[AZDoug]

I just got a P9S! I had been drooling over them for a while, and I finally found one that was in good condition and came with 4 mags. I really like the looks of it, I love how it disassembles, and the delayed roller locking mechanism feels SWEET! I'll be shooting it for the first time tomorrow morning - I can hardly wait!

Comparing it to my SIG P226, it feels much more solid and well made. It's a 1976 edition, so I guess it's true - they don't make 'em like they used to.

From a technical/engineering standpoint, the delayed roller locking mechanism is ingenious! I want to get an AR-15 that uses the same mechanism. The only thing I know of is the HK 416, which isn't available to civilians. Are there any others? Thanks!

 

[CZ-75]

Congrats on the P9S... but I hate to burst your bubble... there are no AR15 roller locked uppers. The 416 is gas piston rather than direct inpingement.

 

[Landpimp]

your gonna love it at the range...hands down my favorite HK and a P9s ALWAYS goes to the range with me.....as it makes me look like a damn great shot

but I hate to say this as your planing on shootin it this weekend, but CHECK the buffer before you shoot it, often they are old, brittle and falling apart, I have just made it a habit to replace the buffers on all my P9s' when I get them.

HK has(or had) the buffer for $5 if out of stock Numrich has them for $18, both work fine.

 

[cueist]

...but I hate to say this as your planing on shootin it this weekend, but CHECK the buffer before you shoot it, often they are old, brittle and falling apart, I have just made it a habit to replace the buffers on all my P9s' when I get them. ...

As both CZ and LP said, Congrats on your purchase, but as LP pointed out in the quote above ^^^ that is the most important thing to do!!!

 

[Mark71]

Congrats on your new HK! I still need to try out the P9s. I am a huge fan of the P7 series and many HK nuts state that the P9s shoots even better then the P7 which is saying alot!

 

[sunshineboy]

but I hate to say this as your planing on shootin it this weekend, but CHECK the buffer before you shoot it, often they are old, brittle and falling apart, I have just made it a habit to replace the buffers on all my P9s' when I get them.

HK has(or had) the buffer for $5 if out of stock Numrich has them for $18, both work fine.

Is the buffer a caliber issue 9mm vs .45ACP? I have a P9S .45ACP Target since new (don't shoot that often) & I've never replaced the buffer. The condition looks fine. Do you recommend changing on a periodic basis or on number of rounds fired basis. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[AZDoug]

CRAP!

I don't know what a buffer is! What does it look like, how do I find it, and how will I know what "BAD" or "WORN" looks like?

I'll do some google searches, but hopefully I'll get a response before heading to the range tomorrow.

Thanks for the heads up!

 

[Bentonville]

http://homepage.mac.com/timetravelfoundation/Personal3.html
http://homepage.mac.com/timetravelfoundation/PhotoAlbum14.html
http://www.parkcitiestactical.com/manuals/P9S.pdf
http://www.gunfaqs.org/P9SFAQ/index.htm

Here are a few sites that helped me. Buffer on the .45 is very important to the life of the gun as in bad to shoot without viable buffer in place. The older type of housing is more difficult to put back in place after changing out buffer than an updated design. I had my old style buffer housing replaced by HK with the updated model. Then no problem taking it out and putting it back into the frame. The screws fit into each other. You hold one and turn the other. I learned from this forum that the screw slots are sort of fragile. Be careful not to bugger them up if you care about that kind of thing. I suggest learning about the gun before ever taking it to the range. Learn it's ways and you will love it. 4 mags?!!! That's great. I had trouble finding one and it was really expensive.
This forum is a great place to get information from people who know about the P9S. You have already met some of them on this thread. Good Luck.

 

[AZDoug]

THANK YOU!!!

Thank you so much, benton - With those links, I was able to take apart the buffer housing and remove the buffer. It was kind of yellow, just like the one in the picture, so I'm guessing it's between 10 and 20 years old. It was, however, still somewhat squishy... so I think I'll shoot it tomorrow, but I'll replace it with a new one before a second day at the range.

