Heckler Koch Date of Manufacter Codes

If you own a Heckler Koch product, you may be wondering what those numbers and letters
stamped on the receiver mean. Well, the two letter code refers to the year the weapon was
made.

Date Codes

1980 = IA
1981 = IB
1982 = IC
1983 = ID
1984 = IE
1985 = IF
1986 = IG
1987 = IH
1988 = II
1989 = IK
1990 = KA
1991 = KB
1992 = KC
1993 = KD
1994 = KE
1995 = KF
1996 = KG
1997 = KH
1998 = KI
1998 = KJ
1999 = KK
2000 = AA
2001 = AB
2002 = AC

MP5 Serial Number Prefix

62- MP5 9mm

63- MP5SD
64- MP5K
HKPRO: The Symbols On HK Firearms

The Symbols and Other Markings On HK

Firearms

One of the most often asked questions about HK firearms comes shortly after the proud
new owner brings his prized new HK home, and starts looking closely at the gun. There
are a number of unfamiliar symbols on the guns that I will explain here.

In the above example, the Chantilly import P7M8 has a serial number of 86912. Simple
enough. What about the other symbols? What is the funny character with the 'N' under it?
What does 'IE' mean? What is the symbol next to the 'IE'?

The character with the 'N' under it is an eagle with spread wings. This is called the
'Bundesadler' and roughly translated means 'federal eagle." It is used on many German
federal insignia. The 'N' stands for "Nitrozellulose" (Neetro-tselluloze) or "Nitrocellulose" in
English. This is a universal symbol found on German firearms that use modern
nitrocellulose based propellants. The 'IE' is the date code. More on that in a minute.

The symbol to the right of the date code is a stag horn. It is the symbol of a particular proof
house, located in Ulm, Germany. German firearms are sent to proof houses before sale,
for inspection and quality control. This is much like a 'UL' listing for American small
appliances. There are other proof houses, for example, in Kiel and Hannover, Germany,
but HK uses the Ulm proof house exclusively.

There have been many P7 pistols imported into the United States that have had a certain
mark removed from the slide prior to export from Germany. Many have wondered what
that mark looked like, and what it meant. HKPRO members have solved the puzzle. The

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mark is illustrated below:

The BWB is from the German "Bundesamt für Wehrtechnik und Beschaffung" or "Federal
Bureau of Military Technical Procurement."

The date coding system is very simple too. It gets tricky when you start talking about non-
proofed products like firearm magazines, but the general rule is thus:

A B C D E F G H I K
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

The letter corresponds to the number. The letter 'J' is skipped for proofed firearms, but is
present on magazines. Therefore, the P7 above was manufactured in "84" or 1984.

AUSFÜHRUNG WHAT? The various and confusing roller locked "Versions."

Many of the models of the roller locked guns have another number behind them that can
cause a great deal of confusion. Ausführung is German for "version." This should help:

As a general rule:

A1 Buttcap Only MP5A1

A2 Fixed Stock/Full Auto MP5A2
A3 Retractable Stock/Full Auto MP5A3
Fixed Stock and Burst
A4 MP5A4
Group
Retractable Stock and
A5 MP5A5
Burst Group
For SD only retractable/
A6 MP5SD6
Burst Group

The SD series goes SD4 buttcap only with burst group, to SD6 retractable stock with burst
group. The 'A' is not used when describing the SD versions. There are exceptions that
only familiarity with the weapon system distinguishes. For example, you might say
HK33KA3, but not HK33KA5, even though it would be correct. This is primarily because
the HK33 was never available with a burst group option until a few years ago, and the gun
is now discontinued. The main departure from this nomenclature is on the G3. See the G3
page for more detail there. Another departure is the MP5KA1, which has no traditional
sights. With a burst group, it is called the MP5KA4. Go figure.

Most recent manufactured HK firearms (within the last ten years or so) have specific

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numeric prefixes to their serial numbers that denote models by caliber and type. What
significance these numbers have or how they are chosen, I do not know at this time. Here
is a listing of several of the models and their serial number prefixes. I will add to these as I
get more of them.

Serial Number
Firearm
Prefix
15- P7 PSP
16- P7M8
17- P7M13
18- P7K3
Some P7K3 US
USA-
imports
21- P7M10
21- SP-89
22- USP40F/Expert
23- Mk23 SOCOM
24- USP9F/Expert
USP45F/Expert/
25-
Tactical
26- USP40C
27- USP9C
28- USP357C
29- USP45C
62- MP5 9mm
63- MP5SD
64- MP5K
76- HK53
84- G36K
96- MG43
114- P10
115- P8
116- P2000
123- P2000US

There are other symbols on the receivers, barrels, bolt carriers and magazines that are
confusing as well. The best information that I have found on these areas is indicated by
the diagrams below.

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Location and layout for markings on MP5 barrels manufactured by HK.

Location for manufacturing symbol on

MP5 bolt carrier.

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Diagram for locations of symbols on MP5 receivers.

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