[Beardserker]

So I'm a huge HK fanboy, and I love my VP9, but there are 2 things that have been worrying me: 1.) the trigger bar spring and 2.) the very small point of contact between the trigger bar and sear. I fear that the trigger bar spring is a glaring point of potential failure, and seems like it could come out of place. I also fear that even the slightest bit of tension loss could cause the trigger bar to slide underneath the sear instead of pressing it, causing the pistol to fail to fire. Anybody care to weigh in? Please, no generic, blind "HK rulez d00d" bias. Again, I'm a HK fanboy myself, but I would never be so narrow-minded as to ignore a potential flaw.

 

[dms16]

This concern has been voiced before. Gray Guns (when Rick Holm was around prior to his establishment of Lazy Wolf) noted a similar potential "issue". With that being said, much time has passed for the VP9 being out and I have yet to see any problems of this nature that were not a direct result of an inexperienced person detail stripping and failing to properly reassemble the pistol.

If it concerns you, contact the Rick or Gray guns and talk with them. Otherwise, I say don't monkey with the VP9. One thing I've learned with this platform is that it doesn't take much to maintain. It does not require nor is it meant to be detail stripped constantly.

I'm currently part of an agency that issues them, and I've shot them since they came out, and can throw up the number of malfunctions I've had on the VP with one hand.

 

[Klaustrophobia]

I noticed that, but being my first gun and all I just assumed that was normal. Like dms16 said, they've been out for a good while now and no one to my knowledge has reported a problem with this. In fact the only real problems reported AFAIK is some break in woes once they switched to the stronger RSA.

 

[SteveLC]

I worried about it for a minute...then I just decided to allow myself to enjoy the pistol and have blind faith in HK engineering and R&D. :690:

 

[JonFrost]

I think every spring, screw, bullet etc. is a potential malfunction waiting to happen. However, there are a lot of guys with very high round count vp9's that have had no issues. I shoot with 2 guys from the HK shooting team and they put a lot of rounds through their vp's, and as far as I know they have zero issues. But potentially, sure, anything could be a problem, but it doesn't seem like it's more likely to be an issue than with anything else. If it's a big concern though I would use a different gun if it were going to be the one I count on to save my life.

 

[Beardserker]

Think my next purchase will be a USP .45. It's going to be my dedicated EDC bag gun. A USP compact was my first handgun purchase, and I miss that gun.

 

[JHT]

In response to both of your concerns I took the time to call HK USA and asked them about your question. First I'd like to mention I have two VP9's one with over 15,000 rounds and the second with more then 10,000 rounds and have not had one issue at all in any type of malmunction.

The HK technician stated they have not had one call or complaint about your concern. He further mentioned that customers, as well as those who protect and serve have fired more then 60,000 rounds threw their VP9's with no problems in regard to your question.

All in all, I would enjoy the fine crastmanship that Heckler and Koch has been providing us for decades.

JHT

For God and Country

 

[Hawk777]

The Mark kinda has the same trigger spring design where it's coiled against the frame.

 

[WolfieRules]

In response to both of your concerns I took the time to call HK USA and asked them about your question. First I'd like to mention I have two VP9's one with over 15,000 rounds and the second with more then 10,000 rounds and have not had one issue at all in any type of malmunction.

The HK technician stated they have not had one call or complaint about your concern. He further mentioned that customers, as well as those who protect and serve have fired more then 60,000 rounds threw their VP9's with no problems in regard to your question.

All in all, I would enjoy the fine crastmanship that Heckler and Koch has been providing us for decades.

JHT

For God and Country

JHT is a bit ahead of me, the two VP9s I use as range toys have 12K and 9500 respectively through them without issue.

