When it comes to striker-fired pistols, Heckler & Koch has moved at its own pace.
The German manufacturer was at the forefront in producing the style of pistol when it was gaining steam in the early 1980s. But since the introduction of its VP70- and P7-series, H&K has been quite when it comes to striker-fired.
That is until recently. Heckler & Koch has gotten back into the striker-fired pistol market in a big way with the recent introduction of the VP9.
The striking feature of the new 9mm pistol is the amount of time Heckler & Koch dedicated to the product. It has been reported, the company invested four years in designing the handgun, integrating a number features H&K has become known for including on its guns.
Some of those features include interchangeable grip panels to help the pistol comfortably adjust to nearly any hand, ambidextrous controls for the magazine release and slide lever, and Picatinny rails to simplify the addition of accessories.
The VP9 accepts the same 10- and 15-round magazines as the P30, while still cutting a slim profile. The pistol is 7.34 inches in length, 5.41 inches in height and weighs 26.56 ounces empty.
The VP9 boasts a 4.09 cold hammer-forged barrel, which is outfitted with a six-groove 1:9 twist polygonal bore profile. The handgun has a carbon-nitride finished steel slide that is cut with aggressive fore and aft cocking serrations.
The pistol’s trigger is tuned for a snappy 5.4-pound pull and has been designed to reduce pre-travel. Like most striker-fired handguns, the VP9 has a blade safety on its trigger.
Other safety features include a firing-pin block, a passive system that helps prevent a negligent discharge if the gun is dropped. It also has a cocking indicator on the rear of the slide and its extractor also functions as a loaded chamber indicator.
Heckler & Koch as put the MSRP of the VP9 at $719, placing it near the high end of many striker fire pistols already on the market.
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If you look at the many machine marks on HK pistols which are way more expensive than the Sig you will see the HK has many machine marks on the slide and also especially internally. The Sigs do not.
Pre-loaded modern striker fired pistols have very weak ignition systems. If you doubt this prime an empty case with a high primer and then try to fire it with a modern pre-loaded striker type pistol as it will fail to fire. Not so with hammer fired guns or even the older full cock striker fired guns like the Browning 1910.
Modern striker fired guns like the Glock etc do not have a manual or grip safety which makes them extremely dangerous to handle and carry. Many police departments have switched from the unsafe Glock to pistols with traditional long double action pulls because of all the accidents that have happened some which caused injury and even death.
On the some gun forums all the idiots are very excited about this latest and greatest plasticky pistol. Its just another modern crudely made piece of plasticky trash and to add insult to injury its not cheap either.
I just bought a 9mm made back in the 1940′s and the value continues to rise on this type of collector gun very fast. Try getting your money out of a modern plasticky pistol. You will be lucky to break even. Put it on a table on a gun show and most people will not even bother to pick it up and look at it. They will pick up all steel collector grade pistols though and buy them.