Author Topic: HK P30L V1 LEM  (Read 6689 times)

MarcWinkman

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HK P30L V1 LEM
« on: May 01, 2017, 05:03:10 PM »
Okay gang, I think I have enough rounds down range now with the latest blaster to give an informed opinion of it.  So here goes:

I reached out to our favorite FFL a while back in search of a P30L V1 LEM with the factory installed night sights.  As ever, I got a quick response from Chris informing me that he had tracked one down and also giving me the price for my intended acquisition.  I fired an e-mail back giving the green light.  This was on a Friday.  I got an e-mail from Chris the following Monday that the P30 had arrived.  What a quick turnaround that was.  Now I just needed my schedule to work out so that I could sneak away from Wilmington early one day and get down to Middletown to do some paperwork, pay some money and get out the door with a new blaster in hand.  Well, we got an ice storm that shut down my office for two days due to power outages and I wound up with a mess of a schedule.  Things finally calmed down and I was able to get out to visit Chris on my way back up from a Smyrna DOC visit.  Filled out my forms and went home with my new P30L.

The next day, I brought my range bag to work with me along with the P30L and about 250 rounds of Remington UMC and Independence.  After work, I made a little stop by Targetmaster and ran the ammo that I had through the gun.  The gun fed, fired, and weakly ejected all of the ammo with no problems.  The trigger was much better than the last HK LEM trigger that I had (in a P2000 .40 S&W a while back), and by much better, I mean that it was noticeably lighter allowing me to make a better pull.  The accuracy was outstanding as it always is with HK and about every other pistol from any of the major OEM's.  I'm sure that the gun is far more mechanically accurate than I could capitalize on.  That said, if shooting from a rest, I'm sure that my Wilson 1911 would edge it out just a bit...though the Wilson is a custom built gun where the P30 is essentially mass produced. 

After range trip number one I was pleased with my purchase, but if I'm being 100% honest, I was a little concerned with the weak ejection.  I took the gun home, thoroughly cleaned and lubed it and put it back in the range bag for another outing the next day which was a Saturday.  I again took the gun to the range with 250 rounds of FMJ and 30 rounds of JHP; one magazine of Speer 124 gr. Gold Dots and one magazine of Barnes Tac XPD 115 gr. +P ammo.  I started the gun out with the Barnex Tac XPD.  The gun fed fired and ejected all 15 rounds beautifully.  Gone was the anemic ejection that I had seen the previous day.  Next I ran the 250 rounds of FMJ which was a mix of Federal American Eagle and Remington UMC.  Again, the gun fed fired and ejected perfectly and the more I was shooting, the better I was getting a feel for the trigger and it's reset point.  The short strokes on the trigger were slowly but surely going away.  I finished out the trip with the Gold Dots.  Again, the gun was flawless.  The takeaway was that the gun does exactly what it's supposed to...works.

Since the second range trip, the P30L has accompanied me on all of my range trips along with my P229 and Wilson CQB.  I do find I have a slightly better speed and accuracy balance with the P229 (in SA) and Wilson CQB thanks to their shorter trigger reset, but I do find that I have a tendency to miss low and left with the first DA shot out of the P229.  This is a non issue with the Wilson CQB and the P30L thanks to the SAO trigger on the former and the LEM DAO trigger on the latter. 

Prior to getting the P30, I had picked up a VP9 and that is what I will compare to.  Compared to the VP9, I was a little less accurate initially as I was still getting a feel for where POI was in relation to POA.  At this point, I can shoot either gun just as well now that I have gotten accustomed to the P30L.  I will say flat out, I prefer the P30L over the VP9 by a large margin.  I like the finer texture on the grip of the P30 to the VP which has a slightly different grip texture.  Best I can describe it, the P30 grip feels like fine hook velcro.  The VP9 has a grip similar to the Walther PPQ and PPS M2.  I'm not quite sure how to describe it, but the P30 feels much better in my hand.  I also found that the standard medium side panels and back strap on the P30 work beautifully for my hand where the VP required a little experimentation before I landed on the medium side panels and the small back strap.  That configuration of the VP feels nearly identical to the medium all around on the P30.  I also found the recoil on the P30L to be much milder than the VP and the P30's slide is also much easier to manipulate.  I attribute the latter to the probable use of a slightly lighter recoil spring due to the extra length of the barrel and slide.  In typical fashion, the HK factory installed Meprolight Tru Dot night sights are outstanding, and I like that they have a squared off front ledge for one handed manipulation of the gun if ever need be. 

Now on to my niggles with the P30.  The grip texture.  While it's great in your hand, on the few occasions that I've tried carrying it under a polo shirt, it's quite uncomfortable.  It's a bit like having a sheet of 600 grit sandpaper rubbing against your skin all day.  Niggle number two, there aren't a whole lot of holster options.  I picked up a Blade-tech Nano IWB holster but as soon as I got the gun, I ordered a Blackpoint Tactical Mini Wing (my personal favorite IWB holster; I have one each for my P226, P229 and Walther PPS).  Lastly, the trough doodad in the bottom of the trigger guard.  I find that my index finger rubs against it with the P30 but I do not have that issue with the VP9 which has the same trough, though a phusically shorter trigger than the P30.

All in all, I like this gun quite a lot and am giving serious thought to picking up a P30SK as another carry option for the warmer months.  If you have the disposable income kicking around, I highly recommend taking the P30L for a whirl as an alternative to say, a Sig P226 (another outstanding gun).

Federal Firearm

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Re: HK P30L V1 LEM
« Reply #1 on: May 01, 2017, 10:23:16 PM »
thank you for the great review Marc