HELP.... VP9 or PPQ?

[HKGuns]

Sounds like the answer to my initial question was no then. It's too bad. HK usually doesn't festoon their pistols with useless crap.

If it doesn't get in the way or cause failures, neither of which is the case, what exactly is the issue?

[SomeGuy]

If it doesn't get in the way or cause failures, neither of which is the case, what exactly is the issue?

No issue. Just wondering why HK put a useless "feature" on their gun.

I'm also a little suspect of your claim that it doesn't cause failures. At least on the face of it it looks like a great ingress point for sand to get into the trigger mechanism. Not trying to suggest its likely (certainly if it were a common issue we'd have heard of it by now) but where the indicator serves no function I'd rather see that ingress point closed up.

[Hmac]

Both my Walther PPS and my HK VP9 have that red "striker cocked" indicator on the end of the slide. I can't think of any way that feature would be useful to me and can't say I have ever used it in the three or four years it's been available to me.

[ralph]

No issue. Just wondering why HK put a useless "feature" on their gun.

I'm also a little suspect of your claim that it doesn't cause failures. At least on the face of it it looks like a great ingress point for sand to get into the trigger mechanism. Not trying to suggest its likely (certainly if it were a common issue we'd have heard of it by now) but where the indicator serves no function I'd rather see that ingress point closed up.

Just a WAG, but the indicator could have been put on to help with importation "points" It's one thing to manufacturer a handgun within the U.S. It's a whole new ball game trying to import one.. In HK's case dealing with a hostile German gov't that doesn't want them exporting anything,(and frankly wishes they were out of business) and then having to deal with a equally hostile U.S. gov't that really doesn't want firearms imported into the country, but are legally unable to do anything about it, except make it a big PITA as possible..

[Hmac]

Just a WAG, but the indicator could have been put on to help with importation "points" It's one thing to manufacturer a handgun within the U.S. It's a whole new ball game trying to import one.. In HK's case dealing with a hostile German gov't that doesn't want them exporting anything,(and frankly wishes they were out of business) and then having to deal with a equally hostile U.S. gov't that really doesn't want firearms imported into the country, but are legally unable to do anything about it, except make it a big PITA as possible..

Loaded chamber indicator is one of the factoring criteria for semiautomatic pistols, but striker indicator isn't.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

My guess is that it was required by a German Police agencies spec list. H&K and Walther are always battling it out for those contracts and H&K probably wanted to make it similar enough to the PPQ so it couldn't be excluded by some trivial specification.

[HKGuns]

I like the cocking indicator, it certainly isn't something I fret about either way.

I think you're likely closest to the truth Greg.

[Waylander]

If the indicator is not visible, you know the pistol will absolutely not fire without racking the slide. Regardless of the chamber condition. No need to even check the LCI. But I do not depend on its visibility meaning the gun is ready to fire. Just that it *could* fire.


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[Helix12]

New to this forum and a bit late to this thread.

Recently I had been handling and trying to decide which to buy first, the Walther PPQ or the HK VP9. Eventually I will buy both but it's just been the decision of which one first. I rented and shot a PPQ M2 but the shop had sold the VP9 law enforcement model with night sights and three magazines I had been looking at.

Most professional and youtube reviews are like forum postings, they pretty much reflect an individual's likes or dislikes about a gun. Mostly subjective. That can help but the following article give a more technical review of some construction points on each gun and how they differ. I found it to be interesting and when I next handled these two guns in the shops I noted the difference discussed in the article. It did influence me in my "which first" decision. Hope this link works since I haven't posted here before.

http://www.defensereview.com/walther...stol-face-off/

I bought the PPQ M1 a couple of weeks ago and have about 400 rounds through it so far. It's giving my FN FNS-9 and Glock 19 a run for their money to be my favorite polymer handgun. I'm selling off a couple of handguns and will have the HK VP9 within a couple of months. Locally I have heard nothing but good about both of them. Although I have no faith that either will ever challenge Glock or Smith & Wesson M&Ps in sales, they will each have a loyal following I'm sure.

I've enjoyed the comments on this thread and look forward to visiting here often.

[HKGuns]

That article is a load of hooey, Walther fluff piece and contains inaccuracies that are very obvious to anyone who has shot and owned both pistols.

They can't tell a steel from a polymer takedown lever.

They make assumptions that the trigger trough is going to affect everyone.

Ignore the shitty, plastic PPQ sights and guide rod.

Talk about how the PPQ feels "more solid," whatever that means, it doesn't.

100% hooey. My lab could have written a a better article.

But glad you like your PPQ regardless, they are nice pistols and I enjoy mine as well.