HK VP9 Death Grip Backstrap - Large - Brass - Black

LOVE IT in spite of not fitting a magwell without user modification would give this backstrap 7 out of five stars if not for a magwell fitment issue which knocks it down to 5 stars. I still give it five stars because of how much more that I love the backstrap ( * see below for why) than am I am annoyed by the fact that I cannot install a magwell without filing down the backstrap and possibly the magwell. ** See below for explanation. There is no warning on the TF Large backstrap page. There is, however, a warning on the TF magwell page regarding Large TF backstrap magwell fitment and on the "Large Heavy Weight Kit" page. I would object less to having to file the backstrap down if I had the naked brass backstrap rather than the black coated backstrap which will show shiny brass where filed against the black background. Note: If I had the naked brass I would use my 300 grit diamond knife sharpening stone to evenly and quickly remove material in a very controlled way and then finnish with my 1000 grit diamond stone for a nice smooth finish. In my opinion, this should not be outsourced to the purchaser and handled in house. Why I love it:1) the diamond grip texture increases gun purchase even with sweaty hands.2) The extended tab at the top of the backstrap adds a few mm to the trigger reach for a more consistant pull.I have long fingers. It also slightly drops the front sight to a more natural and faster sight alignment. HK factory Medium is a hair low. The Large a hair high.3) Massively better balance. A hair rear heavy with the 4" slide assembly, Perfect with the 5.5" Match slide assembly. A tad nose heavy with the 4" slide with the HKP rail mounted 5 oz weighted compensator. 4) Nicely damped felt recoil. Less sharp. Feels more like a bump than a snap. Kind of like the difference between shooting 115gr and 124gr.5) Reduced muzzel rise6) quicker recovery7) My 5 oz weighted HKP rail mounted compensator is a lot easier to manage. Between the compensator weight and downward force I was getting noticable muzzle dip with Federal 124gr 1150 fps ammo. With the added 5.2 oz of the TF backstrap it now shoots very flat with no muzzle dip and very little rise as compared to "no compensator" and "pre-backstrap" baselines. My groups are smaller and more consistant. Before the backstrap I regretted purchasing the HKP weighted compensator. Now it is fun. 8) Subjectively and qualutatively the VP9 just feels better in the hand and while shooting. The gun just feels more substantial and solid and without it almost like a toy. "IT JUST FEELS RIGHT!" 9) Versatility. You get the advantage of metal frame weight and polymer frame shock damping. Plus, it can easily be switched out for the TF aluminum or the HK Polymer backstrap if a light weight carry is needed. 10) I cannot think of an upgrade that I would take in its place! Issues: There are two issues keeping a magwell from fitting the large backstrap: 1) the slot on the backstrap. Although the slot in the TF backstrap appears to be the same dimensions as the factory HK polymer backstrap, the tab in the magwell will not fit. Upon close inspection, when you slide the magwell tab into the polymer slot in the factory backstrap the polymer, being elastic, flex and expand snugly around the tab beyond the measured dimensions uninstalled. Since brass is not elastic the gap cannot expand to fit the tab from the magwell. An easy to understand oversight. I filed down the sides if the tab on my Anarchy Outdoors (Tyrant, HKP, others) magwell and got it to fit the TF backstrap slot. It now slides smoothly into the factory polymer backstrap with zero flex. However, this is how I discovered the second issue. NOTE: This issue does not apply to the TF magwell. Its tab is made to fit the dimensions of the TF backstrap. This also allows it to fit the factory HK polymer backstrap with zero flex (expansion) to fit. 2) the extended curvature added to the base of the backstrap over stock spec slightly elevates the magwell so it will not fit at the correct angle thus not allowing the backstrap pin in the magwell tab to align with the holes in the backstrap. The base at the bottom of the grip where the magwell sits is a slope. By increasing the length of the slope (extended curve at the base of the backstrap) you increase the rise of the slope. Although the base of the backstrap fits perfectly flush with the bottom of the grip, the magwell cannot seat all the way down and sits a bit too high due to this rise in slope caused by the added length to the backstrap base. The underside of the extended length of the curve (2 or 3 mm) will have to be filed flat (1/32"to 1/16") to the same level as that portion prior to the added curve.

Very well made, definitely worth the price Improved the feel and balance by 100%