When I first started shooting, getting the highest capacity in "bigger than 9mm" was my primary concern, and I got a Springfield XDm 40 with the 3.8" barrel. I really wished they had made a compact version, one with those fancy magazine extensions that make the grip act like a full-size one. Well, a couple of months after I bought my first gun, they released the XDm compacts. I got one, and gifted my first one to a college student who didn't have any guns yet.
I like my XDm. But since I got into guns I've made a few changes to my original opinions. I decided that I was fine with a 9, as long as I had the right ammo. Since then, I've added a few different carry guns in 9, .357, .38, and .380. All of them subcompact size or less. However, I've been looking for my holy grail of a handgun.
The XDm is the most ambidextrous of the Glock-type pistols. As a lefty, this is very important for me. I don't consider a reversible magazine to be ambidextrous, no matter what marketing departments will say. However, the XDm has relatively small, stiff controls. The mag release on my M&P may only be on one side of the gun at a time, but it's much bigger and much easier to hit than the tiny little dot the XDm has.
Enter the HK VP9. I previously had no interest in HK. They were expensive and had relatively low capacity. Why do I want to pay more for less? But the VP9 is comfortable in the hand and holds 17 rounds, which seems to be the standard for 9mm duty-size guns.
What really stands out for me are the ergonomics. I'm 100% sold on the paddle release instead of button release for magazines. The HK slide release is big, fat, and ambidextrous. What I really like about the VP9 is the backplate on the slide is slightly wide to give your hand a tab to catch for a much better grip. I believe this is also used on the Shield EZ, and I think it's a great addition. It doesn't make the gun itself much wider, but it is the easiest slide to grip that I've found.
On top of that, the VP9 I got was optics-ready, which means I was able to put a green dot on it and get something even easier to use.
Another evolution of my gun ownership is that I have switched from IWB carry to OWB carry, and am more open to open carrying than I was in the past. So I am not against carrying a full-size handgun with a dot, which might be a lot more difficult IWB.
I'm just getting back to the range for the first time in forever. I need to get the technique down again and get used to using a red dot on a pistol. But I'm going to try and make it regularly, and I believe this one is going with me every week.
I like my XDm. But since I got into guns I've made a few changes to my original opinions. I decided that I was fine with a 9, as long as I had the right ammo. Since then, I've added a few different carry guns in 9, .357, .38, and .380. All of them subcompact size or less. However, I've been looking for my holy grail of a handgun.
The XDm is the most ambidextrous of the Glock-type pistols. As a lefty, this is very important for me. I don't consider a reversible magazine to be ambidextrous, no matter what marketing departments will say. However, the XDm has relatively small, stiff controls. The mag release on my M&P may only be on one side of the gun at a time, but it's much bigger and much easier to hit than the tiny little dot the XDm has.
Enter the HK VP9. I previously had no interest in HK. They were expensive and had relatively low capacity. Why do I want to pay more for less? But the VP9 is comfortable in the hand and holds 17 rounds, which seems to be the standard for 9mm duty-size guns.
What really stands out for me are the ergonomics. I'm 100% sold on the paddle release instead of button release for magazines. The HK slide release is big, fat, and ambidextrous. What I really like about the VP9 is the backplate on the slide is slightly wide to give your hand a tab to catch for a much better grip. I believe this is also used on the Shield EZ, and I think it's a great addition. It doesn't make the gun itself much wider, but it is the easiest slide to grip that I've found.
On top of that, the VP9 I got was optics-ready, which means I was able to put a green dot on it and get something even easier to use.
Another evolution of my gun ownership is that I have switched from IWB carry to OWB carry, and am more open to open carrying than I was in the past. So I am not against carrying a full-size handgun with a dot, which might be a lot more difficult IWB.
I'm just getting back to the range for the first time in forever. I need to get the technique down again and get used to using a red dot on a pistol. But I'm going to try and make it regularly, and I believe this one is going with me every week.
