Heckler & Koch Mk 23 Mod 0 (SOCOM Pistol)

History

The Heckler & Koch Mk 23 Mod 0 became a specially formulated semi-automatic pistol developed for US Special Forces under the direction of US Special Operations Command ("SOCOM") (the corresponding Mk 23s were marked as their sliding components ). The weapon's full name is the Offensive Pistol Weapon System, which combines the reliable action of the Heckler & Koch USP (Universal Self-Loading Pistol - albeit slightly modified with a longer slide and barrel) with the powerful .45 ACP cartridges. Additionally, a Laser Targeting Module (LAM) was installed in front of the trigger guard and a silencer was added for stealth work.

The SOCOM pistol was introduced in the mid-1990s and is still in use today (2016).

Overall, the Mk 23's basic armament section is in conventional form, as is the semi-automatic pistol. If it is a mix of metal and polymer, the finish is matte black so as not to reflect light sources and structures. The deployment ring is large enough to be used with gloves. SOCOM first requested this gun in 1990 to replace the venerable Colt M1911A1.

The 45 ACP series and two designs were returned - one from Heckler & Koch in Germany with an improved version of the USP pistol and another from Colt with a built-in knight weapon suppressor.

There are 30 Phase 1 examples in this pair (30 provided by each company for evaluation), in which Heckler & Koch's design outperforms Colt's 1991 submission. Interestingly, the Knight's Armament muffler was chosen to match the Colt design before the HK sponsored muffler.

The LAM selected for the SOCOM pistol became a product of Insight Technology.

Testing of this weapon continued from 1992 to 1993, after which a formal procurement contract for approximately 1,380 pistols was announced in 1994. The "Mk 23 Mod 0" was officially launched in 1996 and delivered in May of that year.

The Mk 23 continues to be used today by the US Armed Forces (including SEALs) as well as Indonesian, Malaysian and Polish special forces and police special forces.

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. The 45 ACP cartridge in the Mk 23 is combined with an additional silencer to reduce the audible sound of the firing action, and the integrated LAM enables quick response accuracy in low light conditions. The LAM can project a spot of visible or infrared light, and optional components are supported by traditional iron-tritium sights.

The total weight of the weapon system when fully loaded and equipped with accessories is approximately 5 pounds, while the overall length with the silencer installed is 16.5 inches. The action of the pistol is semi-automatic with a short recoil operating system and a double action (DA) trigger. the best . The 45 ACP cartridge is a tried and true manual stop gun, dating back to the fine lineage established by the American Colt M1911 pistol in 1911. The pistol grip is coated for a firm grip and has ambidextrous safety and magazine release controls. As usual, the 6-inch barrel sits below the moving slider, and on the muzzle end, it protrudes slightly forward of the slider to accommodate the silencer.

The weapon operates like any other semi-automatic weapon, with each successive shot pushing the slider back to draw a new cartridge from the spring-loaded magazine located at the base of the pistol grip. The default magazine count is 12 x . The 45-round ACP round -- in the modified "Mark 23" civilian market variant -- however, has a 10-round magazine that complies with the (now expired) US Assault Weapons Ban.

The design of the Mk 23 system places special emphasis on its firing mechanism, through the use of additional recoil buffers to hide the recoil slide, which makes the SOCOM pistol a particularly lethal weapon for raids and reliability is critical special operations. The reduced recoil theoretically improves accuracy.

The pistol also has a built-in sliding breech that allows the weapon to fire normally with the silencer in place to further prevent surprises.

As a special forces secondary weapon, the Mk 23 is built to the highest standards and exacting specifications, ensuring reliability and robustness on the battlefield for missions that do not meet "recognized" battlefield standards. As such, the Mk 23 has undergone rigorous testing and has developed into a proven killing system. In addition to being used by U.S.

Special Operations Command, the Mk 23 is the weapon of choice for the Polish GROM Special Forces, the Indonesian Special Diving Regiment and Command, and the Malaysian Police Regiment.

The uniqueness of the Mk 23 series of pistols is that it can be commonly referred to simply as the "SOCOM pistol".

Specification

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