HK P30S 9mm & Other Updates

Just a quick update on the P30S. I received my Milt Sparks VM2 for the P30 and have been wearing that pretty much 100% of the time I'm carrying. I am pleased to say that I am not having the issue of de-cocking the gun during the access part of my draw stroke.

I changed out the front and rear sight to a fiber optic front and plain black rear from Dawson Precision and I really like the sights. One thing to note with the P30 is that there isn't much flat, vertical surface to the slide and using a sight pusher can be tricky. I ended up using my 10-8 Armorer Tool as a wedge to keep the slide from canting in the pusher. On a side note, the 10-8 rear sight for the HK45, 45C, P30 and P30L is done and in stock.

I haven't ordered one (10-8 rear) yet, but plan on adding one to the HK45 here in a couple of weeks.

I was kind of worried about my alignment of the sights as the front sight appeared slightly off center, but my initial testing @ 50' from a rest proved the sights to be centered, or at least centered enough for me.

Dawson Precision Fiber Optic Front

Dawson Precision Rear Sight

Five Shots, Rested @ 50 Feet

The gun then went 1200+/- rds of Winchester Ranger NATO @ the Point Shooting Progressions Course I attended in Searsboro, IA with Roger Phillips and Greg Nichols and the sights didn't budge.

An after action review (AAR) of the class is in progress. I apologize for lack of blogging of late but the wife is taking EMT training, which leaves me busy with the kids while she's at class or studying, the IDPA thing, and that pesky thing called a job have been taking their toll on my time for other things.

HK P30S: Initial Thoughts

I've been wanting a P30S since HK announced their production two or three years ago, I like the idea of non-1911 pistols in 9mm that offer cocked and locked (C&L) carry, meaning that the chamber is loaded and there is a manual safety engaged.

I am a die-hard 1911 fan and have no illusions that I am done with 1911s by any means and the addition of this feature on  the P30 is very appealing as I can maintain familiarity with the drawing/firing process of a C&L platform. I've been very happy with the HK45 and the addition of the P30S will allow to to shoot more for less $$$, with the cost difference between 9mm and .45, I have the cost of the gun in just a few 1K ammo orders.

I've only got a couple hundred rounds through the gun so far, but plan on running the gun in this years trip to TDI's Partner Tactics Course (another advantage of the P30S is that we don't have to order two calibers of ammunition and can stick with 9mm as the wife will be running her Glock 19) as well as some other classes and of course, IDPA. As such, I'm not going to talk about two or three hundred "flawless rounds" as I should very well hope that a gun can go three hundred +/- rounds without hiccup.

So what I cam going to talk about is what I like/dislike about the P30S.

Some may be wondering why I chose the regular length P30S instead of the P30LS, well I'm  a big proponent of keeping varying carry platforms and methods as close together as possible, and my preferred carry holster is the Milt Sparks Versa-Max II which is/was not available for the P30L...so yes, I actually chose my gun in part due to holster availability but it beats buying a gun and then not being able to find a holster for it. I know without a doubt that I like the VMII, most of my primary carry guns have ridden in one so why change?

From left to right: Les Baer SRP, HK45, Nighthawk Talon-Recon, Glock 19

As for the P30, the first thing anyone will talk about is the grip. I do have to say that this is probably the most customizable handgun grip on the market with what comes from the manufacturer.

Stock Photo from HK USA Website, P30 LEM shown

Three different back straps, and three different side panels allow the user to "custom fit" the gun to their hand. I've got it set up with the large back strap and large right side panel and it almost mirrors the feel of my HK45 with the large back strap. The left side back strap is the medium and I may change it to the small to reduce friction on my side when worn IWB.  

A nice feature of the P30 family is that the decocker is not operated by a frame mounted lever like the USP line, it took the de-cocker location of the P2000 and is a button located to the left of the hammer. What this means to us that use the P30S is a C&L manner, is that we don't have to worry about de-cocking the hammer by mashing down too hard on the safety lever.