Good to hear from HK CS some have 60K through them, was curious if as durable as a P30, looks like it :68:

 

[squib308]

OP-

back when i had a VP9, I made the exact same observations as you. i recall noting the tiny amount of searing surface and being a bit perplexed. when i was visiting my gunsmith I asked this question. he was also surprised by the HK design and stated something like "how it works I will never understand". he also commented about how he charges an extra fee for VP9 disassembly/reassembly because the pistol is such a PITA. given my affinity for glocks, Sig P320 and Canik TP9SF, I sold off the VP9 and never looked back.

I actually do believe that the trigger bar and sear design are flawed, and that over time we will see dead triggers emerge on the VP platform. i could be wrong (and i hope I am), but it's my hunch.

 

[Beardserker]

In response to both of your concerns I took the time to call HK USA and asked them about your question. First I'd like to mention I have two VP9's one with over 15,000 rounds and the second with more then 10,000 rounds and have not had one issue at all in any type of malmunction.

The HK technician stated they have not had one call or complaint about your concern. He further mentioned that customers, as well as those who protect and serve have fired more then 60,000 rounds threw their VP9's with no problems in regard to your question.

All in all, I would enjoy the fine crastmanship that Heckler and Koch has been providing us for decades.

JHT

For God and Country

Thanks! I appreciate that!

 

[Beardserker]

OP-

back when i had a VP9, I made the exact same observations as you. i recall noting the tiny amount of searing surface and being a bit perplexed. when i was visiting my gunsmith I asked this question. he was also surprised by the HK design and stated something like "how it works I will never understand". he also commented about how he charges an extra fee for VP9 disassembly/reassembly because the pistol is such a PITA. given my affinity for glocks, Sig P320 and Canik TP9SF, I sold off the VP9 and never looked back.

I actually do believe that the trigger bar and sear design are flawed, and that over time we will see dead triggers emerge on the VP platform. i could be wrong (and i hope I am), but it's my hunch.

I'm not quite THAT pessimistic about it, but I will say I wish the sear contact point was a bit more robust, to say the least.

 

[Beardserker]

I noticed that, but being my first gun and all I just assumed that was normal. Like dms16 said, they've been out for a good while now and no one to my knowledge has reported a problem with this. In fact the only real problems reported AFAIK is some break in woes once they switched to the stronger RSA.

I don't get why folks are doing this. The recoil spring in the VP9 seems just fine. Putting too strong a spring in it could lead to cycling issues, I would think.

 

[Beardserker]

The Mark kinda has the same trigger spring design where it's coiled against the frame.

I did notice that... and the Mark 23 is supposedly bomb-proof, although I wonder if the USP is more so...

 

[JonFrost]

I don't get why folks are doing this. The recoil spring in the VP9 seems just fine. Putting too strong a spring in it could lead to cycling issues, I would think.

I just got a grey one (my second vp9) and it has the heavier spring. I had a lot of malfunctions up to about 150 rounds. Zero in these few hundred. All with 115grain Ammo. I suspect if I'd used 124 or 147 from the get go I wouldn't have had any problems. It's not an issue to me unless you buy it and carry it without testing it.

Let me add that because of this great forum I knew about the spring change and expected it to happen so it wasn't a surprise and I didn't think I had a bad gun.

 

[Klaustrophobia]

I don't get why folks are doing this. The recoil spring in the VP9 seems just fine. Putting too strong a spring in it could lead to cycling issues, I would think.

It's not end-users doing it, HK changed it from the factory around the time the VP9 tactical was released.

 

[Beardserker]

Hmm... If they deemed the original recoil spring to be inadequate, I'd think they should hook me up with the heavier one free of charge, then. Wonder if they'd be so kind? ��

 

[Hawk777]

I think the heavier spring was due to VP9 not running correctly with a suppressor mounted. All of mine have it and all have run great with Nato 124 and even some American Eagle 124.

 

[Klaustrophobia]

Yes, and then I assume they switched on the base model also just to simplify. I wouldn't be surprised if they stopped production of the red VP9 spring.

 

[Beardserker]

So basically, no suppressor, no issue with original spring?