When the name Walther is brought up, people might immediately associate it with the compact PPK used by James Bond, or perhaps even that the gun that Adolf Hitler used to kill himself, but Carl Walther GmbH has been producing handguns for more than one hundred years.

Walther actually continues to produce firearms for the military, law enforcement and civilians. This includes handguns such as the Walther P99, one of the company’s most iconic pistols and one that is trusted worldwide by law enforcement professionals; and the PPQ, one of the most recent updates of the P99.

Walther has continued to innovate and produce handguns that can meet virtually any needs and these are neither shaken nor stirred.

At this year’s SHOT Show Walther introduced the Q4 SF (Steel Frame) 9 millimeter, a small handgun that features a steel frame precision machined from a solid steel billet. It also included a wrap-around grip panel, Picatinny rail and recessed slide release. The frame and slide are also machined, not cast, and the slide catch and takedown pin were designed to be as low profile as possible while the slide catch is ambidextrous and mounted on both sides.

Not being a company that is known for its modesty, Walther described it as “the ultimate representation of high-class performance in a conceal carry package that just can’t be found anywhere else.” 

While such marketing-speak could be disregarded, the fact is that that the steel frame does surpass expectations as the company claimed. In a world of stamped parts and loose tolerances, this is the type of craftsmanship that old Carl Walther would have expected. The result of the machined process is improved ergonomics and superior weight distribution, which has drastically improved the handgun’s recoil while aiding shooter performance and keeping the Q4 SF on target. The sights are also serrated while the rear is blacked out.

Walther has always been known for its good grips, and the Q4 FS takes this up a notch with a unique aggressive texture that is comprised of small tetrahedrons that ensure a firm hold while not being overly rough or abrasive.

The Q4 FS isn’t as compact as the PPK, but it has an overall length of just 7.4 inches, a height of 5.4 inches and a width of 1.3 inches. This makes it small enough for every day carry while still offering a full fifteen-rounds in the magazine (an extended seventeen-round magazine is also available). Perhaps in the future, this could be a gun carried by a certain suave super spy.

The Q4, which began to ship in February, comes in a standard version (MSRP: $1,399) and a second optics-ready model (MSPR: $1,499), which features a slide cut for red-dot sights.

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer who has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers and websites. He is the author of several books on military headgear including A Gallery of Military Headdress, which is available on Amazon.com.