hk vp70

blooch · December 16, 1999, 01:44 PM

I HAVE A FRIEND WHO RECENTLY PURCHASED A PAIR OF HK VP70'S . HIS QUESTION IS: IS THERE ANYONE OUT THERE WHO DOES TRIGGER JOBS ON THEM? IT SEEMS TO HAVE AN EXTREMELY LONG TAKE UP, THAT IS VERY HEAVY, THEN A 10-12 LB. TRIGGER PULL, WITH LOTS OF OVER TRAVEL. WE WOULD APPRECIATE ANY INFORMATION ANYONE HAS.

Danger Dave · December 16, 1999, 01:56 PM

If you find anyone to do that trigger job, let me know!

The biggest problem with the VP70z, as far as I'm concerned, is that hellacious trigger pull. It can leave you finger cramped after a couple of boxes of ammo, and after 50+ rounds, I can tell the difference in my accuracy as fatigue takes effect in my hand. I tend to start pulling low and to the left.

On the other hand, I haven't wanted to mess with mine too much - it's been 100% reliable, accurate (at least once you get used to the weird front sight) and the hefty trigger pull gives me an extra measure of (perceived, at least) safety. And, if your smithy messes something up, replacement parts may be hard to find (e.g. the last time I saw a magazine, it cost $75).

By the way, Mike Benedict (a member here at TFL) can make a custom Kydex holster for you - he already has the mold. He made me one - I think they run $45.

SAWBONES · December 16, 1999, 03:47 PM

Of course, the question is, WHY would anyone carry a VP70Z for CCW, except perhaps for the 18 round magazine capacity? The gun is interesting from both historical
(first polymer-framed pistol ever made, by any major manufacturer)and engineering perspectives (and I think the "shadow box" front sight is interesting), but it IS heavy and bulky for a 9mm handgun, and there's that awful trigger pull. Designed as a three shot-burst firing automatic weapon with its attatched (never in the USA) shoulder stock, the VP70 was never a winner even with European gendarmes, unfortunately. They do look neat, though, don't they?
Of those gunsmiths who work on H&K pistols (Bruce Gray and one or two others I'm aware of), they're pretty limited to the P7 or USP series guns, so far as I know. Have you called and asked H&K if they provide a "trigger job", like the match trigger they can do for USPs? Probably worth a try, anyway.

------------------
"Potius sero quam nunquam."

Danger Dave · December 17, 1999, 03:29 PM

I don't use mine for CCW - it's more of a car gun, but it can be carried under a heavy jacket - the weight just makes me limp

. For a carry pistol, it's a S&W 637 for me. As far as the VP70z goes, the simplicity of design and the 18+1 round capacity were some of the major reasons I chose it. Like I've said elsewhere, I considered the trigger pull and the absence of a hammer to be sort of safety features - aside from intentionally taking off the safety and squeezing the trigger, I can't imagine one being accidentally discharged. And I think the sight is interesting, too, the only problem is it's backwards from every other pistol I shoot (you're looking for the dark spot instead of the shiny blade) and it absolutely disappears against a black target. Takes some time to adjust to it.

The positives for it are safety, ease of maintenance (4 moving parts), accuracy (once you get used to the sights), mag capacity (there aren't too many pistols out there with a true double stack magazine), comfort (I have small hands - the VP70 was the only high-cap autoloader that I found that was comfortable to me), and reliability. I've fired lots of ammo through mine, including some cheap crap that wouldn't work in anybody else's pistols (hey, it was free) - the only problems I've had were when I got hold of some 9mm that had been loaded with rifle powder.

Thanks for the idea about the trigger job! I'll check with H&K. Because of the design, the only "trigger job" I can envision would be a weaker spring on the firing pin. I've always been afraid that the reliability would suffer, though, and that's one thing I won't tolerate.

