what makes an HK P7 so great?

[sterling7c]

Why, do you ask, does this mediocre gas operated pistol seem so great??

OK I'll take the bait Amongst the many other reasons ... check out the steel used in the P7.

 

[Coronach]

It's great because it combines:

1. A great SA trigger
2. Low bore axis
3. No external safeties to disengage
4. A completely uncocked striker
5. Quality engineering

You can say all you want about how external safeties are not bad as long as you train to use them properly (and I'll agree), but the P7 remains the only way to get all of those items in one pistol. That alone makes it worth having.

Mike

 

[mattlove444]

I have a M13 version. I LOVE IT!!!!! It will put a thirteen round mag in 1 inch at 25 yrds. Low recoil.

Now my VP70z is different

 

[benderx4]

I own 6 of these babies - looking for #7. Find someone who has one and is willing to let you shoot it. Once will be enough. Shoot one of these marvels of German engineering prowess and you will understand ....

 

[kentucky_smith]

I don't have a lot of time shooting one, but didn't care much for the fact that I have to flex my lower three fingers and manipulate my trigger finger, seemed counter-intuitive. Carpal tunnel doesn't help.

 

[9mmepiphany]

I have to flex my lower three fingers and manipulate my trigger finger, seemed counter-intuitive.

how is that different than any other gun where you would take a firm grip and than stroke the trigger?

 

[waterhouse]

how is that different than any other gun where you would take a firm grip and than stroke the trigger?

While I have no problem doing it, there is a difference between drawing a gun with a decent firm grip and drawing a P7 and squeezing the grip. I know of one older gentleman who is limited only by eyesight when shooting his 1911 or any of several revolvers. With the P7 his hand actually shakes quite a bit when he squeezes the cocker, which means he shoots badly with it. I don't know all of the details, but he has had some hand problems in the past.

The P7 is certainly not for everyone.

 

[benderx4]

Keep in mind that the squeeze cocker requires about 10-12 pounds of force to intially cock the gun. Once squeezed and cocked, the cocker only requires about ONE pound of force to keep it as such.

 

[9mmepiphany]

Once squeezed and cocked, the cocker only requires about ONE pound of force to keep it as such.

i've found that this is a fairly common mis-understanding about the P7, they feel a need to continue squeezing the grip with all their might to the point of shaking...i've often felt this might also have been their mistaken attempt to "control" recoil too

 

[Lone_Gunman]

I can think of no other pistol where it is possible to have a a multi-page discussion on how to properly grip and hold it. I never had a problem in that regard with mine, and do not understand why some people do. However, I must conclude that it is a problem for some people, or else this would not have been discussed.

 

[Frank Ettin]

I can think of no other pistol where it is possible to have a a multi-page discussion on how to properly grip and hold it....

How about a 1911 -- thumb on safety or under safety, parallel thumbs or weak hand thumb over strong hand thumb. I've seen those discussions go on for days.

 

[Lone_Gunman]

Yes, but those variations generally do not affect function.

 

[coyotehitman]

How about the excessive heat issues? Are they serial number specific? I heard the problem was corrected at some point in production.

 

[benderx4]

How about the excessive heat issues? Are they serial number specific? I heard the problem was corrected at some point in production.

Nope. If you plan on shooting more than about 50 rounds through at any given time - IT WILL GET HOT!!
(Which is why you need more than 1)
The original P7 (PSP) design does heat up the most. Later when the M8 and M13 versions were introduced for the States, they came with heat shields above the trigger. Yes, they do help, but the gun still heats up due to the piston/chamber/gas system the gun employs.

Like I said, only a problem if you want to shoot a couple of boxes of ammo at a time.

 

[9mmepiphany]

only a problem if you want to shoot a couple of boxes of ammo at a time.

not a problem at most classes, as 50 rounds is over 6 mags worth...by the time you've reloaded your mags, you should be good to go

 

[oneounceload]

Like I said, only a problem if you want to shoot a couple of boxes of ammo at a time.

And that "problem" is solved by bringing several P7's to the range!...

 

[Frank Ettin]

Yes, but those variations generally do not affect function.

According to some they do -- failure ot disengage the grip safety with a high thumb, for example.

 

[jon_in_wv]

You can go back about 50 posts and find the same whining going on. This thread is just going in circles. Some people just don't get it. Thats fine. I just don't get why they log on to a P7 thread to try to convince people who DO get it?!?!
We have established the pitfalls of the P7. This thread is titled, "What makes the P7 so GREAT?" The answer is simple. Get one and you'll find out. If you don't get it, its not for you.

 

[Quiet]

supriesed no one has posted this yet

 

[jon_in_wv]

Nuff said!!!

 

[HKGuns]

Yes, nuff said indeed.......

 

[IMTHDUKE]

If you have to explain it...they wont understand. Best shootin gun I have.

 

[bob.a]

Despite the 110 degree grip angle,the magazine is about perpendicular to the barrel, and the cartridges feed in almost a straight line, so failure to feed is almost unheard-of.

The spent casing will eject even if the extractor is broken or missing.

The squeeze-cocker forces the operator to get a decent grip on the pistol, counteracting the limp-wrist problem. Because of this, M. Ayoob has written that he uses the P7 to correct problems that shooters have developed using other autoloaders.

All this, and it's such a clean, attractive design as well. If the Museum of Modern Art weren't such a crypto-Liberal holdout, they'd have one in their design collection. But that's NYC for you; start telling folks about how beautiful your pistol is, and they start measuring you for a padded cell in the Gulag.

 

[jon_in_wv]

It also has a very svelte slide and a very low bore line. I've said often that the worst thing to ever happen to the 9mm is the 40 S&W. Modern nines are all made to accommodate the chubbier 40 in the same weapon so the nines are over engineered and fatter than they need to be. This is why the P7, Browning HP, the Star BM are so slim and elegant while its new counterparts are so chunky. The P7 also is much more compact than it appears. I originally didn't get one as I thought they were larger than they really are. I have some pics on here somewhere comparing it side by side with my M&P 9c. You can see that it slimmer, has a lower bore line, and still allows a full grip on the weapon in a package just as small. It is slightly heavier but it is very slender and carries close to the body which offsets a little bit of the weight on the belt.


The issues of holding the squeeze cocker while shooting are really psychological. Once it is fully depressed it can easily be held in with one finger. I shoot with a relaxed grip and the P7 is no different. I liken it to a compound bow, once the bow is pulled back it takes much less force to hold it there. It really is ingenious.

 

[jon_in_wv]

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=412908

Here is the link, the grip actually looks longer in the photo but in reality it is identical in length to my M&Ps with the finger rest. The M&P grip is shorter with the shorter mag but it also doesn't give a full grip like the P7 does.