[JBurt09]

UPDATE!! 8/27 - New to handguns, new to H&K

Hey guys. New to the forum and I'm looking to purchase my first handgun as I'm finally of age. I'm young and relatively new to shooting (probably shot less than 500 rounds through pistols) but I'm really into it and love it. I was first introduced to H&K by Ross from Spike's Tactical when I bought my first AR-15 from him and he said he used to work for them. I've been looking around for quite a while and I want to get the H&K P30, but here is my main dilemma and question I had for the more experienced:

Being new to H&K and handgun shooting, would I be better off getting the more traditional V3 and possibly getting a trigger job by Gray's if I don't like it, or should I get the V2, convert it to a V1, and learn with the LEM since I won't really have a problem getting used to it because I'm not accustomed to anything as I'm new.

Just curious what your thoughts were. Thanks a lot in advance. I know this could be posted in the Rookies section, but I figured it would get a lot more input and feedback from more experienced people here. Thanks again.

UPDATE 8/27

So just a quick update. I picked up my brand new H&K P30 v3 in 9mm on Friday (8/24). I was super stoked to finally find out what all the hype about H&K was. Long story short, I bought 500 rounds of Federal 115 grain FMJ Friday night, went to the range this afternoon to shoot 100 rounds, and out of 100 I had 4 jams and 2 failure of the slide to lock back upon firing the last round. I absolutely love the feel and way this gun shoots, but I'm pretty disappointed. I've shot thousands of rounds through my brother's stock $500 Glock without a single hickup. Anyone have any tips or advice? Should I send it back? Thanks everyone for any help you can offer.

 

[bordercop]

If you have the ability in your area, go rent/borrow some to try them out before dropping that much coin on one.

Personally, I think everyone should start out on a single action revolver. Learn fundamentals before you start blazing away with a high capacity autoloader that doesn't require manipulations between shots. Maybe that's just me, though.

 

[442]

First of all welcome and you have come to the right place!

I'm not new to shooting, but I am to HK's and learned a wealth of info here. I just got my first HK in the form of a USP9 this week. From your post I'm assuming you're considering a P series pistol? Nothing wrong with them but FYI, the USP series are modular and can be converted to any trigger setup HK has by just swapping parts. Something to consider if you're not sure what setup you want.

Another option is to see if any local gun ranges have HK's for rent to actually try them out.

 

[azimuth]

Starting your shooting experience with the finest, most reliable handguns will prejudice you for a lifetime. Hehe. I started with cheap junky guns and thought that FTF/FTE/FTC, quirks and fussy pistolas was standard for the industry until I ponied up for a premium gun. The difference is striking. Now I only buy the best. Congrats on your choice and you are in the right place. Pics when you get one, please.

 

[Johoevasmatrix]

Renting a gun is a great option. My first pistol was a usp40 I still have it my wife has kind of taken it over now ,but for you what are you going to do with this pistol? Comp, carry or just fun at the range. I really like sada for carry and range fun.

 

[towerdog]

I've got a BG trigger set on my USP .40 and it doesn't cease to amaze my fellow shooters (and myself). Properly setup by BG you'll have one fine piece! Can't go wrong with it.

 

[BoppaBear]

As others, I suggest you shoot a few with the different variants, if available to borrow/rent, and make your choice from there based on which feels/handles the best. I'm not new to pistols, but was new to HK last year. I went with the V3 for both my P30 (best gun I've owned/shot) and my P2000sk. Coming from primarily shooting/carrying Sigs previously, and having no experience with LEM, V3 was the "safe" choice for me as far as not knowing if I'd like LEM. Either way, you'll love the P30. Great choice!

 

[Campy]

I would say get the HK P30. A few questions to ask yourself is...What is your primary reason for the gun, as others have stated....Range, carry, home defense? Do you feel comfortable with or without a safety that you manually have to use? I myself purchased a V2 and converted to a V1 for approximately $65.00. LEM is great, but takes getting use to. Doesn't take long, took me a few trips to the range. My friends love it, but also shocked them as to how lite the pull was. Whatever choice you make for HK you will be very happy with, I know I am!!!!!

 

[flanker4741]

I like my older HK USP Compacts have both a .40s&w and .45acp. both have been great shooters with zero problems.

 

[JBurt09]

If you have the ability in your area, go rent/borrow some to try them out before dropping that much coin on one.

Personally, I think everyone should start out on a single action revolver. Learn fundamentals before you start blazing away with a high capacity autoloader that doesn't require manipulations between shots. Maybe that's just me, though.

I do have a Shoot Straight where I live and they have a P30L for rent, and I shot it really well, but I'm almost positive it was not an LEM. The guy behind the counter couldn't tell me and didn't know anything about it and I didn't know enough about the LEM trigger at the time to know whether it was or not. I will check when I go back.

First of all welcome and you have come to the right place!

