H&K P7 finish question

J

jec

New member
I have a P7, and I think I'm going to betray all my obsessed brethren in the cult, i.e., I'm thinking of selling it. The "why" is a subject for another day, although I will say I agree with all the good and gushing testimony we P7 owners offer up.

My question - when I see P7's for sale, specifically in a nickel finish, I frequently see particular mention that it's an "original factory nickel" finish. Those comments almost have the whiff of something condescending about an aftermarket finish. I had my P7 refinished by Robar in their NP3 nickel/teflon. I'm wondering how that will affect its resale value. I'm not asking for dollar estimates; what I'm wondering is, in general, can I expect the Robar NP3 finish to add to, or detract from, the value of this pistol?

If the NP3 adds value, I expect it won't be dollar for dollar equal to what I paid for the refinish. As much as anything else, I ask because I may reconsider selling this coolest of pistols if I completely tanked its value by refinishing it. What say you who are in the know?
 
I just watched a plain jane, police trade, PSP with Nills go for $1850. I suspect the price has climbed enough to cover the refinish and then some. Not that the finish helps or hurts, but the guns are still in some demand. Good luck with the sale.
 
They're collectible now. Like anything collectible if it's in original condition it's worth more to people. As just a shooter the NP3 finish is probably a plus. But even then, some people will or won't like it. I wouldn't say you've ruined the value to any extent, you just might have to spend some more time finding a buyer that likes what you did with the pistol. Same goes for any customization. Luckily NP3 has a good following so I wouldn't think it would take long. As with all parts of a sale, you'll typically get back a percentage of what you spent on the finishing. What percentage is up to you to decide and the market will tell you if that's fair. When I sold my HK P2000 in NP3+ I got back half of the money on the finish, but that's not as desirable or uncommon a pistol as a P7.
 
Got a pic? I would love to see it.

I can only say that it is possible to get a good price for the gun if you wait for the right buyer.

Not everyone who wants a p7 would have a problem with the NP3 but most likely will. I'm not saying anything that's not already been said, just adding my opinion. What ever happens i hope it swings in your favor.

The P7 is my favorite H&K and had the chance to shoot one many times. I guess i would best describe the P7 as an intriguing pistol. After you get use to it, it really shoots well and feels more natural.

Something about the way the slide feels and even sounds is different. I cant put my finger on it and even if i could i would still need to find the words to explain it.

Next time i shoot it i will be thinking about this post and i bet i still come away scratching my head. It just doesn't feel like any other pistol that comes to mind yet a since of familiarity. Like a smell that is familiar from the past that you haven't smelled in a while but you don't quite know what it is.
 
It all depends on who's looking to buy, a collector probably wouldn't be as keen for a refinished P7, but as a shooter I would think the NP3 adds value. No expert by any means, but thats my opinion based on limited observation.
 
From the comments I read on the HK forum, HKPRO, any plating other than the factory plating on a p7 has a negative effect on the price. That said, I doubt the average buyer would care, providing the gun was what they wanted.

psp7's are very rare birds, to my knowledge they were never police weapons. Folks tend to call the earlier p7's used by the German police "PSP's", but they're weren't.
 
Folks tend to call the earlier p7's used by the German police "PSP's", but they're weren't.
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Folks call them PSPs because that's what HK called them. Check your box and manual. ;)
 
Factory finishes are always preferred over aftermarket, especially in collectible guns. But, with the PSP and P7's if the aftermarket finish is well done, it shouldn't detract from value very much. At least that's what the market seems to think.

People are funny - they will tolerate certain guns that have been refinished; but not others....and this can change over time!
 
Factory finishes are always preferred over aftermarket
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True, but the P7 may be an exception to the rule. It seems that many people prefer a different finish on the P7s. Maybe because the original isn't all that attractive, though it is utilitarian, very tough and long lasting. Some of the owners of the "plum" slides seem to desire something else. Aftermarket chrome seemed to be very popular when the mass of "Saxony" trades hit the market about 8 years ago.
 
Update: I listed the P7 on GB, and if the refinish negatively impacted the value at all, it wasn't by much. Life is good!
 
Mine's wears an NP3 finish, as do the three factory 8-rd mags that came with it.

