While the design may be 46 years old, the Heckler & Koch P7 series of pistols remains one of the most visually and functionally distinct handguns ever made. Multiple variants of the design were made over the years, with the P7M8 being produced from 1983 until 2007. Out of production for almost 20 years now, these pistols remain hot among collectors. The April Collection of Collector’s Elite Auctions offers an opportunity to add one of these HK P7M8 pistols to your lineup.
Operating by way of a gas-delayed blowback operation, the HK P7 is a semi-automatic pistol chambered in 9mm Parabellum that was the result of the German police wanting to update and upgrade from their Walther PP pistols chambered in .32 ACP in 1972. HK announced its new design in 1976. Full-scale production began in 1979. The P7 was even submitted to the U.S. military trials for replacement of the aging M1911. It was ultimately beat out by the Beretta M9.
The most visually distinct aspect of the P7 pistols are the levers protruding from the front of the mag well. The gun is often referred to as a “squeeze-cocker” because this lever must be squeezed and depressed in order for the firing pin to be cocked. If the lever is not depressed, the gun is de-cocked and made safe. This feature makes it so that there is no need for an external safety mechanism.
HK P7M8: April Collector’s Elite Auctions
Featuring a larger trigger guard, lengthened trigger, addition of a heat shield, thumb operated magazine release, larger rear sight dovetail, protruding firing pin bushing and the addition of a lanyard ring, the HK P7M8 offered in the April Collection is what many consider to be an upgraded version of the original P7. The company made these changes for the appeal to international shooters, particularly those in the United States.
Imported by R.T.B. West Germany Import Corporation, this P7M8 pistol comes with a unique hard chrome finish made exclusively for R.T.B. The company’s import marking is on the left side of the slide.
The pistol that is being offered in this auction is a complete collector’s package. Aside from a few blemishes on the left side of the slide, the gun is in fantastic condition. Obviously, there’s the gun, but it also comes with the original case, two magazines, a cleaning rod, all of the paperwork and even the original test target. This pistol’s date code indicates manufacture in 1989. This is supported by the date on the test target, which reads “8.12.89,” or the 8th of December 1989.
This pistol is a prime example of contemporary gun collecting. As we near the end of the first quarter of the 21st century, the design of this pistol is approaching 50 years. This particular gun will soon be 40 years old. The fact is that the HK P7M8 is only going to get more collectible as the years go on. Don’t miss your chance to get this one before they become even harder to find as more collectors snap them up.