I'm not new to shooting, but I am to HK's and learned a wealth of info here. I just got my first HK in the form of a USP9 this week. From your post I'm assuming you're considering a P series pistol? Nothing wrong with them but FYI, the USP series are modular and can be converted to any trigger setup HK has by just swapping parts. Something to consider if you're not sure what setup you want.

Another option is to see if any local gun ranges have HK's for rent to actually try them out.

I was mainly looking at the P30 because it was a pretty compact pistol that could be concealed somewhat easily and is has a pretty long barrel for its size. I also loved the way it fit in my hand. The grip felt amazing. I didn't know that the USP series were all interchangeable and will have to look more into the USP Compact series, as it's closer in size to the P30. I appreciate the heads up!

Starting your shooting experience with the finest, most reliable handguns will prejudice you for a lifetime. Hehe. I started with cheap junky guns and thought that FTF/FTE/FTC, quirks and fussy pistolas was standard for the industry until I ponied up for a premium gun. The difference is striking. Now I only buy the best. Congrats on your choice and you are in the right place. Pics when you get one, please.

I'll definitely be sure to throw a few pictures up here

Renting a gun is a great option. My first pistol was a usp40 I still have it my wife has kind of taken it over now ,but for you what are you going to do with this pistol? Comp, carry or just fun at the range. I really like sada for carry and range fun.

It will be for concealed carry/self defense but also just a good solid platform for me to learn with by putting in lots and lots of range time.

I've got a BG trigger set on my USP .40 and it doesn't cease to amaze my fellow shooters (and myself). Properly setup by BG you'll have one fine piece! Can't go wrong with it.

Everyone that has them work on their H&Ks seem to be blown away. I will have to follow suit after a while to see what all the hype is about :100000:

As others, I suggest you shoot a few with the different variants, if available to borrow/rent, and make your choice from there based on which feels/handles the best. I'm not new to pistols, but was new to HK last year. I went with the V3 for both my P30 (best gun I've owned/shot) and my P2000sk. Coming from primarily shooting/carrying Sigs previously, and having no experience with LEM, V3 was the "safe" choice for me as far as not knowing if I'd like LEM. Either way, you'll love the P30. Great choice!

That's what I was thinking as I am used to shooting DA/SA but I don't want to feel like I'm missing out on the "better" option by not trying out the LEM. I'm still making up my mind and trying to find a place that has both the V3 and the LEM available to shoot.

I would say get the HK P30. A few questions to ask yourself is...What is your primary reason for the gun, as others have stated....Range, carry, home defense? Do you feel comfortable with or without a safety that you manually have to use? I myself purchased a V2 and converted to a V1 for approximately $65.00. LEM is great, but takes getting use to. Doesn't take long, took me a few trips to the range. My friends love it, but also shocked them as to how lite the pull was. Whatever choice you make for HK you will be very happy with, I know I am!!!!!

It will be for just all around self-defense. I'm a pretty lanky guy (6 foot and only 140 pounds) so I know concealing it on me may not be quite possible, but I always carry a backpack around with my and planned to use that a lot of the time for concealment. I feel comfortable without the safety as long as I am smart about it (get a holster that covers all of the trigger, even if it is in my backpack) but I am also a newer shooter and don't want to make my decision on that based off of ignorance.

I like my older HK USP Compacts have both a .40s&w and .45acp. both have been great shooters with zero problems.

Thanks man that's what I've heard and that lured me into H&K.

 

[DBLAction454]

You're in the right place my friend!

But I must warn you. Once you buy one HK you will be taken over by a powerful addiction and crave more HK weapons. The people of this forum will do absolutely nothing to help free you from this addiction. They will, in fact, make it worse!

The P30 is an excellent choice for someone who is relatively new to handgun shooting and is interested in HK. Very ergonomic and built like a tank. You will find that all HK's are built for work. They are duty weapons, not weapons for show. But therein lies the beauty.

Todd Green who is a very experienced professional shooter has an endurance test of a P30 in 9mm and it went over 93,000 rounds! Most of us will never shoot that much in a lifetime but for Todd its his regular diet.

I own two USP .45s I started shooting when I was 11 and I learned with .22's and a 9mm. After the first time I shot a .45 I fell in love with the caliber. The USP .45 was my first handgun at age 21. Love it so much I bought a second.

Take it from a guy who bought two... HK's are ADDICTING and youre in the right place. Everyone here is courteous and willing to share their knowledge. Good luck bud!

 

[442]

If you're interested in CCW, you might also check out the USP compacts and also the P2000 series. Handle as many as you can before you buy. While I don't think you can really go wrong with an HK, some are likely to be better for you than others. The P30 was first on my list when I started looking and the full-size USP was last. That is until I started handling and shooting them. The USP ended up being what I bought with the P30 the least desirable to me. Go figure.

 

[JBurt09]

You're in the right place my friend!

But I must warn you. Once you buy one HK you will be taken over by a powerful addiction and crave more HK weapons. The people of this forum will do absolutely nothing to help free you from this addiction. They will, in fact, make it worse!

