How well do H&K P30 10 Round Mags Work?

[SwampDweller]

In lieu of my first thread, I've decided to give the P30 a try since I tend to do well with the HK45c. This may precipitate a switch to 9mm once the ammo shortage is over. I do have a couple of thousand rounds of 9mm, but not nearly enough to work up the experience I have with the HK45c. At most I'll be able to get a good feel for the P30.

I'd been considering a P30 since it was suggested to me when I was debating between continuing to carry my HK45c or switch to my G19, but what finally got me to go through with buying one was the fact that there was a brand new one in the gun shop that cost me $525 out the door. Only catch was (and this was why the gun shop had it so discounted), it came with two 10 round ban-compliant magazines. I'm going to have to order some standard capacity magazines, but I was hoping to go shoot it tomorrow. However, thanks to DocGKR I'm aware of how unreliable 10 round Glock 17/19 ban compliant mags are. Are the P30 10 rounders subject to the same unreliability? I don't want to experience malfunctions on a brand new pistol I'm trying to build confidence in just because of crappy ban compliant mags.

It's a beautiful pistol and feels extremely nice in my hand. I know how it feels and how it shoots can be different, but I have high hopes. This is the Variant 3 (I think?) where it's DA/SA with only the decocker button on the back of the slide.

[HCM]

In lieu of my first thread, I've decided to give the P30 a try since I tend to do well with the HK45c. This may precipitate a switch to 9mm once the ammo shortage is over. I do have a couple of thousand rounds of 9mm, but not nearly enough to work up the experience I have with the HK45c. At most I'll be able to get a good feel for the P30.

I'd been considering a P30 since it was suggested to me when I was debating between continuing to carry my HK45c or switch to my G19, but what finally got me to go through with buying one was the fact that there was a brand new one in the gun shop that cost me $525 out the door. Only catch was (and this was why the gun shop had it so discounted), it came with two 10 round ban-compliant magazines. I'm going to have to order some standard capacity magazines, but I was hoping to go shoot it tomorrow. However, thanks to DocGKR I'm aware of how unreliable 10 round Glock 17/19 ban compliant mags are. Are the P30 10 rounders subject to the same unreliability? I don't want to experience malfunctions on a brand new pistol I'm trying to build confidence in just because of crappy ban compliant mags.

It's a beautiful pistol and feels extremely nice in my hand. I know how it feels and how it shoots can be different, but I have high hopes. This is the Variant 3 (I think?) where it's DA/SA with only the decocker button on the back of the slide.

10 round HK pistol mags work fine, as do many other maker's 10 rounders which are simply blocked to 10 round capacity but otherwise function normally.

The issue with the Glock 10 round 17/19 mags is they took a mag that worked and redesigned it to work as a single stack instead of just blocking it off and using the proven double stack design.

[SwampDweller]

10 round HK pistol mags work fine, as do many other maker's 10 rounders which are simply blocked to 10 round capacity but otherwise function normally.

The issue with the Glock 10 round 17/19 mags is they took a mag that worked and redesigned it to work as a single stack instead of just blocking it off and using the proven double stack design.

Good to know. I've read where DocGKR and others have tested these 10 round mags for Glocks and that's how they determined them to be unreliable. Have any agencies likewise tested P30 10 rounders? Though I don't see why they would...

[HCM]

Good to know. I've read where DocGKR and others have tested these 10 round mags for Glocks and that's how they determined them to be unreliable. Have any agencies likewise tested P30 10 rounders? Though I don't see why they would...

No, I don’t know of any such testing or why an agency would need to do such testing.

Don’t overthink this. In general double stack pistol magazines that are merely blocked to reduce capacity work just fine, this is true of all quality makers, HK, Wolford, Smith and Wesson, Beretta, etc.

The Glock magazines are the exception to this rule because Glock chose to re-design the 10 round magazines as single stacks instead of double stacks like a normal Glock magazine.

Glock themselves, in their armor’s classes recommend against using the 10 round 17 and 19 magazines for Life – safety purposes.

Again, don’t overthink it

[Exiledviking]

I agree with the above. I've been running 10 round HK mags over 2 decades. The P30 mag is just an extended body version of the USPc and P2000 magazine which has a long reliable history. I have zero qualms about using any HK 10 round magazine.

