HK P2000: The Gun That Served Me Well for 3 Years (2024)

I used the HK P2000 for several years. Here is my take on the firearm based on experience: “In a world of compromise, some men don’t.”This was the proud slogan of Heckler & Koch (HK) in the early to mid-1990s. Nowadays, there’s a long-running cynical joke among citizen gun owners that HK’s Customer Service slogan is actually “HK. Because You Suck. And We Hate You.” Be that as it may, HK definitely won an enviable reputation over the past few decades for scoring government contracts in U.S. military and federal civilian law enforcement alike. Arguably HK’s biggest coup of the first decade of the 21st century was when their .40 S&W caliber P2000 LEM double-action-only (DAO) autopistol was selected by U.S. Customs & Border Protection to replace the ubiquitous 9mm Glock 17 as the agency’s standard-issue duty pistol.

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HK P2000: A Brief History of the Gun and Adoptive Agencies

The HK P2000 was designed in 2001 and was based largely on their USP Compact model. The new gun was offered in both 9mm and .40 S&W caliber, with a 13+1 magazine capacity for the former caliber and a 12+1 for the latter. A key difference was that while the USP employed a traditional double action AKA DA/SA trigger, i.e. double-action for the first shot and single-action the rest of the way, the P2000 offered a new type of DAO trigger known as the LEM, which stands for Law Enforcement Modification. As Jim Schatz of Small Arms Review explained back in 2001:

“The LEM is Double Action Only mode of operation wherein the hammer is fully cocked and released with each full depression of the trigger. However, that is where the similarities end. Unlike conventional DA Only trigger systems, the HK Law Enforcement Modification uses the rearward movement of the slide to fully cock an internal and separate ‘cocking piece’ positioned within a slot within the hammer itself. The hammer returns forward with the slide after loading or firing. The internal cocking piece, however, located within the hammer, is retained in the cocked position by the sear. When the trigger is pulled the hammer is moved fully rearward through slack to a point where it contacts the sear. It is at this point that the shooter first feels appreciable resistance to the trigger.”

In 2003, as a part of the creation of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Customs Service, which had fallen under the Department of the Treasury, and the Immigration and Naturalization Service, which had belonged to the Department of Justice, were merged into the new agency known as CBP. Former Customs inspectors and Immigration inspectors were now known as CBP officers. Meanwhile, Border Patrol agents retained the title of Border Patrol agent, but the Office of the Border Patrol was now a part of CBP.

Along with the merger of old agencies came a hodgepodge of carryover duty pistols. The aforementioned Glock 17s were in the holsters of the legacy customs inspectors, while the Border Patrol agents and legacy Immigration inspectors carried their .40 S&W Beretta Model 96, which was basically a larger-bore version of the Beretta 92FS/M9 that was still standard-issue to the U.S. Armed Forces at the time.

It was decided that some degree of standardization was needed for the sidearms of all these officers and agents. In 2006, the HK P2000 won the contract. Evidently the LEM trigger of the P2000 was considered “safer” and less accidental discharge-prone than either traditional DA/SA or the striker-fired “safe action” trigger of the Glock, and the .40 caliber version was chosen over the 9mm due to the perceived lack of stopping power of the smaller cartridge.

Personal Shooting Impressions: Pros and Cons From My Perspective on HK P2000

I myself joined the agency as a CBP officer in November 2006, my first civilian job after seven years as an active-duty U.S. Air Force Security Forces troop. As I’ve noted in previous articles, I’m a huge fan of Glock and Beretta, so admittedly I was initially very jealous of my new colleagues from the “legacy” days who still had these older pistols. Big bureaucracies being what they are. it took awhile to get these more “seasoned” CBP officers transitioned to the HK, so in the meantime we new hires got the first dibs on the new pistols.

I soon found that I could live with the HK P2000, and I actually grew to like it. The LEM trigger pull had a distinct two-stage feel to it that allowed for the development of a decent shot rhythm that aided practical accuracy. In addition, the compact size – 3.66-inch barrel and 24.96-ounce weight – made for reasonably comfortable off-duty concealed carry. During my Federal Law Enforcement Training Center initial qualifications, I shot 296/300 with it, more than good enough for Expert, and during my local follow-on quals at my homeport, I obtained a perfect score with it on more than one occasion. It also helped me win a bronze medal at the Nevada Police & Fire Games in 2007.

HK P2000: The Gun That Served Me Well for 3 Years (1)

Heckler & Koch P2000. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

The pistol served me faithfully for three years, with nary a single malfunction, before I went over to sister agency Immigration & Customs Enforcement as a Special Agent. This meant another pistol transition, this time to the SIG P229 DAK .40 S&W, which we shall cover in a separate article. Interestingly, in 2019, CBP announced that they were actually going back to both the Glock brand and the 9mm cartridge, this time via the new model Glock 47. However, that shouldn’t be seen as a knock on the quality of the HK P2000. If you like HK handguns, I definitely recommend it.

