H&K VP9

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Michael A Ferber

Michael A Ferber

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Awaiting delivery from Bud's Gun Shop. For over a year I've been thinking about buying a VP9. I rented one for an hour at my local indoor range. I was surprised by how well I shot the gun. Nothing earth-shattering, it just was very pleasant to shoot well. I should have mine by the end of the week. Bought the all-black, with the stock contrast sights. And I swore off striker-fired guns! LOL
 
Every time I look at an H&K I think how much more substantial it appears compared to other polymer pistols. The ergonomics alone would be enough to hook me, but I was already in the game with an M&P or 3 when I finally saw one up close and the price difference at the time gave me pause. But...if I could go back in time...

Congratulations on holding out for what you wanted, they are very nice indeed.
 
Skylerbone said:
Every time I look at an H&K I think how much more substantial it appears compared to other polymer pistols. The ergonomics alone would be enough to hook me, but I was already in the game with an M&P or 3 when I finally saw one up close and the price difference at the time gave me pause. But...if I could go back in time...

Congratulations on holding out for what you wanted, they are very nice indeed.
Click to expand...
Thanks!
 
I shot an H&K VP9 four or five years ago and was surprised at how nice it felt and functioned - I had to get one for myself.

They were tough to find for a little while. When I finally bought one I took it out and shot it but was a little disappointed in 'mine'; it was nice, but not great. After three or four range trips I still felt the same. Then my son and his family came for a Christmas visit and late one night I was showing him a couple of recent acquisitions (all unloaded with no ammunition in sight) when the VP9 came out. He was impressed with it, and when I described my slight disappointment with it he asked: "Well, did you try any of the different backstraps and grip side plates? Why do you think they went to the trouble of including so many of them with the pistol?"

Duh!!! After about 40 minutes of trying various combinations I picked up the pistol and it was magic (I think it was a small backstrap with one small and one medium side plate) - that VP9 felt like it was literally made to fit my (smaller than average) hand and my trigger finger instinctively went right where it should each time.

The next range trip confirmed it. The search for my personal polymer framed striker fired 9x19mm pistol was over. Heckler & Koch's Volkspistol #9 was exactly what I had been looking for.
 
il.bill said:
I shot an H&K VP9 four or five years ago and was surprised at how nice it felt and functioned - I had to get one for myself.

They were tough to find for a little while. When I finally bought one I took it out and shot it but was a little disappointed in 'mine'; it was nice, but not great. After three or four range trips I still felt the same. Then my son and his family came for a Christmas visit and late one night I was showing him a couple of recent acquisitions (all unloaded with no ammunition in sight) when the VP9 came out. He was impressed with it, and when I described my slight disappointment with it he asked: "Well, did you try any of the different backstraps and grip side plates? Why do you think they went to the trouble of including so many of them with the pistol?"

Duh!!! After about 40 minutes of trying various combinations I picked up the pistol and it was magic (I think it was a small backstrap with one small and one medium side plate) - that VP9 felt like it was literally made to fit my (smaller than average) hand and my trigger finger instinctively went right where it should each time.

The next range trip confirmed it. The search for my personal polymer framed striker fired 9x19mm pistol was over. Heckler & Koch's Volkspistol #9 was exactly what I had been looking for.
Click to expand...
OUTSTANDING! :)
 
Here is the current state of my VP9:

Long slide installed after being milled for an optic (Aimpoint ACRO P-1) by Primary Machine with custom height iron sights to co-witness in the bottom of the window. The long slide uses an HK “O” ring style barrel, with the muzzle area over sized then turned down to yield a tight fit in addition to the “O” ring, barrel hood is also oversized at the rear and hand fitted. Trigger is a Lazy Wolf Guns flat face with over travel adjustment, and I do have an HK Parts match sere spring installed that dropped the 2nd stage down about .5lb. Also mounting a Surefire X300U (A model). Holster is a PHLster Floodlight, and yes I carry this set up, and yes it does conceal.

Here’s some 25 yard standing off hand work while I was chasing one of the posted challenges on the board. That’s 20 rounds on a B-16, 93% score, I’ll admit the red center kind of buggers up the sight picture shooting a red dot sight. Oh well. E3BD9793-9498-41FA-A65B-D48FACD5E371.jpeg 06380134-C11F-4D6B-A6F2-8507C8D1D565.jpeg
 
Coal Dragger said:
Here is the current state of my VP9:

Long slide installed after being milled for an optic (Aimpoint ACRO P-1) by Primary Machine with custom height iron sights to co-witness in the bottom of the window. The long slide uses an HK “O” ring style barrel, with the muzzle area over sized then turned down to yield a tight fit in addition to the “O” ring, barrel hood is also oversized at the rear and hand fitted. Trigger is a Lazy Wolf Guns flat face with over travel adjustment, and I do have an HK Parts match sere spring installed that dropped the 2nd stage down about .5lb. Also mounting a Surefire X300U (A model). Holster is a PHLster Floodlight, and yes I carry this set up, and yes it does conceal.

Here’s some 25 yard standing off hand work while I was chasing one of the posted challenges on the board. That’s 20 rounds on a B-16, 93% score, I’ll admit the red center kind of buggers up the sight picture shooting a red dot sight. Oh well.View attachment 863258 View attachment 863257
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Scary!
 
