HK P30L V3 9mm

[Uncle Malice]

I got the HK itch again and just had to scratch it. I've had an interesting history with HK during my time with guns. Prior to today I have owned:

- USP Compact V1 40s&w
- USP Compact V1 9mm
- P2000 LEM V2 9mm
- P2000 V3 40s&w
- P30S V3 40s&w
- USP V1 9mm
- USP V1 45acp

Now here's the thing. I have liked every one of those pistols, but I always ended up selling them for one reason - I didn't shoot them well. I can't explain why. I love the build quality, fit & finish, ergonomics, etc. I like almost everything about the HK guns except for some of the triggers, but they certainly weren't 'bad' enough to account for my poor accuracy shooting them. I know it wasn't the guns, just me, and it was really frustrating liking the guns so much but always shooting better groups with Glocks, Sigs, M&Ps, and even XDs.

I have a pretty decent collection and was itching for something new and the HK grabbed my attention again. My plan this time is to keep it even if I don't shoot it well and just try to work on getting better with it. If I don't shoot it well, I'll just keep it as a range gun until I'm happy with the accuracy.

The new gun that I picked up today was the P30L in 9mm. I like the feel and the looks of the P30L over the P30. To me, the standard P30 slide looks a little too short for the size of the grip - sort of akin the to XDM 3.8 model, although not that extreme. The P30L feels and looks better to me. I picked it up very lightly used for $850. It has zero holster wear and judging by the slight wear on the magazine followers and light barrel smiley, I'd estimate maybe 200-300 rounds fired.

I absolutely love the way this thing feels in the hand. The trigger is pretty decent too. I might send it to Bill Springfield for a basic trigger job only because I'd prefer the reset to be a little shorter - I'm a bit of a reset whore from the Sig SRT. I'll wait until I have at least 1k rounds through it before doing that though.

I know we all know what the gun looks like, but I enjoy sharing pics in posts so I hope you enjoy seeing them. Also, I enjoy showing off the weather here in AZ. I'm originally from northern IL and I see it's something like -20. Well, it's 70 here.

[Martowski]

Nice pistol. I almost went the P30 route but decided to go the Walther PPQ route. The P30's grip is wonderful.

And greetings from north central IL where we expect to have a HIGH of -8 (actual temp before windchill) on Monday!

[TunnelRat]

I might send it to Bill Springfield for a basic trigger job only because I'd prefer the reset to be a little shorter - I'm a bit of a reset whore from the Sig SRT. I'll wait until I have at least 1k rounds through it before doing that though.

If it were me I'd go with Bruce Gray instead. The HK forums have a number of examples of folks having to send stuff back to Springfield. One just recently for a poor hammer to sear engagement that had the pistol reverting to DA after every shot. I've never heard a bad story about Gray. It might be more money, but to me it's worth it. Either one will be a long wait these days.

Besides that, nice looking gun. Enjoy!

[Uncle Malice]

I'd love to send it the GGI, TunnelRat - but I'm not looking to spend that kind of money. I have no doubt that it would be spectacular, I'm just not looking to put that much MORE money into. Not yet anyways. If I'm actually able to dial in being able to shoot good groups with the gun as it is, then maybe I'll consider it.

I'm going to try and dedicate myself to being able to shoot it well first. The ergonomics on the gun are just too good to not be able to hit well.

And greetings from north central IL where we expect to have a HIGH of -8 (actual temp before windchill) on Monday!

Rockford native here. Cheers!

[HKFan9]

I love HK firearms hence my name. I will probably buy a p30 eventually even though the trigger is a hard sell for me. Just like my old USP, the gun was spectacular, however the trigger is.. workable I guess to say it.

[TunnelRat]

I'm going to try and dedicate myself to being able to shoot it well first. The ergonomics on the gun are just too good to not be able to hit well.

Then let me recommend two things to make your life easier (it does mine). Order a 12 lb hammer spring and the light firing pin block spring. The hammer spring can come from Wolff:

http://www.gunsprings.com/Semi-Auto%...1/mID26/dID136
(Yes I know the warning at the top, it is the same spring in the USP as the P30, feel free to call HK CS if you want to).

Or you can go with the one from HK (but it's a lot more):
http://www.hkparts.net/shop/pc/Hamme...m#.Ushuo7ShUnM

And the light firing pin block spring:
http://www.hkparts.net/shop/pc/Firin...m#.Ushu-LShUnM

I use the 12 lb Wolff Spring and the light firing pin block spring (FPBS). Gives you a DA pull of ~ 8.5 lbs with noticeably less stacking thanks to the FPBS and a SA pull of ~ 4 lbs. And I never have light strikes. Same setup works in the P2000 and USP and USP compact too. Cheapest trigger job with factory parts and a great bang for the buck.

[Uncle Malice]

Thanks TR, I'll probably give that a shot! I like cheap trigger improvements.

BTW, what is factory hammer spring weight on the P30? According to the Wolff site, 12lb is factory for 9mm on the USP. Is it heavier on the P30?

[TunnelRat]

BTW, what is factory hammer spring weight on the P30? According to the Wolff site, 12lb is factory for 9mm on the USP. Is it heavier on the P30?

My understanding was that the factory DA/SA spring is actually 14 lb. If you wanted you could try the 10 lb spring too. I know some people that run it fine.

Edit:

Make sure you were looking at the hammer springs, not the recoil springs. From the gunsprings website:

Hammer Springs
For all calibers, full size and compact models

Reduced Power...: 10 & 12 Lb.
Factory Standard.: 14 Lb. (Reference Only)
Extra Power........: 16 Lb.

[Uncle Malice]

Make sure you were looking at the hammer springs, not the recoil springs.

That would be my problem. Ha.

Thanks man. I'll go ahead and get these ordered.

[Viper99]

I have been thinking about getting a P2000sk but I am confused on the different triggers. Which trigger configuration is the one closest to that of a Sig?

I dry fired a P2000 at my LGS and that DA pull was downright nasty.

[TunnelRat]

I dry fired a P2000 at my LGS and that DA pull was downright nasty.

Might have been a P2000 in LEM. Without cycling the slide on a LEM pistol first it's pretty strong.

[Uncle Malice]

Which trigger configuration is the one closest to that of a Sig?

You would probably want to get a V3 and replace the hammer/firing pin block springs that TunnelRat recommended up above.

The HK DA pull is not as good as Sigs from the factory, but my understanding is that they break in pretty nicely. I have played with a couple of well used HKs and the triggers were better than the new ones I have used.

Lots of shooting and/or lots of dry fire should break it in nicely.

[Viper99]

If you are buying used like I probably will, is there a way to tell which kind of trigger it has?

[TunnelRat]

There are different variants of LEM that change the weight of the trigger pull. It is easy to tell if a P30 is a DA/SA as it will have the button decocker on the rear of the slide and the LEM won't. Same is true of P2000.