Hello everybody, I’ll make a quick review of my father’s HK P30 V3 9mm pistol he purchased on May 2010.
He previously owned a Glock 19 that I personally pushed him to buy but it simply wasn’t HIS gun: he has never gotten accustomed to Glock’s trigger, grip angle and aggressive texture of the front and backstrap; he also didn’t like the plastic sights and plastic guide rod and he didn’t want to spend money to customize a gun that probably will never cover his needs.
So, after a lot of research we finally found a gun that meets all his desires such as: traditional SA/DA trigger, second strike capability, decocker-only lever in a smart position, ambidextrous magazine and slide-stop release, loaded chamber indicator, big all steel fixed sights with tree high visible "glow in the dark" dots, all steel guide rod with recoil buffer, very comfortable grips with interchangeable backstraps and panels, great fit and finish, look and, why not, cool factor.
The gun arrived in its presentation plastic case with two additional backstraps, two pairs of side grip panels, spare magazine, instruction manual, factory group at 15 meters, and a magazine loader.
I’ve noticed, on the HK P30’s case pics you can usually find on Internet, that in place of the magazine loader there are two keys for the internal lock. My father’s HK does NOT have the internal lock: the hole in the grip, where you have to put the key to activate the lock, is actually uncutted. Thanks to HK Germany and the Italian Importer…
The gun arrived at the gun shop with two panels of the same type (two L-left and no one S-right, if I can recall). So we contacted the Importer that informed HK Germany and the S-right panel arrived in 15 days. Now we have a spare L-left panel…Well, I don’t know if we suck but certainly HK does not hate us!
After a little try my father found that the best grip for him is obtained using the S backstrap and M panels; however, if it was my gun, I’ll put the L backstrap, L-right panel and S-left panel: this is the beauty of having a full adjustable grips like the HK P30 has: 27 different combinations for 27 different hand’s sizes.
Shooting the thing is a plesaure: it is a soft recoiling gun thanks to the white teflon buffer, the trigger is large and comfortable, everything works like a fine swiss watch. Not to mention accuracy wich is better than the CZ P-01 and that says a lot. The gun has fired only 400 factory rounds without problems, even a box of lead truncated cone bullets just to see if it was true that the polygonal barrel doesn’t like them…For the record it is not true!
Only problem I had was the slide does not always hold open if I use the “thumbs forward” grip wich is no more an issue for me because I’m switching anyway to the “thumbs crossed” grip with all pistols (“thumbs behind” grip with small revolvers). My father instead didn’t have the same problem with the “thumbs forward” grip (luckly, because it is HIS gun). It is now his favourite pistol.
Sights are great for quick target picture; I’ve probably preferred a closer rear sight sides to exploit the amazing accuracy of the gun at the range but, again, it is me.
For me the trigger is near perfect for a law-enforcement pistol like the P30 is: DA is long and heavy (but very smooth), SA is a little heavy but breaks like glass after the initial travel that is however necessary to disingage the firing pin block. IMO you can’t ask more for a defence pistol trigger that is mainly designed to prevent unintentional shots.
I love the magazine release: you can activate it with the thumb or with the trigger finger and it is very easy to reach. I personally use the trigger finger, while my father uses the thumb. Capacity is 15+1 rounds.
The gun is totally left-friendly. If you are lefty, I’ve found that is simple (with a little practice) to reach the decocker with your left hand’s thumb.
Conclusions: the HK P30 is a cool, prestigious, ready to go “out of the box” gun. You don’t really need to do anything to this gun to make it working for you (just change the grip(s) if you want) because it is just perfect the way it is.
IMO, all considered, it is simply one of the most modern or, if you prefere, one of the most complete all around pistol on the market.
I really don’t understand why many guys say that the HK P30 is overpriced just because (in their opinion) it doesn’t do anything more than its least expensive opponents; I think instead that the price difference (wich many times is not that great) is worth every cent once you consider all the things the P30 can offer to you. And if you take a look at the slide (and at the bunch of different machinings from different tools, necessary to make it) you easily realize that in many cases it costs ALONE more than some fully assembled polymer pistols out there.
Best regards, 5-SHOTS.
