HK P7M8 viable EDC gun?

[F.C.III]

Guys, would you consider an HK P7M8 a viable carry option in this day and time. I love the feel but 8rds of 9mm vs. The P30's 15rd. No longer made so parts avail.? Anyone know app. Service life of weapon? Any certain yrs. of manufacture to look for?
Thanks for any help you all can provide

[Army Chief]

Solid gun. Admittedly-heavy and, as you've observed, limited capacity, but in terms of compactness, quality, accuracy, a usable trigger and speed-to-employ, I would still say "yes" -- absolutely a viable gun. Even nearly 40 years after it's introduction, it still offers some interesting capabilities that other guns simply do not.

Any P7 represents something of a strongly-flavored and unusual choice these days, given all else that is available, and you need to be careful about investing in the right carry rig because of the weight distribution (short slide, butt-heavy), but again, I wouldn't dismiss the idea out of hand.

After owning virtually every M-variant made, I actually came to prefer the original P7 (what is usually called the PSP in the US market) over time, and although mine no longer sees much first-line/carry service these days, it remains a quiet favorite.

Lots to like about these old staple guns, even today. Parts when needed, can be obtained, but there generally isn't a lot to worry about there, as these are extremely high-quality pistols.

Ultimately, if you are confident in, and competent with, the P7, then there is no wrong answer to the EDC question. "Having a gun" in the first place is really the only relevant factor there. Do your part, and it will perform every bit as well as, or better than, any other.

AC

[Don Robison]

Like AC said; yes. I still carry my original type P7 on occasion when I want a slim gun.

[yoni]

Yes, it is a great little pistol, I drop mine in my pocket several times a week, to run to put in gas or buy groceries.

I think the PSP with one spare mag, can solve 99.99% of the problems you have a chance of running into.

I have over 50 year olds eyes so the sights are hard for me to see, I wish I could get better sights on it. If it had better sights I would carry it more often.

[Itzik]

I don't like the squeeze cocking but when it is cocked it is a great trigger, just remember to hang on to the grip as you might find it really hard to fire following shots if you don't keep the squeeze. It definitely requires different training.

Also don't touch the slide after you fire 100 to 150 shots and better clean the gun after every shooting session.

I would never spend the kind of money people are willing to for the P7, I rather have the Glock 26, M&P C or the Shield over the P7 any day.

Also I am not too crazy about any other HK as I don't like the trigger, or the price of any HK. I would take a Walther, Glock, Sig, M&P, even XD over the HK. For that matter the HK in all its variations and models is a gun that I never bought or owned.

Sorry guys it is just me.

[Army Chief]

I don't like the squeeze cocking but when it is cocked it is a great trigger, just remember to hang on to the grip as you might find it really hard to fire following shots if you don't keep the squeeze. It definitely requires different training.

Also don't touch the slide after you fire 100 to 150 shots and better clean the gun after every shooting session.

I would never spend the kind of money people are willing to for the P7, I rather have the Glock 26, M&P C or the Shield over the P7 any day.

Also I am not too crazy about any other HK as I don't like the trigger, or the price of any HK. I would take a Walther, Glock, Sig, M&P, even XD over the HK. For that matter the HK in all its variations and models is a gun that I never bought or owned.

Sorry guys it is just me.

I don't want to be dismissive here, but all of this is pretty anecdotal at best, brother.

The squeeze-cocking procedure is absolutely intuitive to the point where even the newest shooter can easily master it, and the pressure required to keep the cocking mechanism cammed and engaged under recoil is insignificant, assuming a normal and natural firing grip. It requires no special effort; you simply have to hold on to the gun.

For carry purposes, the whole "hot gun" (people love this one, for some reason) issue is irrelevant. We aren't talking about extended range sessions. We're talking about having a sidearm available to deal with an active threat in the real world. I don't know anyone who carries 100-150 rounds of ammo to the corner store at 10 p.m. A pistol and a spare magazine are plenty.

Value is relative. P7s are expensive. They are also very high-grade steel, built to what are probably true semi-custom quality standards and they are German. A great many of them (ex-Polizei guns) were actually sold in our market for prices that were well under their true value.

Again, not blasting your face off here, but honestly, if you don't own one, then I'm not sure what motivated the comments. If you do, then I'm left to wonder where any of the aforementioned conclusions came from.

No one is saying the P7 is the ne plus ultra example of anything in 2013, but for a mid-70s vintage design, it remains startlingly-viable as an effective CCW tool today.

AC

[yoni]

Ike you asked in an other thread our top 5 favorite pistols.

PSP is number 3 and I see nothing that will knock it out of third place.

[PatrioticDisorder]

My two cents, I wouldn't run one for the simple fact that parts availability will always be limited. To me the P7 series represents a collectors piece, albeit a collector's piece capable of uber accuracy & reliability. I'd rather have a pristine P7 as a safe queen than a high end 1911 as a safe queen for what it's worth but because it's not currently being produced I wouldn't carry it (or shoot it very often).

[Itzik]

Army Chief the fact that I don't own one does not mean I have not shot one extensively. This are strictly my feelings about the gun. I like to put 100 to 200 rounds in a shooting session and I would not do it with a P7.

I am also familiar enough with what happens in gun fights and I agree with you and Yoni, probably what is in the gun and a spare mag should be enough and the gun will not get hot enough to melt your Kydex holster but it still remains a fact that the gun is very expensive like all HK's are, carries a limited amount of ammo considering other guns like the Glock 26, XD C, M&P C and I still don't like the squeeze cocking specially for some one with a injured hand, arthritis, or old age but thank G-D I don't have that problem yet.

Also I know that Yoni likes as many rounds as possible in his gun and spare mag so I know that the limited capacity of the HK P7 is not an issue with me but not with him, occasionally might be Ok but he likes high capacity guns.

Also there are other guns like the ones I mentioned with more capacity, lighter, smaller that are much better in my humble opinion but that is strictly my opinion.

I did not mean to gore some ones sacred cow when I said I don't like HK's in general and the P7 in particular, to each his own this are strictly my feelings.

[Itzik]

Ike you asked in an other thread our top 5 favorite pistols.

PSP is number 3 and I see nothing that will knock it out of third place.

I respect that, but it would be my last choice, then again I can shoot most guns really well and ammo capacity was never an issue with me anyway but I would still not buy one.