Plastic Fantastic: A Look At The Heckler & Koch VP70
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- Опубликовано: 10 сен 2024
- Designed as a forward-looking firearm, Heckler & Koch’s circa 1970 entry into the polymer handgun market had a lot going on.
The VP70 was the German company’s polymer-framed, striker-fired 9mm handgun of the Disco era. An 18-shot select-fire gun, it had a theoretical rate of fire of a very spicy 2,200 rounds per minute and the ability to use a detachable stock that, like the old C96 Mauser, doubled as a bulky holster.
One of the lead firearms engineers behind the VP70 was Alex Seidel, who before WWII worked for Mauser and helped create the HSc pistol. The VP70, which had only four moving operating parts, was billed as reliable and simple with the select-fire sear itself contained in the buttstock. The main body was a synthetic resin material, a concept pretty forward-looking for 1968 when it was on the drawing board outside of the Remington Nylon 66.
First marketed in 1970, the VP70 beat Gaston Glock’s G17 to the “plastic pistol” market by a generation. However, it never really caught on and was something of, well, a duck in a market full of eagles. It plodded along until it was quietly discontinued in 1989, only garnering a few sales to third world military forces and limited export to the U.S. as the semi-auto and stockless VP70Z.
Speaking of which…
While the military model of the VP70 sported an “M” suffix, the neutered model intended for the consumer or civil market swapped that out for a “Z” suffix.
A single-action-only 19-shot 9mm pistol with a polymer frame, downright odd ergonomics, and a creepy boomerang-shaped trigger, the VP70Z was not popular in the era of Smith & Wesson “Wondernines” and once the Glock came on the scene, the writing was on the wall for continued commercial sales.
Nonetheless, its futuristic styling made it a hit in Hollywood and the VP70 was seen in the Resident Evil video game series, was the preferred sidearm of Colonial Marines in Aliens, and even guest-starred in episodes of MacGyver and The A-Team.
HK went back to the drawing board and came up with the USP and P2000 in the early 2000s which were much more popular. Then came the VP9 and VP40. That later polymer-framed volkspistole line was introduced in 2014- 44 years after the VP70’s debut- and has been a lot better received.
Leon: "Trigger pull is terrible, but she got me through Raccoon City."
Snake: "Might I suggest upgrading to a MK23 Socom?"
Robocop: "One fellow officer to another, the Auto-9 is the way to go."
Leon: "The Auto-9 isn't even a real gun."
Robocop: "Neither are infinite rocket launchers, and yet, here we are."
Hahaha nice
I Would LOVE to See an Auto-9 in RL.. I Seen Some guy attach a Compensator they made themselves on a gun!! So I wondered & look to YT if someone made an Auto-9 comp to attach on the M93r !! Or Maybe then will get in Trouble because Robo Gun is CopyrightED-209 ?? .. Might Be Possible to Attach The Mafioso Robo- gun kit! ??.. doubt it cuz it prob will Melt (Aluminum??) & I have Not Seen on YT a Real M93r Fieldstrip) only KSC Auto-9 toygun!!
Fun fact: this was the handgun used by the character Leon S. Kennedy in the 1998 PlayStation video game Resident Evil 2.
A man lore I see I want this weapon dude
MATILDA !
I want to buy one, but can’t find one.
It was also used in a variety of Japanese anime
Leon's HG from RE2
I have mine. Bought one new back in 1977. Sold it to a co-worker in 1995. Bought another one in 2020. Can't be without one.
The trigger pull is like a staple gun. Safe, deliberate pull, no accidental firing here. It was for civilian resistance incase of a Russian invasion. Sound familiar 🇺🇦. The barrel is fixed. It's more simple than a Glock. More robust and heavy duty mechanically than a Glock.
legendaria y hermosa
small but deadly, simple, thank you for introducing guns.com is the best
We got to shoot it in 3-round burst with stock. Hard to control but fun. Can't imagine dumping a full mag with no stock.
Dont forget to replace the striker spring with a new reduced power for Wolff Springs your finger with thank you.
MATILDA !
Beautiful piece, I've always loved the design of the VP70 & the practicality of the holster/ stock. Been looking for a VP70 airsoft forever, does anybody know where you can buy one online or know how to DYI one, if that's even possible?
I picked one up around 1985. Easily the biggest piece of crap ever made. It caused me to not even consider a polymer firearm until about 2010. Got rid of it as fast as I could and picked up a Sig 226. That old Sig is still one of the best “wonder 9s” still in production.
Glad you found a gun you like. Sig 226's are sweet.
This is before the Glocks
Yeah!! I Would Pay $999 for one .. Chambered in 6mm by Diameters, Full Pastic “Jacket” Round(Recently Seen on Ebay) .. More I would Pay for One With Stock $1899 on Ebay (seen awhile ago) .. But I didn’t have the Cash.. Pesetas!! 😣😣 Aah I Would Pay.. a High Price!!! .. curious.. I think this is the Smallest?! From Trigger to Barrel/Muzzle ?? Either VP .. or Micro Uzi??? Beats Glock 18c, M93r, ??!!! Or P90 Pdw!!?
Almost any old junk, if left buried in the sand for long enough, will be worth a furtune some day.
Cómo sedesarma y se vuelve armar
Щас бы нам сию игруху помацкать. Выяснили бы удобный спуск иль нет.
Looks like a Hi Point lol
Quit! Pleazzzzzzzzzee! I want it but I can’t afford it!!!!!!!!! Stop teasing me!!
It’s just a high point ...
Sea shadowbanned N.Christopher now that you mentioned it, I see the resemblance
V in german is pronounced as an f