Tell me about H&K P7s. I'm considering....
- Thread starter woad_yurt
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Jim Watson
New member
A quality gun, I owned one for a while. Due to the novel manual of arms, I could not switch between shooting it and more conventional autos and revolvers. So I sold it so as to not limit myself on other action types I did not want to give up. Other shooters may be more adaptable.
I have not had particular difficulty in acclimating to the P7. However, while I had plenty of experience with autos, I was a revolver man when it came to my working guns. So you might say I was starting from the ground floor when it come to habituating myself to it. I can only encourage you to examine one and shoot it. The quality is truly excellent. Much is made about the trigger, and it is good. If you have fired a tuned 1911, you will notice that it is not as crisp. It is, however, smooth and consistent. If you appreciate pistols, and have the opportunity, you owe it to yourself to take one out for a spin.
I own 2 P7s, a P7PSP and a P7M8. The design is unique, but I find it easy to transition between my more conventional pistols and the P7s. They are thin and easy to conceal. Having a fixed 4.13" barrel their accuracy is excellent. It's also nice to know that if the extractor breaks it has no problems ejecting spent brass. That's due to the fluted chamber. It is well balanced and very well made. To own one is enjoyable and money well spent. It is in my opinion the safest pistol made to carry in condition one. Unless you squeeze the grip the gun will not fire and it takes 11lbs of force to cock it after which it only take about 3lbs pressure to keep it cocked and ready. The squeeze cocker also makes it very fast to bring into action. The trigger is exceptionally good. It is very comparable to a tuned 1911. While it tends to heat up around the upper trigger guard (from the gas recoil system) when you rapidly fire 4 or 5 magazines in a row I don't find that an issue. I tend to fire two and three shot strings when practicing. I'm not in a race to see who can burn the most ammo in a day at the range. CDNN has some really good deals on P7PSP German police turn ins. If you don't mind a European style mag release you can't beat the value. I do carry mine alternating between a P7 and my HK USP 9mm or USP 40, but would own one just for the pleasure of shooting it. I enjoy fine handguns and a P7 is one of the finest IMHO. You certainly won't find dozens of them at the range when you go to shoot. Most shooters have never seen one much less used one. 
You either love 'em or you hate 'em. There is no in between.
I fall into the latter category. I'd rather have a wart on my nose, or even a Ruger P series than P7. My advice: try before you buy. Shoot at least a full box of ammo in one before you make the decision. Fortunately, I found someone willing to give me what I paid for mine.
The one redeeming feature that I did like is that the bore axis is as low in the hand as any autoloader I have ever shot. That is a big plus. But, for me, it was not enough.
It is still amazing to me that they command such a high price. And understand that silent operation, if you have that requirement, is pretty much not an option. I have never seen a squeeze cocker that didn't make a telltale noise.
I fall into the latter category. I'd rather have a wart on my nose, or even a Ruger P series than P7. My advice: try before you buy. Shoot at least a full box of ammo in one before you make the decision. Fortunately, I found someone willing to give me what I paid for mine.
The one redeeming feature that I did like is that the bore axis is as low in the hand as any autoloader I have ever shot. That is a big plus. But, for me, it was not enough.
It is still amazing to me that they command such a high price. And understand that silent operation, if you have that requirement, is pretty much not an option. I have never seen a squeeze cocker that didn't make a telltale noise.
Do you mean when it is squeezed cocked? If so, when you do it slowly, the noise is very slight.
In general, I find very few people who don't like the P7. There out there as witnessed above, but often it is an excuse to avoid the high cost. Not saying that is the case here, so please don't take that as a dispersion. You obviously shelled out the cash for one and it didn't work for you. To each there own. My point is that someone who is new to the P7 will most likely be impressed.
I have a P7 that is one of the three guns that I routinely carry (not at the same time, depending on circumstances) The other 2 are a G23 or a chopped govt model 45.
The P7 gets the nod when I have to dress "adult" (tucked in shirt, slacks, etc. without a sport coat or jacket. It is very slim and quite concealable with the right holster. An additional plus is the safe condition that it is in while being instantly ready for action, NO safeties, just get a firing grip on it and go. It is heavier than some pistols that I have carried in the past, but a good belt/holster makes that a non issue to me, and the slim profile with nothing to snag outweighs the mass issue.
On the shooting side, it is the most accurate and easily pointable 9mm that I have ever shot. With the low bore axis and grip angle it points very well for me and is easily controllable through double taps. And the trigger pill is the same with each shot, first to last.
Joat
, depending on circumstances) The other 2 are a G23 or a chopped govt model 45.The P7 gets the nod when I have to dress "adult" (tucked in shirt, slacks, etc. without a sport coat or jacket. It is very slim and quite concealable with the right holster. An additional plus is the safe condition that it is in while being instantly ready for action, NO safeties, just get a firing grip on it and go. It is heavier than some pistols that I have carried in the past, but a good belt/holster makes that a non issue to me, and the slim profile with nothing to snag outweighs the mass issue.
On the shooting side, it is the most accurate and easily pointable 9mm that I have ever shot. With the low bore axis and grip angle it points very well for me and is easily controllable through double taps. And the trigger pill is the same with each shot, first to last.
