Advice On HK VP9SK

[Ace90]

Thinking of purchasing my first "polymer striker fired" handgun.

Have investigated the many to contenders: PPQ M2, PC-10, M&P Compact 2.0, FN 509, ..............

All having many strong points and a few possible negatives from owners and close friends of owners from what I have read.

Is there people experienced with the HK VP9 and VP9SK that can shed some light on potential buyers of the HK striker fired products?

 

[sigarms228]

I really like my HK VP9. The VP9SK is the subcompact model that holds 10 rounds versus 15 for the VP9 though 13 and 15 round magazines will fit and there are grip extender sleeves available. If concealed carry is going to be a consideration the VP9SK probably makes more sense and if not then the VP9 would be the way to go.

There are a lot of fine choices in striker fired pistols these days and as always your best bet is to try out what you are considering first if possible to see what works for you.

I own the VP9, PPQ, and Gen 2 Glock 19 and really like all three and have proven 100 percent reliable and good shooters for me though the Glock 19 is the best one for me for concealed carry..

 

[Walt Sherrill]

I picked up one recently, used. The only thing I don't like about it -- and I'll probably learn to like that feature -- is the paddle-style mag releases. Many of the people who use them come to love the paddle releases. I'm still skeptical.

It's a well-made gun with a nice trigger straight out of the box, and mine has proved to be pretty accurate, too. My VP9sk came with the two factory 10-round mags and an aftermarket 15-round mag. I got a mag sleeve for that mag, like mentioned above, that makes the longer mag look like its just part of a full-size grip.

I've got a P320, and an FNS-40, and would love a CZ P10c... and they are all good guns. (I'll eventually trade my way into a FN-509.)

 

[sigarms228]

HK is supposed to be coming out with 13 and 15 round magazines for the VP9 and P30SK any day now. I use a 9MM P2000/USP-C 13 round magazine in my P30SK with flat floor plate and X-Grip extender that works very well too.

Page from the VP9SK manual.

 

[v35]

I have the VP9. I like it. Not much more to say. It's accurate enough and has been boringly reliable, as I would expect from HK. I got it when they offered the 2017 HK Summer "Magazinepalooza" deal.

I guess I just can't get too excited about striker fired guns. They all seem more or less the same to me. If you're interested in the threaded barrel (tactical) version just be aware that HK uses a metric thread. Rather than buy an adapter I bought a Silencerco 1/2" x 28 threaded barrel instead.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Is there people experienced with the HK VP9 and VP9SK that can shed some light on potential buyers of the HK striker fired products?

I have a VP9 and two other HKs. What light are you looking for specifically?

 

[kozak6]

I have a VP9.

The VP9SK seems like a reasonable alternative to a Glock 26 or other subcompact double stack. It's a more refined pistol out of the box, with glow in the dark steel sights (or tritium), excellent ergonomics, and a great trigger.

A lot of people HATE the paddle mag release. I don't have any issue with it. I found that I can hit it with my thumb without any difficulty in order to preserve muscle memory.

Magazines are depressingly expensive. It's worthwhile to get the LE version since you are getting a spare mag and tritium sights for not much more.

 

[Water-Man]

Read about an incident where a tap on the bottom of the grip caused the striker to drop. The article was on M4Carbine.net.

 

[sigarms228]

Read about an incident where a tap on the bottom of the grip caused the striker to drop. The article was on M4Carbine.net.

I read about it on Pistol Forum but it was more than a tap, a rubber mallet was slammed on the base of the grip often repeatedly. Why someone would do that I don't know. In any case never caused a discharge as FPB prevented that.

 

[Walt Sherrill]

The motivation for that sort of activity seems a bit like some of the "tests" you can see on YouTube where, for example, they try to destroy a gun, like a Hi-Point, just because they can.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

MAC whipped his VP9 at a steel plate and then acted surprised when the mag release broke.

 

[d2wing]

I like mine a lot, better than my USP. it fits my hand well and is very accurate. Of course it is reliable and well made. Hickcock .45 did a U-tube review and praised it pretty highly. It was the only gun he though measured up to a Glock.

 

[Water-Man]

I like mine a lot, better than my USP. it fits my hand well and is very accurate. Of course it is reliable and well made. Hickcock .45 did a U-tube review and praised it pretty highly. It was the only gun he though measured up to a Glock.

Hickcock and Glock are joined at the hip.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

He likes his FN 509 pretty good.

 

[cougar1717]

You can't really go wrong with a VP9 "compact" or the SK.

