HK MK23 juice worth the squeeze?

[siscoe308]

Hiders, I have randomly grown an affection for the HK mk23.
A full size 45acp is appealing to me for range blasting & truck gun. And honestly I’m interested in casual collection value of the MK23 (I suck at selling guns but it’s cool having guns that appreciate in value)

Anybody have good or bad things to say about the mk23?

Im not a rabid fanboy but I really like my VP9 & always am on the hunt for reasons to buy more guns. Thx

 

[Athos300]

My experience with it is very limited, fired 50 rounds through one. It is very accurate, the grip is large and I wasn’t too keen on the trigger at all. It’s a huge pistol for a .45. It’s very nicely put together though.

 

[TheOE800]

CREW SERVED!! Meh. I haven’t shot one but holding one in the shop was enough, I’d rather have a USP45. They were nifty when you could get them for $1500ish, but if they’re still over $2K I have so many other expensive pistols to buy first.

 

[MCSO1357]

It is a pig of a pistol. By that i mean it is big, thick and heavy (insert cock joke here). Shoots soft due to size, but throw on a can and some SBRs are smaller/lighter. Definitely got that cool 90's SEAL vibe though.

 

[Nik H]

I have one and I think it shoots better than any other out of the box 45 I have ever owned. I would strongly suggest that you handle one prior to buying as it is big and heavy. Not anything you would want to lug around for certain.

I enjoy mine immensely.

I have the original LAM as well. Wish I lived in a state that allowed suppressors as I would add that in a heartbeat

 

[siscoe308]

A buddy of mine gave me heads up that a local range (Liberty Firearms in Johnstown, CO good place to shoot/ price on goods) has a rental mk23.

I’m gonna get her a 50 round whirl before getting to crazy. Thx for replies

 

[W54/XM-388]

It has a very big grip so if you have small hands it may be a bit of a pain.
It is also very big for a pistol.

Other than that, it's great.
Nice long barrel that is threaded
Quite accurate
Easy to shoot
Will fire a limited diet of .45 Super without mods needed.

 

[CrabsandFootball]

It is a big heavy Pig. So yes.

They are already impossible to get ask HK makes in batches and they sell out at 2100 instantly. They will eventually stop making them and will increase in value.

If you are really money strapped and want a shooter, the USP Tactical is 90% of the gun at 50% of the price and is more shoot bale, but its not a MK23.

All real HK fans should own one as part of their collection.

Just buy it you will always be able to unload it for more than you paid down the road but it will be a rare and classic gun one day. Very cool history and Tears of the Sun classic.

 

[M4guru]

Hell yeah it's worth it, that thing is rad.

Impractical for a whole host of reasons, but you won't lose money on it and it sure is fun to shoot.

 

[houndog]

siscoe - recently had the same itch as you and was able to find a NIB Mark 23 for $1999. Occasionally you can find them for less, but it will take a long search and you will need to be patient.

I absolutely love mine. Yes, it is big, but I have large hands and had no trouble getting comfortable with it. Pretty soft shooting because of the design and size. Gun is definitely overbuilt and will probably run forever. Trigger is actually pretty good, but not amazing.

I do have to disagree about the weight. Although clearly not a featherweight I think it feels lighter than it looks.

They are tack drivers out of the box and I find them pretty easy to shoot accurately. Last time I had mine out I was shooting a 8x12 steel plate at 35 yards and rarely missing. That's generally about as well as I do with my target 9mm 1911. A more talented shooter could move the plate back another 20-30 yards and probably get similar results.

So, if you can afford it, I would definitely go for it. Because of its iconic nature and the relatively small number of guns in production it should generally hold its value pretty well. Moreover, due to the cost of production and the low volume of sales I don't think this gun has ever been much of a money maker for HK, so I suspect it's only a matter of time before they cease producing it altogether.

 

[siscoe308]

So I went and shot the MK23 at the indoor range.

Impressions: it’s a fist full of gun. Tanky but not obnoxious. I’m 6’1” & wear a large glove and had no problem handling the blaster.

