As mentioned yesterday, the folks at RECOIL Magazine have been trying to blame Heckler & Koch for the magazine’s recent article and subsequent public relations fiasco calling the HK MP7A1 unsuitable for ownership by private citizens. Today, Heckler & Koch put forth a formal public statement on the issue:
Some readers have misinterpreted a recent feature story in RECOIL magazine as a reflection of HK policy. Heckler & Koch has a long presence in the US civilian market and throughout that time has been an ardent and passionate supporter of the Second Amendment and the American civilian shooter. This will always be the case. The contents, opinions, and statements expressed in that feature story are those of the writer, not Heckler and Koch’s. Additionally, the writer and RECOIL magazine have issued a clarification and apology for the ill-chosen words used in the story.
The HK MP7A1 4.6 mm Personal Defense Weapon mentioned in the story is a selective-fire product (capable of “full automatic” fire) and is currently restricted to military and law enforcement agencies by BATF. HK-USA has previously researched introducing similar commercial products, chambered in 4.6 mm, but it was determined that the final product would not have enough appeal or be legally feasible.
— Heckler & Koch USA
Hopefully, this will put an end to the stupid claims that HK or its employees were responsible for the anti-RKBA statements by RECOIL Magazine.
Train hard & stay safe! ToddG
(hat tip to TCinVA for first posting the HK statement at pistol-forum.com)
I’m sure this is too low-brow for the comments section of this blog but I can’t think of a more concise and appropriate comment;
burn.
My only question is, why not make a semi auto only model for the civilian market?
What most people do not realize about HK is the asinine restrictions that Germany places on them insofar as exporting “weapons of war” or whatever the exact wording is. Part of the 416/MR556 fiasco was due to the German laws forbidding them from exporting it in its original state and forcing them to make a “Match Rifle” out of it just so they could sell it to civilian groups even after they set up to make rifle parts in the US to comply with our silly laws.
HK seems to be in an unenviable position with regards to civilian versions of their military hardware. By the time they make anything that complies with all the legal hoops they have to jump through, everyone screams about the changes and the high price point. Product doesn’t sell, and they lose money on it. They get bit, and don’t wanna lose their butts on another project and it goes all “You suck and we hate you” on the internet.
In the famous words of Scooby-Doo… Ruh Roh.
@gggnotaz, ToddG answered that already in the last post:
http://box2263.temp.domains/~juliegol/pistoltraining/archives/7253
Thanks, didn’t see that earlier post
what Jared said. not only do they have to deal with silly US laws, both ATF and import/Customs. They have to deal with the draconian German firearms laws, at least in regards to the manufacture and sale of “military style” firearms…. HK Germany was recently (within last year or so) searched under warrant, based on some crooked gov officials in Mexico… somehow the German gov felt it was HK’s fault that firearms they legally sold to the Mexican gov/military ended up in bad guys hands. I could go on, but it is pointless…
I have been following this from a distance and I really liked your post about is the other day regarding HK and the RD it would take to bring a civilian version to market. Made a ton of sense.
This letter from HK is also well done. Recoil lost a lot of subscribers with that piece and I understand some sponsors as well.
What many fail to realize is that the “sporting use” is REQUIRED by US. Since the GCA of 1968, all imported firearms must fit this “test”. In the late 80’s WE changed the test on companies like HK and all the “9” series guns were instantly gone. Those guns were designed for and only sold to the US commercial market. WE pretty much crushed the entire HK civilian program. They have to contend with a set of rules that are not based on the 2nd Amendment for consumers, and you have not seen the U.S. gun manufacturers standing in line to challenge the 1968 GCA in order to level the playing field for companies like HK. It is much easier to say HK hates you because they have to comply with not only the German rules, but also ours that are very similar in scope. Most of the U.S. firearms enthusiasts are totally oblivious to the business side of the equation and the rules for importation.
As far as Jerry Tsai. I was willing to forgive on the second written apology where he took responsibility for the “mistake” and said he was sorry. When the parent publication decided to blame HK, I was done. I thought the industry threw him under the bus a little too quick. It doesn’t help when there is a possibility to save yourself and then your publisher pulls you out from under the bus and throws you in front. Clownshoes and Bozo noses for everyone at Recoil……….or NO Recoil when it becomes a California Airsoft Lifestyle Magazine because all of the real gun folks are done with them.
Well said, nyeti. So many people rush to blame HK without realizing how shackled that company is by laws and regulations. Instead, we’d rather eat our own and say things like “HK is anti-gun” (I actually read that on another blog). Yeah, and McDonald’s is anti-burger.
I can only imagine how much money HK lost on all the potential sales of HK91,93,94’s and the variants of them from 1989 on. That was a giant wrench in the business plan that I am sure their accountants and executives are still in shock over. People forget about that when the wonder why these companies are so skittish when doing anything here. Steyr was another one that got raped on several occasions.
I’m kind of wondering how much of this H&K hate we’re starting to see is based on acutal experiences with H&K’s products or services?
It’s a good question. Is there really some sort of backlash? If so, is it based on widespread issues, or the narrow experiences of a few vocal customers?
Anyone selling relatively expensive products is always put under more scrutiny. See Apple, whose every slightest misstep is thoroughly dissected while its competitors skate by with the same problems. See Benchmade, whose production knives are expected to be perfect just because they’re more expensive than Boker or CRKT. I’m a fan of Apple, HK, and Benchmade specifically because they tend to be good from design to materials to QA to customer service, but I’m sufficiently aware to know that these companies and their products do have real problems.
I know that there are even pickier people than me, who might have unreasonable expectations. Then there are people who expect too much from customer service, and wonder why they experience what they perceive as bad service. In short, not all problems are the fault of the company.
Lastly, anti-HK sentiment is not something we’re just “starting to see.” =) c.f. http://larrycorreia.wordpress.com/2007/10/09/hk-because-you-suck-and-we-hate-you/
If you read the comments on that long running thread, you will see more than a few poorly researched opinions and statements by me… some from my CZ fanboi days.
“My only question is, why not make a semi auto only model for the civilian market?”
Because it’s HK, it would be at least as expensive as the competition (P90), probably more so. It would also need the 16″ barrel.
So you’ve got a gun in the 1500-2000 price range, that looks freakish thanks to a 16″ barrel.
Guess what else? You have a unique cartridge (the 4.6) that’s not used ANYWHERE. The 5.7 had a pistol and a PDW that used the round, and now has AR15 uppers for it. Ammo would be VERY expensive. Also, it would not be armor-piercing, which is kinda the point of the round to begin with.
So – $1500-$2000 semi-auto gun, freakishly long barrel, expensive and rare ammo. They’d have to figure some way to get around sporting purpose clauses, too.
I think their “civilian sales would be poor” notion is right on the money.
To be fair, you could sell it as a pistol too, like the SPP and Uzis.
You would then have to remove and redesign the slider for the stock, and remove the foregrip.
It would be a poor, gimped gun in either case.. but hey, when has the U.S. market *not* been used to poor, gimped guns as a result of idiotic import laws and the NFA?
It’d still need to come in under 50 oz. to clear 922(r) as a pistol, would require a complete redesign of the lower receiver, and… eh. Probably just not worth it.