December 16, 1999, 01:44 PM	#1
blooch Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 1999 Location: texas Posts: 152	I HAVE A FRIEND WHO RECENTLY PURCHASED A PAIR OF HK VP70'S . HIS QUESTION IS: IS THERE ANYONE OUT THERE WHO DOES TRIGGER JOBS ON THEM? IT SEEMS TO HAVE AN EXTREMELY LONG TAKE UP, THAT IS VERY HEAVY, THEN A 10-12 LB. TRIGGER PULL, WITH LOTS OF OVER TRAVEL. WE WOULD APPRECIATE ANY INFORMATION ANYONE HAS.

December 16, 1999, 01:56 PM	#2
Danger Dave Senior Member Join Date: April 21, 1999 Location: Dallas, GA, USA Posts: 791	If you find anyone to do that trigger job, let me know! The biggest problem with the VP70z, as far as I'm concerned, is that hellacious trigger pull. It can leave you finger cramped after a couple of boxes of ammo, and after 50+ rounds, I can tell the difference in my accuracy as fatigue takes effect in my hand. I tend to start pulling low and to the left. On the other hand, I haven't wanted to mess with mine too much - it's been 100% reliable, accurate (at least once you get used to the weird front sight) and the hefty trigger pull gives me an extra measure of (perceived, at least) safety. And, if your smithy messes something up, replacement parts may be hard to find (e.g. the last time I saw a magazine, it cost $75). By the way, Mike Benedict (a member here at TFL) can make a custom Kydex holster for you - he already has the mold. He made me one - I think they run $45.

December 16, 1999, 03:47 PM	#3
SAWBONES Senior Member Join Date: March 17, 1999 Location: The third dimension Posts: 670	Of course, the question is, WHY would anyone carry a VP70Z for CCW, except perhaps for the 18 round magazine capacity? The gun is interesting from both historical (first polymer-framed pistol ever made, by any major manufacturer)and engineering perspectives (and I think the "shadow box" front sight is interesting), but it IS heavy and bulky for a 9mm handgun, and there's that awful trigger pull. Designed as a three shot-burst firing automatic weapon with its attatched (never in the USA) shoulder stock, the VP70 was never a winner even with European gendarmes, unfortunately. They do look neat, though, don't they? Of those gunsmiths who work on H&K pistols (Bruce Gray and one or two others I'm aware of), they're pretty limited to the P7 or USP series guns, so far as I know. Have you called and asked H&K if they provide a "trigger job", like the match trigger they can do for USPs? Probably worth a try, anyway. ------------------ "Potius sero quam nunquam."

December 17, 1999, 03:29 PM	#4
Danger Dave Senior Member Join Date: April 21, 1999 Location: Dallas, GA, USA Posts: 791	I don't use mine for CCW - it's more of a car gun, but it can be carried under a heavy jacket - the weight just makes me limp . For a carry pistol, it's a S&W 637 for me. As far as the VP70z goes, the simplicity of design and the 18+1 round capacity were some of the major reasons I chose it. Like I've said elsewhere, I considered the trigger pull and the absence of a hammer to be sort of safety features - aside from intentionally taking off the safety and squeezing the trigger, I can't imagine one being accidentally discharged. And I think the sight is interesting, too, the only problem is it's backwards from every other pistol I shoot (you're looking for the dark spot instead of the shiny blade) and it absolutely disappears against a black target. Takes some time to adjust to it. The positives for it are safety, ease of maintenance (4 moving parts), accuracy (once you get used to the sights), mag capacity (there aren't too many pistols out there with a true double stack magazine), comfort (I have small hands - the VP70 was the only high-cap autoloader that I found that was comfortable to me), and reliability. I've fired lots of ammo through mine, including some cheap crap that wouldn't work in anybody else's pistols (hey, it was free) - the only problems I've had were when I got hold of some 9mm that had been loaded with rifle powder. Thanks for the idea about the trigger job! I'll check with H&K. Because of the design, the only "trigger job" I can envision would be a weaker spring on the firing pin. I've always been afraid that the reliability would suffer, though, and that's one thing I won't tolerate.