P.S.: “HK, because you suck and we hate you”, best spot slogan ever!
He previously owned a Glock 19 that I personally pushed him to buy but it simply wasn’t HIS gun: he has never gotten accustomed to Glock’s trigger, grip angle and aggressive texture of the front and backstrap; he also didn’t like the plastic sights and plastic guide rod and he didn’t want to spend money to customize a gun that probably will never cover his needs.
So, after a lot of research we finally found a gun that meets all his desires such as: traditional SA/DA trigger, second strike capability, decocker-only lever in a smart position, ambidextrous magazine and slide-stop release, loaded chamber indicator, big all steel fixed sights with tree high visible "glow in the dark" dots, all steel guide rod with recoil buffer, very comfortable grips with interchangeable backstraps and panels, great fit and finish, look and, why not, cool factor.
The gun arrived in its presentation plastic case with two additional backstraps, two pairs of side grip panels, spare magazine, instruction manual, factory group at 15 meters, and a magazine loader.
I’ve noticed, on the HK P30’s case pics you can usually find on Internet, that in place of the magazine loader there are two keys for the internal lock. My father’s HK does NOT have the internal lock: the hole in the grip, where you have to put the key to activate the lock, is actually uncutted. Thanks to HK Germany and the Italian Importer…
The gun arrived at the gun shop with two panels of the same type (two L-left and no one S-right, if I can recall). So we contacted the Importer that informed HK Germany and the S-right panel arrived in 15 days. Now we have a spare L-left panel…Well, I don’t know if we suck but certainly HK does not hate us!
After a little try my father found that the best grip for him is obtained using the S backstrap and M panels; however, if it was my gun, I’ll put the L backstrap, L-right panel and S-left panel: this is the beauty of having a full adjustable grips like the HK P30 has: 27 different combinations for 27 different hand’s sizes.
Shooting the thing is a plesaure: it is a soft recoiling gun thanks to the white teflon buffer, the trigger is large and comfortable, everything works like a fine swiss watch. Not to mention accuracy wich is better than the CZ P-01 and that says a lot. The gun has fired only 400 factory rounds without problems, even a box of lead truncated cone bullets just to see if it was true that the polygonal barrel doesn’t like them…For the record it is not true!
Only problem I had was the slide does not always hold open if I use the “thumbs forward” grip wich is no more an issue for me because I’m switching anyway to the “thumbs crossed” grip with all pistols (“thumbs behind” grip with small revolvers). My father instead didn’t have the same problem with the “thumbs forward” grip (luckly, because it is HIS gun). It is now his favourite pistol.
Sights are great for quick target picture; I’ve probably preferred a closer rear sight sides to exploit the amazing accuracy of the gun at the range but, again, it is me.
For me the trigger is near perfect for a law-enforcement pistol like the P30 is: DA is long and heavy (but very smooth), SA is a little heavy but breaks like glass after the initial travel that is however necessary to disingage the firing pin block. IMO you can’t ask more for a defence pistol trigger that is mainly designed to prevent unintentional shots.
I love the magazine release: you can activate it with the thumb or with the trigger finger and it is very easy to reach. I personally use the trigger finger, while my father uses the thumb. Capacity is 15+1 rounds.
The gun is totally left-friendly. If you are lefty, I’ve found that is simple (with a little practice) to reach the decocker with your left hand’s thumb.
Conclusions: the HK P30 is a cool, prestigious, ready to go “out of the box” gun. You don’t really need to do anything to this gun to make it working for you (just change the grip(s) if you want) because it is just perfect the way it is.
IMO, all considered, it is simply one of the most modern or, if you prefere, one of the most complete all around pistol on the market.
I really don’t understand why many guys say that the HK P30 is overpriced just because (in their opinion) it doesn’t do anything more than its least expensive opponents; I think instead that the price difference (wich many times is not that great) is worth every cent once you consider all the things the P30 can offer to you. And if you take a look at the slide (and at the bunch of different machinings from different tools, necessary to make it) you easily realize that in many cases it costs ALONE more than some fully assembled polymer pistols out there.
Best regards, 5-SHOTS.
P.S.: “HK, because you suck and we hate you”, best spot slogan ever!
, as long as they shoot good in your hands. 