Joat
bufordtjustice
New member
I am going to go so far as to say I believe the P7M8 that I own is one of the finest guns ever made. For a single stack 9mm there isn't anything out there I would rather own. It is heavy but is also superbly accurate, fast and most importantly in looks cool. lol. I have a large gun collection and for quite some time I was able to carry whatever I wanted as an off duty gun. That was one of them that got lots of belt time.
I have a few nice pistols, and my HK P7M8 would be the last one I would sell. I also like the idea that if the gun were somehow stripped from my possession that an assailant would most likely not be familiar enough with its unique manual of arms to immediately use the gun against me.
I own a P7M10. It was/is my first gun that I shot and bought. My thoughts? It's the reason I started buying other guns. If you shoot 50 rounds through it relatively quickly (i.e. shoot off all 50 rounds in under 5 minutes, say), the thing gets really freakin' hot because of the gas-cylinder delayed blowback locking system. So I bought a .22 to shoot while it cooled down...and now I have 16 other guns.
As to the gun itself? The squeeze-cocking operation might've been strange, but as it was the first gun I ever shot, I didn't "know better" and now it feels just as natural to me as a Glock or a Beretta or a revolver. I'll admit that I've never actually practiced with it in self-defense practice, as I don't have a proper holster for it, and finding one is a PITA since no one seems to make one for the P7M10 (plenty of ones for the P7PSP and P7M8/M13). It's pretty freakin' accurate, with single-hole groups at 10 yards, unsupported, as the norm (and the gun has apparently been tested to shoot a 1.5" group at 50 yards from a machine rest). A lot of that has to do with the fixed barrel and the buttery-smooth trigger.
It does have the hold-open-on-last-round feature, and to release the slide you can either rack the slide, or you can loosen and squeeze the cocking lever. Takedown is somewhat of a PITA, since the barrel is fixed and the gas cylinder is attached to the slide (and the recoil spring in mine is still pretty darned strong, even after 16 years). With a little practice, I've gotten a bit better at breaking it down and putting it back together.
The drop-safety spring has broken twice on mine. It was $11 to replace the tiny spring each time from e-gunparts.com (plus their outrageous shipping fees). Magazines are also quite expensive, running about $100-apiece.
I don't shoot mine as much as I used to, since I have other guns that are cheaper to feed (I go through 5-600 rounds of .22LR a week...for about $14; 5-600 rounds of .40S&W is something like $150). I do shoot it every now and then, though, just to remind myself what a good, quality gun really feels like =)
As to the gun itself? The squeeze-cocking operation might've been strange, but as it was the first gun I ever shot, I didn't "know better" and now it feels just as natural to me as a Glock or a Beretta or a revolver. I'll admit that I've never actually practiced with it in self-defense practice, as I don't have a proper holster for it, and finding one is a PITA since no one seems to make one for the P7M10 (plenty of ones for the P7PSP and P7M8/M13). It's pretty freakin' accurate, with single-hole groups at 10 yards, unsupported, as the norm (and the gun has apparently been tested to shoot a 1.5" group at 50 yards from a machine rest). A lot of that has to do with the fixed barrel and the buttery-smooth trigger.
It does have the hold-open-on-last-round feature, and to release the slide you can either rack the slide, or you can loosen and squeeze the cocking lever. Takedown is somewhat of a PITA, since the barrel is fixed and the gas cylinder is attached to the slide (and the recoil spring in mine is still pretty darned strong, even after 16 years). With a little practice, I've gotten a bit better at breaking it down and putting it back together.
The drop-safety spring has broken twice on mine. It was $11 to replace the tiny spring each time from e-gunparts.com (plus their outrageous shipping fees). Magazines are also quite expensive, running about $100-apiece.
I don't shoot mine as much as I used to, since I have other guns that are cheaper to feed (I go through 5-600 rounds of .22LR a week...for about $14; 5-600 rounds of .40S&W is something like $150). I do shoot it every now and then, though, just to remind myself what a good, quality gun really feels like =)
Ace_Breaker
New member
The video here has about all you need to know about the P7. They are very unique. The finest shooters I've owned.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6239098748148707308&ei=Pll5SZ_6C5PCqAOfkJizBA&q=hk+p7
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http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6239098748148707308&ei=Pll5SZ_6C5PCqAOfkJizBA&q=hk+p7
oneounceload
Moderator
another P7 owner here....great gun, works well and very accurate
I'll be honest here. I'm considering a purchase and I'm torn between 2 guns. I asked about the P7 because I know the least about it. It's either a P7 or a S&W M1917, the .45ACP WWI revolver.
BTW, whichever it is, it'll be for the range and the night table. Although I have a carry permit, I'm not a heavy-gun-carrying person.
A sweet, sleek example of primo 9MM or a 45 caliber six shooter?
I do know that I can't get both. I'm confused....
BTW, whichever it is, it'll be for the range and the night table. Although I have a carry permit, I'm not a heavy-gun-carrying person.
A sweet, sleek example of primo 9MM or a 45 caliber six shooter?
I do know that I can't get both. I'm confused....
Well, mine is heavy due to the beefy slide (the P7PSP, P7M8, P7M13, and the super-rare P7M10 prototype have the slimmer slide) and the all-steel construction. I've shot a P7PSP and found it to be a good weight (maybe on the heavy side, compared to a Glock), but then I'm a wood'n'steel kind of guy, and I don't mind the extra weight...