HK P7
Encyclopedia
The P7 is a German
9mm semi-automatic pistol designed by Helmut Weldle and produced by Heckler & Koch GmbH
(H&K) of Oberndorf am Neckar
. It was revealed to the public for the first time in 1976 as the PSP (Polizei-Selbstlade-Pistole—“police self-loading pistol”).
police with an advanced 9mm service pistol and replace existing 7.65mm-caliber weapons was prompted after the 1972 Munich Olympics Massacre
. The new firearm was to meet the following requirements: chamber the 9x19mm Parabellum cartridge, weigh no more than 1000 g (35.3 oz), the pistol's dimensions would not exceed 180 x 130 x 34 mm, it should have a muzzle energy of no less than 500 J
and a service life of at least 10,000 rounds. The pistol was also to be fully ambidextrous, safe to carry with a loaded chamber and able to be quickly drawn and ready to fire instantly. As a result of a competitive bid the German police forces selected three different pistols into service: the Swiss
SIG-Sauer P225 (designated the P6) and two German designs—the P7 (officially designated the PSP) and the Walther P5
.
Series production of the P7 started in 1979. Shortly after, the pistol was adopted by the German Federal Police's
counter-terrorism unit (GSG 9
) and the German Army's
special forces
formations. The P7 was produced primarily by H&K but also under license by the Greek
defense firm Hellenic Arms Industry as well as in Mexico
by the Departamento de Industria Militar (DIM), as a sidearm for general officers and staff. The pistol was also exported to several countries.
The P7 is a semi-automatic, blowback-operated
firearm. It features a unique gas-delayed blowback locking system modeled on the Swiss Pistole 47 W+F (Waffenfabrik Bern) prototype pistol (and ultimately on the Barnitzke system first used in the Volkssturmgewehr 1-5
), which used gas pressures from the ignited cartridge and fed them through a small port in the barrel (in front of the chamber) to retard the rearward motion of the slide. This is accomplished by means of a piston contained inside of a cylinder located under the barrel that opposes the rearward motion of the slide until the gas pressure has declined—after the bullet has left the barrel—hence allowing the slide to end its rearward motion, opening the breech and ejecting the empty cartridge case.
The chamber has 18 flutes that aid in the extraction process by allowing combustion gases to flow between the fired case and the chamber walls, preventing the case from "sticking" to the chamber walls. The drawback of this system is that the breech "opens" slightly prematurely to allow the slide to initiate its rearward motion. The high temperature gases cycling through a tube located below the chamber area and above the trigger made the early versions of this pistol uncomfortable to shoot after the content of two magazines were fired due to heating. The advantages of this system are a simpler manufacturing process due to the absence of a locking system and a high mechanical accuracy due to the barrel being fixed in the frame; the barrel does not execute any sort of lateral or vertical movement during the operating cycle as with the prolific Browning cam-action systems used extensively in other locked breech pistols.
The grip of this pistol features a built-in cocking lever activated by gripping the pistol handle. Before the pistol can be fired, this lever must be squeezed. Thus this lever acts as a safety. The pistol has an innovative trigger (with a squeeze cocking lever located at the front of the grip, beneath the trigger guard) and is striker fired. Squeezing the cocking lever with a force of 70 N (15.7 lbf) cocks the firing pin. The weapon is then fired by pressing the single stage trigger rated at approximately 20 N (4.5 lbf). The squeeze cocking lever also acts as the safety and protects against accidental firing as the lever moves forward to its initial position decocking the pistol when the lever is released. This method of operation dispensed the need for a manual safety selector while providing safety for the user carrying the pistol with a chambered round and increased the speed with which the pistol could be deployed and fired. The trigger and firing mechanism's method of operation (and the unique slide catch) were protected by , issued on January 2, 1979.
The P7 is fed from a single-stack box magazine with a capacity of 8 rounds, which is held inside the firearm's frame with a release located at the heel of the grip. After the last round has been fired, the slide will remain open thanks to a slide catch that can be released by pulling the slide further back or pressing the squeeze cocker.
