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When I invoke the almighty brand that is Heckler and Koch, a few things probably come to mind via association…
Be that daunting price tags, cool but unobtainable rifles, and submachine guns, or tales of sassy Social Media Girl who may have gotten axed for calling Marines crayon eaters (if she ever really existed, to begin with.)
Regardless, “polymer striker-fired handguns” probably isn’t the first thing to come to mind when you see those big blocky red letters…but perhaps it should be.
And today I’m going to tell you why. I’ll walk you through the HK’s polymer pistol the HK VP9. We’ll run down the usual specs and features and then head to the range to see how it handles.
By the end, I’ll give you a good idea of whether the VP9 is worth your money or if you should shop elsewhere.
Table of Contents
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What is the VP9 & Where Did It Come From?
Before we dive into our specific VP9 model, let’s take a walk back and see what led to the development of this pistol.
In 1970, HK kicked off the polymer pistol design with its VP70 – a 9mm, double-action-only pistol.
That VP moniker is courtesy of the German word “Volkspistole,” which translates to “people’s pistol.”
HK would later add other polymers into its lineup, like the P30 – aimed at the European law enforcement market.
And that is where VP9 enters the timeline…
Released in 2014, the VP9 looked to build on the success of pistols like the P30 bringing a striker-fired design and more modern features.
Ushering in a new era for the gun company, the VP9 now boasts a few different flavors.
But, I think the VP9 as a platform can be distilled to two unique selling points – trigger and ergonomics.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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A Striker-Fired Trigger That Isn’t Terrible?
I’ll be the first to admit…striker-fired triggers usually leave a bit to be desired straight out of the box. Such is the nature of the beast.
That said, HK targeted that issue when designing the VP9, reworking the striker fire mechanism to cut down on the sponginess and pre-travel pull that increases in resistance as the shooter squeezes the trigger rearward.
The result is quite noticeable and thankfully has very real implications for how the gun handles…but more on that in a minute.
Better Ergonomics
Another primary selling point of the VP9 is HK’s ergonomic handgun grip design. From the get-go, it felt quite nice in my hand.
The VP9 ships with various back straps and interchangeable side panels that should allow those with even the most atypical paws to find a combination that works for them.
But let’s dive even further into the VP9’s specs and features.
HK VP9 Specs & Features
As I mentioned earlier, the VP9 is a 9mm striker-fired, polymer handgun. It measures 7.34-inches in total length with a 4.09-inch barrel and tips scales at around 25-ounces.
From front to back, you’ll notice the VP9’s got some relatively aggressive forward slide serrations. This helps get a positive grip when charging the gun. Those same serrations are repeated at the rear.
It sports a full-size Picatinny rail upfront for attaching lights, lasers, or any other accessories you can think of.
The iron sights are a standard 3-dot setup — nothing fancy, but they get the job done. But our particular VP9 came with night sights pre-installed
As mentioned, the gun’s ergonomic grip system feels fantastic in the hand!
The modular backstraps and grip panels feature some swirly texturized patterns giving positive retention when needed.
The VP9’s trigger guard is bizarrely oversized, but I assume this is to accommodate gloves and the like.
It’s also got a bit of an outward parabolic curvature to it. Some people might not dig this design, but several companies offer services to flatten that curve if you desire.
Probably one of the largest differences most non-European users will notice is the placement of the magazine release. It appears as an ambidextrous paddle where the grip meets the trigger guard.
While initially a little unfamiliar feeling, it isn’t as hard as it seems to get used to.
Lastly, your slide lock mechanism is right where you’d expect it to be. And just a bit forward of that is the VP9’s fairly large takedown lever.
Field-stripping the VP9 is also incredibly easy in our video:
With a bit of background out of the way, let’s head to the range!
Range Time with the HK VP9
If you’ve watched any of my recent handgun videos, you’ve probably heard me say this a million times — I’m a Glock guy.
Because let’s be real, they’re basically the Honda Civic of pistols.
Glock is where the majority of my handgun experience comes from.
Despite my Glock love, first impressions on the VP9… it fits my hand phenomenally well!
I’m quite fond of my Dremeled G17, but the VP9’s ergonomic grip setup is, dare I say, much better. And it lends itself to a very naturally pointing handgun that feels downright great to punch out with.
However, it’s not all gravy…
While that pistol grip might be one of the best I’ve ever used, the placement and size of the takedown lever proved problematic.
When attempting my high and thumbs forward grip, my off-hand’s support thumb rested directly on the VP9’s takedown lever.
