HK MK23

Walkabout Dan said:
My favorite 762 rifle is the M14 in the E2 stock.
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Here's my favorite.

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matttahoe53 said:
I’m eyeing this that is somewhat local (living out west anything under a 1.5hr drive is local). Thoughts on the price and questions to ask?

ARMSLIST - For Sale: HK sp5 L

www.armslist.com www.armslist.com

Does build date make a difference?
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Build dates don't matter much. For the price, I'm most concerned with the amount of wear on the magazine. That tells me it has been used pretty significantly and does not warrant such a high price. I can buy a new unit for a couple hundred over that.
 
matttahoe53 said:
I’m eyeing this that is somewhat local (living out west anything under a 1.5hr drive is local). Thoughts on the price and questions to ask?

ARMSLIST - For Sale: HK sp5 L

www.armslist.com www.armslist.com

Does build date make a difference?
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I am only familiar with the military model so can't help you much. Mag wear is a concern regardless.
 
matttahoe53 said:
Good eyes on the mag wear. Quick check on gun broker shows a couple new ones at around the same price.
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.....now, one has to wonder how many guns end up with someone dropping the mag and putting it back in while dry firing and fondling it but DONT get shot alot?

Perhaps the gun is less "used" then the mag wear may indicate?
 
I owned the USP .45; not too much different than the MK23 apart from size and weight.
I found the trigger very spongy - well made gun of course but didn't find anything special about it. Sold it after a while, I even had the 'special' HK tactical light. Used to jam on me when I had the light mounted regardless of how I gripped it.
The MK23 is HUUUUGE [they called it a 'hands gun' . . .]
But for HK fans its something to lust after. I'm happy with my G21 for hicap .45ACP firepower.
 
Jmoser said:
I owned the USP .45; not too much different than the MK23 apart from size and weight.
I found the trigger very spongy - well made gun of course but didn't find anything special about it. Sold it after a while, I even had the 'special' HK tactical light. Used to jam on me when I had the light mounted regardless of how I gripped it.
The MK23 is HUUUUGE [they called it a 'hands gun' . . .]
But for HK fans its something to lust after. I'm happy with my G21 for hicap .45ACP firepower.
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I had a USP 45. I really disliked it, one of the harsher polymer 45s it seemed. I found the Mk23 MUCH more 'shootable'...I dunno if it is a size thing, a weight thing, or a trigger thing (or all of the above), but I noticed a huge difference. I accede it could have been just me, most people I know who have the USP 45 really like it.
 
Chuckman said:
I had a USP 45. I really disliked it, one of the harsher polymer 45s it seemed. I found the Mk23 MUCH more 'shootable'...I dunno if it is a size thing, a weight thing, or a trigger thing (or all of the above), but I noticed a huge difference. I accede it could have been just me, most people I know who have the USP 45 really like it.
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The MK23 was supposed to some magical proprietary recoil dampening technology.
HK would not disclose what it was.
It was most likely as you wrote the size and weight.
 
Collection piece? Yeah, if deal and money was right I would grab one. Take to the range couple times a year, show it off to my buddies etc. But for a defensive weapon? Nope, I would not want it for that purpose. Outside the great points mentioned above regarding specifications and lack of accessories. I would not want it sitting in an evidence room for years waiting to be cleared of a self defense shoot. The criminal investigation doesn’t take years to complete. It’s the civil trial that will take for ever. In the mean time you only tell people I own a MK 23. Just my 2 cents and worth exactly what you paid for it lol. With that said they are a nice piece to have in the collection.


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I own a Mark23, USP45 Tactical, USP45, USP45CT, and an HK45CT...

I love them all...

The Mark 23 is a unicorn gun for collecting and showing off to your friends. 25 years ago, it would have been an amazing home defense gun. But now, there are many better options, even if you only consider magazine capacity.

And, if you buy the Mark23 or USP45T, you still have to buy rail adapters to mount a modern tactical light...

The Mark23 is an amazing safe queen.

If you want an awesome HD gun in 45, buy a FNX45 Tactical (I have one of these too) or HK45CT and spend the extra money on a light and 1000rds of ammo...
 
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Alabamacoastie said:
I own a Mark23, USP45 Tactical, USP45, USP45CT, and an HK45CT...

I love them all...

The Mark 23 is a unicorn gun for collecting and showing off to your friends. 25 years ago, it would have been an amazing home defense gun. But now, there are many better options, even if you only consider magazine capacity.

And, if you buy the Mark23 or USP45T, you still have to buy rail adapters to mount a modern tactical light...

The Mark23 is an amazing safe queen.

If you want an awesome HD gun in 45, buy a FNX45 Tactical (I have one of these too) or HK45CT and spend the extra money on a light and 1000rds of ammo...
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Thanks for the input. I wanted to like the FNX45 but don’t. The grip texture is too aggressive, with gloves probably outstanding. I don’t have soft hands either I just found it off putting. Same goes for the FN SLP.
 
matttahoe53 said:
Thanks for the input. I wanted to like the FNX45 but don’t. The grip texture is too aggressive, with gloves probably outstanding. I don’t have soft hands either I just found it off putting. Same goes for the FN SLP.
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Give the HK45CT a try. They call it a compact, but it still feels full size.

That's my beside gun... Well, one of them...
 
Since we’re all watching Forgotten Weapons, this very question came up about 22:00 into the most recent Forgotten Weapons video (Q&A 51).

Ian’s response was:
-It’s big and heavy, even moreso with a can on it.
-Not an ideal option for lowlight (WML/optics mounting issues).
-The accuracy and durability that make it a great offensive handgun are wasted on a nightstand gun in the average-size home.
 
