This HK is A-OK

The new heckler & koch vp9sk sub-compact 9mm has what it takes when you take it with you 

- Steven Paul Barlow

Sometimes being a handful is a good thing.

The new VP9SK from Heckler & Koch is a double-stack 9mm that gives you a little something extra to grasp and once you get your hands on this pistol, you won’t want to let go.

NOT A SKINNY GUN

I know. Slim, single-stack 9mm pistols are all the rage these days. That’s because people seem to be more concerned with carry convenience than actual self-defense capabilities.

A pistol designed with a staggered (commonly called “double-stack”) magazine has some advantages, however. For one, there’s the higher capacity. Instead of 6+1 rounds, a typical double-stack gives you 10+1. Carry a spare magazine and those 21 rounds can be comforting travel companions.

Another advantage is that because a double-stack is a bit wider, it’s normally easier to manage the recoil because the impact is spread across a larger surface. And, as I mentioned, there’s more to hold. Skinny guns can have a tendency to torque sideways in your hand, especially if your grip isn’t the most firm or steady. When would that be? That might happen when firing from awkward positions or one-handed during a defensive situation when you’re fending off an attack or diving for cover.

OK, so what’s so special about this HK pistol specifically?

VP9SK FEATURES

The VP9SK is the sub-compact model in HK’s striker-fired VP series. It has a 3.39-inch barrel with polygonal rifling that is supposed to benefit both accuracy and velocity.