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HK P30L LEM Question
- Thread starter ednemo
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- Jun 10, 2003
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Try www.hkpro.com for lots of HK info
Will do. Thanks.
I signed up for the forum unfortunately there is a wait until the mods approve you. I did a search over there and did not see an answer. What I specifically want to know is how the LEM takes away the need for an external safety. I was planning on picking up the P30L this week but may just pick up a USP 9 instead.
Last edited:
Absintheur
Banned
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Bob Rowe had this to say in his review of the LEM trigger...
The H&K LEM pistols, like their regular DAO models, can be obtained with or without a control lever safety. I chose to not have the lever retained when my pistol was converted to LEM. I did this for a number of reasons: (a) The safety isn't necessary; (b) No liability issues of whether the pistol was on safe or not prior to firing; (c) To eliminate concerns that the pistol might be accidentally put on Safe; (d) The pistol is more comfortable in an IWB holster without the control lever; and (e) The absence of the control lever gives a cleaner access to the slide lock release lever. Other owners may have different priorities and may opt for having the control lever present. The LEM pistols have a two-part hammer -- an internal hammer and an external hammer. When the slide is cycled, either manually or by firing the pistol, the internal hammer is cocked but the eternal hammer follows the slide forward to its normal just-off-the-firing-pin position. The trigger is in its forward position. To fire the weapon, the trigger is pulled rearward through a long, light trigger pull of something less than 2 pounds. Near the end of that trigger stroke, resistance is encountered. If additional force is then applied to the trigger, the pistol will fire, cycle, and start all over again.
The LEM fire control module can be obtained in either of two trigger pulls. The "light trigger" is 4.5 to 5.5 pounds. The "heavy trigger" is 7.5 to 8.5 pounds. I chose the light trigger for my USP conversion. When I received the pistol back from Sterling, VA, the trigger measured just under 5.5 pounds on my RCBS trigger pull gauge. I anticipate that it will lighten up a little with use.
H&K advertises that their LEM trigger has a "very short trigger reset." I found this interesting, because the very long trigger reset is one of the main disadvantages (for me) of my Para Ordnance LDA pistol. I also wondered how they could have a short trigger reset, when the trigger had to move forward into its DAO position after firing. Well, here is one of the main advantages of the H&K LEM trigger over the P-O LDA trigger. After firing an LEM-equipped H&K USP pistol, the slide cycles faster than the shooter can release the trigger. This occurs in all semiauto pistols. If one fires the LEM pistol, and keeps the trigger back after firing, the hammer remains back! At this point, the shooter can let the trigger go forward just a short distance; the trigger will reset, the hammer will stay to the rear, and the pistol will be ready to fire again. If this is done repeatedly, firing the pistol will be just like firing a pistol in SA mode. There will be short trigger pulls of about 5 lbs, short resets, and hammer staying cocked after each shot. However, if the shooter lets the trigger go all the way forward after firing it, the hammer will go forward to its normal just-off-the-firing-pin position. At this point, the pistol will be in the same condition that it was after initially loading, and it may be safely holstered. Although the internal hammer remains cocked, letting the trigger go forward is almost like "decocking" the external hammer, but without having to manipulate a decocking lever.
SO basically as a DAO a safety is not required. Yes it can be shot as a SA with proper trigger use but it cannot be holstered with the external hammer cocked, releasing the trigger lowers the hammer.
The H&K LEM pistols, like their regular DAO models, can be obtained with or without a control lever safety. I chose to not have the lever retained when my pistol was converted to LEM. I did this for a number of reasons: (a) The safety isn't necessary; (b) No liability issues of whether the pistol was on safe or not prior to firing; (c) To eliminate concerns that the pistol might be accidentally put on Safe; (d) The pistol is more comfortable in an IWB holster without the control lever; and (e) The absence of the control lever gives a cleaner access to the slide lock release lever. Other owners may have different priorities and may opt for having the control lever present. The LEM pistols have a two-part hammer -- an internal hammer and an external hammer. When the slide is cycled, either manually or by firing the pistol, the internal hammer is cocked but the eternal hammer follows the slide forward to its normal just-off-the-firing-pin position. The trigger is in its forward position. To fire the weapon, the trigger is pulled rearward through a long, light trigger pull of something less than 2 pounds. Near the end of that trigger stroke, resistance is encountered. If additional force is then applied to the trigger, the pistol will fire, cycle, and start all over again.
The LEM fire control module can be obtained in either of two trigger pulls. The "light trigger" is 4.5 to 5.5 pounds. The "heavy trigger" is 7.5 to 8.5 pounds. I chose the light trigger for my USP conversion. When I received the pistol back from Sterling, VA, the trigger measured just under 5.5 pounds on my RCBS trigger pull gauge. I anticipate that it will lighten up a little with use.
H&K advertises that their LEM trigger has a "very short trigger reset." I found this interesting, because the very long trigger reset is one of the main disadvantages (for me) of my Para Ordnance LDA pistol. I also wondered how they could have a short trigger reset, when the trigger had to move forward into its DAO position after firing. Well, here is one of the main advantages of the H&K LEM trigger over the P-O LDA trigger. After firing an LEM-equipped H&K USP pistol, the slide cycles faster than the shooter can release the trigger. This occurs in all semiauto pistols. If one fires the LEM pistol, and keeps the trigger back after firing, the hammer remains back! At this point, the shooter can let the trigger go forward just a short distance; the trigger will reset, the hammer will stay to the rear, and the pistol will be ready to fire again. If this is done repeatedly, firing the pistol will be just like firing a pistol in SA mode. There will be short trigger pulls of about 5 lbs, short resets, and hammer staying cocked after each shot. However, if the shooter lets the trigger go all the way forward after firing it, the hammer will go forward to its normal just-off-the-firing-pin position. At this point, the pistol will be in the same condition that it was after initially loading, and it may be safely holstered. Although the internal hammer remains cocked, letting the trigger go forward is almost like "decocking" the external hammer, but without having to manipulate a decocking lever.
SO basically as a DAO a safety is not required. Yes it can be shot as a SA with proper trigger use but it cannot be holstered with the external hammer cocked, releasing the trigger lowers the hammer.