I owned one about 10 years ago and it was a tank of a gun. More of a collector piece than a tactical one
 
A quick breakdown from some experience with suppressed .45 models from HK that may help:


Cost HK P9S .45 $1200+ HK Mark 23 $1650+ HK 45CT$1000-
Accuracy HK P9S .45 Best HK Mark 23 Better HK 45CT Very Good
Availability of Parts HK P9S .45 Poor HK Mark 23 Better HK 45CT Best
Rounds per mag HK P9S .45 7+1 HK Mark 23 12+1 HK 45CT 10+1
Reliability Equal Equal Equal

As others have mentioned if you have the money, go with the HK Mark 23 if you have had your heart set on it. The HK 45CT would be the one I would choose for hard use. However given the choice between all 3, if they cost the same, hands down would be the P9S .45
 
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I have a mk23 and love it, that being said, there are many better options. It’s big and heavy and requires a rail adapter as others have said before
 
The HK Mark23 was the very first handgun I ever purchased back in the mid '90s. When I went to my LGS and saw the Mark23 displayed on the wall I immediately fell in love. I bought it right then and there with the cash I had in my pocket and a credit card, or two. It has ever since then been called my "hand cannon". When NC passed conceal carry, I took my Mark23 to the training/certification class. The instructor's jaw dropped and he asked me "how the hell are you going to conceal that?". Well, it's been ~25 years now and the Mark23 is still the Queen Jewel in my collection. Currently, it stays in my safe only to come out once a year to get inspected and oiled. It does come out on occasion when my boys want to shoot it; after which, they typically end up arguing about who's going to get it when I die. I tell them it's going to their sister. Still today, every time I put it in my hands I vividly remember the first time I ever saw it and knew I had to have it. I tell my wife my Mark23, aka. "hand cannon", was my first ever true love. Congratulations on your new purchase!
 
I had one and sold it. I now have a mark 24 and am thinking of selling it too. The 23 is AWESOME suppressed. It’s also freaking cool. I sorta regret selling it, but was in a spot where I wanted all my handguns to be concealable. Plus, badassness aside, the 24 (Hk45c) does 90% what the 23 does in a smaller package. If you want, pm me your cell and I’ll text you a video of the 23 suppressed with an obsidian 45
 
Put 50 rounds through it and started to get the hang of it at the end. Really easy to shoot quickly.

Couple questions for those with experience:

Do you use your trigger finger on the mag release?

What do you do to keep the thread protector in place?
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Wilmingtonppb said:
I had one and sold it. I now have a mark 24 and am thinking of selling it too. The 23 is AWESOME suppressed. It’s also freaking cool. I sorta regret selling it, but was in a spot where I wanted all my handguns to be concealable. Plus, badassness aside, the 24 (Hk45c) does 90% what the 23 does in a smaller package. If you want, pm me your cell and I’ll text you a video of the 23 suppressed with an obsidian 45
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NSW changes pistols like most people change underwear. I understand that even though they aren't part of SOCOM ST6/DEVGRU went away from the HK45 to the Glock 19.
 
matttahoe53 said:
Put 50 rounds through it and started to get the hang of it at the end. Really easy to shoot quickly.

Couple questions for those with experience:

Do you use your trigger finger on the mag release?

What do you do to keep the thread protector in place?
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Maybe an O ring to keep the thread protector in place?
 
I have shot the Mark 23, and I have personally owned the USP tactical in 45, the Hk45, the HK45 compact and the FNX45 tactical as well as a misc number of 1911s. When it comes to 45 there is the "aura" of the 45 and the reality of it. The Mark 23, outside of being an accurate gun, has been eclipsed by H&K's other offers. Why? Because the Mark 23 is the kitchen sink of firearms. It has a decocker, a separate safety from said decocker, can withstand extreme abuse and can handle a regular regime of +P+ 45 all while being the world's only "offense handgun." The name in itself is an oxymoron.
For the purposes you listed, it makes the Mark 23 a null and void expense. It has a proprietary mounting system, doesn't make it impossible, but makes mounting a flashlight harder (a negative for HD if you don't have a light). It's extremely heavy, to the point where some rifles are even lighter, and it overall profile is gigantic and doesn't lend itself to the hallway fighting you would imagine in a HD circumstance.
I would highly steer you too a H&K hk45 compact tactical. The ergos are excellent, it still packs a 10 round magazine, has holster options readily available and despite it's name, is roughly the size of a H&K P30. The best part of owning 45 is the subsonic performance. The 45 comp tact is more maneuverable with a can on it and has an excellent recoil impulse with one mounted (you can find plenty of resources and youtube videos with people saying the compact feels better shooting than the fullsize with a can) All these benefits at a third the cost of the Mark 23, with more abundant magazines and after market support. I highly recommend a Gray Guns Short Reset Trigger regardless of the Hk45 you get.
My final point is that, when it comes to HD, go big or go home. If you're going to get a Mark 23, mount a can and light then why stop there? It is a few ounces of difference between that and a 300 blackout braced AR. You'll be more accurate, can share more commonality (30 cal vs dedicated 45 cal cans), you can use the EXCELLENT 220 Remington Subsonic bullet which will outperform at 45 ACP loading but afford you the option of a 30 round magazine as opposed to a 10/12 in a pistol and with a market flooded with reputable manufactures and products get one at a fraction of the price.
If you want the Mark 23 for collecting or history nostalgia (despite the Seals dropping it as soon as they got in favor of the 226) then that is cool. But if you mention HD and cost, there is no shortage of better options.
 
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