Heckler & Koch Mark 23
Encyclopedia
The Heckler & Koch MK23 is a handgun
consisting of a match grade
semi-automatic
pistol
, a laser aiming module (LAM), and suppressor
. It was adopted by the United States Special Operations Command
(USSOCOM) for special operations
units in the 1990s.
While the designation applies to the complete system, it's also commonly used in reference to the pistol component itself. The pistol itself, chambered for the .45 ACP
cartridge, was developed by Heckler & Koch
, and was selected over the Colt OHWS
through USSOCOM's Offensive Handgun Weapon System (OHWS) program. The LAM and suppressor were developed by Insight Technology
and Knight's Armament Company
(KAC), respectively.
under USSOCOM, as per request made in 1989. Military versions of the firearm have the writing "MK23 USSOCOM" engraved on the slide
.
The MK23 is considered a match grade
pistol, and is capable of making a 2 inches (50.8 mm) group at 50 yards (45.7 m), roughly 4 MOA
. Production began in 1991, and it was the basis for the HK USP
, which began production in 1993. The MK23 has exceptional durability in harsh environments, being waterproof and corrosion-resistant. It uses a polygonal barrel
design, which is reported to improve accuracy and durability. It also features an ambidextrous
safety and magazine
release on both sides of the frame. The magazine release is at the rear edge of the trigger guard, which is wide enough to allow the use of gloves. A decocking lever is on the left side, which will silently lower the cocked hammer. The MK23 is part of a larger weapon system that includes an attachable laser aiming module, a suppressor
, and some other features such as a special high-pressure match cartridge (.45 +P ammunition).
The firearm was tested and found to be capable of firing tens of thousands of rounds without a barrel change. It remains reliable in harsh conditions, making it suitable for use by special forces
. The .45 ACP round has considerable stopping power
, and yet is subsonic making it suitable for use with a suppressor. Additionally, its shared design characteristics with the Colt M1911 pistol have made it easy for people who have experience with a 1911 to field strip and properly clean the MK23.
However, the firearm's large size and weight have resulted in some criticism. In response, HK developed the USP Tactical pistol based on the original USP; the Tactical retains much of the performance of the MK23 without the bulky size. It uses a different suppressor (due to left handed threading, as opposed to right-handed on the Mk23). An even more compact pistol than the USP Tactical for counter-terrorist and special forces use is the new HK USP Compact Tactical, which also has its own optional LAM. The USP-CT is lighter and is also capable of fitting a suppressor, making it a prime choice for Special Forces on covert operations.
The proposed Joint Combat Pistol
(JCP) was intended to accept match grade and +P ammunition. However, it is not clear if the JCP, which absorbed the earlier SOF Combat Program, will be used alongside or replace the MK23 handguns. As of 2006, the JCP has since been renamed and restructured.
. Though both Heckler & Koch's and Colt
's designs were tailored to the demanding requirements of the OHWS competition, the MK23 eventually won.
HK commercially markets the MK23 and derivatives of it, but not the complete SOCOM system. The suppressor is made by Knight's Armament Company, and was selected over the one HK originally included as part of its entry. Insight Technology won the contract to produce the laser aiming module, later designated AN/PEQ-6
. One version of the LAM produces a visible light dot, while another produces an infrared
dot that can only be seen through night vision goggles
. There have since been different LAM models and, at least commercially, different suppressors as well. The first MK23 production models were delivered to SOCOM on May 1, 1996. At last count, 1,986 units were built (serial numbers 23-0101 through 23-2086). It has been reported by some users that the cumulative effects of recoil
may occasionally cause the can of the suppressor
to become slightly unscrewed, but that it is relatively easy to improvise solutions for the problem. Other users say the pistol's large frame size means its wide grips are not always comfortable for people with smaller hands.
The models for the U.S. market initially came with a 10-round magazine, to comply with the U.S. Assault Weapons Ban
. The ban has now expired, and the civilian Mark 23 comes with the same 12-round magazine as the government variants, except in a few states that enforce their own bans on magazines larger than 10 rounds. In Canada, the Mark 23 pistol is still supplied only with 10-round magazines, as per the 1995 Firearms Act
.
