[FredMan]

So I'm pretty new to H&K, having just bought my first (USPc .40) about a month ago.

One thing I keep hearing is how H&K "over-engineers" their weapons.

Does anyone have some specific examples of this? In other words, point me to a part on my USPc that, if just "regular engineered" would be different. Or, point me to a part on some other handgun that H&K adapted to their product but improved the specs.

 

[Secret_77]

That's a tough question... by that question it sounds like you may never need the "over-engineering".

It doesn't always mean more metal here or there, or some exotic metal. Engineering can also apply to thought and design... the rearranging of maybe the same stuff that's on other firearms to come up with something that works when you need it.

How well the firearm can be handled with a gloved hand. Parts interchangeability. How well the tolerances deal with dirt. How far can you go between cleaning. The forethought of what a soldier may need in a certain situation... while still at the drawing board.

I'm not an expert and I don't build guns... I / we just count on them to work when we need them.

If you're firing a 50 ct box of ammo at the local range at still targets once or twice per year you may never appreciate the thought that went into the design of any particular weapon. If you're on a PD or in the Military or Protecting yours or someone else's property you want a tool that's going to work for you under duress... or as an instructor told me "when you think your next breath is going to be your last".

 

[Scooter]

Over engineering is when you waste way too much time and thought into designing something. That's what it means in the engineering world.

 

[Jenkem]

I think some German cars are "over-engineered" and could benefit from the old "keep it simple, stupid" saying but I think HK guns are pretty straight forward and well thought out. an over-engineered pistol would have a lot of unnecessary parts and features but the P2000 as an example doesn't even have a safety. so no, I don't think HK firearms suffer from over-engineering unless you maybe look at some of their older more experimental models.

 

[F22_RaptoR]

So I'm pretty new to H&K, having just bought my first (USPc .40) about a month ago.

One thing I keep hearing is how H&K "over-engineers" their weapons.

Does anyone have some specific examples of this? In other words, point me to a part on my USPc that, if just "regular engineered" would be different. Or, point me to a part on some other handgun that H&K adapted to their product but improved the specs.

Think of the Mark23.

Rather than just steel sheet metal formed into the slide rails on the frame, its got 2 big steel blocks. The slide is VERY big and has a lot more metal than it really "needs" to do the job. The barrel can shoot 30,000 rounds of +P ammo with no accuracy degredation. The trigger is steel (easily could have been plastic like the USP's) etc... The gun can still fire "accuratly" with a bulged barrel (although im sure its not recomended)


The USP's have a lot more than they truely "need" to operate, such as a big strong FORGED steel slide (could have been bar stock) and a sheet steel framework imbedded in the frame, that holds the slide. The barrels are made of EXTREMELY hard steel, and have very high barrel lives.


I think the "over engineered" is when they take something that will "work" with the specifications they're given, and then go and make it able to survive more just cuz.


Thats what i think anyways



If your looking at "over engineered" in a bad way, think of some german made cars.... I cant remember if its BMW, or Porsche, but they put a planetary gearbox in the steering wheel, so that the faster yo go, the less "radical" the steering wheel affects the wheels turn-rate.... So at 10MPH the steering-wheel affects the drive-wheels the same as it would at 100MPH

Kind of not necessary when you can just learn to turn the steering wheel less as you go faster

 

[Jenkem]

yeah you can look at the term "over-engineered" as a positive thing too.
like it was designed to take more than what the average person will throw at it.

 

[Chopstix Kid]

The gun can still fire "accuratly" with a bulged barrel (although im sure its not recomended)

I once saw a video where a round was purposely jammed in a Mark barrel and then a another round was fired through it to clear it out. Then the gun was fired again with the bulged barrel... with acceptable tactical accuracy.

 

[sfguard]

Is there a such thing as over engineering a firearm?

 

[thatmanuhate]

^ what he said. It's human nature to break and destroy ****. It's what we do. I think over engineering does not exist just for the simple fact we're always going to break it!!!

 

[Scooter]

Just about every modern gun is capable of shooting out a lodged bullet, even Glocks since those are standard requirements in just about every military contract.

The Mark 23 is over engineered based on engineering definitions of over engineering. This is because it is a product of design by committee with the committee being politicians. That why they ended up with a product that no one uses. The lack of competition didn't help either.