Feeling A Little Grey?

Kevin Cudmore has the answer with the Umarex HK VP9

- Kevin Cudmore

Late last year saw another new gun day, the subject of that being the little known Umarex H&K VP9 in Titanium Grey. Known as the SFP9 in Germany, and as the VP9 on the international market, the real steel pistol is a favourite among enthusiasts. With this state-of-the art, visually impressive pistol Heckler & Koch continued the tradition established by its VP70.

It’s a really nice piece in the hand, very solid and weighty at a shade over 1.8lbs, with no annoying rattles; not full blow-back, but it’s very snappy and quite hard nonetheless. It has a polymer frame with metal internals and slide, and internal hammer ‘striker’ fired. Racking the slide is quite satisfying because it actually does cock the hammer, too, and it can be fired double- to single-action, or as mentioned, rack the slide for single-action only. The trigger pull is long because it actuates a slide that pushes the BB into the breech before releasing the hammer/striker, very much the same as the Glock 19x Blow-back and the Beretta 84FS. I have to say that the VP9 feels so much better than both the other Umarex offerings.

ACCEPTABLE ACCURACY

The trigger, outer barrel, slide release and guide rod are also metal. It also features a typical HK trigger-guard mag’ release, which some can find awkward, but it’s reachable with either thumb or forefinger, and certainly a knack to get used to when one is more accustomed to the grip-mounted release.