According to the Operators Manual, there are few differences between the civilian Mark 23 and the government MK23. These differences are the slide engraving ("Mark 23" instead of "MK23 USSOCOM") and a barrel conforming to SAAMI
headspace specifications.
Handgun
A handgun is a firearm designed to be held and operated by one hand. This characteristic differentiates handguns as a general class of firearms from long guns such as rifles and shotguns ....
consisting of a match grade
Match grade
Match grade frequently refers to firearm parts and ammunition that are suitable for a competitive match. Sometimes, it also refers to other devices and parts that are made with high precision in mind....
semi-automatic
Semi-automatic firearm
A semi-automatic, or self-loading firearm is a weapon which performs all steps necessary to prepare the weapon to fire again after firing—assuming cartridges remain in the weapon's feed device or magazine...
pistol
Pistol
When distinguished as a subset of handguns, a pistol is a handgun with a chamber that is integral with the barrel, as opposed to a revolver, wherein the chamber is separate from the barrel as a revolving cylinder. Typically, pistols have an effective range of about 100 feet.-History:The pistol...
, a laser aiming module (LAM), and suppressor
Suppressor
A suppressor, sound suppressor, sound moderator, or silencer, is a device attached to or part of the barrel of a firearm which reduces the amount of noise and flash generated by firing the weapon....
. It was adopted by the United States Special Operations Command
United States Special Operations Command
The United States Special Operations Command is the Unified Combatant Command charged with overseeing the various Special Operations Commands of the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps of the United States Armed Forces. The command is part of the Department of Defense...
(USSOCOM) for special operations
Special operations
Special operations are military operations that are considered "special" .Special operations are typically performed independently or in conjunction with conventional military operations. The primary goal is to achieve a political or military objective where a conventional force requirement does...
units in the 1990s.
While the designation applies to the complete system, it's also commonly used in reference to the pistol component itself. The pistol itself, chambered for the .45 ACP
.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 developed by Heckler & Koch
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...
, and was selected over the Colt OHWS
Colt OHWS
The Colt OHWS was a semi-automatic pistol created by Colt to compete for the United States Special Operations Command Offensive Handgun Weapon System tender. The winner of this competition would become the standard-issue handgun for most US special forces groups...
through USSOCOM's Offensive Handgun Weapon System (OHWS) program. The LAM and suppressor were developed by Insight Technology
Insight Technology
Insight Technology, Inc. is an optical device manufacturer based in Londonderry, New Hampshire.Insight Technology builds firearm accessories such as tactical flashlights and laser aiming modules, for military and civilian markets...
and Knight's Armament Company
Knight's Armament Company
Knight's Armament Company is an American firearms and firearms parts manufacturer.It is owned by C. Reed Knight and based in Titusville, Florida. KAC is best known for producing the Rail Interface System and the Rail Adapter System grips for military firearms...
(KAC), respectively.
Overview
The MK23 Mod 0 was built as an "offensive" handgun for U.S. special operations forcesSpecial 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...
under USSOCOM, as per request made in 1989. Military versions of the firearm have the writing "MK23 USSOCOM" engraved on the slide
Pistol slide
The slide is the part of the weapon on a majority of semi-automatic pistols that moves during the operating cycle and generally houses the firing pin or striker and the extractor, and serves as the bolt...
.
The MK23 is considered a match grade
Match grade
Match grade frequently refers to firearm parts and ammunition that are suitable for a competitive match. Sometimes, it also refers to other devices and parts that are made with high precision in mind....
pistol, and is capable of making a 2 inches (50.8 mm) group at 50 yards (45.7 m), roughly 4 MOA
Minute of arc
A minute of arc, arcminute, or minute of angle , is a unit of angular measurement equal to one sixtieth of one degree. In turn, a second of arc or arcsecond is one sixtieth of one minute of arc....
. Production began in 1991, and it was the basis for the HK USP
Heckler & Koch USP
The 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:...
