HK P7 series mags info wanted
- Thread starter ifly
- Start date
thenewbieglockguy
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Ontario (GTA)
I'm no expert on P7's by any means but I know the P7 M8 mags are single stack and hold 8 rounds of 9mm while the P7 M13 mags are double stacked and holds 13 rounds of 9mm. Therefore, the mags would not be interchangeable.
I hope that helps!
I hope that helps!
Original P7 pistols have heel mag releases, so no slots cut in the mag bodies. The P7 M8 has a thumb mag release and the mags therefore have slots cut in the mag body. P7 M8 mags can be used in either model.
H.K.Glock 007
Regular
- Location
- 6 Feet from the Elks a$$! MB
Chris at Armtac for new p7 and p7m8 mags.
P7m10 mags took me 2 years of looking but an asset to this site helped me out and found me two. So good luck with m13 and m10 mags.
P7m10 mags took me 2 years of looking but an asset to this site helped me out and found me two. So good luck with m13 and m10 mags.
- Location
- Toronto (GTA), Ontario
Great photos ghostie with the differences. I would also add two more things:
1. M Series: No-tool firing pin bushing that can be removed by hand and sticks out from the back of slide slightly. P7 PSP: Flush firing pin bushing, requires tool for removal.
2. M Series: Extractor is also a loaded chamber indicator and sticks out slightly when loaded. P7 PSP: No LCI.
Also there are two different generations of P7 PSP pistols. The earlier Gen 1s have a smaller narrower mag release, shorter grips and steel trigger. The Gen 2 have a wider mag release, longer grips to make the mag release flush, bobtailed frame and polymer coated trigger to reduce heat transfer.
There is also a Gen 1.5, which is the Gen 1 P7 PSP that been retrofitted by installing the new wider mag release, longer grips, polymer coated trigger and some upgraded internals. This was done at the factory to upgrade German police guns, so a lot of the Police trade-ins P7s come in this configuration. Its easy to spot them as they dont have a cutaway bobtailed frame.
About the P7 PSP vs M8 vs M13. I prefer P7 PSP with flush magazine release for carry, and P7M8 for the range. The M13 frame is wider but it also has slimmer grips so the overall it is only marginally wider at 1.1" vs 1.3" inches. The main problem is the contour and not the width. Its got two semi-sharp corners that dig into your bones with modern thumbs high grip. My hands are large and the M13 can be very uncomfortable after a long range session. The P7M13 designed in a rush to meet the US Army XM9 pistol trial requirements, one of which was high capacity. It seems like it was designed on a CAD computer program by making the frame wider with no consideration for ergonomics. Another indicator of this is the double column magazine that is single feed on top that did not require the redesign of the slide and feed ramp. I am not a fan of the M13 double stack guns as they are a deviation from the original concept of a compact and thin police pistol the original P7 design was.
Anyone that has the same problem with the M13 digging into their hands, try the thumb down hold... it makes it shootable for me, eliminating the pain. Still my range gun is the M8, not an M13 that I have to use a modified hold for.
1. M Series: No-tool firing pin bushing that can be removed by hand and sticks out from the back of slide slightly. P7 PSP: Flush firing pin bushing, requires tool for removal.
2. M Series: Extractor is also a loaded chamber indicator and sticks out slightly when loaded. P7 PSP: No LCI.
Also there are two different generations of P7 PSP pistols. The earlier Gen 1s have a smaller narrower mag release, shorter grips and steel trigger. The Gen 2 have a wider mag release, longer grips to make the mag release flush, bobtailed frame and polymer coated trigger to reduce heat transfer.
There is also a Gen 1.5, which is the Gen 1 P7 PSP that been retrofitted by installing the new wider mag release, longer grips, polymer coated trigger and some upgraded internals. This was done at the factory to upgrade German police guns, so a lot of the Police trade-ins P7s come in this configuration. Its easy to spot them as they dont have a cutaway bobtailed frame.
