Daewoo/Lionheart: 3rd Gen 2.0?

[MattyD380]

If you've got even the slightest inklings of gun hipster-ness, you've probably heard about the Lionheart line of pistols. You also probably know they're actually re-branded K5 service pistols, from South Korea (DP51, civilian designation). And, since all self-respecting gun hipsters love and cherish S&W 3rd gen pistols, you've probably already spent countless lonely nights salivating over the decidedly Smith-esque silhouette of the Lionheart pistol.

Well, I got tired of drooling...





CAVEAT: I have not shot the pistol yet; will this weekend.

I've always shot my 6904 well. The short, wide grip fits my hands well and I love the form factor. And I'd say the DA is pull is smoother and more consistent than my Berettas and Sigs. Always wished they'd make the gun again... maybe with some updated features.

As you can see, the Daewoo Compact is pretty much a dead ringer for the Smith 6904 (and the Lionheart LH9c, which... it is... sans the cerakote and forward slide serrations). Fits perfectly in the 6904's holster. The magazines interchange; each fits flush in the other gun. Slide form factor is pretty much the same. Same belled-barrel with a pressed-in bushing. Frame rail setup looks pretty much the same (except the camming system) though the frame rails are slightly longer on the Daewoo. Grip is exactly the same height.




However, the guns are more different than the outward appearance would suggest. The barrels do not interchange: the Daewoo design uses two ring lugs, whereas the Smith uses one. The barrels also cam differently: 3rd gens use angled surfaces on either side of the feed ramp, which cam against corresponding surfaces machined into the frame itself. The Daewoo uses a more traditional Hi-Power-ish setup, with a central lug that cams against the slide stop pin. Not sure why Smith used this design over the single linkless lug design... but... it adds to their hipster cache, I suppose. Beyond that, the recoil spring is different, the guide rod is different and I'd venture to say most of the small parts do not interchange. Also, the entire barrel seems to be chrome plated--bore and the outside.

But the 3rd gen feel is there... mostly.

Strong, sturdy, substantial... with a touch of Miami Vice... and a little bit of Beretta 92. Honestly, whatever you compare it to, the gun feels great. Grip actually feels better to me than the Smith--backstrap is straight and cuts a little higher-up on the gun. Trigger reach is very short... which is awesome, because my hands were made for ponies, crumpets and light-brite. Personally, I think the trigger is excellent. In SA, it's not exactly light... but the wall is very defined and the break is super crisp, with ZERO creep. Seems very predictable and intuitive (granted, haven't shot it, as of this writing). Break is a bit crisper than the Smith's; feels a bit more like a 92.

As far as the DA+ feature (i.e., you flip the hammer forward, but the mainspring stays cocked)...

Seems good, in theory. I was worried that the DA+ pull might be a little too light for peace of mind... but it takes a fairly deliberate effort to hitch it back to SA position... and another solid helping of deliberate-ness to get the trigger to break break in SA. That, combined with the manual safety... I don't think I'll be too worried about carrying a non-decocked gun. Honestly, that was one of my biggest barriers to trying the Lionheart.

Overall, the quality feels very high. It seems very well made, and well finished. Fit isn't really tight, but it's also not overly loose. Probably right where it needs to be for a service pistol.

In any case... I'm looking forward to getting it out this weekend. Shooting impressions to follow.

[JPedersen]

As a closet 3rd gen fan... I have done exactly as you... I have wondered from afar. I look forward to hearing your range time feedback.

Where did you source a DP51 compact vs. Lionheart ?



Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

[Stephanie B]

Have you seen if the Daewoo mags will run in your 6904?

[MattyD380]

As a closet 3rd gen fan... I have done exactly as you... I have wondered from afar. I look forward to hearing your range time feedback.

Where did you source a DP51 compact vs. Lionheart ?



Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

Just kept an eye out on Gunbroker... one finally popped up. You see a lot of the full size DP51s. But seems like the compacts are pretty rare.

[MattyD380]

They fit... they also lock the slide back (in the Smith). So, I'm reasonably confident they'd run in the Smith.

[JPedersen]

Just kept an eye out on Gunbroker... one finally popped up. You see a lot of the full size DP51s. But seems like the compacts are pretty rare.

Got it ! Thanks.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

[JATA]

I think it is cool those made a come back. I remember them, from the first go round. Interesting LDA (before LDA).

On a side note - you make me wanna post a pic of my "cute little Korean girl" - DP52 (the PPK style 22lr)

You also make me beat myself up over the DR200 I no longer own

[MattyD380]

Put about 100 rounds through it. No issues. Managed some halfway decent groups.

Subjectively, the gun feels great to shoot. It has nice heft to it--dense and solid. It handles a bit smaller than the 6904, especially in the grip. Recoil also seems a touch sharper than the Smith--but still less than most compact polymer 9s. Trigger was very nice... I guess you could say, "transparent"? Predictable. Pleasant. Never a hindrance. To me, DA+ is basically just a proxy for SA: you snick it back to the SA wall... let'er rip. Not sure if this is how you're "supposed" to approach the DA+ system, but I think that's how most people would use it.

