History[edit]

Early prototypes of the P30 were referred to as the P3000. The P30 is marketed by the
manufacturer as a law enforcement service pistol.
As of fall 2006, the German Federal Customs Administration had procured 13,500 copies
of the P30V6 for its forces, making them the first customer of the P30. Additionally,
the Norwegian Police Service has decided in favor of the P30 pistol with an order of
approximately 7,000 copies.[2]
In October 2008, the cantonal police of Zurich, Switzerland was granted the purchase of
an undisclosed number of P30s worth 1.6 million CHF (US$1.35 million), replacing the
previously used SIG P228.[3]
In late November 2008, the German Bundespolizei ordered 30,000 P30s with the option
for another 5,000. Deliveries will take place between summer 2009 and 2011. [4]
In April 2010, the state police of Hesse (Germany) ordered the P30 V2. In addition,
correction officers in Hesse's state prisons will be equipped with this model. [5]
The P30 NL (H3) variant was being considered for Dutch police service. This pistol
finished second in a European tender, after the winning SIG Sauer P250 was rejected in
November 2011, and before the Walther P99Q NL (H3) and Beretta Px4 Storm. When
minister Ivo Opstelten concluded that SIG Sauer could not deliver the requisite quality in
a mass production setting, he chose the P30 NL (H3). [6][7][8] However, Walther and Beretta
appealed to court, insisting that a new tender procedure should be started. On 24
January 2012 the court decided that a new tender process should be organized.
Opstelten chose to initiate a quick and rigorous new tender process that allows to choose
another product if the winner should be rejected. This will delay the introduction of a new
police pistol by 1 to 1 years according to the Dutch Ministry of Security and Justice.[9][10]
[11]

In October 2012 it became clear that the P99Q NL (H3) will succeed the Walther

P5 andGlock 17 pistols in 2013-2014.[12][13]

Design details[edit]
The P30 is a fully ambidextrous polymer framed short recoiloperated locked breech
pistol with a modified Browning-type linkless cam action with a vertically tilting barrel.
Technically, the P30 is similar to the Heckler & Koch P2000 pistol; the differences are in
exterior appearance and ergonomics. The basic design is derived from theHeckler &
Koch P2000 and Heckler & Koch USP Compact pistols.
The P30 is a hammer-fired pistol with an exposed spurred hammer; a bobbed hammer is
optional. It has ambidextrous slide release locks and a fully ambidextrous magazine
release installed in the trigger guard, on both sides. Various trigger and cocking systems
offer the possibility of converting the trigger firing mode from one type to another. Several

variants are available based whether the LEM (Law Enforcement Modification) trigger
(H&K's double-action only) mechanism is used versus a SA/DA trigger.
All P30 pistols feature an automatic hammer safety and firing pin safety. Some trigger
configurations also offer a decocker.
The cold hammer-forged barrel has hexagonal right-hand polygonal rifling while the slide,
having both front and rear serrations, is made from a solid bar of nitro-carburized steel.
Besides metals the P30 makes extensive use of impact-resistant polymers to reduce
weight and production costs.
Major metal components like the steel slide are treated with a protective surface
treatment. Heckler & Koch refers to this treatment as the "HE" (Hostile Environment)
finish, which is an extremely hard, nitro-gas carburized, black oxide coating. It aids
resisting wear and corrosion, including exposure to salt water, making the pistol
particularly suitable for individuals carrying the pistol concealed as the highly chlorideresistant finish allows the pistol to better endure the effects of perspiration.
As with other recent Heckler & Koch pistol designs, the P30 is modular to suit individual
needs. The grip features three interchangeable backstrap inserts and three
interchangeable grip shells both available in small, medium and large sizes. These
backstraps and grip shells can be assembled completely at random, also asymmetrically,
in 27 different user configurable grip configurations, allowing to customize the pistol's grip
to various hand size and shapes and personal preferences.
The iron sights consist of a square notch rear sight and post type front sight. The sight
features three-dot contrast enhancements that have been painted with nonradioactive photoluminescent Super-LumiNova afterglow paint that can aid target
acquisition under unfavourable lighting conditions.
A MIL-STD-1913 (Picatinny) accessory rail on the dust cover allows mounting tactical
lights, laser sights and other accessories. The attachment of such accessories does not
require any tools.
The empty weight of a P30(L) 15-round box magazine is 93 g (3.3 oz). The empty weight
of a P30SK 10-round box magazine is 82 g (2.9 oz).
For cleaning purposes the pistol can be disassembled into its subassemblies without
tools. Disassembly of the pistol is carried out without having to remove the slide release
from the grip.