It looks like a little shock absorber, but I don't see any moving parts that would make it compress... So is it just for absorbing some vibration in the slide/frame interface?

ohhhh... wait a minute. Now I get it! The U-shaped piece on the buffer housing receives an impact from the front of the slide when the slide is in the full back position - and when the slide hits the U-shaped piece, the whole buffer housing moves thus compressing the buffer! INGENIOUS!!! I love H&K! hahaha What excellent engineering! The only thing I would have done differently is to NOT have a metal/metal interface. I would have tried to put the buffer in between the U-shaped piece and the front of the slide... thus prohibiting the metal/metal contact. Judging by the pristine condition of those two impacting surfaces, the hardness/malleability of the two materials must be just fine because they look great!

Do you think any regular gun store would carry those buffers? Or will I need to order from H&K?

thanks again for the help!

 

[cueist]

AZ,

Glad you found out how to take it apart and look at the buffer. Yellow is fine if it is still solid and not crumbly (it's not a word but you get the idea).

P9S's are not a commom gun even in HK terms so the odds of most gunshops knowing what a P9S is let alone having a buffer are extremely rare. The best bet is to call HK Inc after they have completed their inventory in about two weeks.

 

[Landpimp]

I think your fine to shoot it, just take alook at it after your done, if it looks/feels the same, keep shooting it untill a new one shows up. I really feel the 9mm buffer is not(but still is) as important as the buffer in the 45

keep any oil/solvants away from the new buffer and it will last for along time, its not really in item that wears out but falls apart when oil/solvents are left on it. Make sure you get the buffer suport housing and the little thing infront of it seated down all the way when putting it back, it can be a tight fit with a new buffer.

no(well 99.9% wont) gun store is gonna have a P9s buffer, HK or Numrich are the best bets

Thank you so much, benton - With those links, I was able to take apart the buffer housing and remove the buffer. It was kind of yellow, just like the one in the picture, so I'm guessing it's between 10 and 20 years old. It was, however, still somewhat squishy... so I think I'll shoot it tomorrow, but I'll replace it with a new one before a second day at the range.

It looks like a little shock absorber, but I don't see any moving parts that would make it compress... So is it just for absorbing some vibration in the slide/frame interface?

ohhhh... wait a minute. Now I get it! The U-shaped piece on the buffer housing receives an impact from the front of the slide when the slide is in the full back position - and when the slide hits the U-shaped piece, the whole buffer housing moves thus compressing the buffer! INGENIOUS!!! I love H&K! hahaha What excellent engineering! The only thing I would have done differently is to NOT have a metal/metal interface. I would have tried to put the buffer in between the U-shaped piece and the front of the slide... thus prohibiting the metal/metal contact. Judging by the pristine condition of those two impacting surfaces, the hardness/malleability of the two materials must be just fine because they look great!

Do you think any regular gun store would carry those buffers? Or will I need to order from H&K?

thanks again for the help!

 

[Landpimp]

well after all those years I would replace it.....just because(the part is $5 and the gun is $1K+), or at least have a spare around. But if you have kept oil/solvents off it, it may last for a life time.

Id say the 45 buffer takes alot more impact and is more important than in the 9mm.

Is the buffer a caliber issue 9mm vs .45ACP? I have a P9S .45ACP Target since new (don't shoot that often) & I've never replaced the buffer. The condition looks fine. Do you recommend changing on a periodic basis or on number of rounds fired basis. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[AZDoug]

I think the speed at which the buffer degrades is probably a function of the recoil spring's ability to slow the slide as it's traveling back. Regardless of whether it's a 9mm or a .45, if the recoil spring has slowed the slide enough at the time of contacting the buffer housing, the impact on the buffer will be low.

As an engineer, I'd love to put some strain gauges on the buffer, buffer housing, recoil spring, and slide, and see what's receiving the most stress. You could probably fine-tune the spring constant and widely distribute the stress over all components. I'm sure H&K analyzed this while they were designing the gun, so it's probably already fine...

