VP9 Charging Supports

[jdavis6576]

While I've only fired 100 rounds through my VP9 I've done extensive dry fire and have decided I really don't like the charging supports. They clutter the sight picture too much and get in the way when charging the gun. I called HK USA yesterday and was told it may be Thanksgiving before flush fit supports are available. Given that these appear to be polymer, am I crazy to consider removing them, filing them down to flush and then reinstalling them?

[Omega Man]

What about taking them out and having nothing there? Would that compromise the function of the pistol or just look funky? Anyone know?

[acaixguard]

From a picture I saw, it looks like there are cutouts in the slide for the charging supports. Taking them out will mean you will have vertical grooves under the rear sight.

[JohnN]

What about taking them out and having nothing there? Would that compromise the function of the pistol or just look funky? Anyone know?

No, it wouldn't compromise the pistol but after changing the rear sight and popping one of them off, it looks funky.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

If it clutters your sight picture you are looking in the wrong place!:cool:

Just being an ass, I know exactly what you are talking about, but I think you should give it a few more rounds, your mind will ignore them after a while. I ran 240 or so rounds though a VP9 today with tons of draws and towards the end I wasn't noticing them anymore.

Further, I found them to be extremely useful in assisting slide pull. However, I must say that I am a slide-lock guy, not a sling-shot guy.

[GJM]

I think while they may be a help to +/- 5 percent of shooters with weak hands, they are a negative for the other 95 percent of shooters. When working the slide while dry firing, slingshotting the slide to clear a stoppage, or from a competition table start, the wings whack my fingers. The more aggressive I am with the slide, the bigger the whack. The only way I can avoid the wings hitting my fingers is to hold onto the slide as it cycles, which is obviously undesirable. I will be having HD sights installed in the next week or so, and I plan to ask the gunsmith doing the install to grind down the wings so they are as close to flush as possible with the slide.

Look at the serrations on a P30, which appear the same as on the VP9, and they are substantial. Ever heard of someone having a problem working the slide on a P30 on account of the serrations? Ingenious solution for what is a nonexistent problem for most shooters -- except this ingenious solution brings pain about like working a Beretta 92 slide aggressively, and getting whacked by the safety lever. I bet someone a dollar the wings disappear as standard, installed equipment by 2015.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

I am not having any wacking problems, I let go of the slide and don't let my fingers drag the slide-- but I will keep an eye out. I guess it is a nice thing they made them removable for those who can't use them.

[GJM]

Work the slide 20 times in a row on the VP9, then 20 times with a P30, and the difference will be obvious. With a striker fired pistol, I might work the slide several hundred times in a dry fire session, and the wings get old, fast. Again, they are a neat idea -- I just wish HK put them in the box as an option.

Word is HK says the flush replacement pieces are due in November, which brings up bad memories of the 3+, or was it 5, year wait for a variant 9 plate for my HK45.

[1_click_off]

Grind smooth and stipple them. Might be a neat useful look.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

Well, I don't have a P30, but I tried it with a buddies' Gen 3 Glock. After only 10 tries I was much more likely to miss a grab with the Glock than with the VP9. We just may have different techniques. No wacks.

[GJM]

We just may have different techniques. No wacks.

Entirely possible. I slingshot the slide -- do you slingshot or overhand?

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

Overhand! Armorer's style. And my slide lock reloads are always from the slide release unless there is a problem, and let's be serious, there ain't gonna be a problem with an HK! Mmmm Kool-Aid.:cool:

[GJM]

Overhand! Armorer's style. And my slide lock reloads are always from the slide release unless there is a problem, and let's be serious, there ain't gonna be a problem with an HK! Mmmm Kool-Aid.:cool:

Mystery solved! I have been a slingshot'r for a number of years, and especially now as I am shooting a Beretta 92 mostly as primary.

Interestingly, my wife was experiencing about a 35% stoppage rate through our VP9, when new, shooting PMC 115 ball. It ran fine for her with 124+P Gold Dot. Ran fine for me with the PMC, and started to run the PMC for her as we got some rounds through the pistol. We believe it was a combination of a new HK, lightly loaded PMC ammo, and her grip/size. She will occasionally see issues with her two main practice Glock 34 pistols, using 115 ball and especially shooting with one hand, so it wasn't a total surprise.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

A lot of times I purposely run hottish ammo through my guns for the first 100 or so rounds just so I don't needlessly freak myself out over something like that. This time I started with WWB and Blazer and it ran fine. I wouldn't have tried it with russian junk!