Why are you passionate about HK?
Because they make **** that works.
Period.
I don't give a crap about botique guns, something being the "mercades" of a particular tool type, etc. All I care about is what will work reliably, consistently, and with the fewest malfunctions and that i'm comfortable with.
I liken the 416 type rifles to being the glocks of the rifle world. They simply work and work well. As do the 9x series.
If it weren't for that, I wouldn't put up with HKs ****ty attitude towards Civilian firearms ownership. People can make excuses for that until the cows come home and it won't change the fact that HK thinks we're all idiots. But, like I said, they make guns that work, so i'll bitch about their f**ked up attitude yet still buy the product. Having something that works and works well is worth it.
Don't get me wrong, I also like HK pistols too, but the fact of the matter is that as nice as they are, they still can't beat the simplicity, consistency, and reliability of a Glock. Yea, yea, I know everybody and their brother has a story about how their favorite (insert HK, Sig, 1911, etc. here) has worked for x number of rounds, blah blah blah. Whatever. Fine, put an HK through one of those stupid tests that glocks have been abused with and report back. I HAVE done(beach test) that and the Glock still came out ahead. Glock owners can afford to be close minded about their guns. They're not the ones with anything to prove anymore. 20+ years of stupidly abusive testing all in some vain attempt to prove the system as ****ty, quickly followed up with "well, they've got no soul" as the only bitch when they couldn't make the glocks fail, kinda puts glock owners in the catbird seat while everyone else tries to play catch-up.
All of that aside, I've been a fan of HK rifles in particular for many years. With the same obvious influences of TV and movies as a kid. I believe that "Ho Ho Ho, now i have a machinegun" was firmly burned in the memory banks of virtually everybody on this site, just like it was with me. Just like we all watched as John McClane undid the sling and tried to use it to lower himself into the venilation shaft and we all cringed as that wonderful HK MP5 stock bent and gave way......sigh...I sure hope that was a prop gun......
I had a chance to buy the Steyr AUG that was used in that same movie some years ago after stenbridge closed up shop. Still had fake blood on it and everything. But it was right when my ex filed for divorce and there was no way I could get it. :-(