Need P7 info please

[wbwanzer]

I'm real interested in getting an HK P7 real soon. I'm looking at several now. Some have four digit serial numbers and some have five digit numbers. I'm assuming that the larger numbers are newer. Is there any preference between older and newer? Are the five digit ones any better than the four digit ones, or vice versa?

Thanks for any help.

I know that Park Cities would be a better place to ask the question, and I joined there the other day, but they still have not approved me yet so I can't post there.

 

[usp9]

I have a '82 and a '95 P7. The slight differences between the oldest and newest P7s are small, mainly in grip panels and the style of mag release, protruding or flush, in no way affecting function. The action, trigger, sights etc are the same.

Are the five digit ones any better than the four digit ones, or vice versa?

No, not really, the vast majority were made by '83 and much fewer between then and up to the end of production in around '96. These are nice guns and now is a good time to purchase one while the prices are low.

 

[CWL]

For reliable info on the entire P7 family of pistols, go to www.hkpro.com. You will get info on the difference between the "P7", "PSP" and "P7M8" which there is ample confusion nowadays.

See here for manufacture date code and other symbols on the pistols.
http://hkpro.com/symbols.htm

As for serial numbers, in the past, with collectors (I am one), the lower the serial number, the more valuable it was -however, with the recent flood of pistols into the USA, this no longer has any relevance.

Personally, I wouldn't care what the S/N was, the only thing I care about is condition of the bore, gas piston and overall pistol. Unless it was dropped into a gravel bed, I'm pretty sure that every refurb P7PSP was well taken care-of and fired very little by the German police who they were issued-to.