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HK VP9
- Thread starter ACB84
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- Sep 26, 2005
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Fired one the other day
A friend is a sales rep so I was able to run a mag through it. I'm a Glock guy plain and simple, but...........The ergonomics and point-ability are awesome on this piece. I also like being able to drop a mag with my trigger finger. It is tops on the "next to buy' list.
A friend is a sales rep so I was able to run a mag through it. I'm a Glock guy plain and simple, but...........The ergonomics and point-ability are awesome on this piece. I also like being able to drop a mag with my trigger finger. It is tops on the "next to buy' list.
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VP9 looks cool but it isn't on our lovely "list" so i'm not expecting it to be easily available anytime soon. and yes i'm sure someone will chime in here and say "anything is easy to find if you know where to look" but that also means paying 2x price so f*** that idea.
find me a MA FFL who will sell me a VP9 for under $900 and i'll give you an extra $100 just because I love you.
striker guns in general seem to have a difficult time getting onto our stupid "list". my interpretation was because most mfr's don't want to put a the ridiculous gorilla trigger required by MA and/or deal with getting a new design tested by our state.
Got to play with one of these on Saturday for for a while. Below are my observations.
-Grip feels very nice, I like the stipling and tapered contour towards the top of the grip allowing high and comfortable hand placement with the default (medium) strap.
-Rear of the side has two rubber 'winglets' that prodtrude wider than the slide and help provide traction, I like them a lot. HK says they are for hand manipulation only, no emergency slide racks on clothing or solid objects, or they will pop off.
-Gun feels "thin" like a springfield, easily moved around quickly.
-Stock sights work fine, it points naturally.
-Stock trigger pull is easy, with a clean break. It's very nice.
-The rear firing indicator is springfield-like and it's painted red (easy to observe) trigger reset is short.
-Zipperback magazines are well built and impressively sturdy
-Front of the composite frame is a little flexy where the rail is, you can easily bend the bottom up towards the slide and it springs back 1/8"-1/4"
-Right hand slide release is pretty far to the rear, can't easily do the "index and middle finger SEAL style" mag change + slide drop for right-handed users like a HK45C
I got the impression some items were overly complex and a bit wonky.
-Disassembly is straightforward, flip lever like a Sig will take down the slide from the frame with a push from the rear.
-You cannot take the slide off without an magazine inserted, there is some sort of disconnector present if you try without an empty mag.
-Barrel is HK / Glock type, fully machined, supported, and octogonal rifled
-Recoil spring is quite stout, composite guide rod pushes through the center, fits on the edge of the barrel notch when reassembled.
-Firing pin safety under the slide is a 45 deg rotating switch with a c-clip style retention plate, seems overly complex for what it does.
-Extractor is huge, milled, looks beefy as hell like an imperial fighter wing.
I like 'mechanical simplicity", less parts the better. I'm used to Glock trigger bars, so the following thing really of bugged me:
-I observed the trigger bar travels rearward and the tip is very narrow, it 'floats' free as it travels to the rear.
-It makes nose to nose metal contact with another tiny bar at the rear of the trigger group which rotates down and allows the gun to fire.
-This motion is held in place by a crazy looking braided spring that is placed in an open channel in the right side of the frame to prevent side-to-side play so they don't miss.
-That spring is pinned and sits in a channel so it shouldn't move, but if you poke the bar even a couple of millimeters in either direction it won't make contact.
-If anything is dislodged in that narrow margin, it will not fire. (Similar to some M&P full size models)
-I'd be really curious to see how rough field testing goes or if filled with contaminants.
You can see more pictures of what I describe above on Sam's HK page.
One picture shows the spring on the right hand mag area. The other one with red arrows, you'll see the tiny firing pin bar above the slide center channel.
It fires well at 30-50ft, it will be a solid choice for striker fired units when next to a Glock or XDM.
-Grip feels very nice, I like the stipling and tapered contour towards the top of the grip allowing high and comfortable hand placement with the default (medium) strap.
-Rear of the side has two rubber 'winglets' that prodtrude wider than the slide and help provide traction, I like them a lot. HK says they are for hand manipulation only, no emergency slide racks on clothing or solid objects, or they will pop off.
-Gun feels "thin" like a springfield, easily moved around quickly.
-Stock sights work fine, it points naturally.
-Stock trigger pull is easy, with a clean break. It's very nice.
-The rear firing indicator is springfield-like and it's painted red (easy to observe) trigger reset is short.