The firearm uses a fixed, polygonal barrel (hexagonal with a 250 mm twist rate) and a fixed notched iron sight
with contrast dots that enable shooting in low-level lighting conditions. The pistol is completely ambidextrous and two-handed use is enhanced through the use of a profiled and enlarged trigger guard.
Between 1982–1983 the P7 received several modifications, mainly to address American market demand and shooter preferences. These modifications resulted in the P7M8 model. A new magazine release lever (available on both sides of the frame) was installed just beneath the trigger guard, which forced designers to modify both the pistol's frame and magazine. The trigger guard was equipped with a synthetic heat shield that protects the shooter from excessive heating and a lanyard attachment loop was added in place of the previous magazine heel release. The firing pin and its bushing were also changed.
The P7PT8 is a dedicated, straight blowback training pistol modified for use with the 9x19mm PT training cartridge (made by Geco) with a plastic bullet (weighing 0.42 g). A “floating chamber” adapter is used inside the barrel which enhances felt recoil for use with the special ammunition. The pistols were marked with blue dots on both sides of the slide to differentiate the P7PT8 from other P7 pistols that can chamber lethal ammunition. To date about 200 pistols of this type were produced that are used mainly for simulated firing in enclosed spaces.
The P7M13 is the P7’s counterpart with a double-column magazine and a 13-round capacity. This pistol was offered (unsuccessfully) to the US Army. A variant known as the P7M13SD was produced in limited numbers exclusively for German special forces, featuring a longer (compared to the P7M13) threaded barrel and a sound suppressor.
The P7K3 is a shortened version of the P7 (inspired by the HK4 pistol) that uses straight blowback
for operation. This version has a removable barrel and uses a sealed hydraulic recoil buffer in place of a gas cylinder. After swapping out the barrel and magazine it can use .380 ACP (9x17mm Short)
or .32 ACP (7.65x17mm Browning SR)
pistol cartridges and after replacing the slide, magazine and barrel (with floating chamber insert)—it can also be used to fire .22 LR (5.6 mm Long Rifle) ammunition.
The P7M10 was introduced to the American market in 1991. It is chambered for the .40 S&W (10x22mm Smith & Wesson)
round and has a double-stack 10-round magazine. With the American market in mind, a variant known as the P7M7 designed to use the .45 ACP (11.43x23mm Automatic Colt Pistol)
cartridge was also created. However, it remained only a prototype due to excessive costs and complexity of creating such a weapon.
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
9mm semi-automatic pistol designed by Helmut Weldle and produced by Heckler & Koch GmbH
Heckler & Koch
Heckler & Koch GmbH is a German defense manufacturing company that produces various small arms. Some of their products include the SA80, MP5 submachine gun, G3 automatic rifle, the G36 assault rifle, the HK 416, the MP7 personal defense weapon, the USP series of handguns, and the high-precision...
(H&K) of Oberndorf am Neckar
Oberndorf am Neckar
Oberndorf am Neckar is a town in the district of Rottweil, in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated on the river Neckar, 15 km north of Rottweil.-Geography:...
. It was revealed to the public for the first time in 1976 as the PSP (Polizei-Selbstlade-Pistole—“police self-loading pistol”).
History
The decision to equip West GermanWest Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
police with an advanced 9mm service pistol and replace existing 7.65mm-caliber weapons was prompted after the 1972 Munich Olympics Massacre
Munich massacre
The Munich massacre is an informal name for events that occurred during the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Bavaria in southern West Germany, when members of the Israeli Olympic team were taken hostage and eventually killed by the Palestinian group Black September. Members of Black September...
