Zaydok Allen
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It seems like in today's market with the interest in carry options, it would do great.
Why was the HK P7 discontinued?
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horsemen61
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I'm guessing the cost to make it was way to much to Jusitify it anymore.
Edarnold
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Unlike today's modern designs, which can be cranked out by CNC machinery and assembled with a minimum of fitting, the P7 required some fancy machining and careful fitting. So, not only high priced but requiring a skilled work force. Exactly the opposite of current corporate management practice, which either hires for minimum wage or ships the manufacture to the Third World.
I agree that when I see postings about how we need a compact reliable single-stack 9mm auto loader, I'm tempted to point out that they were just born thirty years too late.
I agree that when I see postings about how we need a compact reliable single-stack 9mm auto loader, I'm tempted to point out that they were just born thirty years too late.
There were many things working against the P7M8 and M13 when they were discontinued.
1. Cost - When the M8 was going for close to $1200 and the M13 nudging $1400, they could see they were losing market share. Their answer was the USP who's price point was about half that...just under $600 IIRC
2. Weight - The P7 was always heavy with it's all steel frame and machined slide. At the time Glock was being introduced and polymer guns were the coming thing
3. Magazine capacity - While other guns were starting at 15 rounds, the largest capacity P7 was 13...plus P7 mags have always been pricy; but they'll last forever.
4. Caliber - the .40 was becoming popular and the P7M10 was just ugly; the P7M7 just never worked right
1. Cost - When the M8 was going for close to $1200 and the M13 nudging $1400, they could see they were losing market share. Their answer was the USP who's price point was about half that...just under $600 IIRC
2. Weight - The P7 was always heavy with it's all steel frame and machined slide. At the time Glock was being introduced and polymer guns were the coming thing
3. Magazine capacity - While other guns were starting at 15 rounds, the largest capacity P7 was 13...plus P7 mags have always been pricy; but they'll last forever.
4. Caliber - the .40 was becoming popular and the P7M10 was just ugly; the P7M7 just never worked right
JohnBiltz
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Its simple they could not sell them at that price. They were very expensive compared to other guns. That squeeze cocker was not something that people wanted. Note that no one else has come out with one since then.
Edarnold
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Funny thing is, while contemporary polymer guns and built-to-a-price-point guns are selling for half their original price or less, a P7PSP will set you back $600 to $800, while a P7M8 is still going for $1000 to $1200. So this unfashionable heavy ( 26oz? ) single stack 9mm is still an object of desire for those who want a special quality in their pistol. There is a difference between a gun based on a collection of features selected by the Marketing department, and a gun that is designed by engineers to satisfy a purpose. Shoot a P7 for a while, and you may become a believer.
Oh, I'm a fan...always have been. I got a PSP back when they were $400 and kicked myself for not getting a M13 when the LE price was $378...I did finally get a LE trade-in M8 when they were $556. I can't quite justify spending the money to have a long slide compensated version built
The P7 weighs about 2lbs when loaded and part of the problem, if you wanted to carry it, was the you had to be careful about holster selection as it was butt-heavy. While it had a 4" barrel in a very small package, it was heavily weight biased to the rear as the barrel extended all the way to the vertical magazine
The P7 was designed as a duty holster gun for German LE after the Munich Olympics, the modifications to the M8 were in answer to an American LE contract. The M13 was submitted to the trials to replace the 1911
The P7 weighs about 2lbs when loaded and part of the problem, if you wanted to carry it, was the you had to be careful about holster selection as it was butt-heavy. While it had a 4" barrel in a very small package, it was heavily weight biased to the rear as the barrel extended all the way to the vertical magazine
The P7 was designed as a duty holster gun for German LE after the Munich Olympics, the modifications to the M8 were in answer to an American LE contract. The M13 was submitted to the trials to replace the 1911
Heavy pistol with low capacity magazine that was very expensive to produce and buy. The
one with high cap magazine can only be used with those having "Green Giant" hands.
Having had bank security PSP I must say I was very surprised that with that floating chamber feature I had zero malfunctions with it.
Another pain in the ass feature was fact that it required very expensive holster (my Bianchi leather one was close to $100) so the gun would not splay away from the belt (long heavy grip when loaded in relation to short barrel).
Sadly it had only one thing going thing for it uniqueness floating chamber and front squeeze lever which provided 100% gun safety when it was not depressed. Not enough to keep it going.
Would I ever buy another one. No.
one with high cap magazine can only be used with those having "Green Giant" hands.
Having had bank security PSP I must say I was very surprised that with that floating chamber feature I had zero malfunctions with it.
Another pain in the ass feature was fact that it required very expensive holster (my Bianchi leather one was close to $100) so the gun would not splay away from the belt (long heavy grip when loaded in relation to short barrel).
Sadly it had only one thing going thing for it uniqueness floating chamber and front squeeze lever which provided 100% gun safety when it was not depressed. Not enough to keep it going.
Would I ever buy another one. No.
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Jim Watson
Member
P7 does not have a "floating" chamber, it has a fluted chamber like the rest of the H&K lineup at the time. Hardly unique.
I never got mine hot enough to bother, but then I only had three magazines.
The manual of arms is something I would have to have shot exclusively. Flip flopping to my Colts just messed me up, and I was not willing to shelve them. So I sold the P7.
I never got mine hot enough to bother, but then I only had three magazines.
The manual of arms is something I would have to have shot exclusively. Flip flopping to my Colts just messed me up, and I was not willing to shelve them. So I sold the P7.
Oh it's unique. I took one apart and while not as complex as Chiappa Rhino it's like mechanical Timex in there. the only thing in common with other besides magazine arrangement was attachment of barrel to frame with was similar to PPK.
bannockburn
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My experiences with the P7 were very similar to those that Jim Watson posted. Never could get accustomed to the squeeze cocker system and thought that its compact size was somewhat negated by its heavy weight.
SharpsDressedMan
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Cost of manufacture exceeded demand.
usp9
Member
I think it was discontinued because;
* HK made the decision to go with polymer only.
* Aging tooling needed investment dollars. The various models had a 35 year run.
* Aging employees retiring in numbers. HK spends a lot of money training their people.
* Slow sales
* Other projects had higher priority.
With nine magazines a P7 can get really hot... trust me!
Love that chamber.
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The slimness and ergonomics are defeated by gun weight.
Defeated how? Defeated according to whom?
USP and P30 still cost 60% more than a Glock.
The gun got very hot after 2 magazines, also the weight issue and the annoying feel of having to squeeze the cocker were all negatives aside from the initial cost and low capacity "on the affordable one". The gun was accurate and reliable but complicated to work on. It's a nice collectors gun to shoot on occasion.
I thought I would like one until I picked one up, it felt uncomfortable to me, especially the squeeze part, but each to their own.
I thought I would like one until I picked one up, it felt uncomfortable to me, especially the squeeze part, but each to their own.
swiftak
Member
I saw one for $900.00 in a local gun store this morning.
Can you explain this or was it as Jim Watson thought that you meant fluted chamber. If it was, the H&K wasn't unique.
I remember detail stripping my first P7 apart using the Gun Digest Book of Firearms Assembly/Disassembly and it wasn't that complicated...but then I really like the action in Colt Pythons too...the H&K P9S was much more frustrating
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