[BravoSector1]

I've got my eyes set on a P7. I see them ranging in price from about $1,500 up to high 3s. I rarely see a hard chrome P7 and when I do they demand a high price. What's the history/story on the hard chrome models? Aftermarket addition or straight from HK???

 

[DudeRick]

Seems like they are usually the other way around, chrome lower priced and sits around longer. Anyway, chrome is aftermarket. Factory only made a nickel finish other than basic black. That being said, I have heard that there was a batch chromed by an HK importer at one time.

 

[Brobus]

HK produced some Nickel P7M8's, P7M10's and P7M13's in in 1992 (KC date code). There was a company called RTB Imports who sold some hard chromed P7's, P7M8's and P7M13's that appeared to be factory hard chromed, but they were not. CDNN and HK parts.net sold some nickel and hard chromed police trade ins. Some people think those were factory nickel or hard chromed because of the factory looking barcode/sticker on the outside of the box, but were are not. To my knowledge, there are no true factory hard chromed P7 series pistols. I have had a few factory (kC) nickels, after market nickels and aftermarket hard chromed P7 series pistols over the years. The hard chromed ones tend to hold up much better and not flake off or scratch as bad as the nickels.

 

[airforce1]

HK produced some Nickel P7M8's, P7M10's and P7M13's in in 1992 (KC date code)

I believe someone posted somewhere the KC date code is not a tried and true indicator of factory nickel. Your best bet is to call HKUSA and they can confirm factory nickel based on serial number.

 

[axel]

HK produced some Nickel P7M8's, P7M10's and P7M13's in in 1992 (KC date code). There was a company called RTB Imports who sold some hard chromed P7's, P7M8's and P7M13's that appeared to be factory hard chromed, but they were not. CDNN and HK parts.net sold some nickel and hard chromed police trade ins. Some people think those were factory nickel or hard chromed because of the factory looking barcode/sticker on the outside of the box, but were are not. To my knowledge, there are no true factory hard chromed P7 series pistols. I have had a few factory (kC) nickels, after market nickels and afterm<script id="gpt-impl-0.11093885705495254" src="https://securepubads.g.doubleclick.net/gpt/pubads_impl_108.js"></script>arket hard chromed P7 series pistols over the years. The hard chromed ones tend to hold up much better and not flake off or scratch as bad as the nickels.

Yup. Hard chrome offers the best all around properties of any finish available for firearms that exist today. Industrial HC has a hardness of 65 RC (tool steel hardness), while the hardness of nickel generally runs around 45RC.

 

[Condition0]

HK did not make any chromed P7s. You were looking at a refinish.