. The new firearm was to meet the following requirements: chamber the 9x19mm Parabellum cartridge, weigh no more than 1000 g (35.3 oz), the pistol's dimensions would not exceed 180 x 130 x 34 mm, it should have a muzzle energy of no less than 500 J
Joule
The joule ; symbol J) is a derived unit of energy or work in the International System of Units. It is equal to the energy expended in applying a force of one newton through a distance of one metre , or in passing an electric current of one ampere through a resistance of one ohm for one second...
and a service life of at least 10,000 rounds. The pistol was also to be fully ambidextrous, safe to carry with a loaded chamber and able to be quickly drawn and ready to fire instantly. As a result of a competitive bid the German police forces selected three different pistols into service: the Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
SIG-Sauer P225 (designated the P6) and two German designs—the P7 (officially designated the PSP) and the Walther P5
Walther P5
The Walther P5 is a 9mm semi-automatic pistol developed in the mid-1970s by the German small arms manufacturer Carl Walther GmbH Sportwaffen. It was designed with the German police forces in mind, who sought to replace existing 7.65mm pistols with a modern service sidearm incorporating enhanced...
.
Series production of the P7 started in 1979. Shortly after, the pistol was adopted by the German Federal Police's
German Federal Police
The Bundespolizei is a uniformed federal police force in Germany. It is subordinate to the Federal Ministry of the Interior...
counter-terrorism unit (GSG 9
GSG 9
The GSG 9 der Bundespolizei , is the elite counter-terrorism and special operations unit of the German Federal Police.-History and name:...
) and the German Army's
Bundeswehr
The Bundeswehr consists of the unified armed forces of Germany and their civil administration and procurement authorities...
special forces
Special forces
Special forces, or special operations forces are terms used to describe elite military tactical teams trained to perform high-risk dangerous missions that conventional units cannot perform...
formations. The P7 was produced primarily by H&K but also under license by the Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
defense firm Hellenic Arms Industry as well as in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
by the Departamento de Industria Militar (DIM), as a sidearm for general officers and staff. The pistol was also exported to several countries.
Operating mechanism
Blowback (arms)
Blowback is a system of operation for self-loading firearms that obtains energy from the motion of the cartridge case as it is pushed to the rear by expanding gases created by the ignition of the propellant charge....
firearm. It features a unique gas-delayed blowback locking system modeled on the Swiss Pistole 47 W+F (Waffenfabrik Bern) prototype pistol (and ultimately on the Barnitzke system first used in the Volkssturmgewehr 1-5
Volkssturmgewehr 1-5
The Volkssturmgewehr 1-5 is a set of 5 rifle designs developed by Nazi Germany during the last months of World War II...
), which used gas pressures from the ignited cartridge and fed them through a small port in the barrel (in front of the chamber) to retard the rearward motion of the slide. This is accomplished by means of a piston contained inside of a cylinder located under the barrel that opposes the rearward motion of the slide until the gas pressure has declined—after the bullet has left the barrel—hence allowing the slide to end its rearward motion, opening the breech and ejecting the empty cartridge case.
The chamber has 18 flutes that aid in the extraction process by allowing combustion gases to flow between the fired case and the chamber walls, preventing the case from "sticking" to the chamber walls. The drawback of this system is that the breech "opens" slightly prematurely to allow the slide to initiate its rearward motion. The high temperature gases cycling through a tube located below the chamber area and above the trigger made the early versions of this pistol uncomfortable to shoot after the content of two magazines were fired due to heating. The advantages of this system are a simpler manufacturing process due to the absence of a locking system and a high mechanical accuracy due to the barrel being fixed in the frame; the barrel does not execute any sort of lateral or vertical movement during the operating cycle as with the prolific Browning cam-action systems used extensively in other locked breech pistols.
