I was handling a Heckler and Koch VP9 recently, and I really liked the grip, feel, and controls. Does anyone here have one, and how do you like it. Are there any issues, etc.?

I love mine. Appendix carry with just a bladetech total eclipse. Haven't gotten a new holster yet cuz it works just fine and is comfortable.
No malfunctions from the gun

However, I learned handgun on an M&P and have a habit of keeping my thumbs REALLY high. This can cause failure to lock open, but the same holds true for my 320.
Just a training correction.

The grip is second to none and the trigger is pretty lovely out of the box. If you want it even better get in touch with Bill Springfield who will do all sorts of lovely things to it for not a whole lot of money

15 round magazine is slightly obnoxious but I'm willing to take the 2 round loss for the AMAZING GRIP

Have I mentioned how great the grip is?

ETA magazines are expensive as FUCK

Factory and after market mags are now available and Factory 20 rounders are in the pipeline.

VP9-L (longslide) and Optics-Ready (micro red dot) are also coming soon.

I really like mine. Shoots great out of the box. I have the same issue as previous poster bumping the slide release on empty mags.

I was really excited for it but was kinda disappointed. The grip is great, but even with large all around I wish it were bigger. Regular sized hands should be fine. I don't like the paddle mag release, and on top of it mine stick up into the triggerguard and poke my finger. The trigger is decent for a striker fired pistol, but the PPQ and P320 are better. For its size, it should be a 17 round capacity, but that's not a deal breaker. Ultimately what keeps me from using it as a carry pistol is when I rapid fire it tracks up and to the right. Slow fire it runs dead nuts though.

I have been carrying mine on duty since May 2015. Was carrying a Gen 3 G17 prior to that. The VP9 grip, trigger, and accuracy is what did it for me. I also used to carry a Gen 4 G19 off-duty, but the VP9 has absorbed that role, too. I am still hemming & hawing about going back to my G17 as a duty gun, however. That has nothing to do with the gun itself, but a lack of armorer support (beyond sending the gun into HK for servicing) and ridiculous cost of spare mags, parts and accessories are things that weigh on my mind. That said, I love the VP9 and if I will continue to carry it on duty, I will have to buy a spare to have as a training gun, for when my primary goes in for servicing, or if my primary is taken as evidence in a shooting.

There is an Officer with Miami Gardens PD that allegedly has 39,000 rounds on his VP9 he has been carrying since 2014. I don't know if he is on this forum, though.

I bought a black Law Enforcement model with three magazines and night sights. Liked it so much I bought a second standard one in FDE with luminous  sights. During coat/jacket weather I carry the LE version some in an OWB Cook holster at about the two o'clock positon. For range work in the daylight I love the luminous sights on the FDE version.

My LE version has over 1500 rounds through it and the standard one almost a thousand. Not one bobble of any kind, even when finishing out some crappy (really crappy) NATMIL commercial reloads I bought after Sandy Hook when 9mm ammo was almost unobtainable.

Out of the box the VP9 need nothing except a holster and ammo. The steel sights are excellent whether night or luminous ones, the multiple ways to configure the grip should fit most people and the trigger is superb. Of the 16 polymer framed, striker fired handguns I own (and have owned others) the VP9 and PPQ are my favorites.

Everyone is different, but I do not agree that the P320 trigger is better than the VP9. In fact it isn't as good. I owned a P320 for 18 months and just sold it two weeks ago. Good gun but I liked my other strikers better so it was sold to make way for something else. Good trigger on the P320 that I owned and the several others I tried in shops, but not in the same league as the PPQ or VP9. But that's just me and you opinion is just as good. But no better.

As far as the video on a "torture test' of the VP9, it was just plain silly stupid. There are others on the internet which show the VP surviving just fine in more realist test.

OP, the VP9 is an excellent rendition of the polymer framed striker handgun style. I doubt you are disappointed it you buy one.

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I really like mine.

Was my first gun, after trying almost every rental I could find in the area.  Trigger is fantastic, grip is fantastic (to me, I know this is subjective), it's fucking LASER accurate.  I like the recoil impulse, feels very smooth to me.  It was my third time shooting EVER when I first tried it, was putting most of the mag through the same hole at 7 yards.  Range officer refused to believe I was a new shooter.  I don't pay any special attention to my thumb placement, and haven't had the problem of not locking the slide on empty mag.  It's possible that's because this was my first gun.  

If you end up with one, small word to the wise, they switched to the same recoil spring as the VP40 since I got mine.  You'll need stouter ammo at first (it's designed for 124 grain NATO spec), or break it in manually yourself by racking the slide a lot and/or leaving it locked back for a good long while.  There were a lot of complaints about 'reliability' after they made that switch due to weak range ammo in the first few hundred rounds.