-Zipperback magazines are well built and impressively sturdy
-Front of the composite frame is a little flexy where the rail is, you can easily bend the bottom up towards the slide and it springs back 1/8"-1/4"
-Right hand slide release is pretty far to the rear, can't easily do the "index and middle finger SEAL style" mag change + slide drop for right-handed users like a HK45C
I got the impression some items were overly complex and a bit wonky.
-Disassembly is straightforward, flip lever like a Sig will take down the slide from the frame with a push from the rear.
-You cannot take the slide off without an magazine inserted, there is some sort of disconnector present if you try without an empty mag.
-Barrel is HK / Glock type, fully machined, supported, and octogonal rifled
-Recoil spring is quite stout, composite guide rod pushes through the center, fits on the edge of the barrel notch when reassembled.
-Firing pin safety under the slide is a 45 deg rotating switch with a c-clip style retention plate, seems overly complex for what it does.
-Extractor is huge, milled, looks beefy as hell like an imperial fighter wing.
I like 'mechanical simplicity", less parts the better. I'm used to Glock trigger bars, so the following thing really of bugged me:
-I observed the trigger bar travels rearward and the tip is very narrow, it 'floats' free as it travels to the rear.
-It makes nose to nose metal contact with another tiny bar at the rear of the trigger group which rotates down and allows the gun to fire.
-This motion is held in place by a crazy looking braided spring that is placed in an open channel in the right side of the frame to prevent side-to-side play so they don't miss.
-That spring is pinned and sits in a channel so it shouldn't move, but if you poke the bar even a couple of millimeters in either direction it won't make contact.
-If anything is dislodged in that narrow margin, it will not fire. (Similar to some M&P full size models)
-I'd be really curious to see how rough field testing goes or if filled with contaminants.
You can see more pictures of what I describe above on Sam's HK page.
One picture shows the spring on the right hand mag area. The other one with red arrows, you'll see the tiny firing pin bar above the slide center channel.
It fires well at 30-50ft, it will be a solid choice for striker fired units when next to a Glock or XDM.
I have never gripped any HK so I can't wait to try one.
Only part that I'd hate. But I could live with. Also that Euro mag release is weird but whatever.
Only part that I'd hate. But I could live with. Also that Euro mag release is weird but whatever.
I too did not like euro style mag release under the trigger guard, but the more i have used it Im convinced its actually superior in many ways: IMO easier to access from either side and less likely to be actuated while holstered/carried.
![[grin]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/041.gif "Grin [grin]")
I was gonna start a VP9 thread and saw this one so here we go...
I just picked up the night sight version with 3 mags and here are my first impressions.
First, I had a P30LS and it was a nice pistol but the inner rails on those things are tiny and overmolded in plastic and the plastic gets all chewed up over time. HK said it's normal and doesn't effect operation and if I want I can trim off the chewed up plastic but don't trim too much. At that price point I did not like the idea of chewed up plastic so I sold it.
They must have gotten tired of people complaining about chewed up plastic because on the VP9 the inner rail is a big chunk of metal with no plastic over it. It may have to do with the fact that it's a striker fire pistol that's built differently but I'm glad to see nice big metal rails.
I gave it a good cleaning and lube, and smoothed the rails and barrel. Whenever I buy a new semiautomatic pistol I immediately hit the rails on the frame and slide, and also the barrel, with 3M 5000 grit automotive sandpaper (foam really). It smooths out any roughness to the finish and the VP9 definitely has a rough finish in the rail channels and the inner rails. It barely removes any material but leaves a nice smooth surface. It's what I use for my last step when I polish a slide.
This is my first striker fire pistol and I need to get used to the trigger system. I loaded it up with snaps caps before my first range visit in order to get an idea of what to expect.
One thing I notice is that when there is a chambered round the trigger meets some sort of resistance or friction. With no chambered round and especially with the mag out and the action open the trigger moves freely and smoothly. Is this normal operation for a striker fire pistol?
Smoothing the rails didn't seem to matter. My first trip to the range was disappointing but I'm hoping it's just break in issues.
I was using my own reloads which to this point have worked fine in my Beretta 92 and Sig P938. No failures of any kind right out of the box using my ammo. I've used several different recipes and they all worked fine in those two pistols. I could not get through a full mag in the VP9 without some sort of failure. Failure to feed, failure to extract and failure to eject. You name it. My reloads have been so reliable that I don't even keep any factory ammo on hand anymore.
When I got it home I cleaned it up and hit it again with the 5000 grit stuff.
My next step is to go buy some quality factory ammo and try that. If that works I will have to come up with a new recipe for 9mm reloads but I'm hoping this gun isn't finicky with ammo.
If factory ammo doesn't work I'll give it about 500 rounds to break in normally before I get really concerned and contact HK.
