2A Patriot Ranch2A PATRIOT RANCH

Reviews / Firearms

HK P30L "Wick Stick" Review — The Best Bargain Gun I Own

The Verdict

A hammer-fired 9mm that shoots flatter than anything I own — and I paid $500 for it.

I'm a striker-fired guy. I don't post a lot of hammer guns. But the P30L is another level: the trigger is fantastic, the comp keeps the front end planted, and it is just flat-out fun to shoot. New they run somewhere in the $700 to $800 range; I bought mine used at Arsenal Arms in Homestead, Florida for right around $500, cleaned it up to near-new, and I think it's the best bargain firearm I have. You're getting HK quality, and John Wick used the damn gun. What more do you want?

/The Rundown

I posted a YouTube Short on this gun probably nine months ago, and it was so hot and muggy that day all anybody could talk about was my breathing. So today we're doing the long-form overview I've been holding off on: the HK P30L, commonly known as the Wick Stick. I picked up the base model about a year ago, then bought the compensator separately from HK Parts. When I saw this thing in the John Wick movies I thought it was one of the most badass guns I'd ever seen, and I went on a search until I found one.

In the movie the comp kind of looks like a suppressor, but it's a compensator. It slides onto the rail up front and — the part I really like — it adds a Picatinny rail section, so you can still run a light after you bolt it on. The gun wears night sights, two in back and one up front. I'm more of a blacked-out-rear, white-dot-front guy, but I can still pick these up quickly.

Controls: it has a decocker, so you can drop the hammer without firing, and a manual safety that's fully ambidextrous — flip one side and the other moves with it. The magazine release is down at the bottom of the trigger guard, and it kicks mags out cleanly. Internals are pretty standard; I didn't do a full teardown on camera, but when I pulled it apart it was very easy to break down and clean. The grip has HK's three-finger indents with stippling that isn't overly aggressive, plus some texture lines for a four-finger hold. I've never had an issue getting a grip on it.

Before the range, a quick thank-you to our newer partners: HRT Tactical sent the chest harness rig and a brand-new gun belt that are absolutely phenomenal — I'm loving their mag holders — and Born Primitive Tactical set us up with their combat tops and tactical pants. I'm not a long-sleeve guy, but the material is fantastic, and the pants have about five billion pockets while staying flexible and comfortable.

On the range with the comp on, it shot pretty darn good — no wonder the masterful John Wick picked it. Running plates, I'll admit I started slow: I'm so used to shooting with a dot these days that static iron sights take me a second to catch onto. It comes back quick, but I need to practice on this type of gun more. Once I settled in, though — man, this is a fun gun. It's front-loaded, the comp keeps it down, and you'll see from the footage that it shoots flatter than Taylor Swift's ass.

Bottom line: I've shot it with and without the comp, and either way the trigger pull is fantastic and the gun runs. New they're in the $700 to $800 range. I bought mine used for around $500, it had been used moderately, and after a cleaning it looks almost brand new. For that money you're getting HK quality — and it doesn't even say Taran Tactical on it, and John Wick still used it. I love it. I just need a holster for it.

Hits

  • +Trigger pull is fantastic — one of the best-shooting guns I own
  • +The HK Parts compensator keeps the front end down and adds a Picatinny section for a light
  • +Decocker plus a fully ambidextrous manual safety
  • +Easy breakdown, easy to clean, HK build quality
  • +Bought used for ~$500 — the best bargain firearm in my safe

Misses

  • No optic — if you live behind a dot like I do, iron sights take a second to get back into
  • Compensator is sold separately
  • I don't have a holster for it yet, so it's a range gun for now

/Gear In This Video(4)

These are affiliate links — they cost you nothing extra and help fund the next review. We only feature gear we'd actually buy ourselves.

/More Firearms

GET SQUARED AWAY.

First look at new reviews, the 30-day Prepper Starter Kit, and 10% off your first merch order.