Need opinion on heckler koch p9
- Thread starter rqwt
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Guy at a LGS carries a P9 (45) on his hip. He told me if the gun wasn't a solid weapon he would not carry it - especially in the shop for protection.
The P9S is easily near or older than 1/2 century now. But that does not mean much. You have to be aware of the limitations, always factoring this into your decision making. You know this. The P9S has several significant limitations - all can be overcome or adjusted to. Biggest one in my opinion is the controls are different enough (if you have muscle memory of modern DA/SA operations) as to require 'relearning' which is always challenging if the old dog can't or won't learn new tricks. Next would be parts. You can't get them, usually, at least not the ones that are likely to be worn out or break. You can still get the 'buffer' in an aftermarket configuration. It works fine if you don't trim it and can get it in. Next would be the price. They are only going up in value and the best examples are already sold and in gun safes, almost surely never to be fired. Hello estate sales. These guys eventually die. Be sure to hunt for all the parts they have horded along with the gun they never shot... Next the older models from 1976 and earlier do not feed JHPs, any JHPs, and they were never designed for +P (why does anyone shoot +P when there is Speer G2 ...?). You have to modify the almost non-existent ramp to get the JHPs over the mini ledge in the trunnion-barrel interface. Just a few minutes of polishing (just the right way in just the right spots) will get your older barrel to feed Winchester Silver Tips. Next, the 'multifunction' lever is so hard to operate with your primary hand, that you will likely have to use your other (left) hand to manipulate the lever. It is either that or rotate your primary hand enough to get more down force on the lever with your right thumb, but that alters your firing grip. And finally, the trigger travel after the sear ledge releases is crazy long in either DA or SA. I took some of the overtravel out (as much as could be done and still fire in DA), but then I am a Swiss-trained master watchmaker. That trigger set screw (in the pic) belongs to an early 1900s model Winchester shotgun, but it was only $5.00 and in less than an hour of modifications I had tapped the hard plastic trigger guard assembly and pre-adjusted it on a clean gun. Also glued it with marine epoxy after making the final adjustment. Trick. Don't final control it on a clean gun. Put 100 rounds through (this adjustment is so fine that a dirty mechanism will confound it), then make the final adjustment and then glue it if you want double security - although the thread pitch is so tight it requires a-lot of force to move it, so I doubt it will move. Hasn't yet. I had to make a tool to do the adjustment from the front end of the set screw head, behind the trigger. I think the P9S is the best pistol HK ever made or will make. The men capable of manufacturing such a pistol are all retired or passed on.
