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The VP9 is H&K’s first entry into the striker fired market since the P7 series.
Heckler & Koch is about to begin shipping the VP9, its latest 9mm striker fired pistol, and the reports coming in could not be any more positive. From the adjustable grip panels to the trigger, the VP9 is taking a familiar platform and making some serious improvements, and doing it at a competitive price.
I’m an H&K fan. I’ve carried their full sized pistols for years. When the news leaked that they had a new striker fired pistol, I had high hopes. The early hype on the VP9 was that this pistol was going to be the most perfect incarnation of the striker fired design currently available. These are bold words. I’ve reviewed and carried all of the major striker fired guns. I’m a modifier. I buy guns that come close to doing what I want and then get out the Dremels and soldering irons and files. Yet the VP9 has a lot of the practical upgrades I’d expect from the custom shop at a price that looks more like a standard model. Could the hype be true?
The 1913 rail on the front of the VP9 allows for a wide variety of accessories.
Let’s get back to H&K. This isn’t a brand we typically associate with modern striker fired guns, but the company started the striker fired trend 35 years ago when it created the P7 series. Why has H&K waited so long to get back into the game? The answer isn’t completely clear, but we’re glad it did. A gun like this, one that genuinely changes the market, will obviously appeal to the fans of H&K. It will also appeal to those who haven’t already established tenacious brand loyalties. And for the rest, the VP9 will force innovation.
The VP9 has a typical 9mm recoil impulse, but the grip makes follow-up shots more manageable.
What makes this gun so great?
Here’s a list to hold you over until you get some trigger time. The VP9 has both forward and rear cocking serrations that allow for numerous ways to manipulate the slide. The heavy-duty extractor doubles as a loaded chamber indicator, giving a good visual indicator that isn’t likely to break off or get in the way. There’s also a cocked firing pin indicator. There are ambidextrous slide releases and an ambidextrous H&K-style magazine release. For those who want accessories, the VP9 has a full-length 1913 rail.
One of the interesting features of the frame is its replaceable side panels and back straps. The front of the grip has molded finger grooves that are designed to increase the grip and to make point shooting more intuitive. The trigger guard is slightly enlarged, too, to round out the package.
The sights are streamlined for concealment but still allow for reliably accurate shot placement.
The cold hammer forged barrel is typical for the H&K guns. These are solid barrels that should never give you any trouble. H&K tested barrels for its 9mm P30 out to 90,000 rounds. Like some of the others in this field, the barrels use polygonal rifling. The captive flat recoil spring is easy to get to, thanks to the VP9’s easy take down design. The sights have been streamlined to keep them snag free. They glow, but aren’t radioactive. My only criticism of the sights is the pyramid shape of the rear sight, which makes the VP9 more difficult to cock one-handed.
H&K is also paving new roads with its “patented charging supports.” These are like speed-bumps at the rear of the slide. Instead of being cut into the slide, these stick out, just enough to allow you to maximize the energy you put into charging the pistol. They’re supposed to make it easier for shooters with reduced hand strength to operate the slide, too.
It ships with one 15 round magazine. That seems to be typical for guns this size. Still, it can be a hassle. New guns, especially, are sometimes hard to find magazines for. And no one in their right mind would own a pistol with only one magazine.
The gun is accurate enough to make fast, reliable hits on the center plate on this torso.
Maybe the single best feature of the VP9 is the trigger. The trigger breaks clean, with very little take-up. H&K describes it as a “single action type” break. And the reset is short. H&K is bragging about this feature, and for good reason. The trigger is predictable and incredibly efficient. The one on this VP9 breaks at 5.5 pounds.
Shooting the VP9
Shooting the VP9 is more of a pleasure than a task. With a superb trigger pull, clear sights and a grip pieced together just for me, I found myself only putting the gun down to let it cool. My groups were tighter than they are with most guns like this, and my split times felt non-existent. This gun was built to run, and run fast! Speed is one attribute that needs to be highlighted. With H&K’s new recoil spring, light weight and highly textured frame, the VP9 can be ripped out of the holster and emptied fast. After the first few magazines, I was drawing from the holster and connecting with the red plate in the middle of the torso target with very little reliance on the sights.
