I've been a fan of DA/SA over Striker fired for pretty much, ever, and I've also had an on-again off-again interest in the HK LEM trigger. Especially once I had come across a really good post on it from someone in the LEO community.

(It was "Why I like the LEM as a "street trigger"", for those who haven't come across it)

So I recently found a great deal on a P30SK v1, which is the Light LEM configuration, and just getting back from the range shooting it all I can say is... holy $#%!. Draws pointed the same if not better than what I'm used to with Sig's and Beretta's and I found shooting the LEM trigger was outstanding.

After reading about LEM over the past few years I thought I understood it but didn't understand why some people *really* didn't like it. It wasn't until I bought this P30SK, and then ultimately took it to the range, that I understood LEM is a bit nuanced. Its like having a near-weightless DA that is mostly pre-travel, then slightly heavier for a small amount, then has a defined wall like SAO or the SA of DA/SA. I had no issue just shooting it like a DAO trigger and the results were extremely good. Then factor in you just let out the trigger all the way instead of having to manually decock, and it makes things exceptionally less complex from a self-defense standpoint.

I think I see some more HK's in my future.

I love mine it took me about 500 rounds to get used to it but then it made me shoot every other gun better!

Forgot to mention the 13 round mag is the perfect combination!!

LEM is the perfect compromise between a striker and hammer system. It has the long double-pull of a striker AND hammer control during re-holstering AND the consistent 'single" pull of a striker.

The only reason I am not 100% HK, the aftermarket support, even from HK itself. My God, everything is coming with an optics cut but HK only has it for their latest, the VP striker gun. What about their hammer version? The P30, it's current production right??? Also, I cannot get used to their magazine release. You'd think they would have a button version for the large US market.

Remember, remember, HK changes designs only for specific contracts.

The P30 is like the USP still in production, but they won't make any changes to those unless there is a specific and quantifiable deman

I have the P 2000 in 40 cal LEM , night sights and I like it don`t no ya have it on , shoots well , I seem a hair slower with trigger but its right on. I don`t care for the real lite LEM feels like a spring broke or just to light of a take up .

My duty weapon for the past 19 years has been an HK 40C LEM. I've probably put over 100,000 rounds through it. I mention this round count only to indicate how reliable the HK LEM design is. In my humble opinion, the LEM trigger system is just the right blend of resistance and finesse. Once you get the "feel" of when the trigger will break, it seems quite natural. The only negative attribute of the LEM trigger - and it's a minor one that can be overcome with practice - is that the trigger has more lateral play (from side to side) than a typical P229/P226. And so for long distance precision shots, you must be very deliberate in pulling the trigger straight back.

I have a bunch of LEM’s. I have them because they “seem” like the perfect solution between DA/SA and striker. It’s a great system, I should love it, for goodness sakes I keep buying guns with LEM. Alas, I don’t like it that much. Hard to put a finger on it but I don’t shoot them as well as I shoot hammers or strikers. One exception, I have a P2000 with the TGS LEM setup, somewhere between standard and light and I shoot it well. The others? I can’t shoot nearly so well. Try it first. Then try it some more, I doubt you will love it at first either way but you might have it grow on you. And just for the sake of poking, this is what DAK wants to be when it grows up. (just kidding)(and yes I understand the differences so please for the love of all that is good and holy I don’t need it explained, it was a joke) lol

Great additional comments, thanks. It's interesting that there are a number of different LEM configurations other than v1 and v2. I'm looking into the difference between light LEM and 4.1 as I often shoot Beretta 92's and PX4's. Both of the Beretta's being LTT models the triggers feel very similar but the PX4 DA pull is shorter. That's what the 4.1 configuration apparently changes.

I have a P30SK LEM. Nice pistol and I like LEM for carry but prefer DA/SA for my P30L and HK45.

Good to have options just like SIG had the DAK trigger but seems a smaller minority like LEM and DAK. Local gun store has a lot of HKs but rarely any LEM.

quote:

Originally posted by ah3:
Great additional comments, thanks. It's interesting that there are a number of different LEM configurations other than v1 and v2. I'm looking into the difference between light LEM and 4.1 as I often shoot Beretta 92's and PX4's. Both of the Beretta's being LTT models the triggers feel very similar but the PX4 DA pull is shorter. That's what the 4.1 configuration apparently changes.

Problem for me with the LEM 4.1 is I believe the hammer does not go all the way flush like it does with regular LEM. That would bug the crap out of me and was never interested after learning that. I might try heavier TRS on my P30SK some time to see how I like LEM 2 though.

quote:

Originally posted by jmkfive:
My duty weapon for the past 19 years has been an HK 40C LEM. I've probably put over 100,000 rounds through it. I mention this round count only to indicate how reliable the HK LEM design is.

That's a lot of rounds from a HK LEM .40.
Any broken trigger return springs, broken trigger bars, recoil spring tabs, etc.?

I have a P200Sk in Light LEM and love it.

Despite that I am am thinking of swapping the TRS back to make it a Todd Green Special... to see if that is slightly less scary light.

One or the other is the way to go !

John

I have a HK45c in light LEM, an HK45T in heavy LEM, and a USP in match LEM. I've owned a fair number of DA/SA HK pistols, I've sold all but the Mk23. I really like LEM, but I find I need to dedicate myself a bit more to the trigger if I want to do as well as expected in competition. Having so many choices means I don't shoot the guns that need more practice as much as others.

I've had a lot of people shoot mine, and a lot of distaste I attribute to people who have never gotten experienced shooting a DA/DAO pistol or revolver well. A good amount of single stage rifle trigger and striker fired pistol shooters have never had to prep, hold, and control a DA trigger, and since LEM is such a long pull, trying to power through the whole thing usually causes some kind of hiccup combination of finger placement, too much muscle/finger travel, hitting that actual wall pretty deep to the rear, etc.

That's most of what I have to get over when I try to run LEM at speed and my muscle memory wasn't reset into trigger prep mode. I'm shooting for fun, it's usually only a half stage, to a stage and a half max, to adjust and not hiccup the first shot off the draw. But the same usually goes if I'm switching from striker to any hammer platform, catching a DA hammer pull on the draw when I'm instinctively thinking SA/striker. Going back to the striker, the fundamentals are there regardless of the trigger, it's just so much less travel and effort the hiccup is after the shot breaks when I'm burying the trigger in the frame and it's usually the second round that sees the drop from poor reset, and it's only a few draws to transition fully back.

My 9mm USP Combat Competition with a factory match LEM trigger is one of my sweetest shooters, among LTT Beretta, GrayGuns Sigs, old buttery S&W revolvers, and some other good hammer guns.