About the P7 PSP vs M8 vs M13. I prefer P7 PSP with flush magazine release for carry, and P7M8 for the range. The M13 frame is wider but it also has slimmer grips so the overall it is only marginally wider at 1.1" vs 1.3" inches. The main problem is the contour and not the width. Its got two semi-sharp corners that dig into your bones with modern thumbs high grip. My hands are large and the M13 can be very uncomfortable after a long range session. The P7M13 designed in a rush to meet the US Army XM9 pistol trial requirements, one of which was high capacity. It seems like it was designed on a CAD computer program by making the frame wider with no consideration for ergonomics. Another indicator of this is the double column magazine that is single feed on top that did not require the redesign of the slide and feed ramp. I am not a fan of the M13 double stack guns as they are a deviation from the original concept of a compact and thin police pistol the original P7 design was.
Anyone that has the same problem with the M13 digging into their hands, try the thumb down hold... it makes it shootable for me, eliminating the pain. Still my range gun is the M8, not an M13 that I have to use a modified hold for.
Last edited:
- Location
- Toronto (GTA), Ontario
The changeover came in 1983. There are both Gen 1s and Gen 2s within ID date code. Here is a photo of a Gen 2 I sold recently.
Commercial Gen 2 P7 PSPs are somewhat rare. The same year the Gen 2 PSPs came out the improved P7M8 was also released and featured an american mag release and heat shield. After 1983 most of what was sold commercially were the P7M8/M13 pistols which were designed with the USA market in mind. P7 PSPs were seen as European pistol and not many were sold commercially after the M series debuted. P7 PSPs were adopted by German police and most of P7 PSP production went to satisfy those contracts. Once all police contracts were fulfilled and new polymer pistols (HK P2000 & Walther P99) adopted by the German authorities, no new P7 PSP police orders were on the horizon and they stopped making the P7 PSP with the last run made in 1997. The M series lasted until 2007 when the last of P7M8s were assembled and sold.
I agree that its a personal thing with hand fitment. I have no issue with big guns like the Glock 21 as I do with the M13 with its sharp corners. It does take a thumbs forward high grip and at least a box or two of ammo to start getting noticeably uncomfortable. I know I am not the only one with discomfort when shooting the M13, and also there are plenty that have no issues shooting it so its an individual thing. Best advice is to shoot them and see which model works best for you.
Commercial Gen 2 P7 PSPs are somewhat rare. The same year the Gen 2 PSPs came out the improved P7M8 was also released and featured an american mag release and heat shield. After 1983 most of what was sold commercially were the P7M8/M13 pistols which were designed with the USA market in mind. P7 PSPs were seen as European pistol and not many were sold commercially after the M series debuted. P7 PSPs were adopted by German police and most of P7 PSP production went to satisfy those contracts. Once all police contracts were fulfilled and new polymer pistols (HK P2000 & Walther P99) adopted by the German authorities, no new P7 PSP police orders were on the horizon and they stopped making the P7 PSP with the last run made in 1997. The M series lasted until 2007 when the last of P7M8s were assembled and sold.
I agree that its a personal thing with hand fitment. I have no issue with big guns like the Glock 21 as I do with the M13 with its sharp corners. It does take a thumbs forward high grip and at least a box or two of ammo to start getting noticeably uncomfortable. I know I am not the only one with discomfort when shooting the M13, and also there are plenty that have no issues shooting it so its an individual thing. Best advice is to shoot them and see which model works best for you.
The info you guys have is just what i'm looking for. What is the deal with the ones having nickle slides or a blued slide but with a matt stainless looking frame. Is this a factory option or a gun that's been "personalized"?
I would definately like to shoot some first but being where I live that isn't much of an option. So thus far its buy one and shoot it and if I don't like it, I sell it.
I would definately like to shoot some first but being where I live that isn't much of an option. So thus far its buy one and shoot it and if I don't like it, I sell it.
- Location
- Toronto (GTA), Ontario
No two-tone guns or nickel P7 PSP were ever made by HK. There were some M series guns that were factory nickel in the early 1990s but those are rare, 99% of P7 series guns are blued. Police trade ins often got refinished because of external wear. Very few got reblued at the factory and exhibit the light purple slide thats an indicator of that. Others got hard chrome or nickel finish but this was done outside of the factory. Either way a refinished guns value is always considerably lower. Also I have seen someone in Canada take a blued police trade-in P7 PSP and remove the finish on the slide and then polish it to create the two tone finish, so buyer beware!
- Location
- Toronto (GTA), Ontario
If you don't count the PSP prototypes, P7 production started in 1979. So five years of gen 1s, 1979 to 1983. Virtually all of 1979 production went to satisfy police contracts, importation to USA started in 1980.