The VP9 right before ejection. The manageable recoil decreases split times.
Loading the pistol has also been simplified thanks to a beveled magazine well, forward and rear cocking serrations, and the ambidextrous magazine and slide releases. It doesn’t matter if you’re a left-handed operator or a right, though ejection still kicks out on the right side. I tested the gun southpaw for 100 rounds and had no issues loading it or manipulating any of the controls. The gun simply works at all angles and in any situation.
Clearing malfunctions on this gun would be a breeze. The only time I got to experience this is when I purposely created them. With highly textured surfaces at every end of the gun, you can grab any portion and have a purchase that is superior to 99% of out-of-the-box guns. Another feature the VP9 offers in this department is recessed areas around the magazine well that allow you to strip a magazine in the unimaginable scenario that the gun has a double feed.
The VP9 will be a popular choice for both self-defense and duty use.
Cleaning the gun is a breeze, and a safe one at that. No need to pull the trigger to disassemble the gun. The safety police can rest easy. You cannot disassemble the gun with a magazine in the weapon, again making it nearly impossible to have accidental discharges. But it will fire with a round in the chamber, so pay attention to the basic rules of safety and keep your finger off the trigger unless you intend to shoot something.
This is just the beginning for H&K
H&K changed things with its first striker fired guns. Now the company is doing it again. The VP9’s standard features and out-of-box trigger puts it on the same tier as semi-custom to high-end custom offerings. H&K hit this one out of the park; I’m rarely this impressed with any gun. After running 600 rounds at the range, I was hooked. This is by far the greatest handgun for the money and very well could become the greatest striker fired option, period.
The VP9 has a limited lifetime warranty and is being imported from Germany. The suggested retail price of the VP9 is $719, which means it will compete well. And with performance like this, I would highly recommend that you check it out before you make your next acquisition.
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The VP9 has a captured spring and comes apart easily.
The VP9 is compact enough to conceal, but still large enough to hold. It is an ideal size for concealed carry.
The VP9 has a captured spring, and comes apart easily.
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After more than 500 rounds in one afternoon, the VP9 was still singing.
Even when worn OWB, the VP9 is an easily concealed pistol.
The VP9 ships with several interchangeable grip panels and one magazine. Photos by VaCali Studios
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I bought one for $619 “out the door”. I own many handguns. Basically all platforms are represented in my collection. I like the simplicity of the striker fired pistols for self defense purposes. True, it is hard to beat a Glock. The simplicity of design, toughness of the Pistol is unquestioned. That being said, I’ve worked on every Glock I have owed, both trigger and frame work to make it “comfortable” for me. I choose the new Smith MP 40 performance long slide with a Vortex viper site for my new bed side gun. This is a superb gun out if the box needing little to no work to make me content, especially at the Smith’s price. I bought the VP 9 for the wife largely, for a range gun. Upon arrival, it felt great in the hand, is solidly built and the change out of the back strap and grip panels were easy and accommodates my wife’s small hands very well. As a shooter, it comes with a very smooth, crisp trigger which is the best I have felt in an unmodified striker platform gun. The recoil is typical to a tad better in it’s class. Besides the trigger and grips, what sets the HK apart is the accuracy. The VP9 is a tack driver out of the box. It is superior to my modified (highly modified in some cases) Glocks and beats my Smith, FN, Sig’s in this category as well. I like the paddle mag releases, this is a matter of personal preference. Bottom line, for the money, in my opinion this is a very hard pistol to beat.
I know it sounds silly and old-fashioned, but regardless of quality or reliability, I’m just not ready to carry any pistol that does not have an exposed, fully operational hammer (IOW, DAO sucks!)
This article mentions “strike fired” about six times in the opening paragraphs without ever explaining what that is. ???
It means that the primer is punched by a spring captured firing pin instead of a hammer.
