Mike21STI Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 http://modernserviceweapons.com/?p=9149 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.E. Kelley Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 I have one in route. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ummm Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 Looks like H&K admired the Walther PPQ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apexer Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 I am on a pre order list, I"m stoked! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apexer Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 I have one in route. I am interested to hear what you think about it, as you may have it in your hands sooner than the rest of us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.E. Kelley Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 I understand they will be shipping on the 10th! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunz213 Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 Hopefully mine will arrive before I move. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apexer Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 I understand they will be shipping on the 10th! Sweet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAZZ Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 Well, it’s been very difficult keeping my mouth shut the last couple of years with this project in development, and an NDA was required to keep me quiet, but now with the official release, I can talk about the pistol. First things first—I wasn’t involved in the development. The credit for the end product goes to the HK design team, and Jason, the HK shooting team captain—he has a lot of time invested in the project. But I have shot the VP9 quite a bit, and can probably answer some of your questions. Now much of this will be subjective, as everyone perceives things differently, so most of this post is considered ‘in my opinion.’ Let me preface all of the following by saying this: I like GLOCKs. My duty gun is a G21. My EDC was (was) a G19. I am not a ‘fan boy’ of anything, but I appreciate things that work. The biggest thing: The trigger. Yes, it’s as good as the reports. I don’t have a ton of time behind a Walther trigger, but in my opinion, it’s as good as or possibly just a little bit better than the Walther. What I can reliably compare it to are stock and modified triggers in M&P and GLOCK handguns. It is easily better than stock offerings in the M&P and GLOCK line, and better than some of the aftermarket upgraded triggers found in the same. The trigger in the VP9 has a light, short and smooth take-up, with no staging or gritty feel, a break that is very crisp and clean and is better than the SA portion of most DA/SA guns I have fired. It has a short and very positive reset. Compared to aftermarket triggers, I’d say the stock VP9 trigger gives many of them a run for their money. I have an M&P Pro 9 that my wife uses for 3-gun, and it has an APEX competition sear kit in it. Comparing the two, the APEX trigger pull is lighter than the stock VP9 trigger, but doesn’t break as clean, has more total travel, and has nowhere near the positive reset that the VP9 does. My G34s both have 3.5# connectors, and spring kits in them (GLOCKWORX, I think). Again, the actual trigger pull weight on the modified G34 is less than the VP9, but the break is cleaner, and you don’t have the staging that is often present in the GLOCK trigger. Also, and this is one of the things I dislike about my P30 triggers, the VP9 trigger breaks much further forward and doesn’t travel nearly as far. I always disliked how the trigger on the P30 doesn’t break until the trigger is all the way back to the frame—I always felt like it was difficult to consistently pull my trigger finger straight to the rear, because the trigger had to move so far back. Not so with the VP9. All in all, I feel it’s the best stock striker trigger on the market. The ‘trough’: Until a poster on AR15.com pointed it out, and voiced his dislike for it, I honestly didn’t even realize it was there. I never noticed the trough in the trigger guard when firing the VP9, but I also never felt it on my HK45 or P30s—so, YMMV, I guess. Sights: The sights share the same dovetail as the P30 / HK45, so aftermarket sights for any of those guns should fit. I have a set of Dawson sights on order to find out if the same height front sight that the P30 uses will work for the VP9. Charging Supports: The first time we all saw the prototype gun with the charging supports we were all like WTF? I didn’t think they really needed to be there, but HK liked them, and they weren’t going anywhere. But here’s the funny thing—when I actually got to shoot the gun, I used them every time without even thinking. They work as advertised, and I think they will be a huge plus for those with reduced hand strength who have trouble manipulating the slide—especially when their hands get wet. They really don’t get in the way of anything, and when CCing the VP9, they don’t protrude enough that you could feel them on your side. Plus, if you really don’t like them, you can drift the rear sight off and replace it with flat inserts that should be available from the web-shop. Mags: It takes P30 mags, and works fine with the Taylor Freelance extensions, so a tight 20 + 1or an easy 19 + 1 is already available. The magazine release paddles: The geometry of the VP9 is a little different than the P30, and the magazine sits further up in the gun. Because of this, the mag release paddles sit up slightly higher and further to the rear than the P30, making it a little easier to hit the magazine release paddles. It also makes it so that the paddles don’t rest below the trigger guard when there isn’t a magazine inserted, which can irritate the hand. Holsters: This is a brand new gun, and I’m sure samples are at holster makers as we speak getting holster blanks made up. I tried the VP9 in a leather holster made for a P30, and it fit fine, but the nose hung out a quarter inch or so. I think a leather holster for a P30L should work just fine. But a word of caution on kydex holsters—during the video shoot, I made a couple of draws and the magazine fell out as I presented the gun. It took two iterations of this to figure out