Posted: 4/16/2017 6:54:04 PM EDT
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Google is not giving me an answer. Sure seems like a great pistol but official usage is a great indicator of performance and reliability.
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| HKs in general aren't in a whole hell of a lot of cop holsters, at least in the USA aside from the border patrol, in spite of them being terrific guns in general. Lot of factors in a department choosing what gun to carry/issue. Don't let that sort of thing hold too much sway over your decision on a gun, especially when it's an HK. You want a VP9/40 then get one. If you end up not liking it then sell it. Hell of a lot of people LOVE them. Certainly enough to make it worth your time. I'm personally very fond of my VP40 and would carry it except for my SLIGHT preference for the Sig 320. |
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There officers here who have openly stated that they now carry them, at the authorized user only level though. I know that I have seen pics of Polizei with them both at the duty and swat type level.
To me, what an agency uses doesn't affect what I choose for a handgun. I don't copy or imitate or make an excuse to get something to own or even EDC. My needs are specific towards me, keeps me happy and I want to shoot my EDC even more because I actually like it. |
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I work for an agency of 110 sworn officers in a city of about 73,000 people. On patrol, we are required to carry a 9mm. Off-duty and BUGs are pretty much anything goes. By and large, the vast majority of our Officers carry Glocks on Patrol. When I came on in 2010, Glocks were mandatory. A new Chief and new Firearms Coordinator brought more latitude in the Policy. Now, out of the 110 sworn Officers, there are a few M&Ps, a Sig P320, a Springfield XDM, a Sig P226, and four HK VP9s in circulation.
I carried a G17 for the first 5 years (even had an OIS with it), but switched to the VP9 because the grip and trigger were amazing and translated to unparalleled accuracy. I consider myself a "good" shooter; the VP9 makes me a "great" shooter. There is nothing I've changed about my fundamentals, but I notice marked improvement in accuracy with the VP9 over my Glocks. The best way I can describe it is like using "The Force". Now, unfortunately, I am having some thoughts of going back to Glock. Here's why: 1) No Armorer support. We have a handful of Glock armorers on hand at my agency and zero HK armorers. Unlike Glock, who actually offers classes EVERYWHERE, HK seems to only offer them in Virginia if I wanted to go learn for myself. Sure, you can watch YouTube and learn the ropes, but that would not fly from a liability standpoint in the LE world. 2) Magazines. I don't care that I lost 2 rounds per mag when switching from the G17 to the VP9, but why the hell an HK mag costs twice as much as a Glock mag is beyond me. Also, I don't see any companies making training mags (Magpul, ETS) for HK so you are only.left with the ungodly priced factory mags. 3) Parts and accessories are more expensive with HK. 4) Grip. When I establish a proper grip on the VP9, my thumb rides the slide stop lever and my gun never locks open out of battery on the last round fired. I have tried to game it by changing my thumb position, but that only turns into a crappier grip and diminshed accuracy. Also, I would more than likely revert back to the grip I've been using (ala Glock) for years, under stress. I thought I could manage these issues, but maybe not. Other than that, it's a great and reliable gun. |
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I work for an agency of 110 sworn officers in a city of about 73,000 people. On patrol, we are required to carry a 9mm. Off-duty and BUGs are pretty much anything goes. By and large, the vast majority of our Officers carry Glocks on Patrol. When I came on in 2010, Glocks were mandatory. A new Chief and new Firearms Coordinator brought more latitude in the Policy. Now, out of the 110 sworn Officers, there are a few M&Ps, a Sig P320, a Springfield XDM, a Sig P226, and four HK VP9s in circulation. I carried a G17 for the first 5 years (even had an OIS with it), but switched to the VP9 because the grip and trigger were amazing and translated to unparalleled accuracy. I consider myself a "good" shooter; the VP9 makes me a "great" shooter. There is nothing I've changed about my fundamentals, but I notice marked improvement in accuracy with the VP9 over my Glocks. The best way I can describe it is like using "The Force". Now, unfortunately, I am having some thoughts of going back to Glock. Here's why: 1) No Armorer support. We have a handful of Glock armorers on hand at my agency and zero HK armorers. Unlike Glock, who actually offers classes EVERYWHERE, HK seems to only offer them in Virginia if I wanted to go learn for myself. Sure, you can watch YouTube and learn the ropes, but that would not fly from a liability standpoint in the LE world. 