The U.S. Army has speced a striker-fired handgun for next procurement shot off. I don’t know why. I am very fond of a thumb operated hammer to control the firearm. I’m a 1911 old school guy.
It looks to me like it has two controls on the side. Hopefully one is the slide release and the other is a takedown lever and not a safety. I don’t like added safeties on any kind of DAO guns. DA revolvers don’t have safeties and neither should DAO autos. It has a 5.5 pound trigger and if you keep you finger off the trigger until you’re ready to fire you don’t need a safety because triggers are not self-actuating.
This gun is probably more accurate than my Glock. But I like the simplicity and reliability of the Glock well enough that I wouldn’t trade up to one of these if it had an add-on safety.
“The suggested retail price of the VP9 is $719, which means it will compete well.”
To “compete well” it needs to be closer to $500.00,local shops around me are selling Glocks, S&W M&P’s,and XD’s for $499.00. All previous mentioned all have a lower suggested retail price, but some may buy because it has HK stamp on it even though I see nothing to warrant the higher price.
MSRP isn’t the same as street price. I’ve already seen these for sale for $550 which is is the going rate for PPQs, XDMs and 4th gen glocks….
Good article. I hope this HK is all that and a bag of chips. I cannot abide the lever type magazine releases though.
Even though your finger is off the trigger,please don’t point the muzzle of any pistol at your left fore arm.. ever.Not even for a cool picture.
I like how you are muzzling your arm….
Eh, I’ll be impressed when they make it in a 10mm.
I love to see pictures like this where the guy is resting his thumb RIGHT AGAINST THE SLIDE looking all cool and professional. I know, I know, all the new rage all the pros do it etc. Actually pros don’t rest thumb against slide because they like their thumbs and want to keep them. My Drill SGT. would slap the piss out of you if he saw you doing that. Keep your thumbs down if you want to keep them. Go back and look at the picture of him pointing right at you before you leave me negative comments. What he is doing is dangerous and sets a bad example.
This gun is way overblown. 5.5 lb trigger pull. What is that? I’ll take my Sig M11A1 over this anytime. Sig’s short reset trigger makes the M11 2nd shot and all the rest of them close to a 1911. This is just another Glock type gun with a higher price.
That is one of the ugliest guns I have ever seen. I cannot imagine it is better than the Walther PPQ either..and for more money.
“That is one of the ugliest guns I have ever seen” – Really? The PPQ looks suspiciously like a HK P30, which is clearly the design parent of the VP9.
Why buy a “clone” when you can buy the “original”?? and for over 200 bucks less…this is a no brainer for me…I’ll stick with my Glocks…every time
I see a lot of shit talking about the vp9 and mostly by those who haven’t purchased one . Go buy or rent one before you open the soup cooler and then comment !! Last time I checked , ugly performs the same as pretty .
I find it interesting that this article “assumes” that all of these “innovations” were not ALREADY available. Walther released the PPQ years ago and ALREADY “revolutionized” the “striker fired trigger system” LONG before this HK was ever announced for availability. Lets give credit where credit is due. HK makes great products, but I’m not about to give them any more credit than they deserve when they have simply placed their moniker on a design enhancements that were developed by someone else. The HK is NOT setting a NEW standard. It is simply mimicking the one already set by the Walther PPQ. There are few “uniquely HK features” available on the VP9 that are nice, but they are simply HK glitz to confirm its HK branding. Nothing on this pistol appears to be anything that hasn’t already been done before.
Let’s get back to H&K. This isn’t a brand we typically associate with modern striker fired guns, but the company started the striker fired trend 35 years ago when it created the P7 series.
I know you didn’t mean to write that. You probably know that HK was late to the striker fired game. I have an 80 year old Colt, a 65 year old FN, and a 60 year old CZ that are striker fired. Typically, HK doesn’t start anything, but rather improves on the designs of others.
Let’s get back to H&K. This isn’t a brand we typically associate with modern striker fired guns, but the company started the striker fired trend 35 years ago when it created the P7 series.
