HK VP9 or P30?

[Sandaholic]

Congratulations OP. You will like it!

I just received the VP9L slide to go with my standard frame and it looks and feels great. Although the he suppressor sights are good, I can't wait to get an optic on it.

I am jealous of you getting the new mags.

Have fun OP. Shoot straight and stay safe!

Not the O.P., but on the topic of the VP9L, I have been thinking hard about one for a while.

As to the O.P.'s question, as a cheaper end HK nut, I can speak to that. I carry a P30L and P30SK. We have VP9'S and a VP9SK as well, and I actually shoot these a hair better than the P30's. Seems like it should be the other way around, but it ain't.

I like both, but for some reason I gravitate more to the P30's. It makes no real sense since I shoot the VP9's better. Either will do the trick. Well made and feel great in the hand.

I don't care if they hate me.

 

[Dr Prepper]

In a defensive situation, adrenaline is going to make fine motor actions harder.

this is why i actually like my p30 v3 LEM the trigger is LOOOONG and fairly stiff i beleive it actually does pull around 8lbs IIRC.

I didn't want to upgrade the P30 trigger and had enough of the suffering so all of them are gone now.

from what little research i looked into it after i got mine and wasnt sure about the trigger i think it was a HK sponsored competition shooter said the P30 LEM when modified correctly is actually FAR better than the vp ever could be. lighter shorter better in every way.
i have come to love the stiff double action and feel alot safer with it when the adrenaline hits if i (lord forbid) i ever have to use it.

If I ever get back in with HK it might be with a P30 LEM.

you SHOULD def try one before you buy. there are MANY variations available for the P30. one of the things i absolutely loved about it.
mine has pretty much every option and i LOVE it that way. its like driving a manual transmission vs auto. i like being in control. i like the additional safety AND being able to decock and have dbl action i feel incredibly safe with it. esp as a new carrier.

I would strongly, STRONGLY suggest you try a LEM before you buy a LEM. I bought a USP with one and it's the most bizarre trigger I've tried. It's double action but.... Only kinda. Think super long pull, squishy single action for feel

this is true in its factory state. but remember if you dont like it you can modify it down the road if you dont mind modifying your CCW (i can def, understand why someone wouldnt, thats mainly why i dont mod mine.

P30 has more options than lem ,no safety hammer fired , safety w decoker and light lem ( length of pull might be changed) There is a sub compact also P30SK.
My choice P30SK hammer/no safety or a full sized HK 9mm(more money)

as previosly stated i love my safety, decocker, hammer spur, ambi everything it fits like a glove.
i think mine is a P30S v3 LEM grey frame made in germany. traded in two garbage BCA grendel barrels and added some cash for it at classicFA best decision of my life. i think retail on it was like $530 reviews were all oretty much 5* so i took a small gamble. its light years ahead of glocks (ive owned two fully custom gucci gocks) the glow in the dark steel sights on the HK are nuclear powered.. brightest ive ever seen by far. can ring 6" gong at around 50m fairly easily with imi 115gn.

Congratulations OP. You will like it!

I just received the VP9L slide to go with my standard frame and it looks and feels great. Although the he suppressor sights are good, I can't wait to get an optic on it.

I am jealous of you getting the new mags.

Have fun OP. Shoot straight and stay safe!

someone beat me to it.. not OP.

good luck, you cant really go wrong. hopefully the glock you tried wasnt a g20/21 non SF those are huge and dont represent glocks really at all. the p80 frames are light years better than the oem frames for girth. at least IMO..

 

[TTSX]

this is why i actually like my p30 v3 LEM the trigger is LOOOONG and fairly stiff i beleive it actually does pull around 8lbs IIRC.

from what little research i looked into it after i got mine and wasnt sure about the trigger i think it was a HK sponsored competition shooter said the P30 LEM when modified correctly is actually FAR better than the vp ever could be. lighter shorter better in every way.
i have come to love the stiff double action and feel alot safer with it when the adrenaline hits if i (lord forbid) i ever have to use it.

you SHOULD def try one before you buy. there are MANY variations available for the P30. one of the things i absolutely loved about it.
mine has pretty much every option and i LOVE it that way. its like driving a manual transmission vs auto. i like being in control. i like the additional safety AND being able to decock and have dbl action i feel incredibly safe with it. esp as a new carrier.

this is true in its factory state. but remember if you dont like it you can modify it down the road if you dont mind modifying your CCW (i can def, understand why someone wouldnt, thats mainly why i dont mod mine.

as previosly stated i love my safety, decocker, hammer spur, ambi everything it fits like a glove.
i think mine is a P30S v3 LEM grey frame made in germany. traded in two garbage BCA grendel barrels and added some cash for it at classicFA best decision of my life. i think retail on it was like $530 reviews were all oretty much 5* so i took a small gamble. its light years ahead of glocks (ive owned two fully custom gucci gocks) the glow in the dark steel sights on the HK are nuclear powered.. brightest ive ever seen by far. can ring 6" gong at around 50m fairly easily with imi 115gn.

someone beat me to it.. not OP.

good luck, you cant really go wrong. hopefully the glock you tried wasnt a g20/21 non SF those are huge and dont represent glocks really at all. the p80 frames are light years better than the oem frames for girth. at least IMO..

