HK TDAs - What do they do better better than other TDAs?

[ratter75]

My V3 has a DA trigger weight of 4150 g (= 9.1 lb). With stock hammer spring but I replaced the firing pin block spring with the lighter FPBS. And the DA trigger is smooth. So my V3 DA trigger is OK.

But my favorite P30 trigger is V4 CH (LEM for Suisse police with shortened pre-travel).

I fully agree to the very good things Ratter wrote about the P30 apart from the trigger.

In fairness I give exactly zero thought to the trigger during live fire. It’s more than adequate. But if somebody is going to sit in their study and do YouTube trigger comparisons with the P30 vs a 229 Legion and a Langdon Beretta, the P30 is gonna be a distant third. But, whatever. I’ll still take the P30 every time, for a variety of reasons.

[Jared]

When I had a brace of V3 P30s I absolutely loved the decocker setup. The DA triggers are definitely on the heavy side, but honestly, I don’t remember them being near as bad as they’re made out to be. Definitely had to have solid fundamentals, but I don’t really remember missing DA shots any more often than I did with some other pistols I had at the time.

[Hstanton1]

When we were a "Sig only" agency, I carried a P226 concealed on duty for about two and a half years. I would say the P226 compares very closely to the G17, with the following caveats:

1. Profile - for ME, the P226 concealed "better" because of the more rounded shape of the grip and the smaller "protrusion" of the hammer compared to the very blocky back end of the Glock slide.
2. Weight - obviously, the P226 is significantly heavier than the G17, required a stiffer belt
3. Finish - my Nitroned Sigs were rust buckets. Like, I had to wipe them down at the end of every duty day with a rag soaked in rust preventative, or there would be rust on them in the morning. I once went about 40 hours straight on a gang-related homicide case, and, at the end of that hump, I had some rust that actually ate through the Nitron. This was in Corpus Christi, where temps and humidity were typically about 100 degrees and 100 percent, and I apparently exude a sweat that can eat through diamonds. YMMV

The rust is a good thing to bring up. I'm a fairly sweaty guy, and while Missouri isn't exactly Corpus Christi, it gets pretty damn humid up here.

[Hstanton1]

My V3 P30 triggers share a lot in common with the staple gun I use to hang targets.

Having said that, in an era where I expect all the offerings of all the major brands to be plenty durable, reliable, and mechanically accurate, I fully believe HK to be at the very top of that mountain in all three categories.

As a lefty I also appreciate the fully ambi controls and I’m a huge fan of the paddle mag release.

I’ve owned a few each of SIG and Beretta TDAs and wouldn’t shed any tears if I “had to” use them. For me, the HKs just edge them out slightly.

If you carry them appendix, how do they conceal on you? Can you compare them to a glock 17?

Obviously concealment is relative though.

[ratter75]

If you carry them appendix, how do they conceal on you? Can you compare them to a glock 17?

Obviously concealment is relative though.

The P30 is basically identical to a 17 in grip length. I never carried a 17 AIWB but I’d have to guess they would conceal similarly.

I recently got a P30SK specifically to carry AIWB. If I’m being completely honest with myself, the full-size doesn’t really print on me any more than the SK. And the weight difference is barely noticeable. I guess what I’m saying is, I think the P30 carries and conceals really well for a 15+1 (well, I guess 17+1 nowadays...)

About AIWB - with the slide lock levers, the P30 is kind of a chunky boy. I started with a standard JMCK AIWB. It works well but the large grip-tuck feature built into the trigger guard area makes for a really thick package. I also have a JMCK Wing Claw 2.0 and it is noticeably thinner. More streamlined. I’m hindsight, I probably should have gotten the George instead of the standard AIWB. But I’m really, really liking the Wing Claw.

[Hstanton1]

The P30 is basically identical to a 17 in grip length. I never carried a 17 AIWB but I’d have to guess they would conceal similarly.

I recently got a P30SK specifically to carry AIWB. If I’m being completely honest with myself, the full-size doesn’t really print on me any more than the SK. And the weight difference is barely noticeable. I guess what I’m saying is, I think the P30 carries and conceals really well for a 15+1 (well, I guess 17+1 nowadays...)