, which began production in 1993. The MK23 has exceptional durability in harsh environments, being waterproof and corrosion-resistant. It uses a polygonal barrel
Gun barrel
A gun barrel is the tube, usually metal, through which a controlled explosion or rapid expansion of gases are released in order to propel a projectile out of the end at a high velocity....
design, which is reported to improve accuracy and durability. It also features an ambidextrous
Ambidexterity
Ambidexterity is the state of being equally adept in the use of both left and right appendages . It is one of the most famous varieties of cross-dominance. People that are naturally ambidextrous are rare, with only one out of one hundred people being naturally ambidextrous...
safety and magazine
Magazine (firearm)
A magazine is an ammunition storage and feeding device within or attached to a repeating firearm. Magazines may be integral to the firearm or removable . The magazine functions by moving the cartridges stored in the magazine into a position where they may be loaded into the chamber by the action...
release on both sides of the frame. The magazine release is at the rear edge of the trigger guard, which is wide enough to allow the use of gloves. A decocking lever is on the left side, which will silently lower the cocked hammer. The MK23 is part of a larger weapon system that includes an attachable laser aiming module, a suppressor
Suppressor
A suppressor, sound suppressor, sound moderator, or silencer, is a device attached to or part of the barrel of a firearm which reduces the amount of noise and flash generated by firing the weapon....
, and some other features such as a special high-pressure match cartridge (.45 +P ammunition).
The firearm was tested and found to be capable of firing tens of thousands of rounds without a barrel change. It remains reliable in harsh conditions, making it suitable for use by 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...
. The .45 ACP round has considerable stopping power
Stopping power
Stopping power is a colloquial term used to describe the ability of a firearm or other weapon to cause a penetrating ballistic injury to a target, human or animal, sufficient to incapacitate the target where it stands....
, and yet is subsonic making it suitable for use with a suppressor. Additionally, its shared design characteristics with the Colt M1911 pistol have made it easy for people who have experience with a 1911 to field strip and properly clean the MK23.
However, the firearm's large size and weight have resulted in some criticism. In response, HK developed the USP Tactical pistol based on the original USP; the Tactical retains much of the performance of the MK23 without the bulky size. It uses a different suppressor (due to left handed threading, as opposed to right-handed on the Mk23). An even more compact pistol than the USP Tactical for counter-terrorist and special forces use is the new HK USP Compact Tactical, which also has its own optional LAM. The USP-CT is lighter and is also capable of fitting a suppressor, making it a prime choice for Special Forces on covert operations.
The proposed Joint Combat Pistol
Joint Combat Pistol
The Joint Combat Pistol was the name for a former US program for a new military sidearm to replace the M9 Pistol, extant from late 2005 to early 2006. The program was started in 2005 and run by USSOCOM. It is the result of a merger of two earlier programs, the Army's Future Handgun System and the...
(JCP) was intended to accept match grade and +P ammunition. However, it is not clear if the JCP, which absorbed the earlier SOF Combat Program, will be used alongside or replace the MK23 handguns. As of 2006, the JCP has since been renamed and restructured.
Offensive Handgun Weapon System
The MK23 was submitted to the USSOCOM Offensive Handgun Weapon System (OHWS) competition around late 1991 the goal of which was to create an entire pistol package capable of replicating the performance of longer barreled weapons such as submachine guns with many customizable features. Its rival was the Colt OHWSColt OHWS
The Colt OHWS was a semi-automatic pistol created by Colt to compete for the United States Special Operations Command Offensive Handgun Weapon System tender. The winner of this competition would become the standard-issue handgun for most US special forces groups...
. Though both Heckler & Koch's and Colt
Colt's Manufacturing Company
Colt's Manufacturing Company is a United States firearms manufacturer, whose first predecessor corporation was founded in 1836 by Sam Colt. Colt is best known for the engineering, production, and marketing of firearms over the later half of the 19th and the 20th century...
's designs were tailored to the demanding requirements of the OHWS competition, the MK23 eventually won.
HK commercially markets the MK23 and derivatives of it, but not the complete SOCOM system. The suppressor is made by Knight's Armament Company, and was selected over the one HK originally included as part of its entry. Insight Technology won the contract to produce the laser aiming module, later designated AN/PEQ-6
AN/PEQ-6
The AN/PEQ-6 is a laser aiming module designed for use with the Mark 23 pistol.The device attaches via rails to the pistol, under the barrel, and creates a small laser dot very near the point of bullet impact...