[Suvorov]

I know there are some slight differences between the USPc/P2000 and the P30 mags but as an analog - I have yet to have a mag related issue in thousands of rounds running 10 round USPc magazines.

[Salamander]

I know there are some slight differences between the USPc/P2000 and the P30 mags but as an analog - I have yet to have a mag related issue in thousands of rounds running 10 round USPc magazines.

Same here... many thousands of rounds through USPc/P2000 magazines in 9mm, 40, and 357 Sig; and USP FS magazines in 45 acp; all 10-round California-compliant, with not a single magazine related problem, ever. They are a robust, durable and very reliable design.

[bpack325]

When I lived in NY I used a USP9, P2000sk, P30sk, and multiple VP9s with NY compliant ten round magazines for carry and IDPA/USPSA with never a malfunction no matter the competition or carry ammunition. Much of it in the rain and snow of upstate NY.

[SwampDweller]

I'm going to go to the range today and fire the first shots through the P30 using the 10 rounders. Sounds like they're fine, so thanks for the input.

I'm starting with 200 rounds of Winchester 9mm NATO, as from what I've been reading the P30 tends to prefer hotter ammunition at least when brand new. Then I'll move to 124 grain Lawman and AE.

[SwampDweller]

So I just got back from the range. I loved the way the P30 shot. I forgot my shot timer but I was definitely faster than with the HK45c. However, I was more accurate with the HK45c even at speed.

I really enjoyed the way the P30 shot, but out of about 400 rounds I did have a stoppage at about the 350 mark using Winchester 9mm NATO ammo. The spent casing was caught in the ejection port at about a 45 degree angle. It attempted to feed the next round, leading to a sticky magazine. 6129661296

The photo is after I removed the magazine but before I cleared the stoppage. Also of note was that the stoppage happened when it attempted to feed the first round of the magazine (I had +1 in the chamber) using the ban compliant 10 round mag. Could this have been caused by too much pressure from the fully loaded 10 round magazine?

I’m rather bummed because I typically want to see at least 1,000 failure free shots and preferably 2,000 before I’ll trust a firearm for carry. With my limited supply of 9mm and the utter lack of availability for it, starting from square one again is a tall order, especially when I already have a well-proven 9mm in the G19.

Any insight/advice would be appreciated.

[SwampDweller]

I also noticed some erratic ejection. Most of the time it was fine, but occasionally it'd toss brass on top of my head.

[JohnK]

Go with the Glock until you get the p30 sorted out and get some magazines that give you the warm and fuzzies. Ammo is available, it's just expensive.

[Borderland]

I have a P30 SK that uses the abbreviated 10 rd mags. So far no issues with several hundred rounds. That isn't exactly a run it until it pukes test but I trust it as SD carry.

[SwampDweller]

Anyone got any ideas of what might've caused the stoppage? I'm not necessarily convinced it was the magazine's fault, it's just a theory I proposed. What else would cause a malfunction like that, and how can I determine whether there is something wrong with the pistol or not?

[jeep45238]

Anyone got any ideas of what might've caused the stoppage? I'm not necessarily convinced it was the magazine's fault, it's just a theory I proposed. What else would cause a malfunction like that, and how can I determine whether there is something wrong with the pistol or not?

Not sure, but keep a log with fails vs round count.
1/350 = 0.28% chance of failure.
1/500 = 0.20%
1/750 = 0.13%
1/2000 = 0.05% failure.

from 350 to 2000 rounds with 1 malf, that's an 82% reduction. That's a lot, I get it - but it's also an extremely high chance of success as well. If you make it to 750 rounds with no extra problems, that's a 52% reduction in potential problems based on the math.

Nothing in this world is perfect. In 4k rounds, I've had 1 stoppage from an aftermarket mag on my VP9 - a known problem magazine. I've had issues in the past when vetting a reload recipe after changing bullet makers, but the same bullet weight (slightly different profile). I've also had guns that were never finish reamed from the factory, and a host of other things.

But the HK and Beretta 92's have always offered me the least headaches and the most reliability.

Keep your testing, and put some hard numbers on your experience. Let the data speak over your feelings, because feelings are lying bastards in hard sciences.