I know you didn’t mean to write that. You probably know that HK was late to the striker fired game. I have an 80 year old Colt, a 65 year old FN, and a 60 year old CZ that are striker fired. Typically, HK doesn’t start anything, but rather improves on the designs of others.
Please take down the picture of the shooter muzzling his arm- that picture shows a dangerously casual attitude towards firearm safety. Also, please don’t do this- it’s one of the 4 firearm safety laws for a reason!
Good catch Steve, I see improper gun handling all the time in magazines & so forth. I missed this one but yes it is blatant.
I noticed this too. At least he doesn’t have his finger on the trigger like I often see…
I would like to know is what way is this superior to a walther PPQ. The are basically the same gun and with all the simularties no mention of it in the article. No way this gun is better than a PPQ as good maybe. If it was a 45 then talk.
” but the company started the striker fired trend 35 years ago when it created the P7 series.”
Nope, the striker fired VP-70 predates the P-7 by 9 years (production dates).
Ive always liked the location of and the ambidextrous mag release on H&K pistols. I dont see how the trigger could differ much in feel or break from that of a Glock or an XD. Cant someone engineer a way to incorporate a 1911 style trigger on to one of these style pistols? That would be something unique and maybe worthy of the articles title.
I have always liked the location of and the ambidextrous mag release on HK pistols. I don’t see how the trigger could differ much in feel or break from that of a glock or an XD. Cant someone engineer a way to incorporate a 1911 style trigger on to one of these style pistols? That would be something unique and maybe worthy of the articles title.
They did years ago, it is called the Daewoo DH40. The South Korean army developed them years ago. They are all steel and totally dependable and easy to take down and clean.
Looks very much like a Walther P99…
Or the striker-fired PPQ. I own one of these in 9mm with the absolutely great trigger and the HK style ambidextrous magazine release levers. In every aspect except the cheap plastic sights, the PPQ is of superb quality. And it is priced hundreds of dollars less than the HK.
Wrong, the PPQ is about $50 less than the VP9.
Looks very much like a Walther P99…
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.
Youre a moron.
What did he say that was untrue?
FALPhil, he misses the point as to why people buy modern handguns. I never worry about ROI when buying a defense pistol. He seems more interested in selling at gun shows and not using a gun. I wouldn’t bet my life on a Luger or P38, as I have seen too many of them fail. This new striker fired HK is appealing for a person needing or wanting a defensive handgun. Old stuff is fun to shoot and collect. If you are investing in guns that’s one thing. Defense use trumps doing gun shows.
Glocks are not unsafe. There is no need for a grip safety. Unlike the XD models, the Glock is not cocked and doesn’t need the added feature. If people are having negligent discharges with Glock pistols it is because they are biolating basic gun handling rules. If you pull the trigger in a Glock it will go bang!!! Keep your finger off the trigger, just like you would do with a S&W M10 revolver and there will be NO negligent discharges. Regarding return of investment, that is for collectors. Your 1940 era 9mm is not now nor ever will be as reliable as a Glock. People looking to buy a defensive handgun don’t, or shouldn’t care, about ROI. You want a pistol that works every time. The HK seems like a good pistol for real USERS.
An old P38 or GP35 are interesting pistols. I never found one that is as reliable as a Glock.
This is twice I’ve seen somebody reference H&K as having introduced striker fired pistols to the world. Doesn’t the Browning designed FN 1910 pistol count as a striker fired pistol?
No, it only counts when HK does it. Sorry Browning. Just kidding. I think the VP70s claim to fame is the first production polymer pistol. And I believe the author’s comment about the P7 was that it made striker fire pistols a “trend”, or paopular, not the first. I have a VP70z and it’s an intersting design, but as mentioned before, it has really long and heavy trigger pull..
Issues with the VP70Z that doomed it were legion. It was big, the trigger pull horrible, the bore was very over-sized so the 9x19mm round gave ballistics like a 9x18mmK. The lands were normal, but the grooves were deep allowing gasses to bypass the bullet. It is ugly. I wouldn’t have bought one. Accessories were expensive.
