I'll quote my best friend who has a extensive background in doing very bad things to lots of very bad people.
"I like to carry a Glock and fight with a 1911." Sums it up pretty well.
I actually have this pretty well figured out these days.
Service guns
9mm-Glock 17, 19, or 17 chopped for 19 mags.
.45ACP-HK45C
Enthusist Guns
9mm-Hk P7
.45ACP-1911
Outdoors stuff-Big Bore revolver
Everything else is pride of ownership at this point.
HK P2000 in 9mm with a DA/SA trigger. I chose it over the P30 as I feel the P30's grip texture is too rough against my bare skin(I don't wear undershirts) and the grip on the P30 is just *that* much too long for me to comfortably conceal unless I'm wearing certain clothing that I'd prefer to not wear everytime I go outside. During the winter I can conceal more with heavier clothing/jackets, so I use 16 round German Police mags instead of the 13 round mags, so I'm literally "one-up" on a P30 for the cooler monthsI also don't care for the long slide releases on the P30. Everyone says to just change your grip, but I'm simply a mere mortal and make mistakes every once in a while. I especially don't want to rely on a perfect grip in an imperfect world to make my weapon function properly. This is another reason I made the choice for HK given their paddle mag releases, because I find myself able to easily drop a magazine on weapons equipped with button releases if I get all butterfingered and grip it incorrectly. A proper grip might not be feasible when someone is tackling you...sometimes shit happens, IMO. This translates into my lazy-carry gun, as well. I opted for a J-frame as I found myself dropping mags on mouse guns even with a proper grip.
I make a hammered handgun a priority, leading me to the P2000 instead of the Glock, P99/PPQ, or M&P platforms. I feel it's the best concealed carry hammered handgun available for my preferences when compared against the competition. JodyH puts it best-big enough to fight with, small enough to carry everyday.
For the past 16 years I've carried either a 9mm or a .45 ACP as my primary. Name brands: Sig, S&W, H&K USP (either Comp or fullsize), and Glock...all provided by the agency I was employed with. I do not like the HK. The compact we currently carry is just too top heavy and the grip is too small for my meat hooks...we are getting M&P 45's in the coming weeks, which is a relief to me. The Sig P226 was a tack driver and was very reliable. The 5906 was a piece of crap and was replaced by a full size USP .45. The Glock 21 was a Gen 2 and is currently waiting to be returned to me...hopefully soon. Very reliable and worked like a freaking sewing machine when I needed it, at that time it was about 12 years old and had never been re-sprung or detail stripped by an armorer...awesome weapon. That one weapon is why I'm a Glock fan now.
I prefer a G-19 and carry it in a Comp-Tac minitor. If its winter I wear it in a Safariland ALS. My 19 has proven itself reliable and never malfunctioned. It is bone stock minus the Heinie Straight 8's. I do carry a 442 but its not my favorite carry piece.
Competition is a G-17....it's not stock...
I am torn between the P30 and the G17. If forced to choose I'd probably opt for the P30.Originally Posted by Failure2Stop
The P30 is incredibly reliable and durable, insanely accurate, and the LEM trigger system works very well for me. The downsides are parts replacement both in terms of availability and complication of the mechanism; and, availability of aftermarket support.
There are things I do better with the Glock (blind splits, for example) but overall nothing has worked as well for me as the P30.
And not to sound cheezy, but if not for the gadget (patent pending, offer void where prohibited by law, no shirt no shoes no service) then the G17 wouldn't even be in the running.
Beretta, Browning, Glock, HK, SIG, and S&W. All had their benefits and their disadvantages.What have you used in the past that was surpassed by your current (or desired) pistol.
In terms of the P30's basic design:How is the pistol performing compared to your initial expectation and what do you still want to change?
Additionally, HK USA must continue to push Germany for greater spare parts inventories and invest in getting more customization/improvement options on the market. If I were running HK, I'd pay Apex to get some stuff put together for the P30 and HK45 yesterday. I'd pay Trijicon, Ameriglo, etc. to offer some shooter-friendly sight options. Etc.
