Smith & Wesson is well known for its revolvers, for its three generations of metal-frame semi-automatics, and its modern line of polymer-frame M&P pistols. Between the metal-frame Third Generation pistols and the M&P series is a series of handguns largely forgotten by the world, and it’s known as the SW99 series.
That’s right, SW99, not S&W 99. Technically, the S&W SW99, but the W in SW99 doesn’t stand for Wesson; it stands for Walther. S&W used to be Walther’s importer, and they had a fairly close relationship.
In 1999, Glock supremacy reigned, and S&W wanted to get into the polymer pistol market, but didn’t have a design. Walther had a design, but poor penetration into the U.S. market. S&W and Walther partnered up to bring the Walther P99 to the U.S. market as the SW99 pistol series.
More Than A Rebrand
The SW99 weren’t just Walther pistols with a new logo. They were the same design, but S&W made the slide and barrel as well as final assembly. Walther could build polymer frames, so they produced the polymer frame and the internal components.
The SW99 had a few small changes. There are slight aesthetic differences, including a different trigger guard and grip design. The slide featured serrations on both the front and rear of the slide, whereas the original P99 only had rear serrations.
The Walther P99 was only ever produced in 9mm and .40 S&W, but the SW99 chambered .45 ACP and, as far as I know, is the only P99 design to do so. Much like the P99, there were several trigger variants:
- The traditional DA/SA with Anti-Stress Trigger.
- A Double Action Only (DAO).
- A Quick Action mode (a short trigger roughly the same weight as a double action).
The gun was released in standard full-sized configuration and a compact model.
Breaking Down the SW99
If you know the P99, you know the SW99. I have an SW99C, and it’s one of my favorite guns. This is one of the rare DA/SA striker-fired polymer-frame guns. Most polymer-frame guns, like the Glock series, feature a partially cocked striker.
The SW99 offered users the option to carry in double-action with a longer, heavier trigger. After the first shot was fired, the handgun would switch to single action with a lighter, shorter trigger pull.
Standard models had a third mode called the Anti-Stress mode. This gave you a two-stage trigger. The trigger distance was the same as the double action, but the first stage was incredibly light. Past the first stage, it reverted to a standard single-action design.
It’s an oddity, and as a fan of oddities, I think it’s neat. The gun featured a top-mounted decocker. It’s a button—just press it, and the gun decocks. When cocked, the striker protrudes from the rear, making it obvious the gun is cocked to single action.
The SW99 series used P99 magazines for the 9mm and .40 S&W variants, but a new magazine had to be developed for the .45 ACP variant. The .45 ACP variant holds nine rounds, the .40 S&W holds 12 rounds, and the 9mm holds 15 rounds.
To The Range With the SW99
What I love most about the P99 and, by extension, my SW99C is the trigger. I’m a DA/SA fan, so seeing it in a polymer-frame striker action is an interesting departure from hammer-fired guns. Walther’s polymer-frame pistols have always been known for their excellent triggers.
The SW99 is no different. The double action is long and heavy, but it’s remarkably smooth for a double-action design. It might be the best factory double-action trigger outside of the high-end competition guns.
The single action is insanely short and light. The break is crisp and provides an excellent overall experience. It’s one of my favorite trigger designs, and it’s sad to see it was never fully appreciated with the SW99 or the P99.
The SW99 is a delight to shoot thanks to that trigger. A good trigger won’t disrupt your sight picture as you press it, but most experienced shooters will keep a consistent and good grip to prevent that. Even so, a good trigger helps remove some of those human error elements.
With the SW99C and the cheap plastic iron sights, I can stack rounds into a B8 at 15 yards, quickly and accurately. It’s impressively accurate. At seven yards, I can put five rounds inside a two-inch circle.
If I back up to 25 yards, I can keep eight- and 10-inch gongs swinging. Switching from gong to gong is a ton of fun. Seeing them swing, catching them in the center, and quickly moving to the second gong makes speed and accuracy a priority.
Going Fast with the SW99
The SW99’s light trigger makes it a lot of fun to go fast. Your finger barely has to come off the trigger for it to reset. I normally slap the trigger guard with my trigger finger instead of riding the reset. With the SW99, I don’t ride the reset, but as soon as my finger leaves the trigger, I race it back rearward.
This took some practice to master, and maybe “mastery” is a bit much, but I got better with it. It makes Bill Drills a ton of fun, and while I didn’t break my self-imposed two-second time limit, I was getting closer and closer with every string of fire.
I only stopped trying when I ran out of ammo. The SW99C and the SW99 series, as a family, allow for easy, fast shooting. While most guns feel like Honda Civics, the SW99C feels like a decked-out tuner. It wants you to go fast.
The SW99 In Hand
The SW99 has excellent ergonomics with a few notable flaws.
On the good side is the general grip design. It avoids feeling blocky or thick. It’s rounded and quite comfortable.
The controls are fairly large. The magazine release, decocker, and slide release are all easy to engage and use. The slide release in particular is a favorite due to its large size.
The magazine release will be a love it or hate it affair. It’s positioned on the trigger guard and is ambidextrous. It takes some practice to get used to, but I prefer it to the button and wish more guns besides a few old Walthers and HKs embraced this design. I also understand why people would dislike it.
On the bad side, the grip texture is very light. When your hands get sweaty, the gun wants to move around with anything besides a crush grip. That’s my main ergonomic complaint.
Sadly, the decocker’s placement on the top of the slide prevents the addition of a red dot. Maybe if Leupold made the Delta Micro for the P99, this would be possible, but I wouldn’t get my hopes up.
The End of the SW99
The SW99 didn’t last long. It seemed to be a stop-gap design for S&W before they could enter the polymer frame market. In 2006, the M&P series came around, and the SW99 series faded away. They can still be found on the secondary market.
If you’re like me and want a P99C, the SW99C is a more affordable and common option. They are still well-made, reliable, and interesting handguns that would be valid defensive firearms. Plus, it’s the only way to get a P99-like firearm in .45 ACP.
