VP40 FDE color

[sûreté45]

I recently purchased a used VP40, FDE frame, at a good price. A pervious owner painted the back strap and side panels black and filled in a lot of the roll marks green. I wanted to put it back to stock so I purchased new FDE side grip panels and FDE grip back strap. These were genuine HK parts. When I put them on the pistol, I noticed that they were not a good color match. They appear to have a slight green tint. Did the FDE VP-- pistols come this way? See the picture below.

[HKaltwasser]

I've never seen a VP that light in color. Are you sure it's factory and not coated? It could be the flash or lighting though.

[sûreté45]

No flash was used. The photo was taken outside in the shade.

[4X4]

The backstrap and side panels don't even match. I'd return for black panels.

[TooSixy]

The FDE color on the grip panels and backstrap are true factory FDE color on these VP series guns. So it looks like that VP40 is cerakoted and not a factory job. What you can do is use a small screwdriver to scrape some unconspicuous area inside the magwell, or you can remove the backstrap and lightly scrape the inside area. If the paint comes off, well you know.

The below is the factory FDE VP40 (in RAL7808)




And here's a video from HK showing both VP9/VP40 in FDE color.

[sûreté45]

The backstrap and side panels don't even match. I'd return for black panels.

Actually it came to me with black panels and back strap, which were originally fde painted black. The inside of the panels and back strap match the color of the FDE panels and back strap that I put on the pistol in the top photo.

[yz125racer]

Does the HK label on the case identify it as FDE? Just my opinion but the color looks way off. I would guess if previous owner was painting panels and painting the slide roll marks that they also did something to frame. just my $.02

[sûreté45]

Does the HK label on the case identify it as FDE?

Yes, the HK label on the box says FDE.

[4X4]

Actually it came to me with black panels and back strap, which were originally fde painted black. The inside of the panels and back strap match the color of the FDE panels and back strap that I put on the pistol in the top photo.

I understood that but can see why the guy painted the grip inserts and backstrap. It's not a big deal but I'd be slightly unhappy. It is a tool but my VP40 is the only pistol I have ever owned that is not black. It's green and I bought it in that color and black side panels for looks to be honest. Now it looks used and is scratched up and I could not care less!

[JonHK40]

One looks to be FDE (the receiver), one is Coyote/Desert Tan (the replacement panels). I'd go with a black backstrap/panels.

Best, Jon