History
In 1991, the U.S. Special Forces Command requested a handgun that would be used by such elite units as the Navy SEALS and Army Special Forces. They needed a pistol that would fire .45 ACP +P, be suppressor ready, laser-aimed, accurate, and reliable. By 1996, H&K had the Mark 23 ready and delivered for use.
This pistol passed an extreme torture test in which it fired well over 2,000 rounds without a stoppage. It fired groups that averaged less than 1.5 inches at 25 meters. Its useable service life is 30,000 rounds of +P ammunition!
My Impressions
This famous pistol from the ’90s is still available from H&K. Known as the Mark 23, it is supplied with two 12-round magazines. I do not care who you are, there is only one word to describe this pistol: big!
I have difficulty wrapping my right hand around the grip completely. The weight is distributed high in the steel slide, but the ambidextrous safety lever and slide release are within my grasp. The curved trigger is also easy to reach.
This pistol feels more like a rifle. With a sight radius that is nearly 8 inches, it is longer than many compact pistols. The simple iron sights are accented by three white dots that are easy to pick up. The rear sight is adjustable for elevation, and both sights are drift-adjustable for windage.
The long sight radius, highly visible open sights, and target-grade trigger lead me to believe that it will be accurate. Weighing around 3 pounds loaded, I am not concerned about recoil in shooting +P ammo.
Features
I love .45 ACP and 1911-style pistols. The Mark 23 has an exposed hammer, and I like that. It is nice to be able to cock the hammer manually if needed. The silent de-cocking lever is a nice touch too. Unlike a 1911 pistol, the Mark 23 is double action/single action. It can be carried safely cocked and locked with manual safety engaged.
The double-action trigger pull is brutal. Slow but smooth, it breaks at over 11 pounds. The much lighter single-action trigger pull is a manageable 6 pounds. Once past the short takeup, it breaks cleanly. I believe I can learn this trigger.
The 12-round steel magazine is well made. It is double-stacked, tapered to single feed, and uses a polymer follower and base pad. The ambidextrous magazine release is most unusual. Located in the lower rear corner of the trigger guard, I find it difficult to reach and a bit small.
I am accustomed to releasing the magazine with my right thumb, but I cannot reach the release. I will improvise by using my trigger finger to drop the magazine on the right side of the frame instead. The high-quality magazine drops freely from the frame, allowing for quick reloads.
Despite its large size, the polymer grips are nicely textured on all sides to help me maintain a good hold. I must hold on to this beast with both hands to control aiming for accuracy. The oversized trigger guard is designed for gloved hands. I cannot use it for forward purchase of my weak hand, it is just too long.
SPECIFICATIONS
- Overall Length: 9.65 inches
- Height: 5.90 inches
- Width: 1.53 inches
- Weight: 2 pounds, 7 ounces empty
- Barrel: 5.87 inches, polygonal rifling, threaded for suppressor
- Sight Radius: 7.76 inches
- Sights: Rear adjustable for elevation, front blade white dot
- Trigger: DA/SA, 11.47 pounds DA, 6.3 pounds SA, curved
- Safety: Ambidextrous frame-mounted lever
- Slide Hold Open: Left side lever
- Hammer Drop: Left side lever
- Slide Material: One-piece machined steel
- Frame: Fiber-reinforced polymer
- Extractor doubles as loaded chamber indicator
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Magazine: Steel with polymer follower and base; two supplied
RANGE TIME
Area 53 is sunny and warm with many targets waiting. Steel and root beer jugs set at 10 yards will test accuracy and reliability. My ammo will be PMC Bronze FMJ bullets weighing 230 grains. Although not +P, these are a good choice for what the average shooter will fire.
Two 12-round magazines will give me lots of firepower. The pistol is better balanced with a loaded magazine inserted. Its top-heavy nature is somewhat different than most handguns that I shoot. Compare my Glock 17 to the Mark 23, and it is easy to see that the H&K is roughly a third larger and heavier than the Glock.
I feel confident shooting steel. Most of my rounds are centered, but I must focus on my trigger squeeze all the way to the break to hit where I aim. It is more important with this pistol than other lighter guns. It feels solid and once I learn the trigger, I can hit most of the 2-liter root beer bottles accurately.
This is a military contract pistol with a target-grade trigger and barrel. If I do my job, it will put each round in the same spot. Head shots and the steel flapper are easily hit. I can hit targets placed on the bank at longer range by squeezing carefully. It is accurate.
Dropping the empty magazine is a problem for me. No matter how I manipulate the handgun, I cannot reach the release with my right thumb. I can release it with my trigger finger quite easily. The magazine drops quickly without snagging and the new magazine inserts easily. The slide hold open locks the slide back after the last shot every time. No jams nor failures to eject were encountered in today’s test.
PROS & CONS
Pros:
- High quality
- Accurate
- Reliable – passed stringent military tests
- Exposed hammer
- Ambidextrous safety
- Can be carried cocked and locked
- Threaded barrel
- Textured grips
- Low recoil
- Offensive stopping power
Cons:
- Heavy overall weight
- Brutal DA trigger pull
- Magazine release is difficult to reach
- Not optics ready
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Slide serrations on rear only
IS IT FOR YOU?
This pistol fits a narrow niche. Originally designed for military special operatives with combat safety and reliability in mind. I am sure Arnold Schwarzenegger has hands large enough to handle the Mark 23, but I do not.
Whether you are a collector or shooter, the H&K Mark 23 is a large, heavy, reliable, and accurate pistol. I like it a lot but do not think it’s a good choice as a defensive handgun. Law enforcement and military will find it perfect for offensive breaching where knock-down power is needed at close quarters. It was designed to be a special ops thumper, and it does its job well!
