Why the New Walther PPQ SC May Be 2018's Best Subcompact Pistol

The Walther PPQ SC pistol was announced at SHOT Show this year. Our friend Graham Baates recently had the opportunity to test this new subcompact in the wild. Watch the results above.

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Baates starts off the video with a quick full-mag test. He then tests a number of loads to see which bullet shape & weight will work in the gun, including Freedom Munitions’ 165 gr hush, Browning BPT 147 gr FMJ, Federal HST 124 gr, Speer Gold Dot 124gr +P, Wolf 115 gr steel case, Hornady American Gunner XTP 115 gr, Hornady Critical Defense Lite 100 gr, Inceptor RNP 84 gr, and Liberty Civil Trainer 65 gr.

After that, Baates takes five shots from seven yards using Nosler 115 gr Match. He wraps up with his overall impressions.

Chambered in 9mm, the Walther PPQ SC features a 3.5-inch barrel with polygonal rifling and a 1:10″ twist. It comes with a 10-round flush fitting mag, a 10-round magazine with a finger extension, and a 15-round subcompact magazine with a grip extension sleeve.

“Overall … very excited about the PPQ SC,” Baates says. “The P99 AS for me was just a little too small in the hand to be comfortable. I think if I were to go back or have that opportunity again, [the PPQ SC] might have been my choice for a subcompact, double stack carry gun. And between this short mag for carry and this longer mag for either winter carry or if you’ve got better concealment, range use or training, it’s a winner.”

See the specifications for the Walther PPQ SC below. For more on the PPQ SC, visit waltherarms.com.

Walther PPQ SC Specs

Model: 2815249
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel Length: 3.5 inches
Trigger Pull: 5.6 pounds
Trigger Travel: 0.4 inches
Capacity: 10 rounds/15 rounds
Overall Length: 6.6 inches
Height: 4.4 inches
Safety: 3 Auto
Width: 1.3 inches
Weight Empty: 21.2 ounces

“Graham Baates” is a pen name used by a 15-year active U.S. Army veteran who spent most of his time in the tactical side of the Intelligence community including tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. Post-Army, Graham spent some time in the 3-Gun circuit before becoming a full-time NRA Certified defensive handgun instructor and now works as an industry writer while curating a YouTube channel on the side.