Finally, the VP9 landed today. I just picked it up this morning. Test firing starts tomorrow. The trigger feels like butter, re-set is not real short though. Find out tomorrow! Image (1).jpeg
 
Michael A Ferber said:
re-set is not real short though.
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I agree, in comparison to other guns it is a tad long. But I haven't found the reset distance to really impact my shooting in a negative way.

Mine is primarily a defensive gun though. If shooting at speed at longer distances, it could possibly be an issue I suppose, but the clean break of the trigger helps I think.

I anticipate picking up a long slide for mine as well.
 
460Shooter said:
I agree, in comparison to other guns it is a tad long. But I haven't found the reset distance to really impact my shooting in a negative way.

Mine is primarily a defensive gun though. If shooting at speed at longer distances, it could possibly be an issue I suppose, but the clean break of the trigger helps I think.

I anticipate picking up a long slide for mine as well.
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Too much is made of triggers and resets. That is not what drew me to the VP9. I never owned an H&K firearm, that was my only reason. I'm sick of the YouTube gun reviews. I never knew there were so many John Browning wanna-be's!
 
Michael A Ferber said:
Too much is made of triggers and resets. That is not what drew me to the VP9. I never owned an H&K firearm, that was my only reason. I'm sick of the YouTube gun reviews. I never knew there were so many John Browning wanna-be's!
Click to expand...
Agree. I feel a lot of the "endurance tests" amount to abusing a gun, and then acting baffled when it breaks or fails to function. I also think a lot of "reviewers" fail to acknowledge that there is a different intended purpose for a $600 polymer service pistol, and a $1600 bullseye or competition gun. To me, if I can keep all the rounds center mass at 15 yards with a service type pistol like this, I'm more or less happy.

If I wan to make it a competition gun, I'm going to overhaul the gun with trigger work and a long slide. Maybe milling for optics. But I'm a lot more inclined to just buy a different gun for that purpose.

I think you'll like it. I have 3 HKs and I really like them all. They are the only polymer guns that interest me any longer. I wish they'd come out with a VP45. I'd likely pick one up fast, and would maybe trade my HK45 for it.
 
460Shooter said:
Agree. I feel a lot of the "endurance tests" amount to abusing a gun, and then acting baffled when it breaks or fails to function. I also think a lot of "reviewers" fail to acknowledge that there is a different intended purpose for a $600 polymer service pistol, and a $1600 bullseye or competition gun. To me, if I can keep all the rounds center mass at 15 yards with a service type pistol like this, I'm more or less happy.

If I wan to make it a competition gun, I'm going to overhaul the gun with trigger work and a long slide. Maybe milling for optics. But I'm a lot more inclined to just buy a different gun for that purpose.

I think you'll like it. I have 3 HKs and I really like them all. They are the only polymer guns that interest me any longer. I wish they'd come out with a VP45. I'd likely pick one up fast, and would maybe trade my HK45 for it.
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I agree with you 100%. Shooting to me is a hobby, not a religion. Sure, I would love to have a tricked-out 1911/Nighthawk, Ed Brown, Wilson, etc. Ain't gonna happen.
 
460Shooter said:
I’ve got the version that came with 3 mags and night sights. It’s a fun gun. Nice shooter.
Click to expand...

That's the one I got. Nice shooter indeed. Only one anecdote: at first it spat shells straight back at me. What the...! :mad:

Anyway, after a proper cleaning and lubrication mine never did that again.
Michael A Ferber said:
Find out tomorrow!
Click to expand...

I suppose you will!

I guarantee you'll like it. Definitely a step up from the ordinary.
 
v35 said:
If you don't mind, did you consider a P30? Why or why not? Just curious; thinking about getting one. Seems to share many of the VP9's features.
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I liked the trigger better on the VP9. I'm not a big fan of the H&K hammer-fired guns. That's just me!
 
Fondled a VP40 tactical model at a gun show last year and though it was a nice pistol. Ended up getting a PPQ M2 in .40 instead and the trigger reset on the Walther is almost scary! Since shooting the PPQ I've kind of lost interest in the VP40. Might give it another look now though.
 
My VP9 (the LE edition) was my only striker-fired gun for a long time, now I have 4! (VP9, 2 of the SIG P320 X5's, and a P365.)

I still MUCH prefer hammer-fired guns, but when a striker-fired pistol feels right, it is a wonderous thing!
 
460Shooter said:
What was the verdict? Like? No like?
Click to expand...

I don't want to be a fanboy but I really like the gun. Put 250 rounds through it, cheap Russian steel case ammo, Tula 115g target ammo. The gun was dead on accurate without one hiccup. Felt very good in the hand. Good bore axis for me, little recoil, excellent controls, etc. It is definitely a keeper. It's my only striker-fired pistol with a butter-smooth trigger.
 
Michael A Ferber said:
I don't want to be a fanboy but I really like the gun. Put 250 rounds through it, cheap Russian steel case ammo, Tula 115g target ammo. The gun was dead on accurate without one hiccup. Felt very good in the hand. Good bore axis for me, little recoil, excellent controls, etc. It is definitely a keeper. It's my only striker-fired pistol with a butter-smooth trigger.
Click to expand...
Honestly it's the only full size strike fired gun I'm likely to ever own.
 
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