I'd be interested to know how else one could modify the LEM. Mine is on a full size USP 45 and lives life as my load development gun. If I understand correctly, these can handle much, much more than the ACP puts out but man, the trigger I no likey

 

[PsypherGR]

To the O.P.

I have owned or currently own all 3 of the firearms you are looking into. As someone stated earlier in this post, the VP9 vs P30 comes down to not very many differences. It is true, the trigger in the VP9 is better (my opinion), but I preferred the way the P30 felt in my hand. Also liked the de-cocker however the DA first shot wasn't great. I preferred the grip on the P30 that is, until I got my hands on the VP9SK with the 13 round magazines. The VP9SK all of a sudden felt similar to the way the Glock 45/19x feels but not nearly as large. All the grip you need, in a small and easy to shoot platform. I do not have very large hands and the VP9 full size always felt a little big to me. The SK was perfect and felt very similar to my P2000 (also an amazing gun and maybe better then a P30 imo). I currently only own the P2k and the VP9SK as my wife shot the P2k better then the P30 and I prefer the SK vs the full size VP9. My buddy still owns my old P30 however, and I still get to shoot it with regularity. I would consider looking into the P30SK as well if you really like the P30 just to add more options for you.

As for the glock 19, I enjoy it. I have mine fairly modded so it's not quite an accurate comparison. Which would I carry? The HK's over the Glock personally. Which is at my bedside table? The Glock... but once again, that is more to do with the mods and optics than the overall gun.

Hope that helps.

 

[trevi]

I'm just starting the process of looking for a better 9mm pistol. I know the first thing I'll hear is to get a Glock. While getting one isn't off the table, I haven't really liked how they fit my hand so far. I don't recall the models I've handled, but they just seemed fat in my hand. Again, not off the table but not my first pick either.

I started looking at the HK VP9 and like several things about it, including the changeable grips. Yes, I'm aware that the upgraded recoil spring seems to have issues with lighter bullets. Still, there seems to be a lot to like about the gun. Then, I started looking at the P30, which is slightly smaller with a hammer and changeable grips. I think I like the P30 better as it's slightly smaller size will make it easier to carry, though the difference isn't that much. Both appear to be well-made and accurate guns. Any thoughts from owners of either or both?

If you are still looking and have an open mind, may I suggest CZ P-09/ 07? Amazing and under-rated shooters. If you were closer, I'd let you shoot mine.Unless, you want striker fired, then CZ offers the P-10/ 10C, of which I have no experience with.

 

[PsypherGR]

If you are still looking and have an open mind, may I suggest CZ P-09/ 07? Amazing and under-rated shooters. If you were closer, I'd let you shoot mine.Unless, you want striker fired, then CZ offers the P-10/ 10C, of which I have no experience with.

CZ's are awesome guns! If we are recommending other options beyond what the OP stated, may I recommend the Canik TP9 series. The triggers from factory are amazing and they are very responsibly priced for what they are. Mostly very good reviews online and my TP9 Elite Combat is worth every penny compared to my G19 or G45. I fell the HK's are maybe build just a slight bit better, but you are paying for it... (my .02)

 

[srxfan]

... One thing I will note is that my vp9 will go into battery when I'm performing a reload with a new mag. Doesn't really bother me, but just an observation. ...

My VP9 will also do this on occasion. Doesn't bother me but can be a bit surprising.

If you like striker guns, the VP9 is great. I find I prefer the feel of hammer-fired, alloy framed pistols, but I haven't shot so many of those in comparison.

... Yes, I'm aware that the upgraded recoil spring seems to have issues with lighter bullets....

Hmm, interesting. What is this about? I've shot over 1k rounds of 115gr and it functioned fine. I do have the VP9L (5in barrel), so not sure if that makes a difference. To my knowledge, the recoil spring is the same in both standard 4in and longslide 5in slides.

Good luck with your decision!

 

[PORSCHE928S4]

VP9 no matter what flavor this thing almost shoots itself and pair it up with some ETS 30/40 round mags and you have one bad mama jammer ! I ran 100 rounds in the VP9L yesterday and probably the most user friendly forgiving pistols that I have ever handled . The P30 is a fine pistol but the VP takes the cake for me as for cost I know you pay but it is for something that will stand the test of time 60k plus rounds without failure I will drink that cool aid !

 

[PORSCHE928S4]

CDNN sports has a few in stock

 

[nwslopoke]

I seriously looked at the VP9 but after renting both the VP9 and Walther PPQ at the same time I went with the Walther. Possibly if I did change the grip on the VP9 I may have shot it better but I shot the Walther constantly better near and far at the indoor range.