At first glance, this doesn’t seem like a problem, but once you get a few mags through the gun and it starts to heat up…you might see where I’m going here.
In fact, that lever winds up getting so hot that I received a heat-induced blister about midway through the shoot.
As much as I hate firing pistols with gloves, I bit the proverbial bullet and donned a glove on my left hand to make it through the day.
To add to the fun, it was extremely hot out in the desert on the day of our shoot. That ambient temperature ensured the VP9 couldn’t cool down at all between mags.
That lever is hot enough to induce subconscious flinching that occurs when the reptilian part of your brain goes “uh oh burning.”
As you might expect, this made shooting the VP9 with even my normal level of okay-ish proficiency a bit of a challenge.
To be honest, I couldn’t decide whether the weird half-glove thing was a better solution than just hovering my support thumb off the frame.
That said, the VP9 shoots when you get a feel for it.
HK’s take on the striker-fired pistol does feel quite different than other adjacent polymer pistols. It features a rather long but smooth take-up before you hit a very obvious wall.
The VP9 offers a clean break that feels much more similar to a single-action trigger than anything you’re going to find in potential competitors.
Reset is also short. So much so that it’ll probably catch you off guard until you’ve got some reps in.
More than once, I found myself accidentally double-tapping targets while trying to ride that reset wall.
And that’s not intended as a humblebrag – more so, be aware that there’s a good possibility that might happen to you too.
Once you get a feel for how the VP9 behaves, I’d say it easily threatens even more tricked-out Glocks for usability in its stock configuration.
Because of that improved trigger system, the VP9’s stock trigger pull weight of ~5ish-pounds or so feels better overall than the 3.5-pound setup I’ve got in my G17.
Weirdly enough, I was expecting the Euro paddle mag release to trip me up here and there, but I adapted to it within a mag or two.
Compared to a Glock where I cant the gun to the side to drop the mag, I kept the VP9 gripped more or less normally – just using my middle finger to hit that paddle.
Considering the absolutely disgusting streams of sweat I dripped, I think it’s fair to say that those slide serrations and grip textures help with gun retention and manipulation.
Hunting with the VP9?
While you might not think about hunting with a potential carry gun like the VP9, it’s doable, as former Pew Pew Tactical writer Kat explains.
“In urban areas, you’re more likely to come across something like a coyote. And the VP9 rocks on coyotes.
One night here in Texas, I took the VP9 out in case a coyote showed up. In this case, the gun had a SilencerCo Octane 9 suppressor, because why not?
It didn’t take long for a coyote to appear. She broke what I saw as the invisible 50-yard barrier and continued moving. She was in a flat-out run.
The angle was poor, so although I aimed, I waited to pull the trigger. Only a matter of seconds passed – which felt like a lifetime – before she quartered slightly to my left.
I squeezed the trigger, and the HK VP9 and Federal Personal Defense Hydra-Shok 124 grain HP bullet did the rest.
Despite the inky black of a moonless night and having only standard 3-dot sights, the bullet entered her upper left side and angled neatly downward into her heart.
Can an HK VP9 drop a mid-size female coyote with a surprisingly beautiful late-spring coat?
Yes, yes it can.”
By the Numbers
Reliability: 5/5
The HK VP9 worked great at the range, with no major issues to report.
Ergonomics: 4/5
So, the grip itself is perfect and feels great while shooting. My gripe, though, is with that takedown lever. Its placement messed my thumb up, and it was not comfortable to shoot bare-handed in the heat.
Accuracy: 5/5
Again, the VP9 shined in the shooting department. I was able to nail targets once I worked around the takedown lever issue.
Customization: 4/5
Is the accessory market for the VP9 as big as Glocks? No, but you get some other VP9 variants that allow you to kinda get what you want out of the box.
More recent VP9 variants offer features like optics-ready slides, a normal magazine release button instead of the euro paddle, and 17-round mags.
Value: 4.5/5
Here’s the real kicker…the VP9’s MSRP is reasonably competitive with Glocks and Glock clones.
Overall: 4.5/5
In my opinion, the VP9 represents a considerable threat to the ho-hum polymer striker-fire pistol world.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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Field Strip & Reassembly
We made a quick field stripping video just for you!
H&K VP9 Gun Deals
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25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
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Conclusion
If you’re thinking about picking up a new pistol and want something that’ll run out of the box with some legitimately rad ergonomic features built-in, grab the HK VP9.
While you might want to invest in some gloves, the VP9 feels great in the hand, shoots well, and is a gun you shouldn’t sleep on.