 

[Germanic]

I think the speed at which the buffer degrades is probably a function of the recoil spring's ability to slow the slide as it's traveling back. Regardless of whether it's a 9mm or a .45, if the recoil spring has slowed the slide enough at the time of contacting the buffer housing, the impact on the buffer will be low.

As an engineer, I'd love to put some strain gauges on the buffer, buffer housing, recoil spring, and slide, and see what's receiving the most stress. You could probably fine-tune the spring constant and widely distribute the stress over all components. I'm sure H&K analyzed this while they were designing the gun, so it's probably already fine...

Doug,

One word of caution regarding the recoil spring. I'd be very hesitant to change it's rate to anything other than factory spec. The bolt face of the typical P9S has a protrusion on the bottom which can make direct contact with the primer as it feeds into the chamber if the timing isn't correct.

Here's a link: http://www.hkpro.com/forum/showthread.php?t=30354

Wile most pistols can benefit from spring rate changes, I'm personally a bit leery of doing so with the P9S.

Best regards, and enjoy your new pistol. The P9S is an engineering masterpiece.

 

[ss_doomtrooper]

Congrats ,I'd love to see some pics if you got them.

 

[Checkmate]

Congrats on the P9s acquisition. Tell me...how is the trigger in comparison to say another HK or even a Sig? My P9S trigger is really light. I have heard others say how light and smoother the trigger on their P9S's were.
Congrats again!

 

[sunshineboy]

well after all those years I would replace it.....just because(the part is $5 and the gun is $1K+), or at least have a spare around. But if you have kept oil/solvents off it, it may last for a life time.

Id say the 45 buffer takes alot more impact and is more important than in the 9mm.

Thanks Landpimp & all forum members for the insight to the P9S. If anyone has a line on who has the buffer in stock, please drop me a PM.

On the subject of the P9S, I have a .45ACP Target. I am looking for the extended barrel with barrel weight and slide combo from the P9S competition, but in .45 ACP. I know majority of you guys will say it doesn't exist. But I've seen a fellow range member with it in .45ACP a number of years back & remembered he told me that HK produced a small number & not too many people know about it. Can anyone shed some light on this & maybe point me to who may have for sale. Thanks.

 

[Landpimp]

it does exist, in small #'s but never seen just the slide/barrel/wieght for sale......or the complete kit for that matter

you may be able to find($300-800) a 8" hunter barrel, cut it down, find a match weight(for a 9mm, it will fit the 45 but tight) I did this with my 45, I left the 8" barrel alone and put the match weight on.....then soon found an extended 9mm barel and swaped it to my 9mm target which was always what I wanted anyway.

HK part # for the buffer is 201318 same for 9mm or 45, check with HK if in stock, $5. if not Numrich has them but almost $20

Thanks Landpimp & all forum members for the insight to the P9S. If anyone has a line on who has the buffer in stock, please drop me a PM.

On the subject of the P9S, I have a .45ACP Target. I am looking for the extended barrel with barrel weight and slide combo from the P9S competition, but in .45 ACP. I know majority of you guys will say it doesn't exist. But I've seen a fellow range member with it in .45ACP a number of years back & remembered he told me that HK produced a small number & not too many people know about it. Can anyone shed some light on this & maybe point me to who may have for sale. Thanks.

 

[KPSquared]

Congrats on your P9S. That was my first pistol in 45. However, I had to sell it when I graduated from college. New college grad and was a little short on cash, and had to buy uniforms for the Army (in 1989!). I still love these pistols, maybe I'll get another someday.

 

[TobyHKnut]

GOOD BUY DOUG! These things are awesome...looking...then you shoot it!! You will never go back. I had collected HK's for a while before getting my first 9mm P9s...once I got it...WOW hooked...now 4 9mm's later and one 45 with a threaded barrel & can lol these things are freaking amazing!!! Deff one of the top three guns I own I think as far as just simply "awesome gun to shoot" WAY AHEAD of it's time considering when it was actually introduced. Congrats and enjoy...check the buffer...buy lots of ammo... and shoot the crap out of it!!!

:59: