Did HK lose their Class III license?

[JLStorm]

I was talking to an LEO today who's department has been having a hell of a time getting some new and updated MP5's. Finally after months of waiting their rep who works directly for HK told them that HK lost their class III license and that is the hold up.

The LEO also heard from two other less reputable sources that HK had been bought out by a financial company who was not running HK very well, but neither of us are too sure we believe that.

I can't imagine a company with most of their cash comming in from LE and Military contracts would let themselves lose their class III manufacturer's license. On the other hand I trust this LEO, and he trusts his rep, so I don't know what to think.


Anyone heard anything similar?

 

[OEF_VET]

First of all, HK does not have a Class III license. There is no such thing as a Class III license.

Licenses come in different Types. Here are the various license types:
Type 01 - DEALER IN FIREARMS
Type 02 - PAWNBROKER
Type 03 - COLLECTOR OF CURIOS AND RELICS


Type 06 - MANUFACTURER OF AMMUNITION FOR FIREARMS
Type 07 - MANUFACTURER OF FIREARMS
Type 08 - IMPORTER OF FIREARMS / AMMUNITION

Type 09 - DEALER IN DESTRUCTIVE DEVICES
Type 10 - MANUFACTURER OF DESTRUCTIVE DEVICES
Type 11 - IMPORTER OF DESTRUCTIVE DEVICES

Special Occupancy Taxpayer statuses are known by Class (1 is an importer, 2 is a manufacturer, and 3 is a dealer.)

For HK weapons manufactured in Germany, they would need to imported by a Type 08 FFL / Class 1 SOT.

If HK manufactured weapons here in the U.S., they would have to be a Type 07 FFL / Class 2 SOT.

People constantly confuse the subject by referring to NFA weapons as "Class III" weapons. This is misleading. NFA weapons are properly known as Title II weapons, as they are listed under Title II of the National Firearms Act of 1934. The misnomer comes from the fact that Type 01 FFL's must be a Class 3 SOT in order to deal in Title II weapons.

 

[JLStorm]

Thanks for the clarification, I was wondering why a Geman company would care about US classifications, but since I heard they recently moved their customer service to the US, I figured maybe there was something too it.

So its possible then they lost their import/export license or whatever the licensing requirements are in Germany I guess??

 

[Jeff White]

HK is just living up to their reputation for terrible customer service.

Jeff

 

[cbsbyte]

HK assembles and makes most of their US market handguns in this country. Actually, almost all large European handgun manufactures have a factory in this country so they are not subject to import tariffs. They might make certain parts overseas but a portion of the gun is made here. Also if a company wants a US military contract the manufacture must have a US factory so during a war the military can take overproduction from the company. This is not the case with most sporting arms, such as hunting rifles or shotguns which are still made overseas.

 

[Jeff White]

HK never built the plant in Columbus GA. Where is their facility? As far as I know all HKs are still made in Germany.

Jeff

 

[Caimlas]

Jeff, I don't know about that, but what I do know is that HK could not sell firearms to the US military unless there was an HK plant here domestically. As far as I know, they do make a fair number of AR rifles for the Army, at least.

 

[mp510]

This is not the case with most sporting arms, such as hunting rifles or shotguns which are still made overseas.

Companies from all countries in the world are able to enter the trials, usually. Then, if accepted, they are required to come up with a domestic manufacturing facility. This is was the case with Beretta, and the reason behind their MD factory. While some of their sport shotguns, and other lines, and SAA clones are foreign, they also capitalized, making many of their weapons here, such as the Neo's, the Storm, et-al.

I was talking to an LEO today who's department has been having a hell of a time getting some new and updated MP5's

I was reading elsewhere that the entire MP-5 line has been discontinued, and replaced with a weapon more similar to the UMP. May be false, but that's what I have read...

Actually, almost all large European handgun manufactures have a factory in this country so they are not subject to import tariffs

Doing the actual manufacturing in the US, for the US market, also allows the production of weapons that don't necesarily meet the criteria set forth in the GCA 68, Form 4059 points rendering, as being designed for or readily adaptable for sporting purposes.

 

[Evil Monkey]

Yeah I also heard a while ago that HK has discontinued thier ENTIRE roller locked line of weapons....and that means all of them.

 

[CleverNickname]

As far as I know, they do make a fair number of AR rifles for the Army, at least.

That's FN, not HK.

 

[Jeff White]

All of the M16s in the Army were made by Colt, Harrington and Richardson, GE Turbohydromatic Division, and FN. Only Colt and FN have made the M16A2 through A4. Only Colt makes the M4 and M4A1.

The only AR type weapon HK makes is the HK416 which has been purchased in limited quantity by SOCOM. It is a piston operated AR type and is made in Germany.

I don't believe HK has any production facilities in the US.

Jeff

 

[loki.fish]

HK doesn't have any production facilities in the US. They have a, I guess you can call it distrobution point? in Georgia I think. Well, wherever it is, it's in the US because it's the address that's with the paperwork in my USP case. They would have had a production facility if the XM8 was adopted by the military.

 

[Boats]

For being an allegedly legendary maker, HK is almost as hand to mouth as Colt's Manufacturing Co. is. If more than three to five gun companies were run by competent corporate officials, there is no telling what goodies we'd have on the market.

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

On the HK-USA website they show an address for Alabama and a corporate HQ in VA. I don't know if they produce any here. I figure they are all produced in Germany (at least all the fun stuff). In the Gary Fadden case they refer to the HK plant in VA or WV as where he works (he was a salesman for HK I believe).
Check out this article, it explains it all. Phasing out roller locking guns in favor of UMPs.

 

[Owen]

In the last few years HK was split off from BAE. That loss of limitless (for a gun company) working cash can make life very difficult for a company that specializes in mlitary arms, but wins very few contracts.

 

[Zero_DgZ]

I can't confirm it, but I've also heard that all roller-delay HK models are being/have been discontinued (MP5 series, G3 series, G41 series, and the HK 53) in favor of the new polymer models.

To wit, the UMP is replacing the MP5, the G36 variants are supposed to replace the assorted G3, 41, and 43's, and the MP7 is supposed to semi-replace the MP5K and PDW.

 

[XLMiguel]

Last time I drove by (July of 2006), the corp. office was still in Sterling, VA.

 

[OEF_VET]

XL,

HK-USA's corporate office may be in Sterling, VA, but I assure you, no HK products are manufactured in the U.S. of A. They are imported from Germany. HK-USA's corporate office is the importer for HK's product line into the country. It makes it easier for them to have a subsidiary importing their stuff, rather than going through another, seperate, entity.