- shorter reset; while not a deal breaker it is certainly nicer to have it than not and it would be a very easy change for HK to make if they'd just listen
- beveled magazine well; again, this would be very easy to change if HK would just listen to shooters
- option for lower profile slide release levers to accommodate shooters who habitually ride the lever and fail to get lockback
- rethink some of the basic components and build them as complete parts assemblies; I've already showed HK how they could make both the trigger return spring and the elbow (LEM) spring much more user friendly, for example
F2S - Good to see you here, dude
For the past year, I've been shooting my P30 (light V4 LEM) with Heinie's (orange painted front) exclusively. For the first few months I still carried my G19 or G26 due to making sure the P30 was going to run right and, more notably, waiting on a proper holster for the HK to arrive. I've been carrying it AIWB since last December.
I moved away from the Glocks because I thought it was solving some issues I was having shooting them, with adding a level of comfort to try AIWB as a secondary benefit. In retrospect the real shooting benefit has probably been more due to the extra effort put into shooting than simple ergonomic differences. Really though the AIWB has made a bigger (positive) difference in the comfort and frequency of my carry habits. It works so much better for me it's no comparison. I spend a lot of my carrying time squatting, bending, and picking up little kiddos so constantly printing plus it means I can carry them on my hip withoutsitting on the butt of the pistol. I can conceal a P30 better AIWB better than a G26 on my side. And while it's true that plenty of folks are carrying a Glock AIWB successfully I just can't reach that level of comfort with carrying - and especially practicing - without that little extra level of feedback from the exposed hammer.
Beyond the carry method factors, I really am pleased with the P30. I know not everyone loves the trigger but I find I toss less wild shots with it than with a Glock. I think this is due to the longer constant pull vs. the slack-to-snap of the Glock. It took a slight adjustment in my grip to not ride the slide lever, but the large ambi controls make weak hand only manipulations and reloads easier. The ergos of the grip are comfortable, and much more importantly the combination of shape and texture helps me keep a better grip during longer strings of fire - something I always had trouble with on my Glocks. And last but not least I am in love with the paddle mag release.
I haven't been able to go through with it quite yet, but I'm this close to selling off (most of) the Glocks to get a couple spare HKs...
--Josh
“Formerly we suffered from crimes; now we suffer from laws.” - Tacitus.
Right now, the P30 because it functions reliably and allows me to reholster with a significantly reduced chance of blowing a hole in myself.
The 1911 was easier to make hits with...but in terms of pistol skill I'm much farther ahead now than when I was carrying the 1911.What have you used in the past that was surpassed by your current (or desired) pistol.
Initially I found that I anticipated less with the P30. After X thousand rounds through it I find that I anticipate way too much but generally with a smaller margin of error than with other pistols I've run. In other words, I miss by a couple of inches instead of several on tight targets.How is the pistol performing compared to your initial expectation and what do you still want to change?
What would I change:
1. I'd make the slide release levers smaller. Every now and then I still get a failure to lock back because my hands depress the lever.
2. Working on the P30 can be a pain in the ass. Finding someone qualified to work on the P30 can be a pain in the ass.
3. Holster, sight, and laser options are limited to non-existent. That sucks. Thankfully I have access to good concealment gear which is really all I care about.
4. Bevel the mag well.
5. Since I'm wishing, I wish it had 2 more rounds in the magazine.
CCC "Looper" or "Shaggy" AIWB holster for everyday carry. Various mag pouches for magazines. I have a Safariland ALS to use on those rare training class occasions where I'm not carrying concealed.What support gear are you using with it, and does it reflect the quality of the pistol?
The P30 isn't my dream gun because of the above factors, but it's the best compromise of features, reliability, durability, and practicality I could buy off the shelf. I just lube it occasionally, load it, and shoot it. It is capable of fantastic accuracy:
That's a 5 shot group offhand at 25 yards with a called flyer low. I anticipated on that shot. The other 4 are in essentially one hole. Now do I shoot all my 25 yard groups like that? Hell no...that's why I took a picture. The pistol itself is capable of far more accuracy than I can hope to wring out of it. Not strictly necessary, but nice to have if you can get it.
TC-
Interestingly, if I go super slow (weaker grip, snail pace on trigger finger, super pretty front sight), I get small groups at 25 yards (I have not shot one as small as your 4-shot group) in the same place as your tiny group.
If I get a bit more aggressive and into a cadence, I shoot a bit larger groups to POA.
What sights do you have on yours?
Heinie "Quik" sights. With most FMJ ammo they tend to shoot high, requiring an almost 6:00 hold.
With my P30 & Heinie sights it was drive-the-dot inside of 10Y, and center hold out to 35Y.
I would prefer to carry a Phaser.
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