Again, check out the full video review to see the VP9 take to the range!
What do you think of the HK VP9? Let us know in the comments below and drop a review. For more HK goodies, see our complete history of the MP5. Or for more non-Glock Polymer Pistols, check out our full list of recommendations here.
Rating score
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Capri pants? Yoga pants? I'm not judging here..... I wear crop tops and a thong myself, but it can be brutal with the occasional piece of hot brass... also, I dont sit on a metal folding chair left in the sun in Texas in August...
Nice pants.
The VP9-B is my favorite handgun to shoot and train with.
I have a Glock, an FN 509, the VP9, the VP40(357 Sig) and now a Walther PDP. I got them in that order over the years and each succeeding one after the Glock was an improvement over the preceding gun. My safe is over-burdened.
John, does a pair of those pants come with the HK VP9?
My wife and I bought the VP9 5 years ago because it is ambidextrous and she can adjust the grips for her small hands. We have close to 10,000 rounds through it as we shoot a lot and are members at our local range. A year later we bought the VP 9SK to better fit her purse Carry and it shoots just as well as the full-size. I looked at the HK 45 but wanted a striker fired so I went with the Walther PPQ 45. It is definitely one of the most accurate 45s you can buy. And it is a very soft shooting gun, not much more recoil than the VP nine. You spend a little bit extra for the German guns but they will outlast most of the competitors for people who shoot a lot. I recommend them very strongly to anybody getting into semi auto pistols!
Hi Howard, I am looking for a good carry gun in California. I have a little MP Shield I am looking to retire. You seam to have some varied experience. The PPQ 45 sounded good, and hey, who doesn't love a 45 at the end of the day, but it is not California compliant,
Another twin, triplet? to the HK VP and Wather could be the IWI Masada.
I am very happy shooting my VP40 (a lot) and picking up a friend's Masada was easy/familiar. Very nice gun. (and optics ready ar $400)
iwi.us/product/m9orp17/
Have about 500rds through my Masada without any issue. Put a Hawk red dot on it and it drills paper. Getting my 1st H&k in a few days VP9 because of similarities. Though a CZ person I dumped my 2 P10s after getting the Masada.
I didn't read where you answered the title question. Glock 17 or HK VP9?
A friend got a VP-70Z in the late '70s. The trigger had to be the worst of any pistol I've ever fired. The sites were different from anything I've seen before or sense. It (the pistol) became non-functional after about 10 years as a bullet got stuck in the barrel. Thought the gun was a piece of junk. One can only hope this one is better.
I have two VP9 sk's and love them as carry handguns. Contrary to what is popular in America, I love the paddle mag releases. I do not have to shift my hand to reach a mag release button and that works for my hand. Also, the trigger on the VP9 sk is excellent. I shoot the slightly smaller handgun as well as the larger VP9. However, the sk requires more hand strength to rack the slide than the larger VP9. It is a very ergonomic handgun. All of that said, my carry gun is a Walther PPQ with paddle mag releases and it is very easy to rack the slide. The PPQ trigger is probably the best stock trigger for a striker fired handgun. There are many excellent handguns today so each of us has to find what works best for ourselves. As an instructor I try to help people find what works for them without trying to sell my preference for me.
I'm a lefty all the way. A niece gave me the lowdown on the VP9. I bought one and discovered that it is comfortable for right handers and equally so for left handers, namely me. In addition it is great to handle and to shoot.
Go ahead and peddle the VP9 for everyone as it is a dream, and it is shockingly accurate. A wonderful pistol!
HK VP has had an excellent trigger for years. It is a veery good pistol. For my wife we went with the new S&W MP Shield EZ. The ergonomics are just as good, the trigger is excellent. It also comes with options in optic prep and 9 mm or 380.
HK always made very reliable firearms but, I don't think the trigger smoothness can, compare to
a Walther trigger. I have shot both comparable pistols by both manufacturers.
Besides the trigger smoothness, they are both five star firearms companies
This was my first and favorite gun purchase. To me it's more comfortable than other handguns I have shot including the Glock.
As a lefty, I look for fully ambi firearms. I started off w/ a Glock 19 & 45. They were fine, but I ended up selling them both. The VP9SK and the Springfield XDM Elite compact are on my short list for concealed carry. The XDME seems to be more readily available and over $100 cheaper than the VP9SK, so I will probably end up with it.
I love my vp9 and I carry it on duty, but I wish they had the traditional mag release when I bought mine.