It's a quality polymer framed pistol.
It's accurate.
It has the ability to change the side panels and backstrap to fit the shooter's hand.
Low bore axis. Relatively crisp trigger for a poly-framed handgun. Front and rear slide serrations.
Polymer "nubs" to help you grip the slide. Between this and the ambi paddle mag release - these are the only things knitpickers can complain about.
I guess the only other thing would be that if you had the SK and used the 13x and 15x extended capacity mags, the grip is basically the same length as the VP9.
It's not perfection, but it doesn't compromise

 

[guyfromohio]

My carry guns are generally my Walther PPS and Walther P99AS. I own a HK P30sk and a PPQ too. Once you get used to hitting the paddle with your trigger finger, twisting and turning for the American button becomes awkward. Using any other finger is like trying to twist off the lid of a beer bottle that requires an opener and saying "I just can't get used to these lids". Learn to love the paddle. It is really a great feature. I prefer HK's paddle to Walther, but nothing carries like that PPS.

 

[71velle]

A range buddy has a vp9 and the sk. Lots of rounds through both, been great for him. Great pistols. Only downside is expensive mags.

 

[JTQ]

I read about it on Pistol Forum but it was more than a tap, a rubber mallet was slammed on the base of the grip often repeatedly. Why someone would do that I don't know. In any case never caused a discharge as FPB prevented that.

I think the point is, you could slap a mag into the mag well (the force being enough to trip the striker), holster the gun, and never know your striker isn't cocked. Is it likely? No. Is it possible? Yes.

 

[Water-Man]

^^Kind of reminds me of the recent problem with the Sig P320, i.e. dropping the gun on a certain point and angle and discharging. Is it likely? No. Is it possible? Yes. Both examples could get you killed.^^

 

[JTQ]

^^Kind of reminds me of the recent problem with the Sig P320, i.e. dropping the gun on a certain point and angle and discharging. Is it likely?

That's how folks found out about the HK VP's. After the issue with the SIG P320 was discovered, folks started "playing around" with their various striker fired guns, in a controlled manner, trying to see what would trip their strikers.

Another interesting tidbit from those adventures was the Glock was very safe, however not all the aftermarket trigger groups were as safe as the stock Glock parts. In addition, they discovered the partially cocked Glock striker, if all the other safety features failed (pretty unlikely event), does have enough energy to ignite most primers.

 

[Walt Sherrill]

Only downside is expensive mags.

They are expensive, but...I think many of us have been spoiled by the $20-$25 Glock magazines. Unless Mec-Gar makes an after-market magazine for a given gun, most mags are ridiculously expensive, and more of them are in the $50-$75 range than seems reasonable. (And as I note below, there are some options.)

Once enough copies of a given gun have been sold to justify after-market maker interest, the reasonable prices sometimes show up.

Xtech makes a VP9 mag that seems every bit as well-made as the factory mag, and it sells in the $30 range. You can use a mag extender sleeve for that size mag and use a 15 round mag in the VP9SK. (I've done this.)

My Xtech mag didn't want to drop free properly at first, and I contacted Xtech, and they sent me instructions -- well illustrated -- to make a very minor mod to the mag which solved the problem. (They felt the problem was really a slightly-out-of-spec mag release mechanism in my VP9SK and not a mag issue, but the fix is easy.) I may get another Xtech mag after that experience.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

For folks worried about the cost of magazines, if you are in the market, I recommend you just do frequent google searches and watch for sales. That's what I've done and I've brought home 9 various HK mags for about $30 a piece or less. You just need to watch the online vendors for sales.

Granted, $30 each still isn't cheap, but better than $49!

 

[Water-Man]

Usually one of the better places to shop for mags. https://gunmagwarehouse.com/

 

[rick melear]

Own the Glock 19 and the PPQ, much prefer the PPQ. No experience with the H&K

 

[SeanSw]

I am roughly 400-500 rounds deep into my vp9 tactical. Currently it is one of my only two striker fired pistols, the other being an S&W SD9ve, which some people do not consider to be a very good example. The vp9 has been flawless so far and it was chosen based on trigger feel and ergonomics AFTER I saw the MAC youtube reliability and abuse video. This pistol was chosen for range duty or home defense and although not currently filling the HD role it has not been a disappointment. I was not expecting to carry it into the field, conceal it, or throw it about the woods. Ultimately I do not shoot it much better than anything else but it does have a nice trigger and appears to be one of the more mechanically accurate in my collection. Limited testing tells me that it prefers 124gr ammo. I never liked the HK USP 45 my friend lets me shoot and I've also read that some people don't consider the vp9 to be a "real" HK. I'm not a fan boy and have no opinion on this. I like the pistol but definitely would not have purchased it without finding a good price and a magazine rebate to entice me, or held out any hope suppressors would ever be legal in Illinois. Currently it's wearing a medium backstrap and small grip panels to suit my small-medium hands. It's pretty nice but I can't say I'd rush out and get one again if I had another option on hand.