HK P30

[Kelemvor]

So, I got to hold my buddy's new P30 last night and was really impressed with how good it felt in my hand. I had held a USP before and it was way to bulky for met to even think of carrying it. My question to you gents is, does the HK45/HK45c have the same form factor? Is the grip about the same width and everything? From the website, it looks like it might be pretty close. Also, for a HK45 can you get a threaded barrel?

[TGO David]

The HK45 is a little bigger but feels about the same overall. The HK45C is much more similar to the P2000, which I own and love. Yes, a threaded barrel is available for the HK45 and the 45C.

I have the HK45 myself and like it, but am still waiting on an IWB holster so that I can carry it.

[Guest CK1]

Another thing that's important to note, which I'm sure David will agree with, is besides obviously the caliber, the other main difference between the P30 and the HK45 is the trigger... The HK45 has one of the best triggers H&K have produced yet, not so with the P30...

[TGO David]

I have had zero trigger time behind the P30 so I cannot compare the two. The HK45 trigger is awesome.

[56FordGuy]

I have a P30, and David was kind enough to let me shoot his HK45. The 45 is now on my short list to buy.

It's been a couple of months since I shot it, but I don't recall a big difference in the trigger between my V3 P30 and whatever version David's gun is. The LEM trigger is supposed to be very different from the DA/SA V3 trigger. I haven't shot anything with the LEM trigger, so I really can't say.

[Guest JHatmaker]

Also love the grip of the P30, one of the best I've ever held.

[Guest cjr]

Also love the grip of the P30, one of the best I've ever held.

I have to agree,the HK P30 is probobly the the most comfortable shooting pistol I have.Next to the Walther P22 or PK380,I havent shot the .380 but,it feels alot like the P22

[Guest hi im drummer03]

Also love the grip of the P30, one of the best I've ever held.

+1. So nice that i bought one.

[Guest CK1]

The main thing that's annoying to me about the P30 (besides the so-so long reset trigger, and guess the USPc's and P2000's too) is that they give you no where to put your weak-hand thumb if you shoot with a modern-style "thumbs forward" grip like I do... The slides on 'em fill up almost the whole side of the slide and I always end up with my thumb really low on the accessory rail instead of where it should be. Sold mine cause it altered my grip so much, hope they change that in the future... It's too bad since I really want to be an H&k snob just never works out.

[TGO David]

The main thing that's annoying to me about the P30 (besides the so-so long reset trigger, and guess the USPc's and P2000's too) is that they give you no where to put your weak-hand thumb if you shoot with a modern-style "thumbs forward" grip like I do... The slides on 'em fill up almost the whole side of the slide and I always end up with my thumb really low on the accessory rail instead of where it should be. Sold mine cause it altered my grip so much, hope they change that in the future... It's too bad since I really want to be an H&k snob just never works out.

You end up with your thumbs on the accessory rail... seriously??? Either you have orangutan hands or you're doing it wrong. Please post a picture of what you consider to be the modern-style thumbs forward grip.

[Guest CK1]

You end up with your thumbs on the accessory rail... seriously??? Either you have orangutan hands or you're doing it wrong. Please post a picture of what you consider to be the modern-style thumbs forward grip.

Nope. I don't have orangutan hands, and I'm not doing it wrong.

The grip I use is the same as used and taught by guys like Dave Sevigny, Brian Enos, Rob Leathem, etc, and works on just about every other pistol (glocks, m&p's, sigs, 1911's, etc), just not with the H&K's... my thumb ends up almost low enough on the frame where I'm in line with the accessory rail since up against the slide gets pretty darn uncomfortable after like 2 rounds... I dunno...

Edited December 3, 2009 by CK1

[TGO David]

Ok, you cant your support hand forward a lot more than I do I guess. If I cam my wrist like that, the tip of my thumb is even with the leading edge of the trigger guard on my P2000. Not so much with the HK45... the trigger guard on it is much larger than that of the P2000 so my thumb doesn't even clear it.

That's why I was having a hard time visualizing you having your thumb on the accessory rail of a P30, which is almost as long as the HK45.

[Seaslug]

You end up with your thumbs on the accessory rail... seriously??? Either you have orangutan hands or you're doing it wrong. Please post a picture of what you consider to be the modern-style thumbs forward grip.

Hahaha. I'm just going by my own experience with the P30, but I think he was probably referring to the fact that the slide stop is so large, it forces the support thumb to come to rest on the frame somewhere just aft of the accessory rail. I love my P30, but I have to be very conscious of my grip for this very reason, because my strong hand thumb will sometimes engage the slide stop and prevent the slide from locking back on the last round.

And yes, I DO have orangutan hands...

ETA: I must type really slow. He even has a picture now...

Edited December 3, 2009 by Seaslug
blah

[Guest CK1]

Ok, you cant your support hand forward a lot more than I do I guess.

That's it, over time I noticed that there are a lot of good shooters who do it so I've found that canting my support hand like I've observed they do works much better for me, so now I do it too, starts out feeling weird as hell, now it's as natural as can be.

Here's kinda what I was talking about: If you look at the amount of area left on the side of the frame under the slide (the space say in height fron the top of the trigger guard to the bottom of the slide) you'll notice that it's half or so than that of the glock (it could just be that with the h&k there's "stuff" in that space too), the area of real estate for where my support thumb would land is right about over where the front of the trigger guards meet the frames...

it's funny, may seem kind of insignificant, but it actually adds up to a big deal shooting-wise, and affects me a lot.

