HK VP9 (Night Sights)

TECHNOLOGY

Cold Hammer Forged Polygonal Bore

During the 1960s, Heckler & Koch perfected the famous polygonal profile barrel technology. Conventional lands-and-grooves rifling allow propellant gasses to escape around the front of the bullet as it is fired from the barrel muzzle. A polygonal bore profile effectively seals propellant gases behind the bullet—increasing bullet velocity. An added benefit of a polygonal barrel is its resistance to wear. A polygonal barrel will normally outlast a conventional “lands-and-grooves” barrel by thousands of rounds. Polygonal barrels were one of the many radical design elements used on the HK P7 series pistol and this same breakthrough technology is present on all current HK handguns.

Reinforced Polyamide (Polymer) Frame

A radical new material used on the P9S pistol in the late 1960s, advanced polymers were soon used as major components and assemblies on a variety of HK products — including the receivers of MP5s in the 1960s. HK polymer molding technology led to the introduction of another synthetic framed HK handgun, the futuristic-looking VP70. Heckler & Koch pioneered the use of polymers more than fifteen years before competing firms. Today, HK remains a technology leader in the use of innovative and high-strength polyamides.