I have an opportunity to pick up an excellent condition VP70 and have a few questions. Aside from actually being the first polymer pistol ever, it has several characteristics that seperate it from the rest of the pack and I've always had a natural attraction to more unique firearms. Are the triggers really THAT horrible? Do the Wolff striker springs make a noticeable difference and does anyone know where extra mags and spare parts can be found? It's remarkable just how far ahead of its time this thing was! To think, production on these blowback autos began in 1970 and at that time there was NOTHING that used it's method of construction or even vaguely resembled it. Having an 18 rnd capacity makes it more than competitive with anything out there today. How anyone could leave this pistol off of a "top ten" list of most innovative handguns ever, is beyond me??!!
Any HK VP70 owners?
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.45Super-Man
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I have an opportunity to pick up an excellent condition VP70 and have a few questions. Aside from actually being the first polymer pistol ever, it has several characteristics that seperate it from the rest of the pack and I've always had a natural attraction to more unique firearms. Are the triggers really THAT horrible? Do the Wolff striker springs make a noticeable difference and does anyone know where extra mags and spare parts can be found? It's remarkable just how far ahead of its time this thing was! To think, production on these blowback autos began in 1970 and at that time there was NOTHING that used it's method of construction or even vaguely resembled it. Having an 18 rnd capacity makes it more than competitive with anything out there today. How anyone could leave this pistol off of a "top ten" list of most innovative handguns ever, is beyond me??!!
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4,609 Posts
I had a VP70Z. The VP70 is a select fire machine pistol. The VP70Z was very unpopular. It was listed in Gun Digest at $599 for the first few years, then the price dropped a hundred or so dollars until it bottomed out around $250.
Horrible trigger, blowback action, space gun looks and came in a cardboard box :rofl:
It boasted only 4 operating moving parts, but I recall more than that such as the cross bolt safety and the take down lever, but these were not designated operating parts. It could be detail stripped with a coin. It utilized a unique light and shadow sight picture.
I don't think any aftermarket spring will help the trigger much. In addition to being heavy, it is long.
I traded mine for a Ruger Security Six in stainless steel and felt bad for the other guy, who was very pleased at the time of the trade but still gives me a hard look to this day some 30 years later. One of the few guns I do not regret trading, regardless of any perceived collector's value.
Horrible trigger, blowback action, space gun looks and came in a cardboard box :rofl:
It boasted only 4 operating moving parts, but I recall more than that such as the cross bolt safety and the take down lever, but these were not designated operating parts. It could be detail stripped with a coin. It utilized a unique light and shadow sight picture.
I don't think any aftermarket spring will help the trigger much. In addition to being heavy, it is long.
I traded mine for a Ruger Security Six in stainless steel and felt bad for the other guy, who was very pleased at the time of the trade but still gives me a hard look to this day some 30 years later. One of the few guns I do not regret trading, regardless of any perceived collector's value.
Are the triggers that horrible? Yes, they are.
It was designed as a military firearm and designed to be a machine pistol with the shoulder stock.
Changing spring rates isn't going to do much to eliminate or reduce the roughness and geometry in the mechanical fire control interface.
Interesting piece, but they are more collector's curios these days and parts are not easily available.
It was designed as a military firearm and designed to be a machine pistol with the shoulder stock.
Changing spring rates isn't going to do much to eliminate or reduce the roughness and geometry in the mechanical fire control interface.
Interesting piece, but they are more collector's curios these days and parts are not easily available.
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30,515 Posts
I've had one since they were imported with 4 magazines.
It is an unusual gun.
Back when HK was user friendly they sent me a couple extra striker springs free. I started to cut one down a quarter inch at a time until I figured another cut would make the gun unreliable. It greatly helped the trigger but it was still bad.
I lost three of the magazines in a fire in 1995. At that time I found a couple more magazines but they were $75 each. I didn't buy them. No telling what they would cost today if you did find any.
Something interesting about the gun that most people don't know is the barrel lands/groves are so deep that the bullet can't seal the propelling gas. The gun is designed to blow by, thereby reducing the pressure of the 9mm round. This also reduces the bullet velocity by hundreds of FPS. I chronographed it years ago and as I recall the velocity was down to about 800-900 FPS.
In the past when I was on the road a lot I thought about using the gun for a car gun but decided against it due to the low bullet velocity. My idea of a car gun is one that will go through a car.
The sights are also super weird. The front sight is not a post, but a cut out in a ramp, giving the impression of a front post. This is a novel, but dumb idea. The front sight blocks too much of the threat from view.
I would love to have the gun as the machine pistol it was designed to be.
It is an unusual gun.
Back when HK was user friendly they sent me a couple extra striker springs free. I started to cut one down a quarter inch at a time until I figured another cut would make the gun unreliable. It greatly helped the trigger but it was still bad.
I lost three of the magazines in a fire in 1995. At that time I found a couple more magazines but they were $75 each. I didn't buy them. No telling what they would cost today if you did find any.
Something interesting about the gun that most people don't know is the barrel lands/groves are so deep that the bullet can't seal the propelling gas. The gun is designed to blow by, thereby reducing the pressure of the 9mm round. This also reduces the bullet velocity by hundreds of FPS. I chronographed it years ago and as I recall the velocity was down to about 800-900 FPS.
In the past when I was on the road a lot I thought about using the gun for a car gun but decided against it due to the low bullet velocity. My idea of a car gun is one that will go through a car.
The sights are also super weird. The front sight is not a post, but a cut out in a ramp, giving the impression of a front post. This is a novel, but dumb idea. The front sight blocks too much of the threat from view.
I would love to have the gun as the machine pistol it was designed to be.
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501 Posts
Yup, I agree.
I sold mine last year.
Great for a collector but horrible to shoot. And I for one, like to shoot my guns.
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4,609 Posts
Thanks for all the comments, I'm having 2nd thoughts now.:upeyes:
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11,032 Posts
Another vote for a horrible trigger
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30,515 Posts
I'll probably never sell mine but I don't see any reason to have another.
When a man with over a dozen Makarov's says that you best pay attention.
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4,894 Posts
Seriously You really can not believe how bad the trigger is until you try it.
My first 10/22 had a horrible trigger my friend desribed the ruger's trigger as...
Dragging a cinder block up a flight of stairs
I would say the VP70 is like...
dragging a 55 gallon barrel of cement up a flight of stairs.
My first 10/22 had a horrible trigger my friend desribed the ruger's trigger as...
Dragging a cinder block up a flight of stairs
I would say the VP70 is like...
dragging a 55 gallon barrel of cement up a flight of stairs.
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501 Posts
Yea if the stairs were covered in 60 grit sandpaper, and the cement in the drum was still wet!
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4,609 Posts
Yea, I think I'll pass on this one.
First Lego gun.
From what I've read, crappy trigger. I'd like to have one as a novelty / collector's item.
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