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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They do seem to have an excellent reputation for reliability though. I have no doubt that it could take as much abuse as anything out there. It seems that 17-18lb trigger pulls are the norm for the design!
Wow -- that's really bad. I can see why they'd want to suppress that info. HK likes to explore all possibilities, but this one (along with the sights) was really just a totally crappy idea. Kind of a pity -- with a little less "crazy-adventurous" attitude, they might have produced something very similar to the Springfield XP in 1970.
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As happens because of many of these GT firearms threads I get the bug to shoot the subject gun.
Since I haven't shot the VP70 in maybe 14 years it's overdue.
I said earlier I cut down the striker spring. I just checked it with a trigger gage, 12 pounds. Not really much worse than a lot of DA triggers now days.
I wasn't going to shoot today because the wind is about 30 knots.
But here's ten shots at ten yards.
![Image]()
I snapped a quick picture of the front sight to show what I was talking about.
I painted the sight white to increase the contrast between the center and sides of the sight.
![Image]()
I believe in order to have the slide weight reasonably light weight they used the blow-by method to reduce the operating pressure.
The problem is the bullet velocity was reduced to about a 38 Special.
Anyhow, I did enjoy shooting the gun and it won't be another 14 years before I do it again. :supergrin:
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Since I haven't shot the VP70 in maybe 14 years it's overdue.
I said earlier I cut down the striker spring. I just checked it with a trigger gage, 12 pounds. Not really much worse than a lot of DA triggers now days.
I wasn't going to shoot today because the wind is about 30 knots.
But here's ten shots at ten yards.
I snapped a quick picture of the front sight to show what I was talking about.
I painted the sight white to increase the contrast between the center and sides of the sight.
The gun is blow-back and a 9mm blow-back gun generally needs a pretty heavy slide/bolt and recoil spring.
I believe in order to have the slide weight reasonably light weight they used the blow-by method to reduce the operating pressure.
The problem is the bullet velocity was reduced to about a 38 Special.
Anyhow, I did enjoy shooting the gun and it won't be another 14 years before I do it again. :supergrin:
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In defense though I have to add that this was designed as a machine pistol, not a semi-auto. This was the german version of the Russian stechkin, for the most part. Modifying it to be a semi-auto for civilian sale, while smart from a marketing perspective, obviously left something to be desired as a semi-auto.
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Well, I'm surprised.
I took the VP70 and a hundred rounds to the range. I figured I wouldn't want to shoot two boxes from that gun but I threw them in the range box anyhow.
Started out shooting the little blue silhouette target at 10 yards. Without trying too hard the gun was keeping the hits centered inside about 2 1/2 inches.
Not too bad but not a lot of fun.
I put two soda cans on the berm and stared blasting. A couple holes in each can, then the third round launched each of the cans over the berm and into the trees.
One day I have to pick up all those cans behind the berm.
Next, a couple magazines blasting quickly at a couple more silhouettes.
COM hits. This fast point shooting is getting to be fun.
So now I put three clay birds on the berm. Then three more. Then four more.
Then..................
Well you get the idea.:supergrin:
I did all the shooting at 10 yards so picking up the brass would be easy.
As I was picking up the brass I was surprised that I was regretting not bringing another box or two of 9mm to shoot in the VP70.
Maybe tomorrow.
I took the VP70 and a hundred rounds to the range. I figured I wouldn't want to shoot two boxes from that gun but I threw them in the range box anyhow.
Started out shooting the little blue silhouette target at 10 yards. Without trying too hard the gun was keeping the hits centered inside about 2 1/2 inches.
Not too bad but not a lot of fun.
I put two soda cans on the berm and stared blasting. A couple holes in each can, then the third round launched each of the cans over the berm and into the trees.
One day I have to pick up all those cans behind the berm.
Next, a couple magazines blasting quickly at a couple more silhouettes.
COM hits. This fast point shooting is getting to be fun.
So now I put three clay birds on the berm. Then three more. Then four more.
Then..................
Well you get the idea.:supergrin:
I did all the shooting at 10 yards so picking up the brass would be easy.
As I was picking up the brass I was surprised that I was regretting not bringing another box or two of 9mm to shoot in the VP70.
Maybe tomorrow.
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I had the chance to buy one FTF back in the day off a guy in college. I should have but I didn't know any better. He was selling it to buy a Glock 22 and some 40 ammo.
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I have a magazine for one if anyone needs one.
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PM sent.
Funny I traded a SS Ruger Security Six 6" for one back in the 80s. :steamed:
In addition to the lousy trigger pull I really hated those sights.
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Of the few I've seen in past years only a couple weren't in excellent shape. Probably because they didn't get much use.
A couple times I showed the seller how to break them down because they didn't have a clue.:supergrin:
Yes, if you find one for under $500, buy it.
If a spare striker spring could be found (HK won't sell any parts to individuals) and shortened (3/4 inch as I remember) the trigger pull becomes less that terrible.
It reminds me of a Glock. After 50-100 rounds my trigger finger is a little sore.
I may shoot it again today.
Something that was interesting when shooting fast yesterday, the (painted) front sight made it easy and fast to get on target. No faster than normal sights but still surprisingly easy.
I would really like to have the original machine pistol.
One was used in a movie years ago. Three round burst as I recall. Pretty cool.
Agreed the trigger is bad and the sights are, unique.
If you can afford to add it to your collection, it is a good conversation piece. Mine sees the range every few years, just to remind me how far plastic pistols have evolved. It is an interesting gun to shoot, but not one I would want for primary use.
If you can afford to add it to your collection, it is a good conversation piece. Mine sees the range every few years, just to remind me how far plastic pistols have evolved. It is an interesting gun to shoot, but not one I would want for primary use.
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Nice idea, mediocre execution. Yes, the trigger is as bad as everyone says. The only thing which compares in badness is the Colt All-American's trigger. Fair amount of recoil for a 9mm, too, owing to the blowback operation. That said, it was never designed to be a connoisseur's weapon, and as a cheap-to-manufacture, high capacity, simple, serviceable handgun, it's not bad. Glock really deserves the credit for making the first really good plastic handgun, though.
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