Stock Photo from HK USA Website: HK P30S

The safety lever is also metal, a step up when compared to the USP and HK45 as far as I'm concerned. However this does mean that over time the safety will show the same discoloration as the slide stop levers and turn kind of a goldish bronze. Not really  a big issue, but I may have the small parts Cerakoted if the wear gets too bad. Time will tell.

**Edited to add: I also like that there is a "detent ball" of sorts under the left side safety lever (will add pics later) that makes the safety much more positive in it's engagement than the the USP or HK45. One other issue, is that when carried C&L, there is a cavernous amount of open space for dirt, lint, etc. to build up in the hammer & sear components..

As much as I like the operation of the de-cocker, one issue I can see happening is that while drawing or re-holstering using the "thumb cap" method that the de-cocker may be actuated and one may end up with a double action first shot when expecting a single action first shot. This will be something that I watch for and will report back later with my findings.

The gun itself is just slightly larger than the Glock 19 which is pretty much the quintessential concealed carry gun, and for me this is good as the grip on the Glock 19 is just a hair too short for my liking and the P30 is just the right size. Despite having a sub 4" barrel, the pistol is quite accurate and like most guns, is more than accurate enough for defense and competition purposes. The one issue I have with the gun is HK's choice of sights, like the HK45, the P30S has the "luminous" sights and I personally find the three-dot arrangement too busy and will be replacing the rear sight in "6-8 weeks" with some newly produced 10-8 rear sights (not yet released but coming soon) to hopefully get a less busy sight picture.

The reset of the gun is a little longer than I'm used too, but by no means intolerable. A trip out for some action work may be in the gun's future, but as of right now I'm OK with it as is.

Additional Pictures:

De-cocker location, note "cavernous" space inside hammer channel area

Additional view of lint trap.

Metal safety levers, each pinned to hammer axle

Thumb safety, note discoloration and detent

Some More Range Practice w/ the SRP

I took the SRP out for an IDPA match last Sunday with Central Iowa IDPA in Ames, did pretty well. The gun fired every time like it should, the cut of the 10-8 grips is a little sharp, didn't bother my firing hand much but my support hand was felling a little irritated but that was probably be being too loose with my grip.

Overall impressions of the SRP are favorable so far.

The Les Baer SRP

Les Baer SRP

 "Ultimately, everyone who needs to carry a pistol for tactical use or who keeps a pistol for self defense wants something that's completely reliable, uncannily accurate,powerful enough to deal with any situation, and familiar as an old shoe. That was a tough bill to fill until Les Baer introduced his 1911 S.R.P., an uncompromising single stack performer. 

Features include:
Baer steel NM frame • Baer steel NM slide with front and rear serrations • Slide fitted to frame • Baer NM barrel with stainless match bushing • Baer deluxe fixed combat sight • Baer dovetail ramp type front sight • Lowered and flared ejection port • Baer checkered slide stop • Baer extended ejector • Baer tactical style ambi safety • Baer speed trigger • Baer checkered flat mainspring housing • Checkered front strap @ 30 lpi • Fitted and tuned extractor • Beveled mag well • Complete tactical action job • Baer beavertail safety with pad • Baer deluxe Commander hammer and sear • Tritium night sights installed front and rear • Deburred for tactical carry • DuPont® S coating on complete pistol for maximum corrosion resistance • Baer Premium Checkered Cocobolo grips • Tuned for total reliability • Test fired with Federal 230 grain Hydra-Shok ammo and Remington Sabre 230 grain H.P. ammo and guaranteed to shoot 21/2" groups at 50 yards • (3) 8-round premium magazines • Special wooden presentation box with glass lid."

 This is basically what Les & Co spec'd out for the FBI SWAT ( not to be confused with the FBI HRT ) pistol, that contract ended up going to Springfield Armory, but needless to say, the SRP is one heck of a gun.

This SRP is not 100% stock and the mag catch lock is buggered up, but I like the exisitng mods so far. The rear sight is a 10-8, I will probably remove the S&A magwell and re-install the original main spring housing that was included. Haven't shot it yet but plan on running it this weekend if the opportunity presents itself.

