Heckler & Koch VP9

The Heckler & Koch VP9 (known as SFP9 in Europe and Canada) is a polymer-framed semi-automatic striker-fired handgun. The VP designation in the name refers to Volkspistole, which translates to "people's pistol",[4] while SFP stands for "striker-fired pistol".[5] The 9 stands for the caliber designation of 9 mm. The VP9 is the third striker-fired pistol that HK has produced. A variant of the VP9, the VP40, is chambered for .40 S&W; the VP40 is known as SFP40 in Europe and Canada.[5]

Heckler & Koch VP9
TypeSemi-automatic pistol
Place of originGermany
Production history
DesignerFrank Henninger
ManufacturerHeckler & Koch
Produced2014–present
VariantsVP40
Specifications
Mass710 g (25 oz) (EU version with empty magazine)[1]: 87 
753 g (26.6 oz) (US version with empty magazine)[2]: 9 
Length186.5 mm (7.34 in)
Barrel length104 mm (4.1 in) (standard)
127 mm (5.0 in) (long slide)
Width33.5 mm (1.32 in)
Height137.5 mm (5.41 in)[3]
Cartridge9×19mm Parabellum, .40 S&W
ActionShort recoil operated, Browning-type tilting barrel, locked breech
Feed system
SightsIron sights, tritium sights

History
A disassembled HK-SFP9 LSH

According to the manufacturer, Heckler & Koch (HK), the pistol was under development for more than four years before its release in June 2014.[6] Originally, it was designed on request of the Bavarian State Police, to replace the HK P7. As HK has a long history with striker-fired pistols, they decided to update their lineup with a newly designed striker system that gives their pistols a single stage-like trigger feel with a clean break.[7] The original name for the pistol was, "P30X," as it is essentially a striker-fired derivative of the Heckler & Koch P30.[8] However, it was changed to "VP9" for the U.S. commercial market.

Design details

The VP9 is a striker-fired pistol that features a Picatinny rail, ambidextrous controls, a hammer forged polygonal barrel, and changeable back and side straps to make the pistol grip customizable for any shooter's hand with 27 options of grip configuration. It was in development for more than four years and is Heckler & Koch's first striker-fired handgun since the P7 series pistols were introduced in the 1980s. The pistols are made in Heckler & Koch's Oberndorf factory in southwest Germany.[9]

Most striker-fired handguns have a pre-travel pull that increases in weight as the shooter squeezes it rearward. The VP9 trigger has a short, light take-up with a solid, single action type break followed by a short positive reset. The average weight of the stock trigger pull is 5.2 lbf (23 N). The VP9 trigger has a consistent pre-travel pull followed by a positive set with clean break. Disassembly does not involve releasing the striker by squeezing the trigger.[10]

Both the VP9 and VP40 use Heckler & Koch's ergonomic handgun grip design that includes three changeable backstraps and six side panels that allow the pistol's to fit any and all hand sizes.[9] Molded finger grooves in the front of the pistol's grip also instinctively position the shooters hand for optimal shooting.[7][4]

Although influenced by other HK models, the VP9 has a few innovations of its own. The controls are completely ambidextrous. A slide release is present on both sides of the frame and the magazine release can be easily activated by left- or right-handed shooters.[7]

A new feature is HK's patented charging supports. They are simple components that are mounted on each side of the rear of the slide and provide better gripping leverage for racking the slide rearward. The charging supports speed reloading and make operating the VP9 easier for shooters with reduced hand strength. The VP pistols use the same steel magazines as the Heckler & Koch P30 in both the 15 and 10-round capacity configurations.[7][4]

The VP9 has an extended full size Picatinny MIL-STD-1913 rail molded into its polymer frame for mounting lights and accessories. The rail has been tested and certified to handle the heavier mounted accessories because of its full size which adds rigidity. This rigidity gives the VP9 superior capabilities compared to some of its polymer competitors whose frames flex under use and cannot handle the weight of some of the medium to larger mounted lights.[11]

In the United States, the VP9 is available from retailers as a standard package (standard three-dot sights and two magazines included) or as a "LE" (Law Enforcement) package (factory-equipped tritium night sights and three magazines included). The night sights are Meprolight Tru-Dot. In late 2018, HK introduced the VP9 B (B for "button"), equipped with a push-button magazine release, in response to the preferences of the American market. In January 2020, HK updated the VP9 design with a slide cutout for mounting pistol red-dot optics, new higher-capacity 17-round magazines to replace the 15-round magazines, and iron sights with a blacked-out rear bladed sight, replacing the previous three-dot setup, all as new standard features for the pistol.