that because the magazine release paddles sit further up on the grip that the indented portion (where the trigger guard is) of the holster (which was molded for a P30) was touching the mag release paddles. So when I was driving my hand down on the grip, I was activating the paddles and ejecting the magazine. I make my own kydex holsters, so I just made my own, but companies are going to have make VP9-specific kydex holsters—a P30 holster may not work. The grip: The VP9 grip is very similar to, and is just as ridiculously comfortable as, the P30 grip. Even more so, though—since the slide is a hair longer in the back than a P30, there is a little more ‘beavertail’ than a P30, and it feels like your hand ‘locks in’ to the grip. The panels come off and go back on the same way as a P30—although I’m not sure if they are identical to and interchangeable with the P30 panels. I’ll check on that as soon as I can. Also, the bore axis of the VP9 is a little lower than the P30, so it should theoretically recoil softer than a P30. The bore axis thing never bothered me too much with other guns, however, so again—YMMV. Felt recoil is a pretty subjective thing. Bottom line is that the VP9 is very easy to shoot well. To the best of my knowledge, the VP9 uses the same recoil spring (not guide rod) as the P30. As such, you can probably expect to shoot some warm 124grn ammo for the first hundred or so rounds to break the gun in. Disassembly is easy, and requires no tools, and pulling the trigger is not required. There is no magazine safety (for firing) but there is a lever that prevents further disassembly of the gun unless the magazine is removed. Well, that’s all I can think of off the top of my head. If you have any questions, fire away. Oh, and I hope you enjoyed the video. It was a lot of fun to make, and the HK marketing team, along with the videographers and photographers were very professional. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.E. Kelley Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 Excellent report RAZZ and the video was nicely done too! Both make waiting for the new gun all the more difficult. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DWFAN Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 What's the street price going to look like? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alma Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 The video Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warpdrv Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 Nice report RAZZ..... ha - for sale a couple of P30 LEM's.... Just bought an XDm 9mm, guess we'll see how it compares.... FWIW - there are a few preorders going, in various configurations on the other forum starting at $550 each.... $600 with night sights Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cpa5oh Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 4" barrel? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DWFAN Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 4.09" according to the link above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.E. Kelley Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 Yup 1.2" shorter sight radius than a G34 0.60" shorter than a 5" 1911. I would imagine that if this first offering is met with a welcome a comp version will follow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAZZ Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 Yup 1.2" shorter sight radius than a G34 0.60" shorter than a 5" 1911. I would imagine that if this first offering is met with a welcome a comp version will follow. Let's hope so! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.E. Kelley Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 Yup 1.2" shorter sight radius than a G34 0.60" shorter than a 5" 1911. I would imagine that if this first offering is met with a welcome a comp version will follow. Let's hope so! My reply was somewhat "tongue in cheek" as I think we action shooters make a little too much out of sight radius. Ooo, how could anyone possibly shoot a 5"1911 with so short a sight radius. I too like the longer versions of the standard pistols, but that one spec is not a deal breaker...what is if anything remains to be seen after i take delivery and put the screws to it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.E. Kelley Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 Quick impression...feels great in the hand, trigger is very nice. In dryfire trigger breaks easily with sights aligned. It feels like I should be able to run with this gun. More and maybe a video Sunday AM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apexer Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 Quick impression...feels great in the hand, trigger is very nice. In dryfire trigger breaks easily with sights aligned. It feels like I should be able to run with this gun. More and maybe a video Sunday AM. Awesome! I'm interested to hear how it feels in recoil, also what ammo you ran through it. Thanks Mr. Kelley. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreenDragon64 Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 Well, I would buy a 1911 right before finding this thread... dang. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.E. Kelley Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 Here you go! Sorry for the wind noise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jester121 Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 Looks like H&K admired the Walther PPQLooks like a cross between the PPQ and PPX to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreenDragon64 Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 Looks like H&K admired the Walther PPQLooks like a cross between the PPQ and PPX to me. It looks like a striker fired P30. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apexer Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 Quick impression...feels great in the hand, trigger is very nice. In dryfire trigger breaks easily with sights aligned. It feels like I should be able to run with this gun. More and maybe a video Sunday AM. Would you say it has more muzzle rise than a glock 17? It looks to have a higher bore axis, but how does it feel? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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