HK VP40 - Using 9mm conversion barrel with 40 magazines

[Mytmoss]

Up until recently, there have been no 9mm conversion barrels available for the VP40 that were non threaded.

EFK now has offered to make them with a 90 wait. I was excited to get one in the past, but now not so much as I have standard capacity 40 S&W magazines thanks to freedom week.

So the question is about what is the reliability of using a 40 magazine for 9mm. I have read about many different guns where people have stated they have no issues to of course various feed issues.

The barrel is $165 and I am trying to decide if its worth it if I still have to invest in 10 round 9mm magazines. I do not shoot this a lot, so any money saved by shooting 9mm will not recover the cost of the barrel.

Constructive thoughts are appreciated.

[003]

I too have read many of the same accounts where folks say they use .40 cal magazines with their 9 mm guns. While you may certainly be able to "get away" with it, it is by no means a good idea, particularly in a self defense weapon.

The feed lip width is substantially out of spec when shooting 9 mm out of a .40 cal magazine. As a range toy, why not, for serious use never.

9 mm .325 to .335

.40 .360 to .370

.45 .425 to .435

[Gregchico]

I use the EFK 40 -9 conversion barrels in my P30L, same barrel in my P2000 and a seperate barrel for my USPc. I have not tried the VP barrels yet.

The conversion barrels work great for me. You may have a weak ejection issue though where the brass is barely popping out of the slide 6 or so inches. If you do have that issue, check your recoil spring since HK will use different lb springs in the different guns (again no experience with the VP).

With all of the barrels I can use the the factory 40s&w magazines if I want, and have very few problems (as a range gun it is fine, not for personal protection) but the correct magazines are a good idea...

[Saym14]

do the barrels drop in or require some fitting ?

[Mytmoss]

do the barrels drop in or require some fitting ?

The barrels are conversion barrels and should be drop in, but there is always a chance that a fitting might be required.