Before having Robar refinish it, the gun was in NRA "good" condition, meaning it had some exterior holster wear, along with visible scuffs and scraps from being an LEO's off-duty piece.

After it returned from Robar, I added a set new Trijicon sights, although I did keep the factory 3-dot sights for the next owner.

Per the serial #, my P7 has a born-on date of 1981.

Okay, so for any of you HK P7 experts, what's the approximate value?
 
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The original finish is junk. I am usually pretty good about cleaning and lubing my guns. I think I was too tired after shooting one night and just put it away in its factory plastic box. I ended up getting some rusting on the grip serrations. I wasn't a happy camper to say the least. I now make a conscious effort to at least wipe down the outside of the gun. South Florida humidity can be brutal on guns, even with a Golden Rod in the safe. One thing to be extra careful with is foam insert gun cases. The humidity gets trapped in there and all of the desiccants and dehumidifiers won't do a darn thing.
 
Interesting how collectible the PSP/P7 has become. I got mine which is still NIB back in 1984. It cost me $750 back then.#533XX. It even had a test target in the box dated 3/14/83. Mine has not turned so much plum as the pictures I have seen.
I did a little research on line. Lots of info on them out there. Mine was dated 1983 (1D) on the slide and has an Arlington VA import mark. Got mine before the internet existed we are used to know.
 
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South Florida humidity can be brutal on guns, even with a Golden Rod in the safe.
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Lived in that swamp for nearly 40 years, and here's what I did: Go to your local Ace Hardware and get a can or two of LPS 3 which is spray on Paralketone.

I worked for a major airline at MIA and we used it to prevent corrosion in the bellies of the aircraft. Guys also use it on aluminum boats as well. Ours was from a local supplier, but the LPS product is the same. (Company stuff was "free;" LPS is about 12 bucks a can.)

Here's what you do: Spray the gun with a nice even coating of it, give it 15 or 20 minutes to dry, then put the gun into a plastic sleeve, squeeze the air out, then seal the bag. Your gun will stay rust free for years. When you want to shoot the gun, the stuff is easy to wipe off, and a spritz of WD 40 will soften it for the internals, or you can give it quick dip in mineral spirits.

I moved to Arizona in 89, and I still have guns that were packed away in Florida in the 70s and 80s that have been fully protected by the stuff almost 40 years later.

I should add that it's not a good option if you shoot your gun every other day. It's more or less for long term protection, i.e. weeks or months (and years).:)
 
PSP My p7 and the box are labeled HK 7, along with manual. No mention of PSP. My understanding is a true Model PSP p7 will have "PSP" stamped/engraved on the slide. All photos I've seen of real PSP's had the slide labeled.

Also, my understanding is there were only a few made, m/b 100+, less than 200. I'm not an expert.

I will concede there is a stick-on label on my p7 box that says "p7 PSP used...". Since there are two labels, one which looks like an original HK label, and this one; I think it was made and affixed by the reseller.

They are favorite my HK models, of the nine HK's I have, one is a p7, the other a p7m8.
 
rt11002003,
Here's what my manual looks like. Link to Steve's pages for manuals...
http://stevespages.com/pdf/hk_p7_psp.pdf

They, (HK), call it a PSP, I say that's good enough for my simple understanding. I just call it like I see it.

They are favorite my HK models, of the nine HK's I have, one is a p7, the other a p7m8.
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I have one of each also. Great guns whatever you call them. Hard to pick a favorite. I really like them all. I carry a P2000sk which is, IMHO, the best carry gun made. Very high on my list is my first HK a USPc in stainless, a flawless pistol. I have two other USPs, one an Elite which is by any measure of my shooting skills the most accurate pistol I've ever used. Uncanny consistency. A gun deserving better than my abilities.
 
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P7M8

The PSP, P7 is european version for police only, the P7m8,P7M13,P7M10,
P7K3 all 3 versions, all are slightly different for american market.
I have almost never seen a used or refinished finish of any kind for sale last long,
especially on HKPRO. I have all 4 models,the P7K3 I own is .380, the other is .22
with conversion kit, either of these 2 are very rare.
I still believe, that series is the fastest firing semis made. A true urban combat
weapon.
 
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