Features
The P7's spring extractor is contained within the slide, while the fixed ejector is a surface on the slide catch.The grip of this pistol features a built-in cocking lever activated by gripping the pistol handle. Before the pistol can be fired, this lever must be squeezed. Thus this lever acts as a safety. The pistol has an innovative trigger (with a squeeze cocking lever located at the front of the grip, beneath the trigger guard) and is striker fired. Squeezing the cocking lever with a force of 70 N (15.7 lbf) cocks the firing pin. The weapon is then fired by pressing the single stage trigger rated at approximately 20 N (4.5 lbf). The squeeze cocking lever also acts as the safety and protects against accidental firing as the lever moves forward to its initial position decocking the pistol when the lever is released. This method of operation dispensed the need for a manual safety selector while providing safety for the user carrying the pistol with a chambered round and increased the speed with which the pistol could be deployed and fired. The trigger and firing mechanism's method of operation (and the unique slide catch) were protected by , issued on January 2, 1979.
The P7 is fed from a single-stack box magazine with a capacity of 8 rounds, which is held inside the firearm's frame with a release located at the heel of the grip. After the last round has been fired, the slide will remain open thanks to a slide catch that can be released by pulling the slide further back or pressing the squeeze cocker.
The firearm uses a fixed, polygonal barrel (hexagonal with a 250 mm twist rate) and a fixed notched iron sight
Iron sight
Iron sights are a system of shaped alignment markers used as a sighting device to assist in the aiming of a device such as a firearm, crossbow, or telescope, and exclude the use of optics as in telescopic sights or reflector sights...
with contrast dots that enable shooting in low-level lighting conditions. The pistol is completely ambidextrous and two-handed use is enhanced through the use of a profiled and enlarged trigger guard.
Between 1982–1983 the P7 received several modifications, mainly to address American market demand and shooter preferences. These modifications resulted in the P7M8 model. A new magazine release lever (available on both sides of the frame) was installed just beneath the trigger guard, which forced designers to modify both the pistol's frame and magazine. The trigger guard was equipped with a synthetic heat shield that protects the shooter from excessive heating and a lanyard attachment loop was added in place of the previous magazine heel release. The firing pin and its bushing were also changed.
Variants
Based on the P7 several other variants were built: the P7PT8, P7M13, P7K3, P7M10 and the P7M7, none of which remain in production.The P7PT8 is a dedicated, straight blowback training pistol modified for use with the 9x19mm PT training cartridge (made by Geco) with a plastic bullet (weighing 0.42 g). A “floating chamber” adapter is used inside the barrel which enhances felt recoil for use with the special ammunition. The pistols were marked with blue dots on both sides of the slide to differentiate the P7PT8 from other P7 pistols that can chamber lethal ammunition. To date about 200 pistols of this type were produced that are used mainly for simulated firing in enclosed spaces.
The P7M13 is the P7’s counterpart with a double-column magazine and a 13-round capacity. This pistol was offered (unsuccessfully) to the US Army. A variant known as the P7M13SD was produced in limited numbers exclusively for German special forces, featuring a longer (compared to the P7M13) threaded barrel and a sound suppressor.
The P7K3 is a shortened version of the P7 (inspired by the HK4 pistol) that uses straight blowback
Blowback (arms)
Blowback is a system of operation for self-loading firearms that obtains energy from the motion of the cartridge case as it is pushed to the rear by expanding gases created by the ignition of the propellant charge....
for operation. This version has a removable barrel and uses a sealed hydraulic recoil buffer in place of a gas cylinder. After swapping out the barrel and magazine it can use .380 ACP (9x17mm Short)
.380 ACP
The .380 ACP pistol cartridge is a rimless, straight-walled pistol cartridge developed by firearms designer John Browning. The cartridge headspaces on the mouth of the case. It was introduced in 1908 by Colt, and has been a popular self-defense cartridge ever since...
or .32 ACP (7.65x17mm Browning SR)
.32 ACP
.32 ACP , also known as the .32 Automatic is a pistol cartridge. It is a semi-rimmed, straight-walled cartridge developed by firearms designer John Browning, initially for use in the FN M1900 semi-automatic pistol...
pistol cartridges and after replacing the slide, magazine and barrel (with floating chamber insert)—it can also be used to fire .22 LR (5.6 mm Long Rifle) ammunition.
