I have the VP9 and P30L V3 combo and love it. Some would say I've bought the same gun and that the only difference is one is striker fire while the other is hammer fire.

They may be true but the guns do fire different.

I like them both.

 

I like P30L.

 

I believe the P30L has the recoil slide buffer to reduce the recoil (a little) that the P30 does not. I just ordered a P30L mainly cause it was the only model I was able to handle and "feel" and loved it. I already have a VP9SK for EDC and love it, but wanted something a bit more full size.

 

My P30 has the buffer, not sure why yours doesn't.

 

I have all versions of the P30 and the L is the one I always take to the range. I prefer the longer sight radius and it does have quite a bit less recoil then the standard P30. It's a joy to shoot. P30L also gives you a longer light rail and is much more balanced in the hand.

If it's for range or HD I would get the L.

 

You bring up good points. A USP 45 is the biggest handgun I have and its kind of a brick for my medium sized hands to the point that I have to adjust my grip to hit the slide release. Would you consider the L a full size? Mostly all my guns are compacts or mid-sized if you will.

 

If you have any HK45 holsters the P30L gives you pretty good compatibility.

 

Don't have a HK45 but I do have a 45C.

 

I have owned both and really couldn't decide which I preferred over the two. If it is strictly for range and HD, I'd go with the L. The only draw back to the L is it's a little harder to find a holster for. If you ever think you'll want to carry it, grab the standard P30.

Personally if I had to choose only one I'd run a P30 because it's overall great for HD and carry use. Between the two there is no bad choice.

 

Mayhem, I've been going back and forth with the same decision as you. Having owned and sold a p30s model (hated the safety) and held a p30l I'm leaning towards the L model at the moment. It felt better in my hands balance wise than the regular model. I'm liking the longer sight radius for range and h.d. as well as the longer slide for use with a light.

 

Thank you for the reply. I also have a P2000 which is similar in size to the P30 so because of that and the points you listed I'm leaning toward L. The standard just looks so cool to me though. Arggh. Decisions. Privileged problems, i know..

 

I have both (P30 is a .40 and P30L is a 9). Standard is a better looking gun and shoots just as well as the L. The L has less recoil than my vp9....it is just such an easy gun to shoot well...but it was a pain to get a holster for (had to use my HK45 holster). Long story short, both are great guns and if you like the normal one, get it! It's gonna shoot very well and run hd/range duty just as well as the L.

Cheers


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The P30L has better balance in my hand.

Ez

 

actually, the length of the VP9 is between the P30 and the L

 

Theres also the option of buying a threaded barrel. Can't do that with the L due to it just being ridiculously long at that point.

 

Yeah but with the threaded barrel you can run the micro-comp. As soft shooting as my P30L is, it would probably feel like a .22 with that. Want to get micro-comp. Just not sure what platform. I LOVE my VP9's. That being said I can see why the P30's cost more.

 

For me, I'd go L because it fills a niche/role and the P30 wouldn't. I have a P30sk for carry, and VP9 for a full size with pretty much the same ergos that's just a TAD bigger than the P30. If I want something in between for carry, I might look at a P2000. I don't see a reason to have both a P30 and VP9, especially since I like the VP9 trigger better. The longslide P30 would give me something I don't already have though.

 

The VP9 is closer to the P30L in size I thought than the P30 and the P30 just a tad bigger than a p2000. No?

 

I have the P30s in 9 (V3 DA/SA) and the P30L in 40/357 (V1 LEM). Different triggers, different rounds, different guns. Love 'em both.

 

I spent more time than I care to admit testing this out. Because everyone said 30L is easier / softer / etc, the pre-VP9 shooting team used it etc. I've never found it to be the case for me. In most tests the results were the same, and in speed-oriented tests 30 performed better in my hands. I prefer how it cycles. 30L was the first one to go.

 

Thank you for sharing your experience. What tests did you do? Do you still have the 30?

 

P30L...but in LEM

 

I run with a P30L V3 9mm in competition.

 

Thank you also, YVK, for providing those links. After almost 10 years of carrying and shooting handguns I'm looking more deeply into serious training. Thanks.

 

All I shoot now is DA/SA but in a context of this discussion, I don't think my preferences would've been different whether it was V1, V2 or V3.

 

I've got all three, the P30SK/P30/P30L, all are V4.1LEM. Of the three, I shoot the P30 the least.

I do really like my 30L.

 

Great pic! Love the threaded barrel. Want to get one for mine I just don't like the $300 price from hkparts. Where did you get yours?

 

Love my P30L. As others have said before, the P30 is really the compact and the P30L is the full size (and obviously the SK is the subcompact). I think they should have just called the standard P30 a P30C instead.

P30L is just a pleasure to shoot, definitely my favorite 9mm out there.

 

In addition to nylon, the P30L utilizes a large metal buffer. Whereas the P30 only uses a small nylon buffer.

I'm assuming that's what dieter9mm was referencing.

 

Oh wow, ok.

 

I have the VP9 and P30L.
The VP9 makes even me a good shooter however I like shooting the P30L.
The VP9 isn't hard to shoot or anything just personal preference.
I thought the P30L looked a little long but it's not.

All my HK's are without safety.

RC

 

Choose the P30 thinking it had the advantage for concealed carry.
And I'm sure some carry the P30 with no troubles.
But I found it a little too large for that.
Love the P30.
But if I had it to do all over again?
I'd go for the P30L.

 

Looks like the P30L is by and far the leader in the poll. Interesting. I guess I should have put option #3: Get both :biggrin:

 

It would have been interesting to see the results if the poll would have included an option to vote based on which you own/have owned.

i.e

[] Never owned either but recommend the P30
[] Never owned either but recommend the P30L
[] Only owned the P30 and recommend it
[] Only owned the P30L and recommend it
[] Own both and recommend the P30
[] Own both and recommend the P30L

 

Excellent point