Entering the RDS game

[ssb]

Question: What is the best practice for somebody entering the pistol RDS game?

Background:

I'm heavily invested in HKs. I have a pair of P30s and a pair of VP9s and around forty mags between the four. I have several good holsters for the P30 and a JMCK AIWB on the way for the VP9; my Safariland holster for work is compatible with both. For 2019, the current plan is to use the VP9 as my project because I feel I've hit a ceiling with the LEM guns and I view the P30s as less RDS-friendly than striker fired options.

RDS is something I want to get into. As it does not appear HK will release an optics-ready variant at SHOT this year, my current options seem to be:
a) Wait for an optics-ready VP9;
b) Mill the VP9s for Type 2 RMRs (estimate ~$1200 once it's all said and done);
c) Wait on the ARCO, see if that will be direct-mill compatible, and mill the guns for that; or
d) Hit the doomsday button, liquidate my HK stuff, and hit up my blue label dealer for some MOS Glocks.

I hope to see pistol RDS technology improve which is why my perfect world scenario is a factory multi-optic option. I'll be honest and say that I do not view the ARCO as being particularly CCW friendly. I've seen some pics a friend took at SHOT of some non-Glock pistols with attached ARCOs. It looks like it will print badly carried AIWB, particularly if any sort of grip-tucking feature is used due to a combination of height and its squared profile (think rear of the Glock slide, but magnified). I have no real time with the RMR at this point but of the current options I believe it to be best -- SOCOM testing and reports of durability sell it for me.

Though I conservatively have almost a thousand dollars' worth of mags alone at ARFCOM resale prices and could reasonably dump that money into mags and support gear for another platform, platform hopping scares me given how heavily invested I am in guns that feed from P30 mags. I shoot Glocks acceptably well and with the training I've received over the past year I think I'd be in an even better spot than I was the last time I was a Glock shooter. I was favorably impressed with the 19X I shot late last year and think a G45 would be a natural transition if I went Glock. Gaining Gadget functionality is definitely a plus in my book, as the hammer is what has kept me with the P30 for the past 15 months or so.

Dipping my toes into another platform and retaining the HK gear does not seem financially viable to me either at this point. I'm two years out from an election and I do not view myself as able to get to an acceptable level of preparedness by mid-2020 without a significant increase in cash flow... So, I'd need to get out of some of what I have to get there.

Given the above concerns, what's the move here?

[GJM]

Not sure about best approach, but pre-Acro, the RMR is the leading carry optic and the DP Pro is the leading gaming optic. I would wait a few days to see what settles out on the Acro. Primary Machine turned two DP Pro and one RMR direct mill installations on VP9 pistols, in less that a week each for under $200 each. VP9 direct milled works great, but a Glock MOS is more flexible.

[ChaseN]

FWIW I'm working on getting an H&K slide milled by a third party to accept Agency Optic System plates. If it works out I'll post it here first.

My only other thought is, if you're truly worried about a ban scenario post-2020, I give the nod to H&K durability over Glock. My steel H&K mags seem like they'll last forever, whereas my hybrid metal/polymer Glock mags don't give me the same feeling. Not to mention the 90k round P30 test that TLG ran. I respect Glocks for their reliability, simplicity, and shootability, but three P30s in the stable should last me a lifetime at that rate.

[GJM]

Glock and HK pistols are my favorites. I have three VP9 B pistols that I treat like Vicker’s proverbial lawnmower, and am still waiting for the first stoppage since November when I stated shooting them.

[ChaseN]

Glock and HK pistols are my favorites. I have three VP9 B pistols that I treat like Vicker’s proverbial lawnmower, and am still waiting for the first stoppage since November when I stated shooting them.

Agreed. And while I like the paddle mag release, I wouldn't mind a P30 B just for commonality with my Glocks. Since I'm definitely not getting a G45 with a paddle release

[GJM]

Adding a picture per a PM request, showing the Primary Machine direct milled installation. Shot this one at Tuesday Night Steel this afternoon.

[ssb]

@GJM: On your Primary Machine RMR gun, do you think the RMR is low enough to cowitness with taller Dawson sights? I've seen at least one picture somewhere of an RMR'd VP9 with Dawsons that looked to be a bit lower than lower 1/3, but still visible. If your BUIS did not take up as much of the RMR window, do you think you would find the RMR to be more usable?

Carry is my main concern. I may dabble in IDPA carry optics down the line since it's local and available, but that's just a fun thing to do when I have time -- I do not see myself becoming a serious competition shooter.

[GJM]

@GJM: On your Primary Machine RMR gun, do you think the RMR is low enough to cowitness with taller Dawson sights? I've seen at least one picture somewhere of an RMR'd VP9 with Dawsons that looked to be a bit lower than lower 1/3, but still visible. If your BUIS did not take up as much of the RMR window, do you think you would find the RMR to be more usable?

Carry is my main concern. I may dabble in IDPA carry optics down the line since it's local and available, but that's just a fun thing to do when I have time -- I do not see myself becoming a serious competition shooter.

I am not familiar with the dimensions of the Dawson sights for the VP9. Less would be better, but there are more issues with the RMR than sight interference. I really hope we get an Acro available soon.