First observations with the HK P7M8

2

2kiddad

New member
Yesterday, I rented an HK P7M8. I'm evaulating pistols for my next purchase, and the P7 is on my short list, (along with the P99 and HK USP9). Here are my observations after 200 rounds.

- After shooting "traditional" autos, the grip cocker takes some getting used to. My initial reaction was to grip it tightly after cocking, but this caused my hand to have a tremor, making aiming and good sight picture difficult to obtain. Grip it too loosely, and you lose cock, (sorry for the pun). It seems to me it would take some practice to find that middle ground.

- The trigger was awfully light, at least on the one I shot. A guess would be less than 5 lbs. The lightness took me by surprise, at first. The trigger feel, was nice, however. I could learn to love the trigger. It almost felt like a 1911 trigger, to me anyway. However, combined with the grip pressure to keep the pistol cocked, it would seem to me that the light trigger would be a liability. I'd think I'd like a heavier trigger, honestly.

- It's wickedly accurate. Most of the time. The reason I qualify the accuracy again relates to the grip cocker. I couldn't seem to make consistant hits. I'd have shots in the x and 10 ring, at 15 yards, followed by hits 4-6 inches off bull. My best shots were acheived when I let off the cocker, and re-obtained sight picture before cocking. Maintaining pistol cock resulted in the wild shots off bull.

- It gets d@mn hot, d@mn quickly. 200 rounds was all I could do, and even that was pushing it. I probably should have stopped at 150 rds.

- Recoil is surprisingly light. As a blowback, fixed barrel design, I was expecting much sharper recoil. I guess the gas cylinder retards the recoil somewhat. It was far less than my Makarov and even less than my other 9mm's. I was pleasantly surprised.

- It's a "dirty "pistol to shoot. the web of my hand was filthy after my session. I was shooting NIB, Winchester "WinClean" BTW. The range I go to requires WinClean in all of their rentals.

Conclusion? This is a pistol that you would need to carry all of the time. It requires a lot of practice to carry use it well. Frequent practice, however, will reward the owner with accuracy and dependablity unrivaled by other pistols. But, it needs to be "learned".

I like the pistol for a couple reasons. First, it's unusual and I'm a sucker for the unusual. I like not seeing what I'm firing elsewhere on the range. And second, it's potential for accuracy. I like to shoot, and I like to shoot accurately. I shoot 2-3" groups, offhand, with my 1911's at 25 yds and I'm getting betting better. I think the P7 could rival my 1911's in terms of accuracy.

I think I'm going to have to get a P7M8. I don't know if I'll carry it in lieu of my Glock 26 or BHP, but it needs to be in my collection.

Any other comments?
 
On the dirtiness, I think that was more ammo related. Winclean is less toxic, not actually more tidy.

The accuracy is there, more than most could ever use, considering the sight radius.

I've always thought the recoil was actually a hair sharper, but occurs straight aft. Hardly any muzzle rise.

The pistol really shines in fast shooting and reloads. I really don't think there's anything faster, at least without a comp.

It's a weapon that your appreciation grows with as you shoot and compete with it. No other pistol does so much so well.
 
Twokiddad:

Almost everyone makes the mistake of holding the grip cocker too tightly when first shooting a P7. The force required to squeeze the cocker is fairly high, but the force required to keep it squeezed is about 1 lb. That is, nothing at all.

The P7 manual of arms is different from other guns, but for those with little experience, it's super intuitive--once it's been explained. The P7 is famous for being a gun that almost anyone can shoot well.

One advantage of the unconventional manual of arms is that if, say, you happen to be in a gun fight and your P7 is taken away from you, a great many people won't figure out how to fire the thing, at least not quickly enough to do any harm.

There are a bunch of mysteries to discover about P7's. Rather than write a few pages, I'll refer you to "Cult of the P7" at www.parkcitiestactical.com, the primary depository of matters P7.
 
You shot 200 rounds?!

You da man. I can't shoot that many at one time. I wear golf gloves at the range for extended shooting, then I don't feel the heat.
 
2kiddad,

I agree with Handy.
I will amplify on the recoil issue. With “full power ammo” my PSP is a “little” tough on my hand between the thumb and index finger. However, the grip angle makes for natural aiming and the low barrel contributes to very low muzzle flip and fast target
re-acquisition.

The squeeze cocking is something new and needs to be learned. When you get your P7, practice dry firing at home a few minutes a day. It will soon become completely natural and automatic.

I like the P7 for IWB carry. Its very flat design is well suited to this.

HKs with fluted chambers (P7s & rifles) do bleed more gas rearward than other arms so it is more dirty. Corbon 115gr +P JHP ammo and handloads with VV N340 powder have 1/10th the residue (and 1/10th the flash) of other powders and will greatly reduce the dirtyness. This ammo also gives max power in 9x19.

Who cares if the P7 is too hot to hold after 100 rounds, if the use is self defense.

