The Dreaded HK Trigger Groove

[Zaydok Allen]

460Shooter, if you are carrying an XDs 45 now, you really owe it to yourself to give the VP9SK a try. I used to carry an XDs 45 as my EDC and to tell you the truth, the difference in thickness between the XDs and VP9SK is not noticeable to me or anybody else. It doesn't print any worse.

The trigger in my XDs-45 with the Powder River trigger kit is still not as good as the out of the box trigger in the VP9SK. Once the VP9 got its required malfunction free round count it, it supplanted the XDs.

I have a full size VP9 and my fall, winter, and early spring carry gun is a P30SK with a LEM trigger. So yes, I am aware and agree that HK's offerings are far better.

I don't agree on the size difference though as far as IWB carry goes. My XDs gets carried IWB in summer when it's hot, under an athletic shirt. I feel the XDs carries in that way and with my clothing choice much easier than a VP9SK or P30SK both. For OWB carry though I totally agree with you that the size difference isn't enough to not carry the HK. I'm going to buy a Sig P938 Legion as a backup/replacement to the XDs, and if I like it well enough, I may sell the XDs for fund a second P938.

Now if HK would use their heads and come out with a slim VP9SK I would buy it in a heartbeat and the XDs would be kicked to the curb.

 

[Doublehelix]

I'm going to buy a Sig P938 Legion as a backup/replacement to the XDs, and if I like it well enough, I may sell the XDs for fund a second P938.

OK, so you know how much I love my P938... but... Only 7 rounds with the extended mag. I carry a backup 6-round mag as well, so I get 13 rounds total with a reload. Just something to think about. The new P365 can carry 13 rounds without a reload (12+1). I am not ready to trust one as my EDC (yet), and I absolutely *LOVE* my P938, but 7 rounds feels somewhat limiting at times.

If I had to compare how they shoot, I prefer my P938 over the P365, and yes, I have shot them side-by-side with my 147 gr. HST SD ammo, but the P365 is no slouch either.

Would I choose a gun *solely* on capacity? Of course not! But... all else being equal, I would personally prefer the 13 rounds without a reload, and the P365 is a decent-shooting gun for sure. I am just not yet ready to trust my life and the life of my loved ones to it. It sounds like it is getting close though...

The tough part will be parting with my P938 that has been my faithful daily companion for about 4 years now. Did I mention how much I love that gun???

 

[Zaydok Allen]

OK, so you know how much I love my P938... but... Only 7 rounds with the extended mag. I carry a backup 6-round mag as well, so I get 13 rounds total with a reload. Just something to think about. The new P365 can carry 13 rounds without a reload (12+1). I am not ready to trust one as my EDC (yet), and I absolutely *LOVE* my P938, but 7 rounds feels somewhat limiting at times.

If I had to compare how they shoot, I prefer my P938 over the P365, and yes, I have shot them side-by-side with my 147 gr. HST SD ammo, but the P365 is no slouch either.

Would I choose a gun *solely* on capacity? Of course not! But... all else being equal, I would personally prefer the 13 rounds without a reload, and the P365 is a decent-shooting gun for sure. I am just not yet ready to trust my life and the life of my loved ones to it. It sounds like it is getting close though...

The tough part will be parting with my P938 that has been my faithful daily companion for about 4 years now. Did I mention how much I love that gun???

Yeah I've handled the P365 and it just feels too small in the hand to me. The P938 feels real nice.

The up side too is that my XDs is a 45. So I'm used to having 6 shots. The P938 would bump me up by two rounds, and I'd rather have the capacity. I'm not ready to commit to the P365 yet either. I know several forum members are really happy with them, but I need to hear fewer breakage reports, and I need to rent one before buying.

 

[Popoff]

Do you happen to remember what size backstrap and side panels were in the VP9 you shot by any chance? Also, what size gloves do you wear and how meaty are your hands?

If they came out with a single stack 9mm the size of the XDs, I'd sell my XDs before you can say "sell my XDs" in favor of the HK. It could be the VP9SKS. Second S for slim. My XDs 45 is fine, but nothing special. It's greatest benefit is that it carries and conceals easily. I used to enjoy that little 45, but I'm leaning more towards capacity as a bigger draw in a gun that size.


Maybe that's the big issue. May I ask how large are your hands, and are they meaty or thin?

For a few years I've been listening to these stories and I've been fiddling with my own HKs to try and figure out the difference that causes my finger to get torn up on my HK45 and not the other two. The P30SK and the VP9 have interchangeable side panels along with the interchangeable backstrap. The HK45 only has an interchangeable backstrap.

On the 45, I keep the largest backstrap in it.

On the VP9 and P30SK, I have the largest backstraps, but also the largest side panels on the right side of the gun, so it fills my palm, and the smallest panels on the left, so my fingers wrap as far around the gun as possible. It works great for me as I get a bit better trigger reach, a better hand filling grip, and I'm guessing that's why I shoot those two guns well. I hadn't shot either in months due to life circumstances, and the other day I puled them out and shot them as quickly as I could at 14 yards, and both targets had raged holes through the middle when I was done.

I wear XL gloves, and they fit me perfectly, but my fingers are thin, and my grip strength is pretty poor. I have piano playing hands. As a reference I can eject the magazine on my Beretta 92 with the tip of my middle finger while the mag ejector is on the left side of the gun for a right handed shooter, without moving my grip. I don't know if that's common on the 92 or not though.

So perhaps it's a combo of a heavy DA trigger on the HK45, along with a grip that is a hair too small for me, allowing my trigger finger to slide around more than is desirable. It makes me wish more and more for a VP45 with interchangeable side panels. Honestly, even though I shoot the HK45 well, I've contemplated ditching it in favor of a Sig P227 for this very reason. Maybe the simpler solution is to file down the groove a bit.

I've configured the grips on my VP9 Tactical after the "wundhammer swell" you used to see on Olympic pistols; my hands are small and meaty and I selected the small backstrap, large right panel, and small left panel and that feels about right. No trigger finger issues ever, tho. When I train weak hand it actually gives my fingers something to grip around and improves my steadiness. Odd, that.
Cheers,
Popoff