Also, the PPQ M1 has a similar mag release as the VP9. Even after some time I don't care for it. I still have to force myself to remember it's not in the traditional location.

 

[ARFrog]

I seriously looked at the VP9 but after renting both the VP9 and Walther PPQ at the same time I went with the Walther. Possibly if I did change the grip on the VP9 I may have shot it better but I shot the Walther constantly better near and far at the indoor range.

Also, the PPQ M1 has a similar mag release as the VP9. Even after some time I don't care for it. I still have to force myself to remember it's not in the traditional location.

I have often wondered if the reason some people don't fall in love with the VP9 is due to trying it out without the proper hand grip panels installed. I know when I first did it felt 90% and it "spoke to me". With a change of side panels, it fine tuned to 100% and "it sang to me!"

If you don't like the paddle magazine release there are the button or "American" varieties to choose from as well - VP9-B or VP9L-B.

 

[dehughes]

I've owned a P30, a P30L, a Gen 4 Glock 19, and a VP9. I still have the VP9. Why?

I don't really like Glocks. They are harder for me to shoot well when compared to other platforms. Granted, I have learned to shoot them well, but it was a lot harder work getting there than with other pistols I've owned/shot/used. I very much respect the Glock 17/19 platforms and I will say that I actually could learn to live with a Gen 5 version of either, as this generation has fixed some of my gripes with past models, yet while I respect the Gen 5 versions and I can shoot them well enough they still are not my preferred platform.

The P30 and P30L were excellent pistols. Build quality was exceptional and I had only a few feeding issues when they were new. Once broken in they were flawless and beautiful. Best feeling pistol in hand that I've ever experienced. (I say in hand just because under recoil I ran the VP9 better. Holding a pistol and shooting/running a pistol are two different things.) Bore axis is higher than the G19 and VP9 but they shoot very well and have a decent recoil impulse. I shot the P30L better than the P30, but both gave me the occasional hammer bite when setup with grip panels that fit my hand best, so they both ended up sold. I still eye a P30L from time to time and toy with getting another, but then I remind myself that ultimately the VP9 was a better fit for me.

Why, you ask? First, I simply shoot the VP9 more accurately and more naturally than any of the aforementioned pistols. It is just a natural fit to my hand. I don't have to fight it to shoot it well. It points naturally. It is very ergonomic to hold and under recoil it returns right back on target in a way few other pistols do for me. With the new 17round magazines I now give up no capacity over a Glock 17 or similar "full-sized" pistol, and the VP9 appears to be made just as well as the P30 series. The VP9 sits lower in the hand and I interface with it differently due to the lack of hammer/hammer spring mechanism in the back of the pistol. My only little gripe with the HKs is that if I'm not careful I get a trigger finger pinch/sting due to the bottom of the trigger guard being designed to make shooting with gloves less likely to result in pinching the glove between the trigger guard and the bottom of the trigger. I rarely if ever shoot with gloves so that's not a benefit to me, and as a consequence I have to be aware of how I place my finger on the trigger to avoid this pinch. That's about the only negative I can think of. Oh, and I prefer the "regular" sights over the night sights. Stock, yellow dot HK sights provide an absolutely excellent sight picture, with the only negative being I can see how if the pistol was holstered and then pulled out to be used in a low-light situation, the rear dots may have received more ambient light and might cause the front sight to be dimmer...which is not what you'd want (prefer the opposite) but what can you do with a holstered pistol and luminescent sights? Pros and cons.

Long story short...any of those pistols would be an excellent choice, but I stuck with the VP9 because it felt the best and I shot it the best.

 

[Dr Prepper]

heres one reason i went with a heavier trigger. i dont have any unmodified triggers to carry. and this does matter to me. my p30 lem trigger in single action is plenty fine for stressful situations, i like how the pull changes drastically from 2nd to single. from Masad Ayoob

this gives you a quick idea of whats possible. if you think like me nothing is ever perfect and thus must be made as close as possible after the fact.
but when it comes to my carry i want a heavy military style trigger not a competition trigger. plenty of great options out there no matter what you want. do some research though and you love it for a LONG time to come research will pay off.

 

[anonEmouse]

There are some very good experiential comments here and I appreciate them. My S&W SD9VE has a hard break (at least to me), and I find the barrel moves slightly when it does. I don't mind the heavier trigger for carry purposes. The result is I find it difficult to shoot well consistently.

I'm kind of in a holding pattern on this as I'm dealing with some health issues that take priority. Of course, it would help if we were dealing with normal supply levels.

I don't plan on modifying my triggers at all and prefer to run stock guns. I get the trigger reset issue as a faster reset will allow faster follow-up shots. However, in real life and under stress I doubt it makes a significant difference. Being accurate in my shooting does. I don't want bullets going where I don't intend them to go.

Before I make a purchase I'll shoot both the P30 and VP9. I'm leaning toward the VP9, but still interested in the P30.

 

[PORSCHE928S4]

I like the VP9L so much I am selling a part of my collection to fund others like it !