The P7 was a nice carry gun, with fine accuracy, but like many German guns, it had twice as many parts as it should. Little itty bitty pieces. The .40 version was a club, visually and literally.
What did they do to make striker-fired better? I liked your review – don’t get me wrong – I just didn’t see where this pistol does anything better than all the other pistols out there, and at a high price. And I agree with the above post – forward serrations are not only unnecessary, but a good way to shoot your hand. I’ve been shooting and instructing for many years, and have military and law enforcement training, and never saw the need for forward serrations other than they do look cool. If you can’t pull back the slide like you’re supposed to, why put your hand in front of the gun, and why let parts of your body – arm, hand, fingers, etc.- cover the ejection port while you clear a malfunction that you now can’t see? I watched a student “press check” a pistol that way and totally not see a cartridge in the chamber that the extractor failed to grab because he couldn’t see the chamber.
Again, nice write-up, but my question is why is this pistol “perfected”?
(and why is it not in .45 or at least .40, but I don’t want to start that!!!)
Jay … You ask why someone would put their hand in front of the muzzle when referencing front serrations … I think the same kind of person who poses with a firearm while pointing it directly at themselves would want front serrations (see last photo in article for reference).
I agree. I can’t believe they would post a picture in a review with such a flagrant safety violation, just because it looks “cool.” Something about “Never let the muzzle cover something you are not willing to destroy.” Seems I’ve heard that a time or two in my training. Unless he is willing to destroy his left arm (the one hanging over the steel target). Certainly doesn’t add to his credibility.
All of my distributors are showing this pistol ships with two magazines.
I have owned H&K Handguns for over 30 years, I own and carry an H&K P7M13 everyday and have never had any issues what so ever with the pistol with the exception of buying additional magazines for under $130. Patrick is correct that the VP70 was the first striker fired not the P7 family.
New to shooting, what exactly is a “striker fired pistol”? This new pistol looks just like the P30 and from the description sounds to function basically the same way. Love shooting my USP, just wondering what the difference is. Thanks!
For “striker-fired” think glock. There is no hammer to pull down manually (which would make it a ‘hammer-fired’ pistol). This H&K operates much like a glock or a walther PPQ.
If you want the best of both worlds get a Daewoo DH40. It is a double/single with a hammer that the first pull cocks the hammer and is actually lighter than the single pull. It also has a double tap feature on a first strike dud that does not require working the slide to reset the cocking mechanism as is common with most double action pistols. I have two of them that has been through 1000 rounds with one malfunction and that was a bur on one magazine that has never occurred again.
Having fired both, I can tell you that the VP9 and PPQ are almost identical in terms of how they fire as well as operate. However, ergonomically I find the VP9 to be a superior weapon, as the stock grip is much more comfortable than the PPQ’s, and the ambidextrous slide and mag releases of the VP9 to me felt more intuitive than the slide and mag releases of the PPQ.
Hey Jacob, the title of your article alluded to a weakness in the design of the previous striker fired semi-automatic handguns. I read the entire article carefully to discover why the H&K VP9 was superior to other striker fired pistols but I failed to find the answer.
What was wrong with the older designed striker fired pistols and how did H&K solve it with their VP9?
From what I have read the fundamental flaw with all previous striker fired pistols is the trigger which is typically a bit “mushy.” HK’s new pistol has engineered this problem away with a better design combined with all of the companies legendary reliability and refinement.
Hey Mike, thanks for your reply. While I’m not sure about other striker fired pistols, my Taurus 24/7 OSS DS .45 cal. apc has a very good trigger control. It does have a strange trigger pull characteristic but once you get used to it, it is fine.
The first stage of its trigger pull is rather long but very light pull effort. The second stage is the predictable pull that one would expect with an increased pull weight. This second stage is precise and creep free. It actually reminds me of the two stage trigger pull in the M1 Garand rifle.
This Taurus pistol incorporates an integral keyed lock. You can leave the locked thing loaded, anywhere in your house or office and no one can fire it, not even a child. I wear the tiny key on a stainless steel neck chain that never comes off, not even in the shower.
