The Heckler & Koch Mark 23 is as impractical as it is remarkable. If you’ve ever had a chance to hold or maybe shoot it, it’s certainly something you will not soon forget. The Mark 23 was adopted by USSOCOM (United States Special Operations Command) as an offensive handgun in 1996. Wikipedia does a fair summary of the history of the Mark 23, and is totally worth a quick look.
Why so expensive?
I’ve been asked “Why is the Mark 23 so expensive?” quite a few times. So here’s the short & sweet answer. It’s not averaging $2,300-$2,600 because it’s such a great gun. It’s expensive because of two main reasons, first, the H&K label. Any gun that says H&K is going to be a bit more expensive than a Glock, Sig or any comparable manufacturer. And second, this pistol has a cult like following. So many people have so much love for this gun and many of them have a hard time articulating why, so, basically this pistol has a ‘jenes se qua’ quality. And lastly, the supply/demand curve often dictates price and people seem to be willing to pay $2,500ish for this pistol.
How big is the Mark 23?
Here are some quick stats on just how massive this pistol is. The overall length is 9.65 inches. The barrel length is 5.87 inches, that’s 1.37 inches longer than the SIG MPX K! The sight radius comes in at 7.76 inches which is a big part of what makes this pistol so accurate in so many different peoples hands. And the weight comes in at 39.36 ounces, keep in mind a Glock 19 weighs less than 25 ounces.
Check out this video of the HK Mark 23
I am certainly not known for my ability to edit video, but there, I did it. And I even added music. haha
What do the GunTubers Think?
Below you’ll see the “Honest Outlaw”, one of my favorite YouTubers. People say weeeee….. may favor…?? I don’t know, if I see it though???
Conclusion
To conclude, I love the Mark 23, I love 90’s’ish it is. I love how absurdly big it is. And most importantly, it’s 1 of my top 2 favorite .45’s of all time. If you’re interested in purchasing one locally, I have a lead on one currently being sold for $2,300. DM me on the INSTA for details. But you can always check out GunBroker for a Mark 23, you just might catch a good deal on one!
As always, be polite & stay strapped!