Edited December 3, 2009 by CK1

[TGO David]

A lot of "gamers" shoot with their support wrist canted forward drastically like that. I'm not using that term disparagingly either; they shoot really really good and faster than I do. My experience is that this stance requires the arms be almost completely straight and locked at the elbow.

For a while there I flirted with shooting like that when I was hot for USPSA matches. But as I moved away from that and started thinking about practical shooting and human biomechanics, my grip has evolved so that my elbows stay somewhat bent, my head isn't so low into the sight picture but rather the gun further up to my eye-level, and my hands almost in a pugilistic configuration wrapped around the gun.

It's still a thumbs forward style, but my wrist isn't cammed forward as far as yours is and I find that it gives me more maneuverability and stability for shooting on the move.

[Guest HexHead]

it's funny, may seem kind of insignificant, but it actually adds up to a big deal shooting-wise, and affects me a lot.

Probably the wrong gun for you then.

[Guest CK1]

A lot of "gamers" shoot with their support wrist canted forward drastically like that. I'm not using that term disparagingly either; they shoot really really good and faster than I do. My experience is that this stance requires the arms be almost completely straight and locked at the elbow.

Exactly. You see a lot of guys put grip tape right there on glocks... there's not really any room to drop any grip tape there on the h&k's.

Incidentally, kind of off topic, but I've been flirting with the idea of maybe putting grip tape on only one side of my grip (palm-side strong-hand only, since the other side just rubs the hell out of my side IWB too much while carrying)... think that would make the gun "torque" weird under firing?

[Guest CK1]

Probably the wrong gun for you then.

That's what's so annoying... The P30's grip has got to be the best design out there (even better than my steyr which is saying a lot), if the slide didn't come down so far it'd be perfect!

[TGO David]

Exactly. You see a lot of guys put grip tape right there on glocks... there's not really any room to drop any grip tape there on the h&k's.

Incidentally, kind of off topic, but I've been flirting with the idea of maybe putting grip tape on only one side of my grip (palm-side strong-hand only, since the other side just rubs the hell out of my side IWB too much while carrying)... think that would make the gun "torque" weird under firing?

I don't think it could hurt. I've seen some other folks do that as well. Really your strong hand should be gripping the frame slightly less hard than your support hand to help reduce steering the muzzle with your trigger press.

[TGO David]

That's what's so annoying... The P30's grip has got to be the best design out there (even better than my steyr which is saying a lot), if the slide didn't come down so far it'd be perfect!

Have you tried the Smith & Wesson M&P series? The grip on them is phenomenal, IMO.

[Guest CK1]

I don't think it could hurt. I've seen some other folks do that as well. Really your strong hand should be gripping the frame slightly less hard than your support hand to help reduce steering the muzzle with your trigger press.

Thanks, guess I'll give it a try... although, seems I always end up coming back to the tactical bike tube... guess I'll see.

[Guest hi im drummer03]

That's it, over time I noticed that there are a lot of good shooters who do it so I've found that canting my support hand like I've observed they do works much better for me, so now I do it too, starts out feeling weird as hell, now it's as natural as can be.

Here's kinda what I was talking about: If you look at the amount of area left on the side of the frame under the slide (the space say in height fron the top of the trigger guard to the bottom of the slide) you'll notice that it's half or so than that of the glock (it could just be that with the h&k there's "stuff" in that space too), the area of real estate for where my support thumb would land is right about over where the front of the trigger guards meet the frames...

it's funny, may seem kind of insignificant, but it actually adds up to a big deal shooting-wise, and affects me a lot.

Although.The P30 is a compact and your comparing to a Glock 17 which is full size :/

[Guest hi im drummer03]

Have you tried the Smith & Wesson M&P series? The grip on them is phenomenal, IMO.

If his hands are like this on both of them. Im putting the H&K hands down above the M&P...

[Guest CK1]

Have you tried the Smith & Wesson M&P series? The grip on them is phenomenal, IMO.

yeah, I've put a ton of rounds through 'em, I like 'em I just had one with a crumm/weak trigger reset so I sold it, and the grip still isn't quite as good as the steyr m-a1's, real close though...

Considering the pistol-training.com version... May get another one at somepoint...

Although.The P30 is a compact and your comparing to a Glock 17 which is full size :/

Doesn't matter if we compared it to a G26, same thing applies...

If his hands are like this on both of them. Im putting the H&K hands down above the M&P...

No way, sorry, but IMO the H&K isn't as "shootable" as a an M&P for me.

The P30 is a good design, guess I just think the slide design comes down too far and keeps it from being a great design... I put just over 1500 through mine before I sold it and just didn't really care for it, that grip is awesome though...

Guess I'm pretty OCD when it comes to pistol ergos, probably why I've traded/sold and then bought back my steyr twice, it's gotta be the most expensive one in exsitence now since I've lost so much between trading and then getting it back... The only ergo thing I don't like about the M&P's is the beavertail as it sticks me in the side IWB and I don't really need it, just know if I had it removed from one I'd probably be stuck with it... who knows, still might go that route though if I get another.

Edited December 5, 2009 by CK1

[Oh Shoot]

...

Incidentally, kind of off topic, but I've been flirting with the idea of maybe putting grip tape on only one side of my grip (palm-side strong-hand only, since the other side just rubs the hell out of my side IWB too much while carrying)... think that would make the gun "torque" weird under firing?

I do that with my XD, don't notice anything out of kilter.

- OS