Options[edit]
The P30 can have an optional loaded chamber indicator that visibly and tactilely indicates
the presence of a cartridge in the chamber.
Another P30 option is a visually conspicuous empty magazine indicator in the form of a
red, white or orange colored magazine follower that becomes visible after the last round

has been fired, and the slide release blocks the slide of the pistol in the open position. [citation
needed]

A further option is an ambidextrous external thumb safety lever. With this decocking latch
the pistol can be carried in a "cocked and locked" condition as well as in a decocked
condition. P30 pistols that feature this optional external safety are denoted by the
addition of an S to the type name.
For the recording of weapon specific data, a passive RFID transponder may be
integrated into the weapon. The stored data can be read via an external unit.

Variants[edit]
The P30L is a P30 featuring a longer slide and barrel.
The P30SK is a sub compact P30 featuring a shorter slide and barrel. [14]
The P30S, P30LS and P30SKS variants feature an optional external ambidextrous
thumb safety. This manual safety is available for most trigger variants. The variants with
the optional external ambidextrous thumb safety have similar dimensions compared to
the variants without this feature, but weigh approximately 50 g (1.8 oz) more and the
safety levers add 3.66 mm (0.144 in) width resulting in an overall width of 38.46 mm
(1.514 in).[15]
The P30, P30L and P30SK pistols offer multiple trigger configurations. It is possible to
change the (original) trigger configuration of a P30 series pistol to another trigger
configuration.

P30 trigger and model configurations[edit]

Many P30 triggers feature Heckler and Koch's Combat Defensive Action (CDA), which is
a variant of conventional Double Action Only (DAO) triggers featuring a cocking piece in
the hammer for a lighter yet consistent trigger pull. In addition to the P30 variants
featuring the proprietary CDA trigger, the P30 is also offered in conventional pistol trigger
mechanisms.

Variant

V0

Action

DA/SA

Trigger pull

Trigger
travel

Notes

51 N(11.5 lbf)

14 mm

Exposed two-part hammer with spur.

(DA)

(0.55 in)

Hammer actually consists of an internal

20 N (4.5 lbf)

cocking piece which is connected to the

(CDA)

main spring, and the hammer itself. After

each shot, the cocking piece stays cocked,
and the hammer remains lowered, providing

maximum safety and a low CDA-type trigger

pull. The cocking piece can be decocked by
pressing of the decocker button, located at
the rear of the slide, next to the hammer.

Same as V0, but hammer has no spur, and

V1

CDA aka
LEM

20 N (4.5 lbf)

14 mm

there is no decocker button; therefore, the

(0.55 in)

only way to release the cocked mainspring

is to pull the trigger over the empty chamber

V2

CDA aka
LEM

32.5 N (7.3 lbf)

14 mm
(0.55 in)

Same as V1

14 mm
51 N (11.5 lbf) (0.55 in)
V3

DA/SA

(DA)

(DA)

20 N (4.5 lbf)

7 mm

(SA)

(0.28 in)

Conventional DA / SA unit with single-piece

hammer and decocker button at the rear of
the slide, next to the hammer.

(SA)

V4

CDA aka
LEM

27.5 N (6.2 lbf)

V5

DAO

36 N (8.1 lbf)

V6

DAO

39 N (8.8 lbf)

14 mm
(0.55 in)

Same as V1

14 mm

Conventional DAO trigger with spurless

(0.55 in)

single-piece hammer and no decocker.

14 mm

Conventional DAO trigger with spurless

(0.55 in)

single-piece hammer and no decocker.

