HK P80
The HECKLER&KOCH P80 is a rare model that even the most die hard aficionados of the P7 series might miss. The P80 was created as part of a competitive bid for a new service handgun for the Austrian Army. Also competing were the P225, 226 and 220 from SIG, the Beretta 92F, the Voere P80 and Steyr GP80. Another newcomer to the scene was the then unheard of Glock 17. The P80 designation comes from "Service Pistol 1980." There are 26 units of the P80 extant, HK having made them in three series, beginning with serial number 40151 in 1982. This was followed on by serial numbers 40153 to 40162 also in 1982. The "second type" included serial numbers 40152 and 40181 to 40189. The third type was manufactured in 1987, five units with serial numbers 60158-60160 and 61392 and 61393. There is very little difference between the P80, and the normal P7 of the time, along the lines of the PSP development. There is no heat shield on the trigger guard of the first pistol, (40151, check at the second pic ) but is present on the rest, like the one above, though in an earlier design from what is now standard on the P7 series. The gun has a narrow trigger, European "heel" magazine release, serial numbers on the right side of both the slide and frame on the trigger guard, and only the caliber, "9mm x 19" in extra large letters on the left side of the frame. The designation "P80" was on both the left and right grip frames in the normal place. 40153 to 40162 had a newer firing pin bushing and smaller caliber designation on the slide. With only 26 examples in the hands of the Austrian Army, getting a collector model might be difficult. But for the die hard P7 fan, this is a model that can't be forgotten. Caliber Cyclic Rate Mag Capacity Modes of Fire Width (in/mm) Height (in/mm) Weight (lb/kg) bbl. length (in/mm) Overall Length (in/mm) 9 x 19 NA 8 Semi 1.14 5.04 1.71 4.13 6.73 9 x 19 NA 8 Semi 29 128 .78 105 171
Picture and information courtesy of: Pierangelo Tendas
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