I’ll say it right now, A close range hit by the “neanderthal” .45 apc slug will ruin the day of any attacker with mayhem on his mind. 15 shot 9 mm pistols? If you can’t connect with the first ten, you might want to get a shotgun.
HK’s first striker fired pistol was the VP70Z, not the P7.
Correct the VP70 was the first poly framed hand gun in the world, and was striker fired blow back design with a 18 round double stack magazine. And the most awful trigger pull in the world.
The pic seems to indicate two mags….one in the case and one in the pistol. No? Also, maybe worth mentioning that the VP9 accepts the P30 9mm magazines, so buyers should have less of a problem stocking up on mags. Thanks for your thorough review….looking forward to picking one up.
Why does everything have to come in a 9mm? A .40 S&W will fit on the same platform and is a much better round…
A .40 S&W has increased muzzle blast, recoil, noise and tends to require a two handed hold for quick, accurate shots. So, in a low light situation, you stand a much better chance of impairing what ever amount of night adjusted vision you may possess, turn yourself completely, though temporarily deaf and have a higher level of concern for bystanders due to increased muzzle flip and controlability. And you’re still using a handgun round that doesn’t come close to being as effective as a rifle round.
Modern 9mm loads are right up there in effectiveness with other calibers, which is why a lot of agencies are transitioning to the 9 again.
Keep in mind, any handgun in any caliber is really a handy tool to allow you to possibly exract yourself from a situation, or allow you to get to your rifle. Since there is no handgun round that comes close to effectiveness of a rifle round, why not select a handgun round that is easy on the senses, allows for quick, accurate follow up shots and increases innocent bystander safety?
if a .40 cal is too much for you to handle may I suggest a 22LR would prob. be more to your speed and handling!!!!!
HK is targeting the world market, not just the USA. 9mm makes the most sense, as it is the most used police and military round on the planet. With good ammo, it performs as well as anything out there.
Actually the 40 s&w is one of the worst combat rounds ever conceived . The round was designed to fire out of a 9mm size frame so they had to eliminate the air space in the cartridge when using the best bullet for it that was the 180 grain. So what happened. Combat Handguns magazine several years ago reported several modern handguns blowing up with this loading, a Glock, a Browning High Power and a Ruger cast iron pistol. Why? When this round experiences bullet set back as the round goes up the feed ramp it compresses the powder charge as their is no air space in the cartridge to begin with, and the result is a detonation. You also get increased wear and tear on guns that were originally designed for the pressures and recoil of a 9mm cartridge. Cracked frames and slides and internal galling of parts have all resorted with this ill-conceived cartridge.
Bigger does not always mean better either. In 1945 the Neanderthals at the U.S. military finally got around to actually testing the .45acp and what they found shocked them. This dud round actually bounced off a helmet at a scant 35 yards while the 9×19 penetrated it at an astonishing 125 yards and might have done even at longer range but the accuracy of the pistol and the skill of the shooters made further testing to expensive and time consuming. Now you know why most of the world adopted and still uses the 9×19 over the dude .45 acp round.
I disagree. If one were to follow your logic, a .357 Magnum or .44 magnum would be preferable to the 9mm.
125 yards! Who would rely on a pistol to hit an enemy soldier at such a range? Call me crazy but I would rather have a M1A1 7.62 mm for dispatching an onrushing enemy soldier at 100 yards than a 9 mm pistol!
Dud .45 apc round? Do you think that this bullet would “bounce” of the bad guy’s face, throat, arms or legs at normal pistol ranges?
When the enemy is rushing at you with a fixed bayonet, a hard working .45 apc pistol is hard to beat, unless you have a pump shotgun.
Selling a defensive use pistol, with only one magazine, incredibly stupid. How to shoot a finger off? Put cocking grooves near the muzzle. The trigger sounds good.
I have a mod HK 70 Z NEW IN BOX NEVER FIRED 4 MAGS might trade [email protected] will send pictures Thank you and GOD bless