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Heckler & Koch VP70
The Heckler & Koch VP70 is a German semi-automatic/burst fire pistol. The VP stands for Volkspistole ("People's Pistol", a designation that would similarly be used for the later Heckler & Koch VP9) and the 70 refers to its year of introduction, 1970. The VP70 has the distinction of being the world's first polymer-framed production handgun, beating out the much more well-known Glock pistol series by 12 years. The military version is able to use a detachable stock that acts as a holster when not in use, similar to the Mauser C96. Attaching this stock also allows the shooter to operate a selector switch which turns the pistol into a machine pistol firing three round bursts, with a cyclic fire rate of 2200 rounds per minute. The VP70 has extra deep rifling that allows gas to escape out the muzzle, reducing the velocity of ammo by over 10%. This loss in power makes the VP70 able to use 9x19 in a straight blowback action without making the slide excessively heavy. The VP70 saw limited use among a few police and military forces and was discontinued in 1989. Complaints were often leveled at its poor ergonomics and heavy double-action only trigger.
It was produced in two models, the VP70M (Militär, military) which was select-fire capable and the VP70Z (Zivil, civilian) which is semi-automatic only. Other than lacking the facility to take the stock, the civilian version's only functional difference is the inclusion of a cross-bolt safety at the base of the trigger guard; the military one instead relies on its double-action-only operation and resultant heavy trigger pull.
The Heckler & Koch VP70 and variants can be seen in the following films, television series, video games, and anime used by the following actors:
Specifications
(1970–1989)
Type: Pistol, Machine Pistol
Caliber: 9x19mm Parabellum, 9x21mm IMI
Weight: 1.8 lbs (0.82 kg)
Length: 8 in (20.4 cm)
Barrel Length: 4.6 in (11.6 cm)
Capacity: 18-round box magazine
Fire Modes: Semi-Auto (VP70Z), Semi-Auto/3-Round-Burst (VP70M)
Film
Television
| Show Title | Actor | Character | Episode / Note | Air Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The A-Team | Terrorist | 1983-1987 | ||
| Blue Thunder | Dick Butkus | "Ski" Butowski | 1984 | |
| Blue Thunder | Bubba Smith | "Bubba" Kelsey | 1984 | |
| Dempsey and Makepeace | Ray Charleson | Joe Delaney | "The Hit" (S02E08) | 1984 |
| MacGyver (1985 TV Series) | Douglas Dirkson | Reverend Mather | "The Enemy Within" (S1E15) / live gun, shot for real | 1986 |
| MacGyver (1985 TV Series) | Beau Starr | GRU Assassin Anton Lem | "The Enemy Within" (S1E15) / unfired | 1986 |
| MacGyver (1985 TV Series) | Richard Dean Anderson | MacGyver | "The Enemy Within" (S1E15) / unfired | 1986 |
| MacGyver (1985 TV Series) | Ned Bellamy | Larkin | "Ugly Duckling" (S1E18) / supressed | 1986 |
| Firefly | Jonathan M. Woodward | Tracey | "The Message" (S01E12) | 2003 |
| Painkiller Jane | thug | "Pilot" (S01E01) | 2007 |
Anime
| Title | Character | Note | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gunsmith Cats | Natasha Radinov | 1995 - 1996 | |
| Gunslinger Girl | Claes | VP70M with stock | 2003 |
| Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex | Visible in Kusanagi's gunrack | 2002 - 2003 | |
| Gungrave | 2003-2004 | ||
| A Certain Magical Index II | Accelerator | 2010 | |
| Aria the Scarlet Ammo | A Student | 2011 | |
| A Certain Magical Index III | Mercenary | 2018 |
Video Game
| Game Title | Appears as | Mods | Note | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Resident Evil 2 | optional shoulder stock | M model | 1998 | |
| Jurassic Park: Trespasser | M model; incorrectly fires in bursts without the stock | 1998 | ||
| Resident Evil 4 | Matilda | with shoulder stock fitted | M model | 2005 |
| Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D | Matilda | with shoulder stock fitted | M model | 2011 |
| Cry of Fear | with shoulder stock fitted | M model | 2012 | |
| Resident Evil 6 | "Wing Shooter" | can be duel-wielded | 2013 | |
| Aliens: Colonial Marines | "88 Mod 4 Combat Pistol" | with various attachments | 1970 model, with green grips and synthetic slide, fitted with an underbarrel accessory rail, infinite reserve ammo | 2013 |
| "Gorman's Pistol" | Black frame, infinite reserve ammo | |||
| World of Guns: Gun Disassembly | HK VP70M | with shoulder stock | M model | 2014 |
| Umbrella Corps | 418 Matilda | with optional suppressors and optics | 2016 | |
| 418 Matilda SP | with shoulder stock, 3-round burst fire and optional suppressors and optics | 2016 | ||
| Resident Evil 2 (2019) | Matilda | optional shoulder stock, compensator, and extended magazine | M model, incorrect 12/24 round capacity | 2019 |
| Resident Evil 4 (2023 VG) | Matilda | optional shoulder stock | M model | 2023 |
