The H&K VP9
When the H&K VP9 first hit the market in 2014 it sky-rocketed in popularity and sales for self defense and protection. But before we talk more about the pistol, lets take a moment and learn a little about Gun History.
During WWII, The German forces were having trouble trying to find a manufacturer that could produce a reliable pistol that could make up for the ones that were being lost at an incredible rate during wartime operations. The predominate model that they had at the time was the famous Luger, and those were constantly being confiscated by allied troops at an astounding rate (especially as war trophies like the one your great-grandfather has). Germany needed to replenish those losses as fast as possible by designing a pistol that was not only reliable, but could also be designed simple enough to be manufactured at a high-production rate. The term that was coined to identify this new endeavor was “Volkspistol,” translated as the “Peoples Pistol.” These projects to design the new Volkspistol didn’t just get allocated to one manufacturer. That is why you can find the Volkspistol name attached to firearms by manufactures like Walther and Mauser, which are both German based companies just like H&K. Eventually those manufactures did produce their own versions (one of the most famous ones was the Walther VP)… And that’s how the name VP was established. Volkspistol was shorted to just VP.
*As a side note… most gun buyers have pointed out the the new VP9 looks very similar to the new Walther PPQ… I wonder why?
I don’t claim to be an expert on WWII History so if any other gun buyers out there care to share more knowledge on this topic, feel free to comment below and enlighten us! I would be glad to hear more about it!
About the VP9
The VP9 is a striker-fired 9mm Semi-Automatic pistol. Its' reinforced polymer Lower Receiver and stainless steel slide make it considerably light weight at about 25 ½ oz with an empty magazine. The trigger system consists of a 5.4 lbs. trigger pull with .24” of travel, and .12” of reset. This is highly desirable as it enables the shooter to instantly apply follow-on shots at a considerable rate since the trigger barely needs to move. The VP9 also comes with a great supply of ergonomic grip profiles for users to adjust and customize the pistol grip to exactly how they like it. Once a shooter has the ability to obtain that ideal grip position, accurate follow on shots is the induced side effect because recoil can be more easily managed. The Hi-Viz Sights that are included on the firearm also make it extremely easy to obtain the perfect sight picture and proper sight alignment.
One thing that H&K is famous for is innovating the concept of polygonal rifling back in the 1960’s. This new bore design effectively seals the gases from the propellant, keeping it behind the bullet as it travels down the bore and out the muzzle. This new concept considerably improves muzzle velocity. H&K also claims that it will greatly improve the life of the barrel by thousands of rounds over conventional lands-and-grooves.
One convenient feature that H&K have included on the VP9 is the red-colored striker-fire pin that is located on the back of the slide. This red indicator informs the shooter when the weapon is in-fact cocked and ready to fire. Located on the side of the Slide is an enlarged, heavy-duty cartridge extractor that also functions as a loaded chamber indicator. It should be noted that this is H&K’s first striker-fired pistol since the 1980’s, so its pretty cool to know that they are taking the time to seriously innovate and accommodate this type of firing system for today's shooters that seem to be leaning more toward that market.
Shooters will also notice that picatinny rail system that is molded into the Lower Receiver. This is great for shooters that are currently operating in the field, or those who are purchasing this weapon for home defense, to attach a flashlight or laser.
For those that have not had the chance to shoot the VP9, with the combination of the ergonomically enhanced pistol grip, outstanding trigger, and optimized recoil spring, you will surely be impressed and confident knowing that it shoots with extreme ease and incredible accuracy. Overall the H&K VP9 is an outstanding weapon for self defense and protection.
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Stay sharp – shooters!