The presentation case is the older one that doesn't have the glass lid, the gun came to me with some G10 grip panels from either VZs or Mil-Tac (think of the factory grips on a current TRP) and Torx grip screws. The stocks on there now came from my other Baer and the slotted grip screws were floating around somewhere. I will probably replace the wood with more mild textured G10 panels from 10-8 and will be ordering some Dupont S grip screws along with the catch lock from Les Baer...

Range report to follow

On the subject of the 1911 and "Clinical Unreliabilitry"....

I have to throw the BS flag. There's often a lot of talk about the 1911 being unreliable, finicky, requiring gunsmith attention before it's ever fired, or needing an abundance of user end maintenance.

Some of this is true, some of it isn't, and some of it's just flat out regurgitation without comprehension. Too many times I see people quoting bits and pieces of quotes and snippets from sources that are in the know and either try to pass it off as their own point of view or don't give any additional information on what's formed their viewpoint. I don't mind if someone quotes a "Somebody" provided that they give accreditation to the source in it's entirety

Getting back to the topic:

"So, I know this is going to start a firestorm...but frankly in my 31 years if there's one thing I've learned about 1911's is that they are without question the most beautifull class of handgun, but are tempermental by nature to the point of extreem annoyance. I've owned 3 1911's in my lifetime and now I am a die hard fan of my Sig p220 SAO. It does every thing the 1911 does but better except the pretty thing. I like to think of my sig as my more even tempered cute brunette. Like red heads I've sworn off 1911's. To trust one to run with your life, you better have spent the better part of 2 grand. The worst of the 3 was a SA "loaded model." What a load of crap...I spent $900 on a beautiful 1911, get it home and take it apart only to discover it's full of tool marks, then I notice it's an embel frame made in brazil! A $900 sig would never let you down. You know what they say, 1911's have been keeping gunsmiths in business since...1911. thoughts?"

Officially jumping n the 10-8 bandwagon

I've referenced material from 10-8 before, and read/forward their articles to many, so I might was well do it here as well.

If you own a 1911 you owe it to yourself to check out this stellar reference site: 10-8 Articles, also of interest is their blog. I recently picked up one of their Armorers blocks and it's proved useful in the short time I've had it. Just the other day their Gen 2 Slide Stops were back in stock and I decided to get one as my Nighthawk was not consistently locking open on empty with Wilson ETMs, so far it seems to work as advertised, the pad is nicely oversized without being overly large. I also picked up some 10-8 Lube and some Armorers Tools. We'll see how this slide stop performs now that IDPA is getting to start back up as well as some scheduled training this Spring. The wife and I are heading back to TDI for Pistols II & III to fill the prerequisites for Team Tactics. 

I totally spaced during my ordering process as I meant to get some of their nifty slotted screws designed to work with a .45ACP casing, oh well, there's always next time. If the slide stop works well for me I'll probably order another for my Springfield.

Don't Shoot the Messenger, Why I Don't Endorse Kimber

Anyone that's asked me about which 1911 to buy would probably say that I have a soft spot in my heart for bashing Kimber...

I'm not going to go into my issues with any of the four Kimbers I've had (three of them being CDP "Custom Shop" guns), I'm not going to talk about rust-prone barrels, I'm not going to talk about crappy magazines, I'm not going to talk about MIM parts (hey my Nighthawk has a MIM Kimber thumb safety) as a matter of fact I'm not going to say anything other than read this:

10-8 Performance: The Kimber Warrior

And yes, my thoughts on Kimber have been negative before I even knew who 10-8 and Hilton Yam were.

In all honesty, if I could stage a successful boycott of Kimber products until either the price went down to match their quality or their quality went up to match their price I would, but as long as people keep buying them the way they are Kimber has no reason to change.

It's your money folks, you can spend it any way you want, but if you ever ask me what I think about Kimber don't be surprised when I get a little sour on them.