I'm my first post I neglected to mention the paddle magazine release on the VP handgun. Like most Americans I'm used to the button mag release. My Walther PPQ M1 classic was my first handgun with the paddle mag release. Took no time at all to get used to it. Likewise the paddle release on my Walther P99. Excellent design.

I won't say he paddle release is superior (but it is) although I find it is somewhat faster to use than a button release. Just flick it with my trigger finger without any shifting or movement of the hand at all.

The VP9 also has the paddle release. I do like the PPQ's long thin paddle releases slightly better than the stubby wide release on the VP9 but that is just personal preference. Both are excellent.

I also have a Walther PPQ M2 with a button release and the most excellent PPPQ Q5, which only comes with a button release. Walther designed the button release on their M2 right and it is a bit better than most button mag releases on my other guns. Way better than Glock. But, my PPQ M1 classic with the paddle mag release is still slightly faster than the button release on the PPQ M2s.

Don't reject the German guns with paddle releases outright. Give it a fair shake and I'll bet you will find you like it at least as well, and likely better like me, than a button release.

Just my opinion.

I've had mine since 2015 and have pounded around 5k through it of all types of ammo including Tula and Wolf. The only ammo related item I had was with Brass Max ammo with a few FTF issues. Other than that it is a great gun and the only thing I wish was that it was the same size as my G19 , otherwise a great gun and my new fav.


Our local LGS had the LE version with three mags and nights sights on sale last week for $589.

Excellent price. I paid almost a hundred more for mine more than a year ago.

Thanks for the info from everyone. I may end up with one, I do like the way they handle.

I ended up selling mine after a few months.  Very complicated mechanism, plus after 300 rounds my trigger finger was rubbed raw.  Gun felt extremely good in my hand, and was accurate.  Just never could warm up to it..

I like being able to keep spare parts and work on my guns if necessary.  I wasn't going to be able to do that with this one.

I don't have the VP9 but have owned several HKs and I agree they shoot very accurately and they are the best quality handgun I have owned.

I wish I could get every pistol with paddle mag release. I use my 'birdie' finger while keeping my trigger finger straight and ready.

I own a standard VP9. I am by no means an HK fanboi but I like it. There has been some Internet drama regarding torture testing of the VP9 by MAC (google if you want to see the vids and join the circus) but I do not believe there are any fatal flaws with the VP9. I like mine. Like with ANY gun -YMMV.

Yeah was very surprised by it. I was wondering why the V9 drop to the sub $500 range a months ago. Almost pulled the trigger until I asked my cousin if there was something wrong with the firearm. He told me it jammed a lot in mud. I decided to buy a .45 Shield instead. With the $75 rebate it came out to $260 for the shield.

Was lured into trying one out, because it felt good in hand.  Trigger was not as good as ANY Glock I EVER owned!  Just another Glock wannabe!

shot my new VP9 today, although it felt great in my hand...I was also not happy with the trigger.. but then again I have short fingers and even with the small backstrap and side panels I had issues with trigger pull.. and my finger got pinched a few times in between the trigger and guard... I'll be trading or selling... not made for us short finger guys...at least I could buy short reach triggers for my Sigs, and Beretta's...

I would honestly anticipate ANY gun choking with mud. It's when they don't that it's a bonus. I don't put a lot of stock in these "torture tests". I have carried a VP9 on duty for two years and have never encountered any massive surprise mud bogs, and roving gangs of oak trees or steel plates that needed a good pistol-whipping and never felt the need to drive a truck over it. That said, in the environment I work in, it has been as reliable as any of my other handguns. I have, however, had my VP9 caked with sand (which is not a usual concern for where I work) and the striker channel plugged with sand in training and who woulda thought...it still fired and cycled reliably. That said, I also carry a BUG, because..."Murphy".

As for the trigger, it is leaps and bounds better than any stock Glock trigger.

Is best gun.

Last year the VP9 became my first and only polymer framed centerfire pistol.

The feel is perfect. The trigger is excellent. The pull isn't the lightest but the break is clean unlike the usual sproingy feel of most others. I like the sights and paddle release. There's really nothing I'd change.

As for negative in slow fire the bottom of the trigger guard abrades my trigger finger. It's no bother in rapid fire. It is also my easiest gun to shoot fast. It has taken the faithful role of a daily beater.