"Precise" is a word that comes to mind, in describing the feel. Not sure what impression Daewoo cars left on the American market in terms of quality... but in no way does this feel like a budget gun. It feels, looks and handles like a very high-end piece of machinery... mainly because it is. In terms of overall quality, I'd say it's a nice as any gun I own--Berettas, Pre-Cohen Sigs, WG PPK, etc. I feel pretty good to have gotten a gun this nice for $355.

In case anyone gives a rat's ass, here's some groups + commentary/excuses:



10 yards. The top half of the group is Fiocchi, 115 (which seemed quite a bit hotter) and the bottom half is PMC 115. Not bad.

My "left of POA" issues have returned with a vengeance, lately. After the first few mags, my POI seemed to drift progressively left. Here, I was aiming for the 2 of Diamonds--most fell squarely in the 5 of spades. I had pretty much kicked this issue when I was shooting more often, last year. I think I'm just a little out of practice.



After a few mags of that shit, I was able to rein it in (5 rounds at the Queen of diamonds). The group on the 7 of hearts was from my PX4cc; strangely, it seems immune to my "left" issues.



I will say that the gun is fairly unforgiving in terms of its left-ness (in my hands). Need more trigger time.

Nevertheless, I'm very happy with the gun. I don't think I've fully figured out how to grip it yet (it's different enough than the 6904 to be kind of its own animal). And, obviously, the 1996 grips are in no way up to 2018 standards for texture/grippy-ness. I think some better traction would help keep the gun on target... I will likely be ordering some of the LH9c grips from Lionheart. And probably a new recoil spring.

Speaking of Lionheart...

If you manage to find one of these guns (which are--as mentioned--very, very nice) Lionheart offers a full selection of parts. So don't think it's some artifact with zero support; you'll be able to keep these guns running for a while.

Which makes me wonder...

With Lionheart starting to manufacture their Regulus line domestically... I wonder if the Korean imports will eventually stop. Maybe production is ending in Korea? Either way, the guy at Lionheart said Regulus parts are largely interchangeable with the Korean guns. So... regardless... should be good to go. Lionheart also just introduced a line of replacement barrels made with single-point machining. So, you could really pimp out one of these Daewoos with modern stuff, if you wanted to.

The only substantive difference in the Daewoo/Lionheart (that I could see) is the lack of dovetailed front sight, in the Daewoo. It's part of the slide, in the Daewoo; it's not, in the Lionheart.

Would I pay the $749 for a Lionheart? Yeah, I think so. You do get better sights, a dovetailed front sight, cooler colors, more gear and "brand-new-gun-ness." It wouldn't surprise me if the triggers were a little lighter in the newer guns, as well. But for half the price, I'll gladly take the Daewoo any day.

Would I pay $1500 for one of the new Regulus guns? I dunno... would need some more info before I took that kind of a plunge. But I expect they will exhibit the kind of quality you'd expect for that price.

And while my current round count does not speak to long-term reliability and durability... I have no reason to think that these guns won't perform. They're military guns. And everything I've seen/heard/read suggests they perform up to what you'd expect for that standard.

Bottom line: If you can score a Daewoo, do it. They're pretty sweet.

[Balisong]

Awesome report, thank you.

I handled a Daewoo many many years ago in a gun shop. I thought the DA+ (I think I was told it was called triple action back then?) was a great idea. This was before LEM was around, but from memory it strikes me as being very similar in feel to LEM triggers. No idea if there's a mechanical/functional difference between the 2 systems or not.

I kind of regretted not buying that gun, but my whole life I've only known one guy that owned one. He was a co-worker, and he liked it a lot, but he was a pretty casual shooter. Kind of cool to hear that they're being made here now in a similar fashion. Please keep us updated as you get more rounds through her!

[MattyD380]

Awesome report, thank you.

I handled a Daewoo many many years ago in a gun shop. I thought the DA+ (I think I was told it was called triple action back then?) was a great idea. This was before LEM was around, but from memory it strikes me as being very similar in feel to LEM triggers. No idea if there's a mechanical/functional difference between the 2 systems or not.

I kind of regretted not buying that gun, but my whole life I've only known one guy that owned one. He was a co-worker, and he liked it a lot, but he was a pretty casual shooter. Kind of cool to hear that they're being made here now in a similar fashion. Please keep us updated as you get more rounds through her!

Thank you, sir.

It's a little different than LEM in that the trigger stays "hitched" in the SA position once you pull it back from the DA position. With LEM, it goes back forward. But I guess it's similar in that the mainspring stays compressed--basically you're carrying in single action, with the trigger in a DA position.

I had an LEM P2SK. Nice gun. But found it difficult to get the kind of precision I get with "actual" SA.

But yeah... the Daewoo/Lionheart is totally an underrated gun. In Daewoo garb, they're a steal. Tough to find old-school forged goodness at that price. As a Lionheart, they're... worth it, I'd say.

I did, however, encounter one "concern" with the gun...

Carried it AIWB in a JM4 QCC holster. When I took it out (after a fairly long walk)...

Safety was off.

Though thank god the hammer was still down (in DA+ mode) I don't think I forgot to put the safety on. Though I suppose it's possible. Need to look into this more. But it might not be suitable for AIWB in a "catch all" holster.