Are those tactical capris?! Tacticapris?
LOL! I thought the same thing!
Funny. I think it’s actually “Tactipris” Ben.
Love my VP9 Tactical.
Let's see, burned your hand and had to change your grip and it gets 4 out of 5 for ergonomics? Me thinks not. And approximately $200.00 more than a Glock. I'll keep my G30 Civic
st VP9 may be the VP40
Wow testing some soft loads for my vp40 at an indoor range that had a vp9 in the rental Fleet I cold and instructor there what I was doing and to consider bringing your vp9 out to compare it to my vp40 with my loads. He noted that their vp9 had about 36,000 rounds through it. Ivp 40 probably has less than forty thousand rounds also but easily more than half of that. With a 40sw load mimicking the power factor of a common 9 mm 115 grain 1150 feet per second load this instructor fired one round of mine and flinched a turn around to say "smooth!'. He fired more shots and like that and by now I had some nine mm rounds loaded in a MAG for him. He fired the vp9 that he was familiar with and after the first shot his flinched response was "violent!". Larger bore less powder under a heavier bullet combine to make a smooth shooting minor post and you can still easily go major. By the way the magazines are the best I've used compared to clock, smw, and CZ. The taper of the mag and configuration of the feed lips hasn't sent me looking for expanded Magwell to use. Using spacers to modify capacity has given me the opportunity to tune those spacers such that backing the mag in releases slide lock on every mag I have making for good mag changes.
I believe it’s a twin of the Walther PPQ. Look at the VP9 and a PPQ and it’s hard to tell the difference. They have similar ergonomics, great triggers, are accurate and reliable. Both are German legends but the PPQ is less pricey. Not sure who copied who, but I love my PPQ. Like you, I’m still more used to my Glocks though.
Nothing against HK but I'll stick with my Glock's and Sig's.
By far the best out-of-the-box handgun you can buy. I've mag dumped plenty thru my HK and have never experienced the hot take-down lever described in this article. Perhaps there was a minor re-design that wasn't broadly announced?
Kind of strange to say that no striker fired guns have good trigger pulls. Maybe you have forgotten that basically every bolt action rife uses a striker, rather than a hammer and firing pin.
Try the Walther PPK or PPQ for trigger pull. The best of ANY factory handgun...
I have owned my VP9 for five years now and have countless thousands of rounds through it. It's accuracy and performance have gotten me over the hump more than once in an instructor class or two. As an armored car industry firearms instructor with a company who issues the FN509, the VP9 simply does shoot better for me. Nothing against the FN 509 or any Glock, they are both solid reliable pistols, but I prefer the VP9 enough to have just purchased a VP9L OR to begin running in heavier volume pistol classes and keeping my current one for CC.
It's really not even a question. The HK is superior to the Glock, period. The only other polymer strikers I'd compare it to are the CZ P-10 (HK is slightly better, imo) and from what I've heard, the Walther PPQ, which I haven't shot yet. But the VP40 is even sweeter - I don't know what kind of Kraut space magic they sprinkle on it, but none of the typical criticisms of shooting .40 S&W - that it "has harsh" recoil," that it is "harder to control," etc. apply when shooting the VP40 in my experience.
Just want to point out the trigger on my VP9 got better over time, also this article was written in June 2020, as March 2020 these no longer ship with 15 round magazines they are now standard 17rd capacity, unless you live in a restricted state then they're still 10rd.
Great review and article. I'm far from a beginner, but it makes one think about future happenings, especially with the potential violence as we get closer to the Presidential election.
I agree completely, People act as if Coyotes are simply a nuisance that need to be exterminated... Maybe you should not be encroaching on their land leaving them little options and easy pickings... They are Dogs "Man's Best Friend" I don't see how anyone can feel good about killing these beautiful animals. In her words " I squeezed the trigger and the HK VP9 and Federal Personal Defense Hydra-Shok 124 grain HP bullet did the rest. The bullet entered her upper left side and angled neatly downward into her heart. As she crumpled and rolled, I was all smiles.
Despite the inky black of a moonless night and having only standard three-dot sights, we had a dog down. Any day with a coyote down is a good day.
Wow her words ay it all!
you dont get out much do you???? try leaving the computer time to time. the fact you wrote that means you never seen them up close or know what they can do.....
The corona virus is just one of nature’s beautiful creations. Exterminating it would be an affront to Gia.
It appears to be a good gun but if you are LE and looking at it from a budget prospective, don't be fooled by their $150 "gift certificate " it's really only good for useless swag. I can legally buy and own "high capacity " magazines but they refused to ship them. Buy Walther, far better LE backing.
