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The Heckler & Koch P7 is a compact semi-automatic Pistol . It was designed beginning in 1971 to be compact and have enhanced safety features. After several years of development, the first version of the P7, the PSP (Polizei Selbstlade-Pistole in German, or Police Selfloading Pistol), was released by HK in 1976 with mass production beginning in 1979. The P7 line ended its production run in 2005. A unique feature of the P7 is its lever cocking mechanism. Although it is a single action pistol (i.e. one whose trigger only fires the gun, without performing any cocking action), it is one of the safest pistols for carrying with a loaded chamber. This is because it is only cocked when the lever, conveniently located on the front of its grip, is squeezed. Releasing the grip decocks the gun, rendering it immediately safe. Another unusual feature is its Gas-delayed Blowback operation allows its barrel to be fixed to its frame, unlike most semiautomatic handguns. Propellant gases are vented from the Barrel into a cylinder that delays the rearward motion of the slide. Several other pistols that use this usual system are the unsuccessful Steyr GB , Vektor CP1, and the NORINCO Model 77B. These pistols are very compact compared to other locked breach pistols, due to the fixed barrels. Its barrel axis is also very low, making the P7M8 one of the most accurate 9 mm service pistols available. The P7's firing pin can also be conveniently removed from the slide and replaced in seconds for safe storage. The P7 was produced in several versions:
The PSP and P7M8 with their eight round magazine are the slimmest and most concealable versions of the gun. The P7M13 has a 13 round capacity at the expense of increased bulk. The P7M10 variant is slightly larger due to a larger slide to accomdate the .40 S&W round. HK also developed a version of the P7 with an interchangeable barrel, the P7K3. It had a similar appearance to the P7M8. By default, it is chambered for a 9x17 mm (.380 ACP) cartridge, but it has a removable barrel and can be reconfigured to .22LR or 7.65x17 mm (.32 ACP). HK also developed a prototype P7M7, chambered in the .45 ACP cartridge. This design used a breech locking principle frequently found in artillery, as HK discovered the gas-delayed blowback system used in the other P7s could not be made to work with the more powerful .45 ACP. Only six were made. A slight disadvantage that the P7 has for a service pistol is that its gas system causes the gun to heat rapidly. The heat is especially noticeable after firing several dozen rounds in quick succession. This is of little consequence for practical usage, but can be an impediment when practicing. P7s made for the American market feature a plastic heat shield inside the upper portion of the trigger guard. The P7M8 weighs 780 grams empty, is 171 mm long with a 105 mm barrel. One of the competitors to be the US Army Service Pistol, it was eliminated early in the competition for not meeting specifications. The Army eventually chose a version of the Beretta 92. EXTERNAL LINKS
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