Anyone have a HK VP70? How does it shoot?
- Thread starter gbelleh
- Start date
George Hill
Staff Alumnus
I had one for a short while. Wish I still had it for purely collection purposes.
The sights are unusual. The trigger defines BAD TRIGGER. And I could never really fire it well. See the two above items.
But the VP 70 is a very interesting pistol. It was the first poly framed handgun. It was groundbreaking at the time. There was a version that had a shoulder stock that you could attach to it that allowed 3 round bursts at 1100 RPM or faster.
I've seen them from 250 to 350. Spare mags are hard to find but some times you'll find a table at a gunshow that has a handful for only 10 bucks a piece.
The sights are unusual. The trigger defines BAD TRIGGER. And I could never really fire it well. See the two above items.
But the VP 70 is a very interesting pistol. It was the first poly framed handgun. It was groundbreaking at the time. There was a version that had a shoulder stock that you could attach to it that allowed 3 round bursts at 1100 RPM or faster.
I've seen them from 250 to 350. Spare mags are hard to find but some times you'll find a table at a gunshow that has a handful for only 10 bucks a piece.
Funny VP70 story.
For a long time, since I was in High School at least, I wanted a VP70. 18 rounds! Looks like a phaser pistol! Space age polymer composite frame! What wasn't to lust after?
Well the years went by and, despite being a fairly active shooter and hanging around in gun shops a lot, I never laid hand nor eye on one. About six months after starting my first job at a gun store, I mention this to my boss after we'd locked the doors, over an after-work beer.
"You don't want one of those things. They're lousy." Great. He was playing all 'older & wiser'.
"Yes, I do want one. They're cool."
"But you've never seen one?"
"Well, no."
"Follow me". We went back to the big safe, which he opens and starts rummaging around the far reaches of, emerging with not one, but three NIB VP70's. He handed me the top one off the stack, explaining that he pretty much came to the conclusion that they weren't going to sell, so he decided to put them up until they became "collector's items". "If you still want one", he said "I'll trade you for that Glock 23 on your hip".
Here it was, the gun of my study hall dreams, and it was pure... well, clunky. The plastic felt kinda cheesy compared to the Glock's, too. It was huge, and the trigger... ugh, the trigger was atrocious. When a Glock shooter starts complaining about a trigger, well, that's bad. I looked at the stack of VP70's, and at the Glock on my hip, sighed reluctantly, and told my boss "I guess you're right; I don't want one". I felt like a kid who meets a celebrity in person must feel when they first discover the meaning of "trick camera angles", "airbrushing" and "body doubles". I guess my boss really was older and wiser.
That being said, there's hardly any cheaper way to buy into HK brand snobbery than tracking down a used VP70 or HK4.
For a long time, since I was in High School at least, I wanted a VP70. 18 rounds! Looks like a phaser pistol! Space age polymer composite frame! What wasn't to lust after?
Well the years went by and, despite being a fairly active shooter and hanging around in gun shops a lot, I never laid hand nor eye on one. About six months after starting my first job at a gun store, I mention this to my boss after we'd locked the doors, over an after-work beer.
"You don't want one of those things. They're lousy." Great. He was playing all 'older & wiser'.
"Yes, I do want one. They're cool."
"But you've never seen one?"
"Well, no."
"Follow me". We went back to the big safe, which he opens and starts rummaging around the far reaches of, emerging with not one, but three NIB VP70's. He handed me the top one off the stack, explaining that he pretty much came to the conclusion that they weren't going to sell, so he decided to put them up until they became "collector's items". "If you still want one", he said "I'll trade you for that Glock 23 on your hip".
Here it was, the gun of my study hall dreams, and it was pure... well, clunky. The plastic felt kinda cheesy compared to the Glock's, too. It was huge, and the trigger... ugh, the trigger was atrocious. When a Glock shooter starts complaining about a trigger, well, that's bad. I looked at the stack of VP70's, and at the Glock on my hip, sighed reluctantly, and told my boss "I guess you're right; I don't want one". I felt like a kid who meets a celebrity in person must feel when they first discover the meaning of "trick camera angles", "airbrushing" and "body doubles". I guess my boss really was older and wiser.
That being said, there's hardly any cheaper way to buy into HK brand snobbery than tracking down a used VP70 or HK4.
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Thanks for the replies,
I was considering buying one mainly for a collector/conversation piece, but I'd also like to shoot it.
I knew the triggers were said to be bad, but I didn't know how bad.
Maybe I'll get something a little more shootable for now, and pick up a VP70 later.
Thanks again.
I was considering buying one mainly for a collector/conversation piece, but I'd also like to shoot it.
I knew the triggers were said to be bad, but I didn't know how bad.
Maybe I'll get something a little more shootable for now, and pick up a VP70 later.
Thanks again.
glock glockler
New member
Tamara,
By any chance, do you have any stories about the HK P9? That girl has been haunting my at work dreams lately.
By any chance, do you have any stories about the HK P9? That girl has been haunting my at work dreams lately.
George Hill
Staff Alumnus
Look for an HK P9. I had a P9S for a little while too. It was a cool gun and I liked it a lot. It shot well, but nothing spectacular.
http://www.hkpro.com/p9.htm
Much better trigger than a VP70 and would make a fine shooter for you.
http://www.hkpro.com/p9.htm
Much better trigger than a VP70 and would make a fine shooter for you.
Marko Kloos
Inactive
Yes, Lieutenant Gorman in "Aliens" was plinking away with a VP70Z.