I'm planning on carrying a Walther PPS (.40)
The magazine capacity is rather limited (5, 6, or 7 round options), but it's compact and has the stopping power I'm looking for.
I'm currently carrying a Beretta M-9 (I'm deployed) in a drop down thigh holster. It's comfortable, but obviously not the ideal configuration to wear in a civilian environment.
I have the Walther PPS 9mm and its a great gun and I've had no issues with it. Currently have over 600 rounds of Sellier & Bellot FMJs and another 100 Speer Gold Dot JHP 124gr +P (the short barrel version btw) through it. Walther in general is known for high quality and very tight tolerances in their guns and the PPS is no exception. This is the reason some tell you to dry fire it 200 times. I simply cleaned the gun, grabbed 300 rounds and hit the range. The PPS is already smooth it loosens up a touch after a few hundred rounds.. mainly the trigger. I fully clean it after every range use with a bore-snake, 4 or 5 q-tips, Hoppe's #9 Solvent and a microfiber cloth. I don't use oil on any of my firearms, instead I use a product called Fluid Film on all metal surfaces and on the rails. Its a very easy and quick handgun to clean. Note: Don't bother removing teh backstrap once you decide which one you like as its not needed to break it down for cleaning.. regardless of what the manual says.
Mine came with a 7rd and 8rd mag and I currently have 1 6rd, 2 7rd and 2 8rd mags.. the 8rd being the most comfortable in my hand and its still concealable. The 6rd is also nice with the pinky tucked underneath. I personally found the bottom of the 7rd mags to dig into my pinky and quite uncomfortable however the wife favors the 7rd mag and dislikes both the 6 and 8.
The 9mm has 6,7,8 round mags and the 40 has 5,6,7 round mags. I've fired both and preferred the 9mm for faster follow up shots. I've been reading of more and more people selling their 40s and buying the 9mm for this same reason.. plus the extra round.
All the 9mm issues were resolved quite sometime ago. From what I've read over on the waltherforums com the 40s still have a few issues popping up but those are rare now. Overall the 9mm seems to have less issues.
fdegree.. try the gun again but don't use your thumb for the mag release. Instead slide your index finger up safely off the trigger and your middle finger up to the release. While the middle finger then presses down your opposite hand can be ready to insert a new mag and continue firing. It *is* a practice thing but I've shown a few people this way and they seem to like it. I agree that its not a thumb release!
We'll be buying a matching 9mm next year for the wife as well.