I got a VP9 earlier this year.  The mag release paddles stuck up into the trigger area and would poke my index finger when the trigger would break.  Not a huge issue, but made it uncomfortable to shoot.

HK CS was great and got me replacement paddles, spring and pin.  That improved it a touch, but the paddles still stick up just enough to catch my finger.  So I tried clipping a coil or two off the spring to make the paddle rest flush with the trigger guard.  It didn't help.  The paddles still stick up; the shorter spring just made the tension less.  Kinda what I expected but worth a try.

So now I gotta take a file/dremel to the paddles to get them flush (without making them too thin).  Wouldn't normally bubba a pistol like this, but at least I have the extra parts to put back to factory.  

Pix of what I'm talking about:

Do you have a mag snapped in?

Yeah went through that with CS. Troublesome to fire it without a mag in.

Cutting the spring may lead to dropping loaded mags under recoil.  Take the extra spring and a punch with you to the range just in case.

Oh I already nixxed the cut spring.  I was pretty sure it wasn't going to help and swapped it back out as soon as I verified it.  The spring was discarded to make sure I don't forget and try to use it in the future.

Man, that's a lot of finger on the trigger.  I'm not one to tell someone how to shoot, but I think this is more of a technique issue that a gun issue.

Have you tried either the Med or Large back strap so that you don't have your finger so deep into the trigger guard?

Yes, I use the large straps all around and still find the grip a bit small.  I'd like a little more real estate for my support hand than I get:


As for the amount of finger on the trigger, no offense intended, but I've always found that to be a load of bull.  Jerry Jones says it better than I can around the 1:25 mark:  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNVYu3koF4o

If I use the distal pad, this is what it looks like:


Let me tell you that you get a cramp pretty quickly shooting that way.  It's not easy these days finding a pistol that fits big hands well, with everyone wanting smaller and smaller.

Anyway, I'll update if I'm able to reshape it successfully.  Again, only doing it because I have the spare.  Not something I'd normally do to a firearm, much less an HK.  I was real excited to get the VP9 and hope I can make it enjoyable to shoot.  

I think it's time for you to get a Mark 23.  That grip looks like it's going to give you arthritis or something.

Your top view pic is what your trigger finger is supposed to look like curling tons of finger onto your trigger like your side view is fundamentally bad technique - the usamtu pistol guide ( a really good read on the fundamentals of pistol shooting ) will show your top view pick as correct

Thanks for your input. I disagree. I suggest if anyone tells you there's a right way and a wrong way to shoot, you find someone else to instruct you.

Well, OK then.


I'd suggest a replacement mag release to see if the original has the catch cut too short.
If not, you have a spare to experiment with and trim/smooth as necessary.

Can you clarify?  The paddles are the mag release to the best of my knowledge.  As I mentioned in the OP, HK CS already sent me a replacement and the swap helped a little bit, but not enough.  So I am working with a factory spare.  Is there more to the mag release than I'm aware of?

I've done a little reshaping and it's improved to where I don't feel a poke.  Still get a little rub that I think I can smooth out.  I'll tell you what, that polymer they use is solid!  The only sandpaper I had on hand is 800 grit that I was using to clean up a very worn P230 SL.  I almost think the stainless was a quicker sand than the plastic!  I even resorted to breaking out the jeweler's files on the polymer for a short bit to speed things up!

The actual catch inside that locks onto the magazine, or the pivot pin hole may be the problem.

Either of these may be out of spec enough to cause the levers to sit high into the trigger guard when the magazine is seated, as shown in the first picture, but not so out of spec as to cause the slide to ride over the rounds in the magazine and fail to feed.