When it did fire correctly it was accurate but I couldn't really go through my normal testing due to the failures. The reset feels short. The night sights are a bit tough to see in indoor lighting which is where I was shooting. The regular sights use the glow in the dark bright green dots which are much easier to see but I still would rather have the night sights.
I would be interested in hearing from other VP9 owners to know if they have had any similar issues, especially if you are using reloads. I'll update once I've tried some factory ammo.
I just picked up the night sight version with 3 mags and here are my first impressions.
First, I had a P30LS and it was a nice pistol but the inner rails on those things are tiny and overmolded in plastic and the plastic gets all chewed up over time. HK said it's normal and doesn't effect operation and if I want I can trim off the chewed up plastic but don't trim too much. At that price point I did not like the idea of chewed up plastic so I sold it.
They must have gotten tired of people complaining about chewed up plastic because on the VP9 the inner rail is a big chunk of metal with no plastic over it. It may have to do with the fact that it's a striker fire pistol that's built differently but I'm glad to see nice big metal rails.
I gave it a good cleaning and lube, and smoothed the rails and barrel. Whenever I buy a new semiautomatic pistol I immediately hit the rails on the frame and slide, and also the barrel, with 3M 5000 grit automotive sandpaper (foam really). It smooths out any roughness to the finish and the VP9 definitely has a rough finish in the rail channels and the inner rails. It barely removes any material but leaves a nice smooth surface. It's what I use for my last step when I polish a slide.
This is my first striker fire pistol and I need to get used to the trigger system. I loaded it up with snaps caps before my first range visit in order to get an idea of what to expect.
One thing I notice is that when there is a chambered round the trigger meets some sort of resistance or friction. With no chambered round and especially with the mag out and the action open the trigger moves freely and smoothly. Is this normal operation for a striker fire pistol?
Smoothing the rails didn't seem to matter. My first trip to the range was disappointing but I'm hoping it's just break in issues.
I was using my own reloads which to this point have worked fine in my Beretta 92 and Sig P938. No failures of any kind right out of the box using my ammo. I've used several different recipes and they all worked fine in those two pistols. I could not get through a full mag in the VP9 without some sort of failure. Failure to feed, failure to extract and failure to eject. You name it. My reloads have been so reliable that I don't even keep any factory ammo on hand anymore.
When I got it home I cleaned it up and hit it again with the 5000 grit stuff.
My next step is to go buy some quality factory ammo and try that. If that works I will have to come up with a new recipe for 9mm reloads but I'm hoping this gun isn't finicky with ammo.
If factory ammo doesn't work I'll give it about 500 rounds to break in normally before I get really concerned and contact HK.
When it did fire correctly it was accurate but I couldn't really go through my normal testing due to the failures. The reset feels short. The night sights are a bit tough to see in indoor lighting which is where I was shooting. The regular sights use the glow in the dark bright green dots which are much easier to see but I still would rather have the night sights.
I would be interested in hearing from other VP9 owners to know if they have had any similar issues, especially if you are using reloads. I'll update once I've tried some factory ammo.
beaker
NES Member
I have no issues with my VP9, factory or my reloads 100% no problems at all. My reloads are usually maxed out for high velocity, I don't know if short loads would be less reliable or not. Totally reliable in the 200 rounds I put down the pipe in my only range trip so far. I don't really notice any difference in the trigger loaded or unloaded. It was very accurate out of the box for me (I don't have night sights and I like the factory 3 dots). I doubt you have to do anything to the rails, I just cleaned the excess oil on the gun for storage and shot it, no problems at all. The only tip I would give anyone is when you put the slide back on you have to push down on the rear as it passes over the trigger area to put it back on.
i own a VP 9 standard model (not night sights). mine has run flawless so far with ~350rds. no issues. it is a wonderful firearm but not the "jesus second coming hail mary Moses" that everyone claims it is.
with respect to new firearms, my philosphy is quite different from yours:
1. taking sandpaper to a new gun. IMO if i modify or "fix" a brand new gun, then how can I know the etiology of a malfunction? it should be fired straight from the box (or cleaned/lubed). no alterations. HK has been making some of the finest firearms in the world....do you really think you will improve their product with 5000 grit sandpaper?
