I know they don't make a lot of H&K M23's and that will play a roll in the pricing, but seriously is that the sole reasoning for the 2k price tag? I guess the recoil mechanism within the gun make it also a little more expensive, but I still don't get it. I know I want one though for sure or the USP 45.
Why is the H&K M23 so expensive?
- Thread starter blackops
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General Geoff
Member
The Mark 23's exorbitant cost is due to the brand name. Because we suck. And they hate us.
benderx4
Member
BlackOps: I've owned both and nowadays I no longer have my Mark 23. Amazing weapon. But to meet the requirements of SOCOM, the gun was incredibly over-engineered.
There is a guy back on HKPro that has a bunch of cool photos showing a Mark 23 side by side with a USP45T from a variety of angles and views.
EVERY single part of the Mark 23 is made bigger, thicker, stronger, and beefier. Consequently, the gun itself is quite a bit larger and heavier than the USP45 Tactical.
You could literally run over the Mark 23, drop it from a 10 story building, set it on fire, fill it with mud, submerge it for a year, fire it over 30,000 times, and the thing would never notice. Throw a magazine in it, and it would be ready to go. Truly an engineering marvel.
So why did I sell mine? I traded mine for 3 other guns including a P7 and a Colt Python. I'm not a Navy Seal or Army Ranger and I'm not planning on spending any time in Afghanistan soon.
I was looking for a home protection gun and the USP45 Tact fit the bill quite nicely. The Tactical was also cheaper, more light/laser choices are available for its rail, AND it has the same capacity of the Mark 23.
Do I miss the Mark 23? Oh yea. I'm smart enough to know that someday I'll have another one - for no other reason than that.
Good luck and Happy shooting!
There is a guy back on HKPro that has a bunch of cool photos showing a Mark 23 side by side with a USP45T from a variety of angles and views.
EVERY single part of the Mark 23 is made bigger, thicker, stronger, and beefier. Consequently, the gun itself is quite a bit larger and heavier than the USP45 Tactical.
You could literally run over the Mark 23, drop it from a 10 story building, set it on fire, fill it with mud, submerge it for a year, fire it over 30,000 times, and the thing would never notice. Throw a magazine in it, and it would be ready to go. Truly an engineering marvel.
So why did I sell mine? I traded mine for 3 other guns including a P7 and a Colt Python. I'm not a Navy Seal or Army Ranger and I'm not planning on spending any time in Afghanistan soon.
I was looking for a home protection gun and the USP45 Tact fit the bill quite nicely. The Tactical was also cheaper, more light/laser choices are available for its rail, AND it has the same capacity of the Mark 23.
Do I miss the Mark 23? Oh yea. I'm smart enough to know that someday I'll have another one - for no other reason than that.
Good luck and Happy shooting!
The Lone Haranguer
Member
They charge that price because they can. 
Quiet
Member
Every H&K Mark 23 is made to meet the accuracy requirement set by the OHWS program. Requirement was (five shot) 2" groups at 50 yards.
The H&K Mark 23 is in the same price range as most custom 1911 pistols that meet the same accuracy potential of the Mark 23.
FYI. Since, you are located in CA.
A factory H&K Mark 23 is not CA legal. The threaded barrel makes it an "assault weapon" and the H&K Mark 23 is not on the CA DOJ approved list for civilian sale.
In order to get a H&K Mark 23 in CA, it will have to have a non-threaded barrel and can only be purchased via PPT or via LE sale.
The H&K Mark 23 is in the same price range as most custom 1911 pistols that meet the same accuracy potential of the Mark 23.
FYI. Since, you are located in CA.
A factory H&K Mark 23 is not CA legal. The threaded barrel makes it an "assault weapon" and the H&K Mark 23 is not on the CA DOJ approved list for civilian sale.
In order to get a H&K Mark 23 in CA, it will have to have a non-threaded barrel and can only be purchased via PPT or via LE sale.
Dan Crocker
Member
Hey Blackops, do you know Xbox360? BTW your name on here is uber cool!
HorseSoldier
Member
Mk 23 costs what? About a dollar per ounce?
It's partly expensive because it is over engineered. It's partly expensive because of the HK name slapped on it. But it's also expensive because it's a pretty impractical design that never really took off (even SOCOM didn't buy many of them, and the ones they did buy rarely make it out of their arms rooms) and so you get economy of scale issues.
I'd say you'd be much better off with any number of other pistol designs, including various other offerings from HK if you're interested in that particular brand.
