I love my Walther PPQ. I bought my first one in 2012 after lots of research into which striker-fired pistol I wanted to carry. To me, the grip is perfectly molded with just the right amount of texture. The trigger is fantastic, and the gun just points naturally for me. I also love the trigger-guard-mounted mag release. I know I’m in the minority there, but that’s why I still have the M1 model instead of the button-release M2. I’ve never fired another handgun as well, or as consistently, as I do the PPQ.
I’d say I love everything about the PPQ, but there’s one minor thing that has bugged me just a tiny bit. While other handguns, like my IWI Masada, regularly have 17 or 18-round capacities, the PPQ has been stuck at 15 rounds for a long time.
I know, I know…complaining about a 15-round capacity is pretty lame. But the fact remains that I have other similarly sized handguns in my safe with more firepower than my chosen carry gun. I’ve sought to rectify that situation with Walther’s 9mm 15+2 extended mags. There are some good things about that, as well as some not so good. So, let’s break those down. Good news first.
PPQ 15+2 Mags: The Good
First, these extended mags are Walther branded factory products, so the quality is there. It’s well known that Walther contracts with Italy’s Mec-Gar for their magazines, and these are no different. But, again, that’s a good thing because Mec-Gar quality is well established.
The 15+2 mags are steel with an extended polymer baseplate. Personally, I like the polymer extension. It’s light and I like to think it makes the mags a bit more durable when they hit the ground during drills. I’ve been shooting with these mags for a couple of months now and they’ve been 100% reliable with a variety of ammunition. I even kicked some rounds through the dirt before loading them, but the mags worked flawlessly. And, no, I didn’t pour dirt directly into the mags because I’m not trying to induce a failure. I just want to know if they run, and they do.
A nice feature is the baseplate contours that allow a positive purchase, should the shooter have to pull the mags free from the gun. I’ve never experienced that problem with my PPQ, but it’s always a possibility. Good on Walther for including that detail.
Another good thing about these extended mags is that they did not noticeably affect my grip. I didn’t expect them to since my hand fits naturally on the PPQ with the standard flush mags, but someone with outsized mitts may take advantage of the extra real estate these mags provide.
Obviously, the biggest plus, after reliability, is that I get an extra two rounds at the range. Depending on what I’m doing, that can be a good thing, or it might not matter at all. But I have them if I want them. And two extra rounds in a self-defense situation is always a good thing, though that application, for me, is limited. See below.
Walther PPQ 15+2 Mags: The Not So Good
As much as I like these mags, they don’t always fit my PPQ’s primary role of an everyday carry gun. The two extra rounds come at the price of extended length. In cold weather, in which I’m wearing a coat or jacket, the extended mags are fine. But for warm weather carry, I’ll go back to the flush 15-round mag. The PPQ is already a good-sized carry gun, and the extended mags print when I’m just wearing a t-shirt. And I’m definitely not one to wear extra clothing in the summer.
Another very minor complaint is that the view ports on the magazine’s back only show 15 rounds instead of 17. As I said, very minor, but I can be nitpicky sometimes. I guess that’s why Walther calls it a “15+2” mag instead of a “17-round” mag.
But those are really the only things I don’t like about these extended mags. I do wish Walther would produce a flush mag with more than 15 rounds, but if they haven’t done it by now, I don’t see it happening, especially since they’ve moved on to the PDP. On a personal note, I have no plans to move from the PPQ to the PDP. I handled and fired the latter at SHOT Show, and I like the PPQ better. But that’s just me. As I said, the Walther PPQ fits me like a well-broken-in baseball glove. Your mileage may vary.
A Different Disassembly
The extended mags disassemble differently than the standard flush PPQ mags, so let’s briefly address that. The flush mags have a small round button on the baseplate’s bottom. You press the button and slide the baseplate off. Pretty simple.
The extended mags require a flathead screwdriver or something similar. There’s a slot on the baseplate at the back of the mag. Insert the screwdriver and pull up. A tab pops free, which you then push up with your thumb while sliding the baseplate from the mag. As always, keep a good hold on the baseplate or the mag spring will shoot across the room. I’ve included a couple of photos of this.
Worth It?
Walther mags aren’t cheap, but that’s seemingly the norm with factory mags, with a few notable exceptions. But in 11 years of buying them, I’ve never had a problem with factory Walther mags, including these 15+2 models. I still use the mags I bought back in 2012 with no issues. There’s no reason to believe that these Mec-Gar Walther mags will be any different.
Do I wish they were flush 17-rounders? Yes, I do. But they aren’t, so I use them where they fit what I’m doing. Perhaps that works for you too. If so, GunMag Warehouse can hook you up, whether you have the M2 model, or the clearly more desirable M1, like me. Happy shooting, y’all.