2. reloaded vs. production ammo. again, i usually start with some standard american eagle 115gr or if possible some 124 gr 9mm ammo that I know runs great in other guns. I avoid all reloaded ammo in a new gun because again, it complicates the troubleshooting process.
my suggestions is to stop sanding your HK VP9. clean it again and sparingly lube it. do not disassemble it or fix anything. get some normal 9mm ammo (WWB, AE, etc) and then go shoot it. if you're still having issues then contact HK.
with respect to new firearms, my philosphy is quite different from yours:
1. taking sandpaper to a new gun. IMO if i modify or "fix" a brand new gun, then how can I know the etiology of a malfunction? it should be fired straight from the box (or cleaned/lubed). no alterations. HK has been making some of the finest firearms in the world....do you really think you will improve their product with 5000 grit sandpaper?
2. reloaded vs. production ammo. again, i usually start with some standard american eagle 115gr or if possible some 124 gr 9mm ammo that I know runs great in other guns. I avoid all reloaded ammo in a new gun because again, it complicates the troubleshooting process.
my suggestions is to stop sanding your HK VP9. clean it again and sparingly lube it. do not disassemble it or fix anything. get some normal 9mm ammo (WWB, AE, etc) and then go shoot it. if you're still having issues then contact HK.
They call it sandpaper but it really isn't sandpaper. It a foam sheet with a 5000 grit blue surface that's barely abrasive. You could rub all day and not remove enough material to notice it. It just makes the surface smooth and/or shiny if you are polishing which is what I typically use it for. I've never had any issues with it. I use it on a new gun to thoroughly clean up the goo and smooth things out.
It's more likely that this gun needs a higher charge. When I do my 9's I use the starting grains or a touch higher. I like to get as many rounds out of a bottle as I can while still operating the gun. Other guns were no problem but this might need more pressure to cycle. Sort of like the SR22 that nees high velocity 22lr in order to cycle properly. I'm hoping that's all it is.
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I'd imagine this is the issue. Some guns use a stronger recoil spring thats ill suited for minimum power loads until well broken in (Walther PPQ, Gen 4 Glock 9mms).
vickers
NES Member
This. I have a P30L. HK design these pistols for NATO, +P pressure rounds. I had a number of stovepipes with some cheapie ammo I had bought at the shop the day I picked mine up. Since the break in period of the first 200-300 rounds I have had no issues. I would run a few hundred rounds of decent factory ammo, try using 124gr during that period, and then judge things better afterwards. Good luck and enjoy your VP9.
As far as the plastic covered rails on the P30. I noticed my rear rails were looking a little chewed up after a few hundred rounds and had the same worry. After reading it was normal, I lightly sanded them with a nail file. I mean very lightly just to smooth them up. I have almost 2000 rounds though the gun now and I just looked at mine and they look fine and look no different than they had after I had cleaned them up a bit. I think there was probably some extra polymer on them from the factory. I have not heard of any widespread issue with the rails on the P30. This is a non-issue issue as far as I am concerned.
I have about 3/4 of a box of Underwood 124 g. +P 9mm I forgot about. I'll run those through tomorrow and post up the results. If those work I'll go get some factory 115 grain regular stuff and see if those work. Thanks.
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EJFudd
NES Member
This. Keep your expectations in check or risk some serious disappointment.
Parker Duofold
NES Member
My Ruger SR22 eats just about any kind of .22 ammo.
I've had a few failures with standard velocity ammo but never with cci minimags or equivalent. The manual says it may not cycle with "target" ammunition or similar.
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The only thing I don't like about the VP9 is the mag release. But otherwise looks ok.
Varmint
NES Member
When you chamber a round you are cocking the striker, so when it's not cocked, like after you dry fire it while empty, the trigger will be light. I think that's what you're feeling.
I really wanted a VP9 but I've been shying away from high-cap pistols with no pre-bans. It's kind of a mental hang-up, I'd rather have the 10 round HK45 while living in Mass.
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For more years than I care to remember, my muscle memory is trained to push a mag button with my thumb. Don't really care how modern or cute the little paddles are, got to relearn a learned experience.
I don't give a crap how it looks. I care how it works. The paddle is too far forward to easily reach with my thumb. Yes, I can reach the mag release with my index finger, but that requires a different manual of arms unique to this gun. Furthermore I'm not a big fan of screwing around with my index finger that close to the trigger.
Some people think different = modern = better. Sometimes different is just different. In this case, different is worse.
Worse for you better for me. Is one of us right or wrong? No.
I think it looks great and works great. I can use my thumb or index finger equally as well. Press either lever and the mag pops right out. My traditional SR1911 mag release button works great too. I like them both.
It's nowhere near close enough to the trigger to be an issue and doubt that the designers, and especially the state of MA with it's AG set of babysitting rules, would approve that location for a release if it were a danger.
I appreciate engineers that think outside the box and come up with innovative designs. If not for that then everyone would still be walking around with single action revolvers.