Reception

The Heckler & Koch VP9 won Guns & Ammo’s Handgun of the Year award in 2014.

American Rifleman, one of the National Rifle Association’s flagship magazines, named the Heckler & Koch VP9 the winner of the Golden Bullseye Award for 2015 Handgun Product of the Year.

Variants

SFP9 SF
SFP9-SF with RAL 8000 green brown gripframe and sighting in target

Due to its trigger characteristics, the SFP9 SF variant is marketed by Heckler & Koch as a Special Forces pistol and not as a police duty pistol. The SFP9 SF has a trigger travel of approximately 6 mm (0.2 in) with a relatively short trigger reset of 3 mm (0.1 in) and a trigger pull of approximately 23 N (5.2 lbf).[12]

SFP9 TR

The Technical Specifications (TR) of the German Police (Technische Richtlinie Pistolen im Kaliber 9mm x 19, Revision January 2008) for obtaining a German Police duty pistol certification require a first shot trigger pull of ≥30 N (6.7 lbf), a trigger travel of ≥10 mm (0.4 in) and a trigger reset of ≥4 mm (0.2 in).[13]

The SFP9 TR has a trigger travel of approximately 11 mm (0.4 in) with a trigger reset of 5 mm (0.2 in) and a trigger pull of approximately 30–35 N (6.7–7.9 lbf) to accommodate German legislation on police duty handguns.[14]

SFP9 M

Maritime variant with saltwater resistant coating (meeting NATO AC225 salt spray test and long-term saltwater test requirements)[1]: 25  and OTB (Over The Beach) capability.[15]

SFP9 OR

Optics ready variant with 23 N (5.2 lbf) trigger.

SFP9 SD

Variant with 119-millimetre (4.7 in) threaded barrel (SD = Schalldämpfer), adjustable Super-Luminova night sights by LPA and short-reset, reduced trigger pull SF trigger. Note: This variant is often referred to as "SFP9 Tactical", but the correct designation is "SFP9 SD". Accordingly, the word "Tactical" is not found on the slide.

SFP9 SK

Sub compact variant with shortened grip and 86-millimetre (3.4 in) barrel. (SK = Subkompakt)

SFP9 SK SF

Sub compact variant of the SFP9 SF

SFP9 L

Variant with 127-millimetre (5.0 in) barrel. (L = Long)

SFP9 Match OR

Optics ready variant with 140-millimetre (5.5 in) barrel and exclusive to this variant 19 N (4.3 lbf) match trigger and magwell, comes with 20-round magazines.

VP9

Standard version for the American market. Ships with two magazines and standard three-dot sights.

VP9SK

Subcompact variant, ships with two 10-round magazines.

VP9LE/VP9SKLE

Law enforcement variant that includes an additional magazine and tritium night sights.

VP9 with long slide conversion kit

VP Tactical

Variant with 119-millimetre (4.7 in) threaded barrel and fixed night sights; ships with three magazines.

VP Tactical OR

Optics ready variant with 119-millimetre (4.7 in) threaded barrel and fixed suppressor-height night sights; ships with three magazines.

VP9 B

American-style button magazine release version of the original VP9.[16]

VP9 L

As of 2019, a "slide conversion kit" is available from the manufacturer that converts a VP9 or VP9 B to a long slide model,[17] equivalent to the European SFP9 L.

VP9 Match

Optics ready variant with 140-millimetre (5.5 in) barrel and 23 N (5.2 lbf) trigger, comes with 20-round magazines.

