Strange slide wear on my new HK P7; Has anyone seen anything like this?

[xHypex]

I just picked up a new HK P7 Niedersachsen police trade in and I'm wondering if anyone has ever seen slide wear like this. I understand honest wear since this was a service pistol, but the wear on the bluing is completely different on the each side of the slide, it looks patchy rather than in horizontal wear lines from a holster, and there is even wear in between the slide serrations (which seems like the last place any wear would occur).

I really like the way the P7 handles, so I'm glad I picked one up while the price is still relatively inexpensive. Luckilly I was able to get a good price on the gun because the finish definitely doesn't look as good as CDNN's models. I recently picked up a Sig P6, and I probably would not have bought a P7 if it weren't for the recent pricing; some of PX15's posts helped push me towards ordering one as well.

I'm still happy with my purchase since the internals look good, and I doubt the gun has been fired much despite being a grade B. It probably wouldn't matter to most people, but I was also glad to be able to find a P7 marked "Made in W-Germany". I've only seen a few people post West German P7s despite all of the recent surplus imports, and none of the guns I've seen had original bluing (the slide markings were always filled in).
-hype

Additional and fullsize pictures

 

[Javelin]

Looks like a really bad re-parkerizing job to me.

 

[usp9]

I would guess a solvent or other such agent was left on the gun and had a reaction over time. Even the mag has that odd circle mark on it. Shouldn't effect the function at least.

I was also glad to be able to find a P7 marked "Made in W-Germany". I've only seen a few people post West German P7s despite all of the recent surplus imports

FWIW, my P7 says simply "Made in Germany".

 

[BADUNAME37]

Or,

perhaps some kind of holster or "carry" wear?

 

[Mad Magyar]

some kind of holster or "carry" wear?

+1 The holsters have various chemicals that react w/pistol.

 

[Molasses]

Going along w. the general trend of saying it looks like some kind of chemical reaction, although I wouldn't want to hazard a guess on what caused it.

As an aside, I've got two of the former police P7s, both have serial #s in the 60,000s and the made in W. Germany markings...

 

[gunnie]

just a possibility...

based on you saying it's bluing, can't tell for sure in picture.

brief exposure to blood will remove blue like no other fluid i know of. with it being in the bottom of the serations, perhaps an injured perp/officer? the forward spots look like the print of an overhand slide cycling also.

gunnie

 

[BADUNAME37]

Blood is CERTAINLY a possibility.

Perhaps the gun was used in a suicide at one time.

 

[sandmatt]

Looks like a perfect candidate for hard chroming!

 

[benderx4]

What SandMatt said!! +1

Both my P7s are Grade A so I want to leave them as is, but I'm dying to find a "cheap" Grade C that I can "mess" with - starting with a nice hard chrome job.

 

[xHypex]

I would guess a solvent or other such agent was left on the gun and had a reaction over time. Even the mag has that odd circle mark on it. Shouldn't effect the function at least.

Agreed. The price was right (less than CDNN, appropriately so) and I wanted a shooter, so I was just curious if anyone had ideas that I hadn't thought of for the bluing.

My first guess for the wear was some sort of chemical either left on the gun in storage or inadvertantly applied to the gun while in a holster.

brief exposure to blood will remove blue like no other fluid i know of. with it being in the bottom of the serations, perhaps an injured perp/officer? the forward spots look like the print of an overhand slide cycling also.

The blood theory was my second guess because the wear appears unlike any mechanical/surface wear that should take place due to handling and holstering. Now that gunnie mentioned it, the wear spots do appear in the right place if one put their right hand over the top of the slide; right thumb on the left side of the slide (when looking from the top), and the other four fingers on right side of the slide (the pinkie would be the mark just above the ejection port). Seems like a strange way to either rack the slide or pick up the gun though.

The finish is definitely original blue, and I'll probably leave it as is. Who knows though, hard chrome is always a possibility.
-hype

 

[swwyo]

I have had the unfortunate opportunity to collect several firearms in my career that were used in a suicide. And obviously we don't wipe them down since they are evidence. They are collected as found, sometimes they are dried, and then placed in a cardboard box with zip ties. This does not look like any of them. What this looks like is something else I have seen, and that is a pistol stored in a case with humidity. The rust appears evident on your squeeze cocker and on the right side of the frame just by your serial number. Not knowing how some people care for firearms, I am going to vote that someone tried to use a solvent to remove the rust. Although if the pistol is sound mechanically you probably have a gem, just needs a finish job. Since you bought this as a shooter and not as a collector anyhow?

 

[Pilot]

X2 on hard chrome, NP3 or Black T refinish.

 

[jon_in_wv]

I bought a Star BM that had very similar markings on the slide. Some Cold Blue helped quite a bit. On a nice weapon like the P7 I would send the slide in and get it reblued. If you shop around you can get it done pretty cheaply.

 

[PX15]

FWIW:

xHypex:

Here's my thinking...

You saved money by buying this particular pistol.. What you got, for the savings from what you would have paid CDNN, is an HK P7 that, as you explain it, has great internals, and was apparently fired very little, but has cosmetic blemishes that concern you..

There's no guarantee an HK P7 from CDNN, in the same grade, would have been any better.

Not to worry..

Since the most important part is that the P7 is in great mechanical shape and you paid a reasonable price for it the thing to consider is just get the sucker hard chromed and forget about it.

I think a hardchromed P7 (Tripp's out that business, but I believe Ford's is still cranking 'em out) makes for one of the most beautiful pistols going.. I had planned to have one of my P7's done but after I got them they were simply too nice to screw around with.

I'll tell ya, a quality hardchrome job and a set of Nill's on a P7 makes for one beautiful firearm. I'd say prettier than a big old farm gal sitting on the top rail of the fence at the hog exhibit eatin' a funnel cake at the county fair if you asked me.

The problem with a surplus pistol of any brand is that you might get a great one, or you might not.. I read where some folks got "as new" Sig P6's while other's did not... Just the luck of the draw apparently.

Hey, look at the bright side. What if your P7 was PERFECT cosmetically, but crap inside ? See, now doncha' feel better?

It'll all work out..

Best Wishes,

Jesse

P.S. The HK P7 shown below was my first CDNN HK P7 "A" grade and came NIB..

 

[xHypex]

Since the most important part is that the P7 is in great mechanical shape and you paid a reasonable price for it

Agreed... I'm not complaining at all. The slide wear isn't a huge deal to me, and I got to shoot the pistol today and I really like it. Now that I own both, I'd choose my worn P7 over my better looking Sig P6 any day of the week.

I would have bought from CDNN, but unfortunately living in Texas has a drawback for once; I would have had to pay both shipping and tax in addition to a FFL transfer fee. I saved a bit of cash and got what I really wanted in a P7 after having done extensive research (everyone's P7 threads/pictures helped a bunch):
1) Sound mechanical condition
2) Niedersachsen trade in
3) Made in W-Germany
4) Original bluing (I would rather have original blue than a refinsh)

I'll probably never know for sure what caused the wear on the slide, but at least my suspicions were generally confirmed. Thanks for the feedback everyone
-hype