Sorry to spoil the show but feeling happy for having killed an innocent animal who wasn't threatening anyone deserves little respect.
People in my area have lost pets, both dogs and cats to these predators. we keep ours indoors since they came home needing stitches. MY wife cares for a feral cat colony from which some of her favorites have disappeared I hate coyotes. They are hardly innocent.
Innocent? How can a coyote be guilty of following it's natural instinctive behaviour....sort of like the Natural Law for us humans. Hate coyotes? Hardly innocent? If I were you I'd recalibrate my thinking...the coyotes are doing what is natural to their instinctive mechanism. Just keep your cats, as I do mine, indoors and then you won't have to deal with the "natural order of things" like coyotes killing your cats as a natural, innocent, instinctive behaviour. Get a grip.
right on.
I agree. The coyote doesn't shop at petsmart. and they can't shoot back. They shop instinctively and when humans encroach, they naturally broaden the coyotes menu.
God gave us dominion over the animals. Unless it's a protected species (which would give them special protection under the law), killing them humanely (quickly) is not wrong. You are the one who needs to "recalibrate" their thinking. Why should our domesticated pets be kept hostage indoors just because predators want to attack them? No, we will protect our pets, our property, or whatever else is threatened. And you need to get a grip; no one's questioning the motives of these predators. It's the consequences of their actions that we care about, not why they did it. Unlike you, we don't let the tail wag the dog.
As M. Herrington said, God gave us dominion over the animals. And since we have eliminated most of the predators that preyed on coyotes we have an obligation to now maintain their population. If they are coming into our yards to prey on our dogs and cats, then they seem to have over hunted their normal hunting areas. Which is a sign of overpopulation. Therefore, it is our duty to reduce their numbers.
It is, if you think it all the way through, the most humane option. Yes, we are reducing the size of their habitat. Yet another reason to reduce their numbers to keep the coyote population from starving.
I too own this firearm and it is my duty weapon that replaced my HK USP-T 40. I see this article is dated 6/11/2020, but the new mods to this pistol came out early this year and some last year late. Some subtle changes are 17 rnd mags, top cutout and plates for different RMR, and the push button mag release. (Since I have been shooting HKs for 20 years now, the ambi paddles are faster and easier than the push button...for me, it is an edge I get when shooting against people on the range doing drills.) The nice thing about the trigger is consistency. My wife has a sig 320 and it has the best trigger on a striker and it does make me jealous, however, that is a one in five chance. I say that because I have picked up 10 of those models and only two have had that crisp sweet trigger. Glock is consistent as well but they are consistently terrible. I have picked up 50 or more HK VPs in 40 and 9 and each trigger is nice and they are same on all the pistols. If mine came with an small adjustable rear sight, then it would be perfect. There are many reasons I love my HK USP, but the adjustable rear sight aides to it's greatness. Just my few cents on the matter. Back to the range, life is good.
I’ve been running the Optic Ready variant with an RMR for a few weeks now, and this is the first (second, technically, after my P7’s) striker gun I’ve been able to run as fast and accurate as any SAO gun with a tuned trigger. It’s heavier and has more travel than nearly any of the SAO pistols I’ve been using for decades, yet it’s faster and more accurate for me than many of my other pistols. The paddle release is actually faster for me (on a timer) than a button, the middle finger on the drive hand actuates the paddle with no change in grip. The pistol is noticeably lighter than the P226/229 SAO’s I normally carry and even easier to carry. The grip is a revelation. Out of the box it fits my xxl mitts like it was made for them. 1.5” groups with HST 147 off the bench and 3” groups off hand at 25 yards prove this pistol is more accurate than I am. I’m looking forward to aftermarket support for proper suppressor-height sights, as the Optic Ready has a unique rear dovetail cut.
This is very good input. Thanks.
I have the VP-9 LE, it's awesome! I like my G-17 Gen 4, but I shoot the HK tighter. Love the grip, paddle mag release took a little getting used to, once I realized there was a release on both sides of the trigger, it got real easy. Next buy for me, HK VP-9 Tactical!
I've always thought VP9 looked like a good alternative to the glocken, but my HK is a P7.
I have both the VP9 and the HK45, and both fit well in my hand.
But between the two I tend to bring the 45 to the range most often as it's really fun to shoot - especially with its single-action trigger pull.
Not only was the VP70 H&K's first polymer framed striker fired pistol, it was the WORLD's first. It pre-dates the Glock by 12 years.