The gun internally seems a bit over engineered. There's compound linkages and mechanisms where it seems unnecessary. It works, though, and that's all one can ask.
20160428_134241 by Slick_Rick77, on Flickr

Each shooter should buy and use what they like best, regardless of what any other shooter likes or dislikes. Obviously you prefer the Glock, as do many Glock enthusiasts.

That said, I have never heard, or read on any gun forum, that a Glock has a better stock trigger than a stock VP9 trigger. I've owned Glocks for 20 years. Among their recognized virtues as a service grade handgun, having a good stock trigger is not one of them.

For those that don't like thee trigger the first time you shoot it, might give it a second chance.  First time out with mine I wasn't happy with the trigger either.  2nd and 3rd time out shooting it I did much better with it and shot it better than the Glock 19.4 I carry and a Sig p320.

I've been tempted by these lately since every online seller is running them on sale recently,  I got over wanting one when I saw the price of magazines.

Holy fuck, Are those mags hand made by vestal virgins out of unicorn foreskins or something?

yeah people will complain about the $32 mags.  ^^^^  I know that's pretty expensive and I regret the entire purchase after seeing mag prices.  Now that we got that out of the way . . . 

Its a good pistol IMO. It's a good value for a striker fired 9mm.  I really like the mag release but I did have trouble with no lock back due to my grip.  The slide stop is in a spot that makes it hard to not engage from a regular thumbs forward grip.  Maybe see if you can rent and decide if you like it enough to buy  

Buy the LE package and get another mag and nights sights for the extra bill.  Real gunfighters done complain about mag prices.  

  Well, There's the problem!  I'm not a real gunfighter. 

Have shot one quite a bit.

Comfortable to hold. That was the first thing I noticed. It looks awkward but is far from it.

Trigger is pretty damn good. Relative of course being as that it's a striker. The guy who said it isn't any better than a Glock. Quit trolling. I love Glocks but this trigger is way better than a Glock. 

It is pretty accurate from the get go. Handgun accuracy is what it is unless a genuine POS. In my opinion, of equal quality they're all about the same. That being said it didn't require any "getting used to it" time like some, especially Glocks. Naturally points I guess?

The paddle release is terrible. Training can overcome this of course. 

Bore axis is stupid high.

Typical German unnecessary over-engineering. 

I like mine. Good trigger, accurate and reliable. The grip is great, the ability to change the back and sides allows you to really custom fit the gun to your hand. The only issue I have had with mine is the ambi slide lock on the right side rattles a bit. I have this same problem with my P30. It doesn't effect function it is just annoying. For awhile mags were a pain to get and were exspensive but aftermarket options exists now. I do wish they made a compact size rather than the SK versions but that is a personal thing. They are very good guns and HK hates you.

Oh and the trigger is way better than a Glock out of the box. You might be able to spend a hundred dollars and tune up a Glock trigger but next to the P320 and some of the Walther options the VP9 has one of the best out of the box triggers in the striker fire market.

I spent an afternoon running a couple hundred rounds through a VP9.   Nice balance.  Decent trigger.  Suitably accurate.  Felt nice in the hand.  Did not like the placement of the slide release.  With my shooting grip, it kept hitting my thumb under recoil, and as a result, would not lock back on an empty mag.    My conclusion was that it is a nice pistol but didn't do anything substantially better than any other quality, plastic, striker fired gun for me.  

In short, it is simply another reasonable choice among a plethora of similar guns that are equally reasonable choices.

ETA:  The gun I fired had less than 500 rounds through it.  The trigger was not substantially better than any of my high round count glock triggers.

People always make the Glock comparison.

To me it's like a Glock that already has decent sights, a match trigger and barrel, and a proper grip angle if you shoot something other than Glocks.

Now that's funny!

Well, After bitching louder than anyone on the planet about the price of mags for the VP9..... I bought one.

 The enablers at PSA sent an email that the VP9 was $499.00 again and I caved and ordered one.

  I have no damn will power at all.

I got to handle one of the tactical ones and liked it. It would be my first new poly framed gun in many years if I get one. The current want is a P227 to round out the collection.

I have had one for acouple of years.
Completely reliable with everything.
Better trigger than my glocks.
Very comfortable to shoot.
Very accurate.
Price was reasonable.


Down side, and I'm really nit picking to find something.
When I chamber the first round and fire. That round goes dead nuts center.
The rest of the rounds are close but not dead nuts center of the target.

Bang for the buck I this gun is really worth the asking price.

Good gun. Just like all the major polymer guns.

The reasons I have no interest in them is the mag release. It rubs me way to much. The grip is to big for the capacity and the slide. You would think it could fit 18 easy. While I love 1911 commander sized guns I'm not a fan of other guns with full sized grips and shorter slides.

Oh and the mag prices