I recently purchased two Hk pistols, and I love them!!

[IdahoHk416]

I was looking to purchase two Hk pistols, one 9mm and one .45acp. I ended up purchasing a VP9 and a 45C.

The VP9 was brand new. It came with two 15 round mags, box, and all accessories for $599. The 45C I purchased from a private seller that shot 100 rounds through it. It came with Trijicon night sights, four 8 round mags, two 10 round mags, box, all accessories, and a CompTac Minotaur IWB holster for $900.

I took them to the local range and shot 200 rounds through each of them. Both were 100% reliable shooting Federal 100 round packs, 115gr and 230 gr.

The VP9 was very impressive. I was on the fence between getting a VP9 or Walther PPQ. I chose the VP9 because of the excellent ergonomics and trigger. The VP9 has a great trigger, maybe the best I've encountered for a striker fired pistol. The ergos are excellent, as the VP9 frame is very similar to the P30. I would venture to say that you would be hard pressed to find a better 9mm pistol for $599.

The 45C was also excellent. The SA trigger is very good, and allowed easy follow up shots. The ergos are good on the 45C. It fit my hand very well.

Overall, I am very satisfied with my purchases. I highly recommend the VP9 to anybody on the market for a 9mm pistol in the $600 price range.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Cool man. I've got an HK45 and I really like it. It's super accurate, reliable, and yep, the ergos are fantastic. I'm glad you're happy. The VP9 is on my list.

 

[chuckpro]

I Love my 45c, but i converter it to LEM. It is a little different but i like it. I have been looking at the VP9 and have held one but not had a chance to shoot one or even dry fire one. The VP9 or the P320 are on my list for a 9mm. I want to feel the trigger of both of them before i decide.

 

[Phaedrus/69]

Sweet! I hope to get an HK45C someday. I love my VP9, P30S, USPf9, USPc 9mm, USPc .40 and USC carbine.

Pretty nervous about HKs financials, though. I hope they're still around in a few years. Most of my guns are HKs, don't know what I'd do without them!

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Pretty nervous about HKs financials, though. I hope they're still around in a few years.

Could you elaborate ?

 

[beamon]

Pretty nervous about HKs financials, though. I hope they're still around in a few years. Most of my guns are HKs, don't know what I'd do without them!

I heard that HK was carrying a heavy debt load. Then, a day or two ago, I caught a rumor (rumor only, mind you) that a deal was in the offing for HK to be sold. No details, plus I can't remember where I read it. A rumor this flimsy may have no basis in fact but I mention it for what it's worth.

 

[Phaedrus/69]

The rumor is making the rounds the HK USA is up for sale or perhaps has already been sold. Heckler & Koch GmbH (the part of HK that actually makes guns) has had some financial issues. Moody downgraded them a month ago, they have a really big payment to creditors coming due that almost no one thinks they can make and some of their executives embezzled the equivalent of >$110m a few years back. They had issues with some of their exports being declared illegal, problems getting permission to export certain rifles for civilian sales (reportedly remedied by now) and have lost some contracts due the some of the recent wars winding down. They had a lot riding on some military contracts that never materialized.

On the plus side their VP9 has been a big hit. The $200 rebate on overstock guns (eg USPs, Mk23) should boost sales and give them a short term infusion of cash. They have some significant challenges ahead, to be sure. I was just in a bad mood about it yesterday but I'm optimistic they can turn it around. It depends a bit on the attitude of the German govt, an entity that has kind of contributed to their troubles in the past.

 

[RA40]

Wow, sad to learn. I hope the company pulls through and we still see good production and availability. Well, that's relative, I'd like to see a VP9 in CA.

 

[Phaedrus/69]

I thought you poor folks in CA had a short window to get a VP9? Well, with any luck "the List" will get struck down the the courts. The VP9 is an amazing gun. I know I sound like an HK fanboy and I guess I am, but even for HK this one is great. It's phenomenal how easy it is to shoot. There's a nOOb kid I work with that I take to the range occasionally, and it's the only times he's ever fired a gun IIRC. Even he can get great hits with it.

The paranoid in me wants to get a second one and a bunch of spare parts...springs, extractors, etc...but I don't think it will come to that.

 

[Catshooter]

That's a pity that they're struggling with money woes.

How do you get spare parts for them Phaedrus? One of the things that has turned me away from HK is their lack of parts availability. Or so I thought.