Just purchased the VP9 OR, only waiting for it to get here at this point. However, I'm curious what level of customization you were looking for. I was on hkparts site and they seem to have a moderate amount of customizable parts that would allow you to make the gun your own without ever having to send it out. It seems to be more than what is available for Sig, maybe not as much as Glock though. Just curious.
Finally showing some love for the VP9!
HK fanboy here. Just not a fan of the grip texture and the finger grooves on any of there modern pistols. I like, even love them otherwise. I think the LEM trigger for their hammer guns is a real game changer.
But for the money, I think that Glock is better than the VP9 with the new Gen 5 improvements.
Especially the MOS options. Because of the grip I favor the P2000 honestly over the VP9.
Great article, thanks for the contribution.
That was pretty good girlie. I enjoyed it. Youve always seemed to have good taste, and your articles tend to flow better than others. Thank you for taking the time.
This is the first review I've seen that says the VP9 has a "rather average trigger." Every other review I've ever seen said the trigger is excellent for a striker-fired pistol, second only to the PPQ's. I had both but got rid of the PPQ because I shoot the VP9 better.
The VP9 mag release is considerably wider than the one on the Gen 1 PPQ. It is incredibly easy to release the mag with the middle finger on the strong hand without altering your grip. If you're having to turn the gun sideways to release the mag you're doing something wrong or at least unnecessary.
I have two H&K VP9 sk handguns and love them. It is easier for me to shoot accurately with the sk than the regular VP9. However, I have acquired bone cancer and am having a more difficult time racking the slide. (the sk has a pretty heavy spring). Unlike many shooters, i love the paddle mag releases much better than the button release. So, I purchased a Walther PPQ 9mm with paddle mag releases. The trigger is great on the sk and the PPQ trigger is a little better than that. The ergonomics on the sk are slightly better for my hands but the PPQ ergonomics are excellent. Dawson Precision sights improved both handguns. As an instructor, I recommend finding a handgun that works for you i.e. proper fit, feels right, you shoot it well, you can rack the slide easily, you can manage the recoil, and you can conceal it.
I love my VP9!! My next purchase will be the VP9SK :) For mag changes, I put my index finger high on the slide and use my middle finger to press the paddle. I've practiced it over and over so I can do it quickly while moving .. usually under a second. This is the only pistol I own, so over the last couple of years, I've changed and improved my grip. The downside is that I can no longer shoot pistols with the button for a mag release ... I shoot left-handed, and my support hand middle finger is positioned right where that button is on other pistols. As far as the Walther goes, it's very similar, but the Walther has no ears ... which makes a HUGE difference.
The mags work for both the VP9 and VP9-B as well as the p30. The 17 round mags from the new optics ready also work. If you’re buying new ones, make sure they are the 17 rounder. I have the long slide for mine. Love that gun.
My VP9 OR came with 17 round mags. I think that’s standard now.
Really like the VP9. It is on the list of guns I want to buy someday. I want the VP9-B model with the standard mag release button. I don't care for the paddle-style mag releases. I understand HK has introduced a new VP9 series that is optics-ready. MSRP on the optics-ready pistols is ~US$200 over the standard models. Personally, I'm not interested in optics-ready but some may dig that capability. Mags are not cheap at ~US$40 each. Having lived through the Clinton years, I buy a minimum of seven hi-cap mags for each new pistol, so an extra five mags will add ~US$200 to the purchase price. I do not know whether the VP9 and VP9-B mags are interchangeable. I'm indifferent to the ears on the rear of the slide. I don't really care so long as they don't get in the way of standard manipulation. The only reason I think I might prefer the VP9 over the Walther PPQ M2 is the ability to change the side grip panels. You can only change the backstrap on the PPQ. I have extremely small hands (any rumors you may have heard about men with small hands are NOT true) and even with the smallest backstrap, the PPQ is just a little larger than I would like. Maybe the VP9 would fit me better. Both the VP9 and PPQ appear to be outstanding pistols with ergonomics Glock can only dream about. Although Glock rules aftermarket accessories, I don't think either the VP9 or the PPQ needs any aftermarket accessories.
I’m under the impression that this and the Walther PPQ are nearly the same gun, but the PPQ now offers a traditional American button style magazine release. And the PPQ usually costs less. That was my latest pistol purchase, and I don’t regret it. It’s reliable and, to me, offers much better ergonomics than a Glock.
A 2x4 typically has better ergo than a Block, errrr…. A Glock.