P30 Initial Impressions

[Dagga Boy]

What is funny is that I do not necessarily "shoot" the P30/HK45 "better" than other systems, but I do "run" them better across the board. "Running" them is a subjective conglomeration of a bunch of stuff, but it falls into my view that it's more than just "shooting" for what I am looking for in a carry pistol. With that said, some of the best scores I have shot on various drills lately have been with the HK's. (All LEM guns).
I figured out a long time ago with the subtle guidance of a legendary firearms instructor in SoCal that I need a different grip for every gun ("son, that ain't a 1911, so stop holding it like one"). Luckily, I have a ton of time teaching and carrying USP's with their gigantic slide release, and my "weird" HK grip works really well with the P30/HK45. The one thing I have found, particularly with the LEM guns is that you need to give them time. Most can pick up a Glock and shoot them fairly well (low and left, but well). The HK's seem to need to be learned a little, but I find a better return on the investment in the long run.

Personally, I am excited about the HK striker fired pistol not because of the trigger, but because I can now have a teaching gun that works and feels like the rest of my stuff...essentially "runs" the same with simply a different trigger.

[bobdavis]

I spent about 4 hours on the range this past Sunday trying to figure out what I shoot the best or even if there was a difference. This included an LEM P30 and a Glock 19. The test was done with guns that I have a good amount of time behind. Maybe I should post the results?

I'd be very interested - especially since I already own a few of the pistols in the picture you shared. After starting with and only shooting Glocks for years, I'm discovering TDA pistols, and I like them.

Bob

[ToddG]

"Running" them is a subjective conglomeration of a bunch of stuff, but it falls into my view that it's more than just "shooting" for what I am looking for in a carry pistol.

Thank you in advance for the blog article I will now steal from this statement.

[Guinnessman]

Lot2Learn,

Here is a great thread on the LEM that our friend Nyeti posted a while back: http://pistol-forum.com/showthread.p...street+trigger

It is one of my favorite threads as of lately and you may find it quite useful.

[Dagga Boy]

Thank you in advance for the blog article I will now steal from this statement.

Cause I'm a giver...................

[ToddG]

Cause I'm a giver...................

I thought the penicillin fixed that.

[gtmtnbiker98]

I thought the penicillin fixed that.

I don't think penicillin cures that, Todd.

[Lot2Learn]

Having said that, do you feel like you've reached your personal zenith with the Glock? Or are you still improving over time?

Todd, to answer your question yes I am improving over time. The sole reason for me shooting the P30 was, I wanted to try something different. There are a lot of things that I am discovering about the Glock pistol still. For instance, I can perform a reload on a G17 faster. I am confident that this is due to the length of the handle, I am sure that there are some shooters on the forum that have gotten blood blisters or worse from the base pad on a 19. I also think that while the glock 34 is good gun for both games and carry, I prefer the way the 17 shoots. Sounds weird, but that is MY perception. You are absolutely right that changing guns is expensive and that the ammo would be a better investment in the long run. I guess my ultimate goal here would be to be able to shoot any pistol with proficiency, cold and on demand. Hence the "experiment" with the P30.

So now what? Maybe I should get a JM AIWB for the 17 and go from there....Would be nice to have "The Gadget" though

[Rich]

So...I was able to finally shoot a P30 tonight. The gun even has the TLG LEM trigger in it complete with the Heine sights. My background is with Glocks, I have been carrying a G19 for the past 4 years or so and it has served me well, I have taken a couple of classes with it, including AFHF. I like the G19, it's reliable and accurate as well as easy for me to shoot. In USPSA, I shoot the G17 which for all intents and purposes is like shooting the same gun. Now, back to the H&K.

I have always wanted to shoot one with the LEM trigger, Most people on this forum can understand why. For me, it was because I am bored with my Glocks and I think it is time to learn how to shoot another gun. I also wanted to know what the big deal is about a gun that costs twice as much as glock and I am not really interesting in the M&P at this point. Here are my thoughts.

What I liked:

1. This gun is accurate!
2. Recoil is very controllable and smooth. I like how the sights track.
3. Trigger, I like how the LEM works. This gun feels like it was made for the press-out. Reset will take some getting used to but I don't think it would be too hard.
4. Sights, I had forgotten how much I like the Heine straight Eight. Right now I have been shooting the Warrens but I may change back to these. They are easier for me to stay focused on the front sight.

What I didn't like:
1. I have to change my grip to get the slide to lock back consistently. Frankly, it felt foreign. Again, probably a training issue. Doing a 1R2 drill was downright frustrating.

So besides my grip issues, I really like this pistol. Does it function in a manner totally different than my current pistols? Absolutely! But, that is half the fun. I would really like to buy one, But the price is the hardest part for me to deal with. Yes, I know I would be getting a great pistol I just don't have the funds to buy one. Right now I would just like to have a case of ammo or two...I am sure some of you can relate.

I guess my biggest take away from this was that I like the LEM trigger a lot. It makes me think of what else I may be missing out on, like TDA guns. Time will tell.

I shot a P30S V3 9mm w/ TLR-1 for the first time yesterday.
I to was worried about the slide stop and a place to rest my thumb. I rest my thumb on part of the rail. I had 0 problems but only shot 200rds.

Don't like

stock sights that about it !

And I don't care for the recoil of the lawman 147gr TMJ loads. ( also have broken finger that refuses to heal) So that might of added to things??

The 124 Lawman was pleasant to shoot ! very mild compared to the 147gr.. I was surprised I shot 147 in my 5906 and never notice such a big difference before.

Accuracy seems good with both TMJ loads.

New sights and better quality JHP ammo I know it will only get better.

BTW
Still packing my Sig P229 40cal

[Lot2Learn]

Guinnessman,

Thanks for the article. I remember reading it a while ago. It is one of the reasons I wanted to shoot the P30 in the first place. It does bring up some valid points on different triggers. Good read, Thanks!