HK Vp9 vs P30 v3

[alan226]

I shot a HK P30 v3 for the first time last weekend and thought it was the balls. Seriously considering buying one. I haven't shot the Vp9. I know the whole striker v hammer fired thing.
For those that have fired or owned both, which do you prefer? I had a P2000 V3 LEM and thought it sucked and said I wouldn't buy another but this P30 was just awesome.

Thoughts?

 

[40 Creedmoor fan]

VP9 is every bit as excellent and ergonomic as P30, only striker fired. I'd go with VP9.

 

[Scuderia]

What didn’t you like about the P2000?

 

[40 Creedmoor fan]

What didn’t you like about the P2000?

It's old, or at least older than VP9. Ergonomics are more Glock-like, and the looks are very 1990's. No complaints when it comes to shooting or reliability.

 

[drgrant]

I shot a HK P30 v3 for the first time last weekend and thought it was the balls. Seriously considering buying one. I haven't shot the Vp9. I know the whole striker v hammer fired thing.
For those that have fired or owned both, which do you prefer? I had a P2000 V3 LEM and thought it sucked and said I wouldn't buy another but this P30 was just awesome.

Thoughts?

I really wish that HK incorporated a shorter reset into the LEM design, honestly. I liked my P2000 LEM (whatever the 6-7 lb one was) when I had it, its just that after running Glocks for awhile the reset sucked. It doesnt have to be like hair trigger reset, but even if they halved the distance, that would be enough for a HUUUUUGE improvement. The existing LEM reset gives me M&P PTSD, like you let it out enough you think its going to reset, but NO IT DOESNT.

Quality wise both guns are top notch.

This is of course setting aside my mental or physical hand defects that cause me to have a natural point of aim with a P30 or VP9 to be pointing 5-15 degrees down when I present it out of the holster, without rolling the gun back. Whenever I shoot a newer HK I feel like this guy with the glasses...


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8zcArNybak

 

[Noreaster13]

I have both, changed out both triggers
VP9 got a Lazywolf flat
P30L got a Grayguns & SRT
I don't care for the DA pull in general but the SA is nice
I can't favor either one so that's why I still have both

 

[Love Machine]

I disagree that they are the same, P30 feels way better than a VP9 in my hands.

 

[Scuderia]

It's old, or at least older than VP9. Ergonomics are more Glock-like, and the looks are very 1990's. No complaints when it comes to shooting or reliability.

Thanks. I’ve been wanting to pick one up. I love Glocks and the 1990s so this sounds like the pistol for me.

 

[40 Creedmoor fan]

Thanks. I’ve been wanting to pick one up. I love Glocks and the 1990s so this sounds like the pistol for me.

Just keep in mind: there is a reason Glock dominated in the 90's: their competition was not up to par. Today, Glock is no longer dominant not because it's gotten worse but rather others have been able to design better pistols(H&K, Walther, S&W)

 

[drgrant]

Just keep in mind: there is a reason Glock dominated in the 90's: their competition was not up to par. Today, Glock is no longer dominant not because it's gotten worse but rather others have been able to design better pistols(H&K, Walther, S&W)

Yet none of them except for Sig can beat them in gross commercial sales. It's not even close, and 98% of that is because of the 365.

ETA: it's not that there aren't other great handguns it's that they don't necessarily sell as well. HK and Walther might as well be niche brands, barely taking any market share. Canik probably outsells both by volume on one model alone.

 

[jkelly1229]

I disagree that they are the same, P30 feels way better than a VP9 in my hands.

.... do you have the grip panels setup different

 

[jkelly1229]

Just keep in mind: there is a reason Glock dominated in the 90's: their competition was not up to par. Today, Glock is no longer dominant not because it's gotten worse but rather others have been able to design better pistols(H&K, Walther, S&W)

?

S+w does not make a better gun than a glock

 

[Love Machine]

.... do you have the grip panels setup different

No, just different contours that make the subtle Gehman difference. Same way that a P229 fits small hands better, and a P226 fits my hands best.

 

[40 Creedmoor fan]

Yet none of them except for Sig can beat them in gross commercial sales. It's not even close, and 98% of that is because of the 365.

ETA: it's not that there aren't other great handguns it's that they don't necessarily sell as well. HK and Walther might as well be niche brands, barely taking any market share. Canik probably outsells both by volume on one model alone.

People are still buying 1911's even though the world has moved on...
I still own my father's Glock 23 that he bought in the 90's and gave me when he could no longer shoot pistols. One of my favorite guns. Still shoots as good as when it was new. I will shoot it until I can't shoot no more.
Fotay fo life, b!tches!

 

[Docpk]

I have both. VP9 shoots better for me. Better trigger.

 

[straightshooterjake]

To me, striker fired vs traditional DA/SA is the whole question. The action and function of the pistol is the most important issue. You can get a top quality pistol with either type of action, and both the HK pistols are fine choices for quality and reliability.

With that said, I am a strong advocate for striker fired. The primary reason for DA/SA is just that people who like it that way. There are valid reasons why some people prefer traditional DA/SA, but those are specific and individual reasons. For almost everyone asking questions about pistols, DA/SA is the wrong choice.

Years ago I watched a guy who had won a state IDPA championship with a Sig P series pistol. He was truly fast and accurate for the first two shots from the holster with a DA/SA pistol. But he is the only person I have seen who could really run that type of action. Everyone else who has told me they are "fast and accurate" with those pistols does not understand one of those words. Their double tap from the holster is either slow, or one shot is wild.

Get the striker fired pistol unless there is something that you just love about DA/SA, and you love it enough to choose a less efficient system. And yes, the VP9 is a top choice for a striker fired pistol.

 

[kro77]

Both guns are great and I don't think you can go wrong with either. I think there is more aftermarket support for the VP9 from what I have seen. Personally, I like hammer fired guns so the P30 has the edge but it is really a preference thing..

 

[vickers]

I really wish that HK incorporated a shorter reset into the LEM design

Yeah, this was the only thing I didn't like about my P30L, so put in a Gray Guns Short Reset kit a while back.

For the OP, I owned both a P30L LEM and a VP9 and ended up selling the VP9. Nothing wrong with it, just liked the P30L as I preferred to have a hammer fired and had a bunch of other striker fired guns at the time.

 

[SBORW221]

Most of these responses are subjective anyway. I own both a VP9 and a P30S V3 and prefer the trigger in the VP9, and it’s not particularly close.

The ergonomics (with the exception of the trigger) are nearly identical and they both have swappable grip panels to fine tune. They share the same mags which is an added bonus.

The P30 also has a short break in period. Mine would stove pipe 115gr pretty regularly when new. A few hundred rounds of heavier grain and it’s been good to go since. The SA pull has a ton of slop on reset, some people like that but I’m not one of them.

 

[G4Y4HK]

I own both. VP9 has an factory cut slide and easier to just slap on an optic. I still don't carry it cause I'm a pussy and only carry DA/SA guns. My P30 is V3 traditional DA/SA and is equally reliable. Train and know your gun. People bitch about the HK trigger and reset but I can do pretty well with it. I also carry a P30SK I had custom milled for an optic also in DA/SA. Not a huge fan of that LEM thing. All three of my HK babies I love equally. The VP9 is a great house gun if you're a pussy like me and don't like to carry a big striker piece.