Bonus Photo Essay: Meet the Glock 19X

HK P2000: The Gun That Served Me Well for 3 Years (2)

Glock 19X. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

HK P2000: The Gun That Served Me Well for 3 Years (3)

Glock 19X. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

HK P2000: The Gun That Served Me Well for 3 Years (4)

Glock 19X. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

HK P2000: The Gun That Served Me Well for 3 Years (5)

Glock 19X. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

Expert Biography: Christian D. Orr has 33 years of shooting experience, starting at the tender age of 14. His marksmanship accomplishments include: the Air Force Small Arms Ribbon w/one device (for M16A2 rifle and M9 pistol); Pistol Expert Ratings from U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP), Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) Criminal Investigator Training Program (CITP); multiple medals and trophies via the Glock Sport Shooting Foundation (GSSF) and the Nevada Police & Fires Games (NPAF). Chris has been an NRA Certified Basic Pistol Instructor since 2011. In his spare time, he enjoys (besides shooting, obviously) dining out, cigars, Irish and British pubs, travel, USC Trojans college football, and Washington DC professional sports.

HK P2000: The Gun That Served Me Well for 3 Years (2024)

FAQs

What is the P2000 in real life? ›

CRADLED IN the author's hands, the H&K P2000 is a mid-size pistol that can fit all sizes of hands, from small to very big. The P2000 is a medium size semi-auto pistol. For this discussion, we're looking at the P2000 V3 in 9mmP. H&K also offers the P2000SK, which is somewhat smaller.

Who uses the HK P2000? ›

The Heckler & Koch P2000 is a German semi-automatic pistol introduced late in 2001 and intended primarily for law enforcement, paramilitary, and commercial markets.

Is the HK P2000SK v2 legal in California? ›

The HK P2000 and P2000 SK pistols are California Compliant.

What is a P2000 V3? ›

HK P2000 V3 Semi-Auto Pistol ships with two 13-round magazines. Simple-to-install modular grip panels. Industry-standard mounting rails. Ambidextrous controls. Recurved, hook trigger guard.

Do any pros use P2000? ›

karrigan (Finn Andersen): karrigan, a Danish professional player and in-game leader for FaZe, is known to favor the P2000 in specific matches and tournaments, displaying precise aiming and impactful use of the pistol.

Is the P2000 good? ›

Not so with the P2000. It just fits me perfectly. I will go into more detail on the gun at some point in the future but suffice to say that in addition to being incredibly shootable at speed, it is a very accurate gun, even with that short sight radius.

Can you buy a ghost gun kit in California? ›

Gun makers and retailers barred from selling ghost gun kits in California, court rules.

Is it illegal to own a pistol grip in California? ›

Are pistol grip rifles illegal in California? Semi-automatic, centerfire, rifles/shotguns with detachable magazine and pistol grips are illegal. In order to have a pistol grip, the magazine must be 'fixed', meaning it cannot be taken out unless you disassemble the rifle or shotgun in some way.

Does HK make a striker fired pistol? ›

The VP9 is the third striker-fired pistol that HK has produced. A variant of the VP9, the VP40, is chambered for . 40 S&W; the VP40 is known as SFP40 in Europe and Canada.

Where is the HK P2000 made? ›

The Heckler & Koch P2000 is a German semi-automatic pistol introduced late in 2001 and intended primarily for law enforcement, paramilitary, and commercial markets.

What is the trigger pull on the HK P2000? ›

+ Other Specifications
CaliberMagazine CapacitySingle Action (SA) trigger pull
9 mm x 1910 Rounds - 9 mm10 Rounds - 9 mm2.04 kg4.50 lbs
.40 S & W9 Rounds - .40S&W9 Rounds - .40S&W2.04 kg4.50 lbs

What caliber is a P2000? ›

9 mm x 19

What is the MP7 called in real life? ›

The Heckler & Koch MP7 (German: Maschinenpistole 7) is a personal defense weapon chambered for the HK 4.6×30mm armor-piercing cartridge designed by German defence manufacturer Heckler & Koch.

What size mag is a P2000? ›

Despite being modeled after the 9x19mm version of the P2000 (9x19mm even shown on the side of the ingame model), it is coded in-game (in items_game) to use the same . 357 SIG ammunition as the P250. Also, the 13-round magazines used in game are only available in 9x19mm.

What is the real name of the USP pistol? ›

The USP (Universelle Selbstladepistole or "universal self-loading pistol") is a semi-automatic pistol developed in Germany by Heckler & Koch GmbH (H&K) as a replacement for the P7 series of handguns.

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