P7 finish questions

[MIgunguy]

I'm amazed that such a remarkable piece of engineering has a finish that is so remarkably bad (not durable). Guess you have to cut costs somewhere. I've heard this is such a rustomatic I'm afraid to even try to put it in a holster (on order, suede lined). If I send my P7M8 to Robar for NP3 or something similar, do they take the gun completely apart before refinishing? How is the old finish removed? If there is any rust that I don't notice, do they check it over and remove it first?

As anal-retentive as I hear H&K is about getting work done only at "HK authorized" service providers do I need to worry about having the gun completely taken apart and reassembled? I'm sure Robar knows what they're doing, but don't know about other refinishers and thought I'd ask.

And just how bad is the original finish? Is it only everyday carry that will strip through the original finish? I've had little specks come off just from handling the gun, it seems like just one insertion into a holster would be like wiping it down with sandpaper.:banghead:

 

[Dravur]

I own some HK P7s and I have never had the finish wear off any faster than any other gun with a similar finish.

I've also never seen one rust.

I also had my carry P7 hard chromed and it is perfect.



By the way, Ive carried the Chromed P7 for a few years now and the finish still looks new. Plus, it looks great at barbecues.

 

[usp9]

What is poor about the finish? My 26 year old, much carried P7 still looks pretty good. If you want another finish, that's OK...some refinished P7s are works of art, but the original finish has been pretty durable. HKs in general aren't made pretty, but rather are made "duty tough".

 

[CWL]

I've had little specks come off just from handling the gun,

What finish are you talking about? The gun is blued (or purpled if you own a refurb). Bluing will wear at the holster points just like every other gun. A very few were factory nickled -are you talking about this?

I own 3 P7 family of guns and they have nothing that would flake off (not even the one I had hardchromed). Never heard of this issue among the P7 "Cultists" in the past 15 years I've been owning HKs.

I have to assume the gun is used. Who did you buy it from and what did the previous owner do to it?

Do you have any pictures?

 

[MIgunguy]

I was handling the P7 with "kid gloves" the first couple of nights I got it and saw a couple of very small nicks that I swear weren't there earlier, and I was / usually am very careful; I thought they were dust specks but they didn't wipe away (sorry no pics). Don't get me wrong, I love the gun, but the single one bad thing I kept reading about over and over and over again was the not very durable finish... especially the factory chrome finish that some said peeled off once it started to wear. Glad to hear some P7 owners refute that.

Knowing what I know about the previous owner and seeing/owning plenty of out-of-the-box guns and well-used guns, I believe him that he never fired it and it was test fired only at the factory. It's not plum at all, looks to be completely factory-fresh commercial gun, AD date code (2003). No mill marks where a police stamp would have been; crisp Sterling marks complete with warning labels.

I'm probably just being paranoid. Wouldn't refinish the gun until I had to anway, I was just wondering how long that would be if I CCW and was thinking of NP3 in the future.

 

[CWL]

but the single one bad thing I kept reading about over and over and over again was the not very durable finish... especially the factory chrome finish that some said peeled off once it started to wear. .

I'd like to see some references citing what you are writing. I am not aware of any "over and over and over" claims at all. Where have you "heard" this? Like I said, I've been owning P7s for at least 15 years and used to be heavily involved with P7 collectors and the forum at http://www.parkcitiestactical.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=forum;f=10. Like I wrote, the bluing will wear like any other blued pistol. Yes, the steel will also rust if you don't care for it like any other pistol, but having "specks" coming-off from handling -I'd like to see some pictures of that.

No P7 design guns were ever factory "chrome finished". A very few pistols were factory "nickled". Many P7s were hardchromed in the aftermarket (like my P7M8) but this is bonded to the metal, not 'plated'. Hardchrome doesn't flake off. Hardchrome is used for industrial tools like oil well drill heads. You are confusing simple chrome plate with hard chrome. (but hardchrome can still rust if you don't care for it)

I don't mean to give you a hard time, but what you wrote is going to stick in the back of some readers' minds and they will then perpetuate the "I heard that XYZ sucks..." hearsay problems.

 

[MIgunguy]

what you wrote is going to stick in the back of some readers' minds and they will then perpetuate the "I heard that XYZ sucks..." hearsay problems.

Yeah, you're right and I didn't think about that, which would be a shame because it is a great weapon. And you're right, too, it was the nickel finish peeling off that others were referring to, not chrome. My bad.

 

[mvl]

I live in a very humid country and my P7 M13, as with all other blue steel firearms would tend to rust in the vault if not coated with a film of clp. I already have a plug in dehumidifier in side the vault.