The ergonomics of their polymer pistols has been superior for years now.

I'll share a little story. A friend (new shooter) bought a P30, loved it's feel. Called me the next day and said both he and his wife couldn't get it to hit the broad side of the stump they were shooting at. He told me he would leave it on his kitchen counter and for me to try it out.

You can shoot in his back yard so I went over while he was at work an tried it. Shot very nice, round inch and a half groups at fifteen or twenty yards all nicely centered. Both his and his wife's were low, left. How odd.

I reported my findings and told him his problem was ten thousand primers. I said pop ten thousand primers and your groups will be much better.


Cat

 

[Phaedrus/69]

You can get a ton of parts for almost any HK from HKparts.net although their prices are a little higher than ordering from HK's web store. I haven't bought any "spares" as of yet, and I'm of a mind that HK will continue on in any event. Best case they turn the corner and ride out their money woes. Worst case I think a venerated name like HK is valuable enough that someone would buy them. Would their legendary commitment to quality continue? I dunno.

For now I have stopped panicking. That could change if there's more bad news, though.

 

[sigarms228]

Congtrats on the TWO HKs IdahoHK416. They are great pistols!! I have the VP9, a P30LS, and a HK45 myself. Probably will pickup a USP Compact 9MM with the $200 rebate.

 

[PO2Hammer]

Double congrats on two HKs.
My only HK now is the HK45C, love it! Best ergo's of any HK I've handled, plus it's small enough to tuck into the waistband, big enough for comfortable target shooting.

I think it's the best mid size poly .45 on the market.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I keep debating if I should take advantage of the $200 rebates next month and pick up a P30L or just skip it and get a VP9. I like the lines of the P30 better and am used to hammer fired guns , but I really like the VP9's trigger.

 

[Phaedrus/69]

I was thinking the rebate didn't apply the P30L, just the regular version? I could be wrong. For a while now I've lusted after the P30L LEM with manual safety; seems like they only made 500 of them or so. Tough choice! The VP9 is an amazing shooter but then the price will always the same. Kind of makes more sense to get a P30 since they're more expensive. I will say though that I have a P30S with a Gray Guns trigger job and it shoots no better than my stock VP9.

If the stainless steel USPs are available again in time I might get one while the rebate is in effect.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

It says "all models of ". I'd assume that means any version of the included list. The actual resale form says it too.

 

[HexHead]

I got to shoot the VP9 back to back with my V1 P30 this past weekend. There was a noticeable difference in recoil, using the same ammo, with the P30 being much softer shooting. Probably the buffer on the RSA.

 

[dacavasi]

I just got back from trying out my new VP9. Out of the box, from a bench rest, it's shooting 3-4" low at 20 yards. Not too happy at this point, need to get a lower profile front ramp for it. On the other hand, the new PPQ I bought, and fired first today, was grouping dead-center, 1" group, using the same ammo, from the same rest. So the PPQ is definitely a hard act to follow, but I was still hoping for a bit better out-of-box performance from the HK...

 

[Phaedrus/69]

What ammo were you using? No lie, my very first shot ever out of my VP9 landed dead smack on the junction of the X on the X-ring. Kind of curious what you're running through yours. And just so we're on the same page you did use a cover hold, right? HKs are regulated for a cover hold, not a pumpkin-on-a-stick.

 

[Bentonville]

Congratulations. Once you own an HK, nothing else will really satisfy. At least that's how it's been with me over the last twenty years. Right now I have the VP9, the HK45C LEM, and the P30 L. I am looking for a second VP9. It's crazy accurate and feels like no other pistol I have ever shot. After recoil, the sights return to target like they have a wire connected to the target.

 

[dacavasi]

Phaedrus/69: To answer your questions, I began with Fiocchi 115gr FMJ, and followed with some 115gr FMJ reloads of my own. Both performed the same. Cover hold. As I mentioned, the PPQ I just acquired was grouping this same ammo dead center with no sight adjustments. I contacted HK and it looks like I will need to send the slide back to them, unlike other companies they apparently won't just send me the lower profile front sight and let me mount it myself. I am, as I said, particularly disappointed since I had pretty high expectations for this gun. My USP 45 has shot dead center since first taken out of the box and is one of my favorite pistols. Hopefully I'll get this resolved quick and can offer a better evaluation.

 

[Catshooter]

Phaedrus,

Thank you for the spare parts data, I didn't know that.


Cat