I love my G26 for compact size, shooting comfort and unpredictable trigger which lends it to high accuracy. The G26’s low barrel also contributes to minimal muzzle flip. However, safety is a primary concern for me. I am not completely comfortable with the “cocked & unlocked” Glock system. I worry about accidental discharge.
The P7 is the safest arm I own. It is instantly SA fire when I am ready and instantly safe at all other times. I have handed an unloaded P7 to shooting buddies and they could not drop the
hammer. Also stories of cops who lost their P7 to a bad guy and the BG could not use the P7 against them. I can carry my chambered P7 in the belt without a holster if I wish with complete safety as well as leave it loaded in a drawer and not worry about a visitor finding it and accidentally firing it.

Regards,
George
In sunny Arizona
 
The P7 is in a class by itself for a carry weapon in this size range. You will not regret getting one.
 
I wish I could remember who it was that said it on a previous post about the P7, but another benefit of this fine weapon is if it ever does malfunction or get too hot to shoot you can use it as a mean pair of brass-knuckles. Gotta love that German engineering.
 
The P7M8 is, in my opinion, the single-stack 9mm to have.

Here lately, it's been my most-frequently-toted pistol.
 
2kiddad,

My P7 is already cocked when it comes to eye level. Cocking while aiming will disturb the grip and the sight picture. You need a minimal force - around 1-2 pounds pressure - to keep the gun cocked.

And yes, the P7 is the dirtiest pistol by far, I can clean my USPs third the time what a P7 takes. :)
 
For those of us who actually have a P7 (I have a referb), there is NO doubt that it is the finest carry piece made.

Regarding the heat issue. I use mine in IDPA and have never had anything resembling a problem with heat. It's only if you blast a box through it real fast that's it gets too hot. I practice drawing from concealment, moving, scanning, etc. so heat is not a problem there either.

Now, if I could only find a NIB P7!!!
 
I too have found my p7m8 to be my fav.

Recently, I decided it was a tad top heavy for daily carry in my kydex paddle holster, I ran out and bought a g36 which is 25% lighter and a pleasure to carry holstered outside of the pants all day long. I didn't pick up my p7 for 10 days! Last Saturday my wife and I went to the movies and I didn't have an inside the pants holster for my g36 so I carried my p7 with a sweater over the grip. It was like falling in love all over again. So thin and concealable yet safe with one in the pipe.

My only real complaint is the finish is not like the USP pistols and it seems prone the wear. I'm wondering if it's possible to get the usp coating (or something similar) on the P7.

Enjoy yours when you get one.:D
 
Forby,

I'm not sure why, the factory blued P7 I carried in the West Indies for a couple of years never rusted--My Sig 220, in the same conditions, was a rustamatic. So it's possible that HK has some sort of better than normal formula for the bluing they use on their P7 line.

But it's impossible to be around this gun for too long without finding out that the current ne plus ultra finish for the P7 cognoscenti is matt hard chrome. Costs about $175, and once done, the gun continues to look like new--forever. May have something to do with the case-hardened substrat.
 
The P7s are sweet shooters.

But the PSP is a tad smaller, thinner, and lighter if CCW is your need.

Just have to get used to the heel mag release.

Even when I pick a P7M8, I automatically garb for the heel.

Check out a PSP. Its what I carry when thin is important along with some 1350 fps Powermax Gold Dots.

And goto Park Cities Tactical - several hundred P7 owners over there.
 
The finish on P7s isn't the greatest. i've seen almost purple ones!

Don't get any BS coatings on it. they rub off.

Hard chrome that baby!

If you want your P7 hard chromed by the best, send it to the folks that have been disassembing, chroming, and re-assembling P7s for decades.

Metaloy at 870-423-4225 or;

Metalife at 814-436-7747. My 84 PSP was hard chromed by Metalife and still looks close to new.

When I asked at PCT, those two shops hit the top of the list.
 
2kiddad,

I just bought a P7 Xmas Eve. I've only had 3 chances to take it out and shoot it since getting it, but I have to agree with each point that you made, except that I didn't have the "dirty hand" problem. I agree with whomever who said it was probably the ammo. I especially agree about it getting hot, and I have not tried to shoot more than 80 rounds at a time. You did 200? Yes, you are da man. I too wouldn't mind if the trigger was 2 pounds heavier. I'm also still not good with the cocker. My problem has mostly been gripping it too tightly. I have not had a problem gripping it too loosely and, after reading the possible consequence in your post, I will endeavor not to :D

I definitely agree that this is a gun one would need to carry all the time to get used to. Going back and forth between this gun and "normal" guns isn't a good idea. Can't say I'm 100% sure that I'll keep it yet but, if I do, I will have to get better at hitting a 10 ring consistently. The "best", fastest, most expensive gun on earth is useless if you can't hit what you're aiming at. So far, there's still nothing that compares to my SIG 228.

Does anyone have any idea of the reliability of this gun? I'm wondering if the gas recoil system or other parts are prone to failure? For the money, let's hope it is durable.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top