About AIWB - with the slide lock levers, the P30 is kind of a chunky boy. I started with a standard JMCK AIWB. It works well but the large grip-tuck feature built into the trigger guard area makes for a really thick package. I also have a JMCK Wing Claw 2.0 and it is noticeably thinner. More streamlined. I’m hindsight, I probably should have gotten the George instead of the standard AIWB. But I’m really, really liking the Wing Claw.

Thanks. I think that at this point, its the slide stop levers thats making it hard to pick between px4 and p30l. Regarding holsters, I think I'd go with a wing claw variant over the aiwb, I think my body type really benefits from the claw. The DSG Orion for P30L looks like a pretty appealing option. At that point I might as well be looking at full size 92s as well.

[Jaywalker]

I chose the HK P30S for several reasons.

First, Todd Green said it was the best factory pistol. That was probably enough reason.

Second, as a hammer-fired pistol, it survives impacts without dead trigger syndrome.

Third, though I have a holster and mag carrier, it's primarily bedside table pistol for me. When there, I leave the chamber empty until it needs a cartridge in the chamber.

Finally, the "S" model has a manual safety, which I use when I carry it holstered, or will use it in bedside use if necessary.

Really finally, I like its feel and look of quality.

[OlongJohnson]

3. Finish - my Nitroned Sigs were rust buckets. Like, I had to wipe them down at the end of every duty day with a rag soaked in rust preventative, or there would be rust on them in the morning. I once went about 40 hours straight on a gang-related homicide case, and, at the end of that hump, I had some rust that actually ate through the Nitron. This was in Corpus Christi, where temps and humidity were typically about 100 degrees and 100 percent, and I apparently exude a sweat that can eat through diamonds. YMMV

The rust is a good thing to bring up. I'm a fairly sweaty guy, and while Missouri isn't exactly Corpus Christi, it gets pretty damn humid up here.

Nitron is only a coating. It's a good coating, but just a coating.

The ferritic nitro carburizing, if it's done right for the base metal, actually changes the base metal, making it extremely corrosion resistant as well as case hardening it. H&Ks, Glocks, and M&Ps (once S&W stopped stomping on its little appendage and got it right) are FNC.

I wish Beretta would go that way on the 92 instead of the "Bruniton," which my best guess says is probably just marketing BS for some kind of baked epoxy e-coat.

I really wish there was an FNC revolver.

[MasterBlaster]

Thanks. I think that at this point, its the slide stop levers thats making it hard to pick between px4 and p30l. Regarding holsters, I think I'd go with a wing claw variant over the aiwb, I think my body type really benefits from the claw. The DSG Orion for P30L looks like a pretty appealing option. At that point I might as well be looking at full size 92s as well.

I have carried P30s appendix for a couple of years now and would compare it's conceal-ability not to the G17, but to the G19. This is because Glocks are squared off everywhere and the pointed corners of the slide and grip lead to more conspicuous printing. The P30's grip is organic and rounded, so any printing looks far more natural. The grip is also thinner in places than Glock grips, allowing you to pull it closer into your body. The P30 slide is also tapered near hammer end, so it doesn't have that pointy Glock slide corner that tends to print. I find the Glocks slightly more comfortable, though, and do carry them maybe 20% of the time.

Now for the PX4. I love this gun, but I would never carry it appendix. In my opinion it's way more bulky than the P30 or Glocks. I found it far less comfortable and way more conspicuous.

[Mark D]

Now for the PX4. I love this gun, but I would never carry it appendix. In my opinion it's way more bulky than the P30 or Glocks. I found it far less comfortable and way more conspicuous.

I had a PX4 for a while (full size). I found it to be a very bulky pistol, especially compared to my usual P2000 or G19.

I tried really hard to like the PX4 - installed a LTT trigger and ran it in one of EL's classes. But in the end it just seemed too big for what it was and it offered nothing over a P2000 in terms of performance.

If I was going to carry a gun the size of a PX4, I'd just go for a 92.