle release.

I'd be happy shooting either a CZ or a PPQ but I don't shoot my CZ as much as my PPQ.

Looks like the one pictured has compensator cut outs so that should take care of any 9mm flip that a guy might worry about...
Click to expand...

How can holes in the slide make this pistol be compensated?
 
15567 said:
How can holes in the slide make this pistol be compensated?
Click to expand...

I just saw a picture of the .22lr version of the PPQ and it had the same slide holes so I'd say they are not compensator holes as I initially thought. Just some cutouts to lighten the slide I guess.

Here's an example of a compensated barrel with cutout's in the slide,
Custom_XD-40_V-10.jpg
 
Having owned both I do concur that the PPQ is snappier, mostly due to the lighter frame. That said I found I was able to get it back on target more consistently and the trigger is superior out of the box. Slight edge to the PPQ IMO but both are great pistols.
 
I've owned the PPQ Navy and the Shadow. Shadow wins by a large margin - it's like cheating. The gun is so much better than I am, without question. I went from "ok" groups at 7m to splitting clays at 25. My groups at seven are one ragged hole.

The PPQ trigger is very nice, but usually followed by "for a striker fired pistol". I don't compete using DA so I shoot SA all the time and the Shadow's trigger is just magic.
 
Hoag said:

If I choose the CZ SP-01 Shadow:
Click to expand...

Even if you go with the CZ route, you will still need to practice to get used to the first DA pull. Although it's indeed so much lighter than the P226 DA pull, it's not only the weight of the pull that matters, it's also the (long) distance of that DA pull.

I have short fingers, so when I just got my CZ I had problems executing the DA pull, i.e. because of the long pull, by the time the trigger broke, the sight picture already moved. Took me a lot of training to address this issue. It didn't stop me from "throwing away the first shot" and just got on with the SA pulls though!
 
ok, so if your sight is moving by the time you break the shot, you're, uh, not doing it right.
 
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