. One version of the LAM produces a visible light dot, while another produces an infrared
Infrared
Infrared light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength longer than that of visible light, measured from the nominal edge of visible red light at 0.74 micrometres , and extending conventionally to 300 µm...
dot that can only be seen through night vision goggles
Night vision goggles
A night vision device is an optical instrument that allows images to be produced in levels of light approaching total darkness. They are most often used by the military and law enforcement agencies, but are available to civilian users...
. There have since been different LAM models and, at least commercially, different suppressors as well. The first MK23 production models were delivered to SOCOM on May 1, 1996. At last count, 1,986 units were built (serial numbers 23-0101 through 23-2086). It has been reported by some users that the cumulative effects of recoil
Recoil
Recoil is the backward momentum of a gun when it is discharged. In technical terms, the recoil caused by the gun exactly balances the forward momentum of the projectile and exhaust gasses, according to Newton's third law...
may occasionally cause the can of the suppressor
Suppressor
A suppressor, sound suppressor, sound moderator, or silencer, is a device attached to or part of the barrel of a firearm which reduces the amount of noise and flash generated by firing the weapon....
to become slightly unscrewed, but that it is relatively easy to improvise solutions for the problem. Other users say the pistol's large frame size means its wide grips are not always comfortable for people with smaller hands.
Civilian Mark 23
Heckler & Koch is offering the MK23 on the civilian market and law enforcement as the Mark 23. It is distributed by its subsidiaries HK Inc. (United States) and HKJS GmbH (Germany).The models for the U.S. market initially came with a 10-round magazine, to comply with the U.S. Assault Weapons Ban
Federal assault weapons ban
The Federal Assault Weapons Ban was a subtitle of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, a federal law in the United States that included a prohibition on the manufacture for civilian use of certain semi-automatic firearms, so called "assault weapons"...
. The ban has now expired, and the civilian Mark 23 comes with the same 12-round magazine as the government variants, except in a few states that enforce their own bans on magazines larger than 10 rounds. In Canada, the Mark 23 pistol is still supplied only with 10-round magazines, as per the 1995 Firearms Act
Gun politics in Canada
Gun politics in Canada is largely polarized between two groups with opposing views. One group includes those who object to the registration of personal firearms...
.
According to the Operators Manual, there are few differences between the civilian Mark 23 and the government MK23. These differences are the slide engraving ("Mark 23" instead of "MK23 USSOCOM") and a barrel conforming to SAAMI
Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute
The Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute is an association of American firearms and ammunition manufacturers...
headspace specifications.
Users
- Komando Pasukan KatakKOPASKAKopaska or Komando Pasukan Katak is the premier frogman and underwater demolition unit of the Indonesian Navy. The Unit's motto is 'Tan Hana Wighna Tan Sirna', which means 'There is no obstacle that can not be defeated'. It was officially established on March 31, 1962 by President Sukarno to help...
(Kopaska) tactical diver group and Komando Pasukan KhususKopassusKopassus is an Indonesian Army special forces group that conducts special operations missions for the Indonesian government, such as direct action, unconventional warfare, sabotage, counter-insurgency, counter-terrorism, and intelligence gathering.Kopassus was founded on April 16, 1952...
(Kopassus) special forces group.: MK23 Mod 0 adopted by Pasukan Gerakan Khas Counter-terrorism Police SquadPasukan Gerakan KhasThe Pasukan Gerakan Khas is an elite high-profile counter-terrorism and special operations tactical unit of the Royal Malaysia Police...
of the Royal Malaysia Police.: Used by GROMGROMGROM is one of five special forces units of the Polish Armed Forces. It was officially activated on July 8, 1990...
.: Adopted by US SOCOM. Deliveries commenced in 1996.
See also
- 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:...
, pistol based on the MK23. - Heckler & KochHeckler & KochHeckler & 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...
, the manufacturer. - List of individual weapons of the U.S. Armed Forces