Users[edit]

Germany: 13,500 V6 pistols were purchased by the Federal Customs

Administration.[2][16] 30,000 V2 pistols were purchased by the Federal Police with an
option for another 5,000.[4] Approx. 16,000 P30 V2 pistols were ordered for the Hesse
State Police and Hessian corrections officers.[5]

Malaysia: Used by Pasukan Khas Laut (PASKAL) counter-terrorism forces of

the Royal Malaysian Navy.[17]

Norway: Norwegian Police Service.[2]

Portugal: Used by Public Security Police and Republican National

Guard since 2009.[18]

Switzerland: Cantonal police of Zurich,[3] as well as some municipal police

departments.[citation needed]

See also[edit]

Heckler & Koch HK45Chambered in .45 ACP, it shares HK's current design
aesthetic with the P30.

References[edit]
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.

^ Jump up to:a b with RUAG 9mmx19 SX NATO Ball 124gr German Army (DM51)
service ammunition
^ Jump up to:a b c P30-The new Service Pistol of the German Federal Customs
Administration. Originally from www.heckler-koch.de, restored by web.archive.org
^ Jump up to:a b "Sicherheitsdirektion". Ds.zh.ch. 2013-06-17. Retrieved 2013-0811.
^ Jump up to:a b Federal Police to receive new service pistol. Heckler & Koch, Nov
26, 2008
^ Jump up to:a b "Super-Pistole: Hessens Polizisten bekommen HK P30 Frankfurt" (in German). Bild.de. 2010-04-26. Retrieved 2013-08-11.
Jump up^ "Opstelten besluit overeenkomst SIG-Sauer over nieuw politiepistool
te beindigen (press release), www.rijksoverheid.nl (Dutch)". 2011-11-08.
Retrieved 2011-11-08.
Jump up^ "Ontbinding overeenkomst aanschaf nieuw dienstpistool politie (letter
to the Dutch parliament), www.rijksoverheid.nl (Dutch)" (PDF). 2011-11-08.
Retrieved 2011-11-08.
Jump up^ "Nieuw politiepistool afgekeurd, www.rijksoverheid.nl (Dutch)". 201111-09. Retrieved 2011-11-09.
Jump up^ "Aanbesteding politiewapen moet over, www.nos.nl (Dutch)". 201201-23. Retrieved 2012-02-23.
Jump up^ "'Vertraging nieuw politiepistool 1 tot 1,5 jaar', www.volkskrant.nl
(Dutch)". 2012-01-24. Retrieved 2012-02-23.
Jump up^ "Court decision LJN: BV1636, Rechtbank 's-Gravenhage , 408727 /
KG ZA 11-1438, Rechtspraak.nl (Dutch)". 2012-01-24. Retrieved 2012-02-23.
Jump up^ "Nieuw pistool voor Nederlandse politie, www.rijksoverheid.nl
(Dutch)". 2012-10-26. Retrieved 2012-10-26.
Jump up^ "Brief Tweede Kamer Voorlopige gunning nieuw dienstpistool politie,
www.rijksoverheid.nl (Dutch)" (PDF). 2012-10-25. Retrieved 2012-10-26.
Jump up^ P30 SK at HK USA
Jump up^ 'P30 Series' user manual, includes the P30
Jump up^ "Heckler & Koch :: Welcome". Heckler-koch.de. 2013-07-26.
Retrieved 2013-08-11.
Jump up^ Dan, Alex (9 February 2016). "PASKAL Malaysian Special Forces
Weapons". Military Factory (Small Arms). Retrieved 1 May 2016.
Jump up^ "Pistolas novas j durante este ano - Portugal - Correio da Manh".
Cmjornal.xl.pt. 2007-06-24. Retrieved 2013-08-11.

External links[edit]

P30 page from the Heckler & Koch Group website

Official P30L page from the Heckler & Koch Group website

'P30 Series' user manual, includes the P30

2008 Heckler & Koch Military and LE brochure

HKPro page on the P30

Home Page of HK USA, which has a link to the P30 and P30L

Modern Firearms - Heckler & Koch HK P30 pistol (Germany)

Reports on a Heckler & Koch P30 9x19mm Parabellum endurance test over
91,322 rounds conducted by pistol-training.com