I have read more pages on here then I can count in search of info as to why I see some 416D SF lowers with the SF after the D and some without. Anyone know why some have it and some don't as well as when they made the change?
Check out Post #38 regarding the legality of the lower, which is one reason nobody bid on the first auction that IIRC sold for roughly $3K.
The short answer to your question, if my recollection is accurate, is that HK Germany engraved some of the HK416D lowers to clearly mark them as Semi-only Fire. Or Semi-Fire. Or something to that extent.
In the initial confusion, some folks speculated that the SF stood for "Special Forces", which isn't the case.
Supposedly there are some (4??) HK416D semi-only lowers that do not have the SF marking.
I re-read this and I think I missed your meaning. You wrote to say there are some 40 416D lowers, not 4. I spoke with a friend and their count was 3 416D with matching uppers that are known. This blew me away. There have been some other SF's appear that were not associated with the approximately 60 from the one dealer, so take that for what it is worth.
The model ID was changed during production. The SF stands for "Single Fire". There are a few more than 4 that show "416D" but not very many more. The majority of the semiauto 416's are marked with the SF. But, even the SF are rare as rare can be.
It also appears the "SF" designation was applied only to HK416D SF rifles destined for the USA because I've seen a later production SF rifle that was delivered to Canada (AK date code) that lacked the SF markings (Where as earlier AI date code HK416 D SF rifles had the SF markings on them in the USA). At the end of the day, we are lucky to have even one of these rifles, with or without the SF markings because we were never supposed to have them to begin with. The SF markings don't bother me because it is calling the rifle what it is, a single fire rifle. Now if the rifles had full auto pictograms on them still and just lacked the sear hole and were engraved with SF markings, then I would be singing a different tune.
I think these guys nailed it. The official model designation for the US bound semi guns changed from HK416 to HK416DSF and the newer guns were marked accordingly.
It also appears the "SF" designation was applied only to HK416D SF rifles destined for the USA because I've seen a later production SF rifle that was delivered to Canada (AK date code) that lacked the SF markings (Where as earlier AI date code HK416 D SF rifles had the SF markings on them in the USA). At the end of the day, we are lucky to have even one of these rifles, with or without the SF markings because we were never supposed to have them to begin with. The SF markings don't bother me because it is calling the rifle what it is, a single fire rifle. Now if the rifles had full auto pictograms on them still and just lacked the sear hole and were engraved with SF markings, then I would be singing a different tune.
There are several Lowers that don't have the SF and out of those only a few were able to be matched up with the matching serial numbered upper. One just sold about a week ago!! They are extremely rare and expensive!!
More details man! Extremely expensive is what? $20k?
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Related Threads
?
?
?
?
?
HKPRO Forums
1.9M posts
89.4K members
Since 2000
Actually created in 1999 (the original posts from the first database were lost), we are a forum dedicated to and laser-focused on Heckler & Koch firearms, Heckler & Koch accessories and the owners and enthusiasts that love them! Come join the discussion regarding HK pistols, long arms, NFA arms, HK accessories, HK history and trivia and more.