2) Magazines. I don't care that I lost 2 rounds per mag when switching from the G17 to the VP9, but why the hell an HK mag costs twice as much as a Glock mag is beyond me. Also, I don't see any companies making training mags (Magpul, ETS) for HK so you are only.left with the ungodly priced factory mags. 3) Parts and accessories are more expensive with HK. 4) Grip. When I establish a proper grip on the VP9, my thumb rides the slide stop lever and my gun never locks open out of battery on the last round fired. I have tried to game it by changing my thumb position, but that only turns into a crappier grip and diminshed accuracy. Also, I would more than likely revert back to the grip I've been using (ala Glock) for years, under stress. I thought I could manage these issues, but maybe not. Other than that, it's a great and reliable gun. As far as secondary market mags, it took 30 years for Glock to get decent mags that weren't OEM. Give it a little time, I'm sure someone will step up to the plate eventually. |
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Now, unfortunately, I am having some thoughts of going back to Glock. These things are fucking JUNK. I've had more malfunctions in about 3K rounds and 3 months of Glocks, than I did in 5 years and around 25K rounds of Sig P226 and P239. |
| My duty weapon is a VP9. Our SWAT team (non SWAT carry G22s) switched from the USP45 about a year ago due to the availability of holsters and accessories and we've had no issues with them so far. I shoot it better and it is more comfortable to conceal than the gen4 Glocks. I've got around 2000-2500 rounds through mine since November. |
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Small town in Alaska and four of our officers are currently moving to the VP9. H&K customer service is what keeps most agencies away from the pistol. |
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It's the internet legend of YSAWHY customer service that's the problem. HK has great service, and has for years. Quoted:
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Small town in Alaska and four of our officers are currently moving to the VP9. H&K customer service is what keeps most agencies away from the pistol. |
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I work for a smaller department and we allow them (I create the authorized list) however no one carries an HK. Only a few guys carry something other than a Glock 17 or 19.
Shit we still have a couple guys using S&W 3rd gens (not that they are bad guns by any means). Sadly most cops just aren't gun guys. Definitely don't base your firearms choice on what cops use. |
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I love the VP9 LE I bought for myself but wound up giving it to my daughter. I shot it better than any other handgun for reasons I do not know why! I am in the market again for a carry gun but would like a thumb safety. I probably would order another VP9 if it came with
the thumb safety. H&K knocked it out of the park with the VP9. Get one OP I can't think of a single reason you would regret it. |
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Don't fuckin' do it. Get another VP and send it in if it needs work. I went Sig for a few years and got tired of TDA and wanted some commonality with the Glock 43 I carry. Tried going back to a 19 and ended up rage quitting the fucking thing due to BTF after trying every known combination of extractor and ejector parts to no avail. Now my 43 has started nose-diving from slide lock. These things are fucking JUNK. I've had more malfunctions in about 3K rounds and 3 months of Glocks, than I did in 5 years and around 25K rounds of Sig P226 and P239. |
| I prefer the VP9 ergos and accuracy to Glock hands down. I have never had any reliability issues with my 9mm Glocks (Gen 2 G17C, Gen 3 G17, Gen 3 G19, Gen 4 G19, and Gen 3 G26). My Gen 3 G22 was another story, though, but I rid myself of that long ago. As far as reliability, I only had one issue (a stuck case) in my VP9 and that was likely due to it having the stepped chamber and the ammo was cheap steel-cased Wolf or Tula; 1 round out of 200 fired. I appreciate that my Glocks will eat anything, but it isn't a huge deal. I am trying to trade off my Gen 4 G19 (horrible trigger and poor finish compared to the Gen 3s) towards another VP9, but no takers yet. |
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I work for a smaller department and we allow them (I create the authorized list) Definitely don't base your firearms choice on what cops use. We have a sergeant carrying his personally-owned one. It's got me thinking about buying one. I've always been a (pre-Cohen) SIG P226 9mm guy. The agency issues Glock 22, 23, and a few 35's but we're probably going to swap for 9mm gen 4 Glocks before too long. His HK is certainly lighter. No reliability issues to report. |
| I believe Madison PD (WI) is issuing the VP9. Also, there is a recent bodycam video from an OIS in Las Vegas Metro PD where a guy lunges at Officers with a knife from a closet and you can see plain as day "HK VP9" on the slide and those ubiquitous serrations... |