The P30 is an excellent choice for someone who is relatively new to handgun shooting and is interested in HK. Very ergonomic and built like a tank. You will find that all HK's are built for work. They are duty weapons, not weapons for show. But therein lies the beauty.

Todd Green who is a very experienced professional shooter has an endurance test of a P30 in 9mm and it went over 93,000 rounds! Most of us will never shoot that much in a lifetime but for Todd its his regular diet.

I own two USP .45s I started shooting when I was 11 and I learned with .22's and a 9mm. After the first time I shot a .45 I fell in love with the caliber. The USP .45 was my first handgun at age 21. Love it so much I bought a second.

Take it from a guy who bought two... HK's are ADDICTING and youre in the right place. Everyone here is courteous and willing to share their knowledge. Good luck bud!

Well since I don't have any other addictions, I guess I can give into this one I actually saw the report from Todd Green and was pretty impressed by the lack of upkeep and maintenance he did but how the H&K took every bit of wrath he gave it. I have actually shot a lot of .45 through a friends 1911 and I like it a lot, more so than 40 S&W (which I find very snappy) but it is a bit too expensive in my opinion to shoot since I don't reload myself yet. My friend reloads for about 18 cents a round, less than half what you would usually pay to buy it at the store. Thanks for the advice and I'd love to have an H&K .45 one day, but I think I'd like to start out with something slightly cheaper to shoot without reloading and has a higher magazine capacity.

That picture is absolutely beautiful by the way.

If you're interested in CCW, you might also check out the USP compacts and also the P2000 series. Handle as many as you can before you buy. While I don't think you can really go wrong with an HK, some are likely to be better for you than others. The P30 was first on my list when I started looking and the full-size USP was last. That is until I started handling and shooting them. The USP ended up being what I bought with the P30 the least desirable to me. Go figure.

I have heard the USP doesn't feel nearly as good in the hands, but I want to try it out and shoot it to form an opinion for myself based on my experience. Thanks for your feedback and I will definitely look into all of H&Ks options before jumping into anything.

 

[tpgh2k]

for me. i have slightly small hands (asian). so the p2000 works best for me. i like the way it fits. i also have an HK45 and that sucker barely fits my hands. i still love it though and i shoot better with it than with my p2000. go figure lol.

 

[DBLAction454]

Well since I don't have any other addictions, I guess I can give into this one I actually saw the report from Todd Green and was pretty impressed by the lack of upkeep and maintenance he did but how the H&K took every bit of wrath he gave it. I have actually shot a lot of .45 through a friends 1911 and I like it a lot, more so than 40 S&W (which I find very snappy) but it is a bit too expensive in my opinion to shoot since I don't reload myself yet. My friend reloads for about 18 cents a round, less than half what you would usually pay to buy it at the store. Thanks for the advice and I'd love to have an H&K .45 one day, but I think I'd like to start out with something slightly cheaper to shoot without reloading and has a higher magazine capacity.

That picture is absolutely beautiful by the way.

Thanks! The blanket its laying on is actually a scarf from Afghanistan that my buddy brought back for me lol

 

[JBurt09]

So just a quick update. I picked up my brand new H&K P30 v3 in 9mm on Friday (8/24). I was super stoked to finally find out what all the hype about H&K was. Long story short, I bought 500 rounds of Federal 115 grain FMJ Friday night, went to the range this afternoon to shoot 100 rounds, and out of 100 I had 4 jams and 2 failure of the slide to lock back upon firing the last round. I absolutely love the feel and way this gun shoots, but I'm pretty disappointed. I've shot thousands of rounds through my brother's stock $500 Glock without a single hickup. Anyone have any tips or advice? Should I send it back? Thanks everyone for any help you can offer.

 

[Rocket]

Some P30's have had issues with lighter loads because of the stiff recoil springs. Try running a couple hundred rounds of hotter ammo/nato rounds to break it in. This is fairly common, so don't sweat it. After that, you'll be good to go.

 

[JBurt09]

Some P30's have had issues with lighter loads because of the stiff recoil springs. Try running a couple hundred rounds of hotter ammo/nato rounds to break it in. This is fairly common, so don't sweat it. After that, you'll be good to go.

Sorry that I have to ask, but what rounds would you suggest?

 

[Rocket]

No worries...

This will do it: 500rd - 9mm NATO Winchester Ranger 124 grain FMJ +P RA9124N Ammo | SGAmmo.com

There's plenty of good ammo out there to use. Use the search function in the right hand corner of your screen...you'll get lot's of results. Just type in "P30 break in ammo", lot's to read for you. And after a couple hundred rounds, your P30 will eat anything you feed it. Enjoy!

 

[LazarusLong]

You can also help with the break in by manually racking the slide a few hundred times (unloaded of course) and leaving it with the slide locked back for a day or two. But it may be possible that you need some help with your grip. If you do not have your shooting hand wrist firmly locked, you may be absorbing some of the recoil force necessary for the slide to completely cycle. I had issues similar to those you describe with my P30L, but once I corrected my grip, I had zero further issues.