Make: Heckler & Koch
Model: Hk 4 First Variation
Serial Number: 43706
Year of Manufacture: 1970
Caliber: .22 LR, 7.65mm (.32 ACP)
Action Type: Single & Double Action Semi-Automatic Pistol w/ Interchangeable Barrels
Barrel Length: 3 3/8"
Sights / Optics: This pistol is mounted with a fixed front blade and square notch rear sight dovetailed to the rear of the slide.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grip is a one-piece checkered black polymer which wraps around the backstrap with a slight thumb-shelf on the left, as for a right-handed shooter. The grips have some scattered light nicks, dings, scuffs and scrapes. There are no chips or cracks. The checkering is generally sharp. There is a strip of vintage grip tape on the front strap. Overall, the grip is in about Very Good condition.
Type of Finish: Blue & Black
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: Each bore is bright with sharp rifling. There is no erosion in either bore. In this writer's opinion, each bore rates 9/10.
Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 97% of its metal finish. There is some light thinning on the front strap and the front of the trigger guard. There are faint marks on the sides of the slide. There are some scratches on the dust cover. Each of the barrels show light-very light operational wear. The grip screw is sharp. The markings are clear. Overall, this pistol rates in about Excellent condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly both single and double action. The slide locks back on both an empty magazine and when there is no magazine. The slide is released by pulling the trigger or inserting a new magazine. This pistol has a thumb-safety and a magazine disconnect safety. We did not fire this pistol. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This pistol comes with a serialized factory blue box with owner's manual, serial matching .22 LR barrel, .22 LR magazine, and .32 ACP magazine.
Our Assessment: Today, Heckler & Koch is well known as a pistol manufacturer from their USP series to the more modern P30 and VP series. In the mid-60s, however, they had never made a pistol. Heckler & Koch, quite literally, rose from the rubble of WWII, creating a metal fabrication company with what machines could be recovered from the Oberndorf Mauser factory. Initially producing parts for sewing machines and bicycles, they did not begin producing firearms until the '50s, when they came out with the G3 in response to a request from the newly formed Bundeswehr. It was not until 1966 that H&K began looking into producing pistols with the HK4 being their first offering in 1968. The name came from the pistol's ability to accept four different barrels in four different cartridges: .22, .25, .32, and .380. By changing the barrel, recoil spring and magazine, the pistol could be swapped between these cartridges at will, allowing for inexpensive practice, use of different cartridges based on availability and price. Though perhaps not as well known as pistols such as the PPK or HSc, the HK4 was nonetheless a commercial success and saw adoption by the German Custom Police. This example is in Excellent condition. Both barrels have bright bores and the mechanics are strong.
