In December of 2015, news of a new competition pistol from Walther slipped out. Now, the gun is ready for prime time and will be available in stores by the middle of this month.

Called the Q5 Match, the new 9mm handgun is designed for high end performance in competitions. Like many new pistols – especially those with gaming in mind – the Q5 comes from the factory with a slide cut and adaptors for a variety of popular red dot optics:

• Trijicon RMR
• Leupold Delta Point
• Docter Red Dot Optic

Walther equipped the pistol with a 5″ barrel that will likely show increased bullet velocities when compared to 4 – 4.5″ models. The longer sight radius, coupled with the fiber optic front and adjustable target rear sights, can also help improve accuracy.

The distinctive blue trigger is part of the company’s “quick defense trigger” system. The nominal pull weight is 5.6 pounds, and the total trigger travel is only 0.4″. Reset occurs at about 0.1″ for rapid shooting.

The slide stop is ambidextrous and the push button style magazine release is reversible. Magazines hold 15 rounds of 9mm ammunition. With an empty magazine, the gun weighs approximately 26 ounces. Walther has not yet announced a suggested retail price.

Other recent pistol introductions from Walther include a PPQ in .45 ACP and the second generation PPS.