Continue testing, and don't switch your dedicated stuff over until the data makes sense for your criteria and context.

[SwampDweller]

But the HK and Beretta 92's have always offered me the least headaches and the most reliability.

Keep your testing, and put some hard numbers on your experience. Let the data speak over your feelings, because feelings are lying bastards in hard sciences.

Continue testing, and don't switch your dedicated stuff over until the data makes sense for your criteria and context.

I keep a round count/failures log on all my firearms. I think if I could get another 2000 rounds through the pistol using good ammo without any malfunctions I'd be fine with it. But in this day and age 2,000 rounds of 9mm is $1k or more from what I'm seeing, and I wouldn't be able to live with myself getting that gouged on ammo when in February it was $200/1000rds of Speer Lawman 124gr shipped to me door.

You know I was actually deciding between the P30 and an Italian made Beretta 92A1. I've shot about 500 rounds through a friend's 92 and I remember really liking it. Maybe I should've gone with the 92.

[jeep45238]

I keep a round count/failures log on all my firearms. I think if I could get another 2000 rounds through the pistol using good ammo without any malfunctions I'd be fine with it. But in this day and age 2,000 rounds of 9mm is $1k or more from what I'm seeing, and I wouldn't be able to live with myself getting that gouged on ammo when in February it was $200/1000rds of Speer Lawman 124gr shipped to me door.

You know I was actually deciding between the P30 and an Italian made Beretta 92A1. I've shot about 500 rounds through a friend's 92 and I remember really liking it. Maybe I should've gone with the 92.

I hear your concern. But do the math, and look that those numbers. If you don't want to, I did the math above for you. If you get to 750 rounds with no additional failures, assuming same pistol/magazines/ammo, you've literally cut your probability of a failure by more than 50%.

0.13% failure if you get to 750 rounds without another failure. Tossing something because of a failure while simultaneously being unable to highlight exactly what caused the failure is a fruitless effort. Was it the ammo? Possibly. Magazine? Possibly. Gun? Possibly. Shooter? Possibly. Full moon? Possibly.


My point is that tossing something to the curb with almost one tenth of one percent problems associated with it requires analysis of what the actual goal is. Perfection doesn't exist. You also don't have the monetary funds to validate a system as statistically uber-reliable (only big .gov does at the end of the day).


All I'm saying is put a % failure rate that is acceptable for you during the vetting process that is above 0%. If the firearm reaches that threshold, then it has met your standard and you do you boo.

[zpelletier]

I live in Connecticut, I’ve only ever had 10 round mags for my P30L. I’ve had the gun for 6 years, and while I don’t have an exact round count, I’ve never had a single malfunction. Even though it’s not my every day carry, I love it.

[raks]

In IPSC/USPSA I've put 30,000+ rounds through HK's P30 10 rounders, mostly in a P30L. The only problem I've had has been due to the back zipper weld cracking after extended use and multiple drops on concrete (competition use). Once the spine cracked (starting at the top by feed lips) I would start to experience malfunctions, generally failures to feed, not extract.

[FreedomFries]

So I just got back from the range. I loved the way the P30 shot. I forgot my shot timer but I was definitely faster than with the HK45c. However, I was more accurate with the HK45c even at speed.

I really enjoyed the way the P30 shot, but out of about 400 rounds I did have a stoppage at about the 350 mark using Winchester 9mm NATO ammo. The spent casing was caught in the ejection port at about a 45 degree angle. It attempted to feed the next round, leading to a sticky magazine. 6129661296

The photo is after I removed the magazine but before I cleared the stoppage. Also of note was that the stoppage happened when it attempted to feed the first round of the magazine (I had +1 in the chamber) using the ban compliant 10 round mag. Could this have been caused by too much pressure from the fully loaded 10 round magazine?

I’m rather bummed because I typically want to see at least 1,000 failure free shots and preferably 2,000 before I’ll trust a firearm for carry. With my limited supply of 9mm and the utter lack of availability for it, starting from square one again is a tall order, especially when I already have a well-proven 9mm in the G19.

Any insight/advice would be appreciated.

If it is a new P30, it takes some time before it is broken in. I had a P30 that had feeding and ejection issues for the first 500 rounds.