It's partly expensive because it is over engineered. It's partly expensive because of the HK name slapped on it. But it's also expensive because it's a pretty impractical design that never really took off (even SOCOM didn't buy many of them, and the ones they did buy rarely make it out of their arms rooms) and so you get economy of scale issues.
I'd say you'd be much better off with any number of other pistol designs, including various other offerings from HK if you're interested in that particular brand.
Quiet
Member
US SOCOM still uses it.
Primarily used with a noise suppressor for eliminating dogs/sentries.
Primarily used with a noise suppressor for eliminating dogs/sentries.
Dan Crocker
Member
Never mind.
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Owen
Moderator Emeritus
I have a suspicion that the MK23s never leave the armory.
????Anyways...........did I miss something here?
I've looked and looked. I wanted to stay away from Sig, but the P220 is the only 45 I can find that is reliable, accurate, california legal, and actually is a good looking gun. Anyone else have any suggestions?
Any handgun that takes 2 guys to carry should obviously cost 2x as much.
Seriously the pistol was purpose built (including the accuracy mentioned above) for a small 'community' and was never made in large numbers for civilian sale. That and the 'legendary' name (HK's haven't been cheap since High Standard marketed them) no doubt are two factors in the high cost.
Seriously the pistol was purpose built (including the accuracy mentioned above) for a small 'community' and was never made in large numbers for civilian sale. That and the 'legendary' name (HK's haven't been cheap since High Standard marketed them) no doubt are two factors in the high cost.
usp9
Member
Comments like this make me wonder how many people have actually seen, handled and shot the big HK. It is a large pistol, most .45acp pistols with a 6" barrel are, but it weighs the same (or less in many cases) than the world acclaimed high priced Wilsom Combat 1911s for example. It costs a good bit because it is very, very accurate, very robust and very reliable, and can handle immersion in salt water, did I mention it is very accurate. these factors when combined into one pistol are going to raise the price.
Ask yourself what that Wilson Combat CQB Elite would cost were it made to the same standard and ready for a suppressor and held 12+1 rounds.
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jhco
Member
I handled the one hk had in their both at the shot show, it felt like a big USP.
The only things I can think of to explain why they are expensive is that its a Hk and they can price it how ever they want to because they aren't trying to sell it to you or me(Hk cares about military/LE contracts more than civilian sales) and 2. its produced on a limited basis there for makeing the demand higher than the supply.
The only things I can think of to explain why they are expensive is that its a Hk and they can price it how ever they want to because they aren't trying to sell it to you or me(Hk cares about military/LE contracts more than civilian sales) and 2. its produced on a limited basis there for makeing the demand higher than the supply.
HorseSoldier
Member
Also a completely true comment about them not leaving the arms room.
Most of SOCOM never even bought the thing (i.e. the cool kids in Delta, white side SF, AFSOC, etc.) and the components who did buy them (SEALs) rarely used them. The ODAs in my Group worked with a bunch of SEALs and other Naval Special Warfare types downrange, and I think the Mk 23 count stood at exactly one pistol that an EOD guy was carrying.
High priced? Partially because it says HK. Mostly because they can say "SOCOM - used by Special Operations Command".
I had one with a Knight's Armament suppressor and it was cool. Big, clunky, but cool. I purchased the can direct from Knight's and they offered a matching serial # service when I bought it so I had a pretty neat setup - gun/can serial number matched. Decided to sell it after a few years as I didn't play with it that much and I got decent money for it. There's not much of a market for after market cans because there are $400 worth of tax stamps to get it to the new buyer, plus you've got to find somebody that wants the combo. I basically gave the can away to sell the package after the taxes were considered.
I had one with a Knight's Armament suppressor and it was cool. Big, clunky, but cool. I purchased the can direct from Knight's and they offered a matching serial # service when I bought it so I had a pretty neat setup - gun/can serial number matched. Decided to sell it after a few years as I didn't play with it that much and I got decent money for it. There's not much of a market for after market cans because there are $400 worth of tax stamps to get it to the new buyer, plus you've got to find somebody that wants the combo. I basically gave the can away to sell the package after the taxes were considered.
they have to price it high since it can be dubbed as mobile cover.
Seriously they dont even sell the real MK 23 to civilians they named it the Mark 23 because???? I personally would take a Wilson CQB. but if your looking for a non 1911 .45 that can be silenced i would go with the P220 its only a fraction of the cost.....and size.
Seriously they dont even sell the real MK 23 to civilians they named it the Mark 23 because???? I personally would take a Wilson CQB. but if your looking for a non 1911 .45 that can be silenced i would go with the P220 its only a fraction of the cost.....and size.
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