Sights were the only thing on the gun that popped out as dated feeling. Plain Jane three white dots. Tho the impact was level with the top of the front sight blade which I prefer(unlike my vp9 that impacts in the center of the dot)

Single action: trigger was fine, really close to being good.
Double Action: good GAWD, that thing is heavy & lengthy....but double action is for oh shit anyway.

The decock has a good trigger slap to it.

Ambi safety & mag drop, but the slide
release isn’t which was a bummer as a lefty (I know,I know NOT a slide release)

The crappy S&B target Ammo that I paid $23 dollars for were incredibly soft feeing & as accurate as my rusty lack out pistol skill could be expected.
5yds=one hole
10yds=2inch ish
15yd=3inch strung vertically/
25yds=I put 4/5 in 3inches with the fifth opening up to 5ish.

Overall I’m really trying to talk myself out of buying one over the racist (non ambi) slide release but she is a beast of a gun. And if I don’t get one I’ll look back and regret not buying...we will see.

Thx for all the feedback. I really appreciate it.

 

[Athos300]

Just buy it, then get a P7M13 too to balance out the H&K collection

 

[NateSavannah]

I think the main question and only you can answer this. How much of an HK fanboy are you?
Theres better. theres lighter. theres cheaper.
Shit Id prefer an HK45, with an RMR on it, with a x300 lighting it up and still save money over the mk23.
its a 90s gun. looks like it. acts like it. is it. good news if you run out of ammo you can throw it at someone.

 

[Strykervet]

Glock G21.

It gets the job done nicely for $500.

I wanted one of these, badly. 20 years ago, but ever since shit got better and it got less attractive.

Doesn't the can use wipes? Or was that like the first one not to?

IF you're a true HK collector then fuck that, what you NEED is the 4 shot underwater pistol they make. That and apparently an SBR'd 417.

 

[srtsam]

I had the mk23 and yes to all above, but i got an HK45 early edition and never missed the MK23. Eats everything i feed it, accurate and light, plus you can adjust the grip to your hand and does not have that 80's brick feel to it. HK's recoil spring tames 45 nicely for a poly framed handgun. I feel the hk45 has been grossly under rated for awhile now fore whatever reason. It really is that nice of a hand gun.

 

[bribassguy]

I would say yes get one... but only if it fits in your hand.

For me after shooting both back to back I went with the USP then later bought the VP9 the fit just kept getting better and better.

 

[strikeeagle1]

PSA- Mark23 is not the same provenance as a MK23.

 

[Coldfuzion]

Mark23 is nice but little awkward to use as a concealed carry even at 6'5". Had to go thigh rig for mine. One of the few I miss selling but would pick another up when time is right. I still got a few thigh rigs for when I get another. Accurate as hell and slick. HK Fanboy for life.

 

[houndog]

As someone who never conceal carried, even back when I had a CC license, size has never really been an issue for me. It's really just about how well the gun shoots and how well I can shoot it. I care about accuracy, reliability, whether the trigger and the sights work for me, whether it's fairly soft shooting and whether I like the grip and it's comfortable in my hands. Judged against this criteria the Mark23 is an outstanding gun.

Actually took mine to the indoor range at my club today. Shooting from 50' I was able to put a pretty good percentage of my shots into a single ragged hole - which is decent shooting for me. A more talented shooter would have been able to put all their shots into a smaller ragged hole. And that's with cheap Georgia Arms reloads, not match ammo. Sounds like your range trip yielded similar results siscoe.

And, the gun was a pleasure to shoot.

To me, any gun purchase decision ultimately comes down to three questions: How well can I shoot the gun? How much do I like shooting the gun? Can I afford the gun? If I can shoot the gun well, enjoy shooting it and can afford it - it's a buy.

Plus, with a Mark 23, if you don't abuse the gun, you will probably not take too much of a hit if you ever decide to sell it - even after putting thousands of rounds through it.