The P7M10 was introduced to the American market in 1991. It is chambered for the .40 S&W (10x22mm Smith & Wesson)
.40 S&W
The .40 S&W is a rimless pistol cartridge developed jointly by major American firearms manufacturers Winchester and Smith & Wesson. The .40 S&W was developed from the ground up as a law enforcement cartridge designed to duplicate performance of the FBI's reduced velocity 10mm cartridge which could...
round and has a double-stack 10-round magazine. With the American market in mind, a variant known as the P7M7 designed to use the .45 ACP (11.43x23mm Automatic Colt Pistol)
.45 ACP
The .45 ACP , also known as the .45 Auto by C.I.P., is a cartridge designed by John Browning in 1904, for use in his prototype Colt semi-automatic .45 pistol and eventually the M1911 pistol adopted by the United States Army in 1911.-Design and history:The U.S...
cartridge was also created. However, it remained only a prototype due to excessive costs and complexity of creating such a weapon.
Users
- Special Security ForceSpecial Security ForceSpecial Security Force is a Bangladeshi law enforcement agency that provides protection to government officials and foreign dignitaries....
.: P7M13 variant.: Used by the military police (FeldjägerFeldjägerFor the German Military Police in WWII see: Feldjaegerkorps and FeldgendarmerieIn presence Feldjäger is the name of military police of the Bundeswehr, Germany's armed forces. The term Feldjäger, literally meaning field huntsmen or field Jäger, has a long tradition and dates back to the mid-17th...
). Was also used by the Federal Police (Bundespolizei) and several other police departments.: P7M8 variant. produced under license by Hellenic Arms Industry as the EP7 for the Hellenic Armed ForcesMilitary of GreeceThe armed forces of Greece consist of:* The Hellenic National Defense General Staff* The Hellenic Army* The Hellenic Navy* The Hellenic Air ForceThe civilian authority for the Greek military is the Ministry of National Defense....
and police services. Replaced by the Heckler & Koch USPHeckler & Koch USPThe USP is a semi-automatic pistol developed in Germany by Heckler & Koch GmbH of Oberndorf am Neckar as a replacement for the P7 series of handguns.-History:...
in 2004, also made under license by the Hellenic Arms Industry.: P7M13 variant. Used by the Korean National PoliceNational Police Agency (South Korea)South Korea has a relatively unified and integrated approach law enforcement. For example, the National Police Agency provides all policing services throughout the country...
SWAT.: P7M13 variant is used by the Unité Spéciale de la PoliceUnité Spéciale de la PoliceThe Unité Spéciale de la Police is a special unit of the Grand Ducal Police that was created in Luxembourg in 1999. It is tasked with responding to especially dangerous situations such as hostage rescue operations, arrests of dangerous individuals, bomb threats, and dignitary protection duties...
intervention unit of the Grand Ducal PoliceGrand Ducal PoliceThe Grand Ducal Police is the primary law enforcement agency in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. The police is under the control of the Minister for the Interior of Luxembourg, although they operate in the name, and under the ultimate control, of the Grand Duke. Day-to-day executive control is...
.: Locally manufactured version with frame-mounted safety lever placed on the right side of the frame as required by the Mexican government, known as the P7M13S, created under license in 1983 by Direccion General de Fabricas de la Defensa and Departamento de la Industriá Militar.: P7M8 variant.: Special Service Group of the Pakistan ArmyPakistan ArmyThe Pakistan Army is the branch of the Pakistani Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The Pakistan Army came into existence after the Partition of India and the resulting independence of Pakistan in 1947. It is currently headed by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. The Pakistan...
.: P7M8 variant.: P7M13 variant.: Used by several police departments, including the New Jersey State PoliceNew Jersey State PoliceThe New Jersey State Police is the state police force for the state of New Jersey. It is a general-powers police agency with state wide jurisdiction when requested by the Governor, designated by Troop Sectors.-History:...
(P7M8).: P7M8 variant.