Users
SFP9 of the Cantonal police of Basel-Stadt

References
  1. "OPERATOR'S MANUAL, SFP9 | SFP40". Heckler & Koch. Retrieved 7 October 2018 – via heckler-koch.com.
  2. "VP SERIES OPERATOR'S MANUAL" (PDF) (12th ed.). Heckler & Koch. February 2019. Retrieved 3 September 2019 – via hk-usa.com.
  3. "VP9 - Heckler & Koch". Hk-usa.com. 11 July 2014. Retrieved 18 June 2015.
  4. Beckstrand, Tom (22 October 2016). "People's Pistol: HK VP9 Review". Guns & Ammo.
  5. Nathaniel F (14 November 2015). "Gun Review: A Tale of Two Volkspistoles: The H&K VP9 & VP40". thefirearmblog.com. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  6. "HK launches new striker-fired VP9 pistol - Heckler & Koch" (Press release). Hk-usa.com. 10 June 2014. Retrieved 18 June 2015.
  7. Kuo, Steven (11 June 2014). "HK VP9 Striker Fired Pistol — Back to the Future". RECOIL.
  8. "Heckler and Koch P30X Target of Opportunity Video". YouTube.
  9. Muramatsu, Kevin (6 January 2016). Gun Digest Book of Automatic Pistols Assembly/Disassembly. p. 342. ISBN 978-1-4402-4500-8. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  10. Wright, Ben (14 July 2016). "Heckler & Koch to supply .40-caliber pistols for Phenix City police". Ledger-Enquirer.
  11. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 November 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  12. "Heckler & Koch :: Product Overview | SFP9-SF". Heckler-koch.com. Retrieved 18 June 2015.
  13. "TR \"Pistolen im Kaliber 9 mm x 19\", Stand: Januar 2008". Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
  14. "Heckler & Koch :: Product Overview | SFP9-TR". Heckler-koch.com. Retrieved 18 June 2015.
  15. "Sport, Security & Hunting Product Catalogue". Heckler & Koch. Retrieved 29 September 2018 – via heckler-koch.com.
  16. Albanese, Joseph (19 October 2018). "HK Releases VP9 B With Push-Button Magazine Release". range365.com.
  17. "VP9L SLIDE CONVERSION KIT". us.hkwebshop.com. Retrieved 3 September 2019.
  18. "SFP 9: Das ist die neue Feuerwaffe der bayerischen Polizei". 12 January 2018.
  19. "Heckler & Koch SFP9 wird neue Dienstpistole der Bayerischen Polizei". all4shooters.com (DE). 12 January 2018.
  20. "Bayerische Polizei bekommt ab 2018 neue Dienstwaffe".
  21. Jpw (12 December 2017). "STRATEGIE & TECHNIK: Berliner Polizei wählt HK SFP9 TR als neue Dienstwaffe".
  22. "Niedersachsens Polizei bekommt für 7,5 Millionen Euro neue Pistolen". 1 February 2016.
  23. "Sachsens Polizei kriegt neue Waffen - MOPO24". Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 20 December 2015.
  24. "Neue Pistolen für Brandenburgs Polizisten". MAZ - Märkische Allgemeine.
  25. thvo (11 May 2022). "Mecklenburg-Vorpommern: Polizei bekommt 5700 neue Pistolen - svz.de".
  26. "Japanese ground forces get new small arms". Asian Military Review.
  27. "防衛省・自衛隊：新小銃・新拳銃の決定について". www.mod.go.jp. Archived from the original on 6 December 2019.
  28. "New assault rifle and new gun for the Japanese forces". 11 December 2019.
  29. https://policemaniacs.com/sfp9_hokkaido_prefectural_police/
  30. L'essentiel (26 October 2016). "So sieht die neue Pistole der Police Grand-Ducale aus".
  31. "Litauen beschafft HK SFP-9 SF Dienstpistolen". 26 August 2020.
  32. "Lithuanian Armed Forces to Field the Heckler & Koch SFP9 -". September 2020.
  33. Terrill, Daniel (6 August 2016). "Phenix City police replace aging Glocks with HK". Guns.com. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
  34. "CITY OF MADISON POLICE DEPARTMENT STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE" (PDF). Madison Police.
  35. "Basler Polizeiwaffe fällt durch". Basler Zeitung.
  36. "Militärische Unterstützungsleistungen für die Ukraine | Bundesregierung". Die Bundesregierung informiert | Startseite (in German). Archived from the original on 14 March 2023. Retrieved 15 March 2023.

37. City of Hyattsville, MD purchases VP9 Pistols for replacement of existing sidearms for its officers. https://legistarweb-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/attachment/pdf/107893/Weapons_transition_final_memo.pdf

Further reading
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