View Full Version : H&K decision time....
I was 100% committed and ready to write the check for a new P30L when I see the good folks at HK have a brand new striker firing model.
Originally I chose the "L" over the standard model for the longer barrel but the VP9 fits nicely right at around 4".
I'm a lunch hour and weekend shooter so carry will not be an issue in my decision but I am particular about what goes in my collection and out to the range.
I'd be very interested in some serious shooters or LEO's opinions on the P30L vs. the new VP9?
Thanks in advance for the replies.
Best,
Mike
gtmtnbiker98
07-05-14, 20:55
Hammer or striker is what it boils down to.
Hammer or striker is what it boils down to.
Thats about the just of it. The VP9 is essentially a striker fired P30. I prefer striker guns and have been carrying them on and off duty for almost 20 years. The VP9 is also a few hundred less than the P30.
I was in the same position as you, and chose the P30 because 1) I'm hoping that the rumored P30sk is in fact coming soon, and 2) I plan to pick up a 45C and want a similar manual of arms. That being said, I fondled a VP9 tonight, and if it wasn't for wanting the same manual of arms and a family of guns, I'd probably go with the VP9--the trigger really is as good as everyone says, and I really dig the charging "ears."
Hammer or striker is what it boils down to.
This is a tough one but I guess that is really the basic choice.
Right now I've got Berettas, Sig, Colts, Brownings, and S&W's but no striker fire pieces. I've shot all my friends GOLCKS and nothing against them but none, including the GEN4 ever felt like a good fit.
The P30 fits like a glove and I'm sure the VP9 will also.
After a ton of reading I'm now leaning toward the VP9 because of it's barrel length between the P30 & P30L and the fact that maybe a striker would be a fun change.
Also I've read on the forums that the VP9 will wash your car, mow your grass and cook your dinner...:rolleyes:
...I've read on the forums that the VP9 will wash your car, mow your grass and cook your dinner
But it can't make hot cocoa. I won't have a pistol that can't make a good cup of hot cocoa
MadAngler1
07-06-14, 21:26
I was 100% committed and ready to write the check for a new P30L when I see the good folks at HK have a brand new striker firing model.
Originally I chose the "L" over the standard model for the longer barrel but the VP9 fits nicely right at around 4".
I'm a lunch hour and weekend shooter so carry will not be an issue in my decision but I am particular about what goes in my collection and out to the range.
I'd be very interested in some serious shooters or LEO's opinions on the P30L vs. the new VP9?
Thanks in advance for the replies.
Best,
Mike
Set up the P30L as a target gun with fiber optic sights. Then, buy a VP9 for IDPA/home defense/serious use.
I just got a P30 two months ago and love it. I will still keep it and buy a VP9 as well.
Set up the P30L as a target gun with fiber optic sights. Then, buy a VP9 for IDPA/home defense/serious use.
Buy both...
I have to admit that thought has crossed my mind!
+1 on buy both! Already have a P30S---gonna get a VP9 too...
LowSpeed_HighDrag
07-07-14, 12:36
I'm a P30 V1 shooter. Its a great pistol, but it has its flaws; flaws that I hope are addressed in the VP9. The trigger is "ok" on the first shot, however the reset is simply terrible and the travel after reset is far too long. Beyond that, the slide release levers are IMO too long, and hamper an aggressive thumbs forward grip. And, while it isn't necessarily a flaw, my P30 auto-forwards EVERY time I combat reload. I feel that the VP9 will address these issues, and thats why I will buy one when they become available.
What can the P30 do that the VP9 can't, and is that worth the extra cost to purchase the P30 over the VP9?
JBecker 72
07-07-14, 13:00
I was a Glock and M&P shooter but decided to give HK a try. I originally got the P30V1 but wasn't a fan and replaced it with a V3. I have been extremely happy with it and I shoot the DA/SA guns better. I now also have a P2000SK V3 for carry and no more Glock or M&P pistols. I plan on getting a P30LV3 at some point as well.
I guess when it comes down to it I'm not a huge fan of striker fired pistols and it took me 5 Glocks and 2 M&Ps to figure that out. The VP9 interests me, but I'm probably gonna wait a while before giving one a try.
VP9 equals shorter slide (height wise), a little lower bore axis, and a much shorter reset. P30s are great guns. The VP9 has some improvements. Try to shot both and see what works for you.
I own the P30 and plan on getting a VP9, you can't go wrong either way. As it was said earlier, do you prefer Hammer or Striker fire, or in my case try to get both.
I'd get the P30L. Use it and enjoy it while others do the VP9 Beta testing. If it turns out to be that much better, you can always trade up for a not-too-princely sum.
I'd get the P30L. Use it and enjoy it while others do the VP9 Beta testing. If it turns out to be that much better, you can always trade up for a not-too-princely sum.
That's kind of what I'm thinking today but my mind has been changing like the weather in St. Lou.
Going with the P30L first would make it easier to buy both since the VP9 has a lower price point.....yeah somehow that makes sense!
Hammer or striker is what it boils down to.
and what that boils down to is trigger weight and length of pull.
striker wins that one every time.
I am waiting for a VP9SK. I have other roles filled, but my G26 might have to move over for the VP9sk.
DreadPirateMoyer
07-08-14, 17:56
and what that boils down to is trigger weight and length of pull.
striker wins that one every time.
Not necessarily. I find the single action on DA/SA HKs to be far more preferable to 99% of striker triggers on the market (and with cocked and locked carry, it's no different than a striker), not to mention the SA triggers on Berettas or 1911s. Others find strikers to be more preferable. I don't think you can make that kind of generalization.
I own both, OP. If I only had to have one, I would go with striker, as I appreciate the firing mechanism being contained within the body of the gun. It helps keep dirt and grit and sand and mud from getting into the action of the gun, versus all that crud getting into important hammer-fired parts like the sear (causing the gun to lock up) or the hammer/firing pin (causing failure-to-fires if carrying cocked and locked, which could let mud get in between the hammer and firing pin). Other people prefer hammer-fired guns for reliability purposes so they have second-strike capability on dud rounds, which most striker-fired guns don't have the ability to do. I think both are valid points, but tend to think dirt and grit are a more dangerous threat than needing a second-strike on a dud round, so I go with strikers in a pinch. It also has a lot to do with my locale, which has lots of creeks and bodies of water and rain, so mud in a hard-use environment is a huge threat.
That said, the majority of my collection is hammer fired. Maybe I have cognitive dissonance. ;)
Anyway, in the toss-up between P30 and VP9 -- assuming quality and reliability is comparable, which is foolhardy when the VP9 hasn't been strung out yet -- I would lean towards VP9.
I went to the range today and the attached gun shop had both the P30, unfortunately not an L, and the VP9 in stock!
Got to do a hand in hand side by side comparison and right now the P30 is in the lead. But having said that I did like the grip texture on he VP9 better and they are definitely not the same.
Seriously I think naming my kids was easier than picking the HK.
Even comparing the single action pull of a P30S or P30LS, the VP9 has a shorter reset and breaks further forward than the single action pull of the P30 trigger. Overall I prefer the trigger pull of the VP9.
However, if you are set on a manual safety the P30S/P30LS offers something that the VP9 doesn't have.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.