Quoted: It's a very, very cool gun. Super accurate, smooth ( bore axis sits real low in the hand like the Glock), squeeze cocker is cool, and all the fit and function of an HK.
Downside is that it's gas operated so it has to be cleaned regularly (unilke the Glock) and is expensive. Parts are not easy to find or cheap.
For daily carry, you will need to really train into your habits the use of the squeeze cocker. It is a different animal, and if you don't know it well, it could let you down in a critical moment.
For me the Glock 19 is a better gun for CCW, but I would not hesitate to add a P7 to my collection.
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The P7 IS NOT gas operated. Gas is vented into a cylinder below the fixed not tilting barrel, the slide has a gas piston attached to it to use gas to hold the action closed and delay the blow back operation. It is blow back operation with gas delay. The more you shoot... the hotter the frame will get. That is why there is a plastic heat shield above the trigger guard (inside) on the P7M8 and P7M13. Early P7s had a smaller trigger guard and did not have the plastic heat shield.
GREAT pistol... very accurate. Rusts very easily and because of the short slide, it always seemed to me to be unstable in an inside the waist band holster. The M13 even more so because of the heavy butt of the weapon with the hicap magazine, seems to pull the weapon out of the holster when I sat down.
I recommend formal training and many rounds down range to learn the weapon as it is different from all other in operation.
BIG POINTER... and proper method of operation from holster.
Upon draw, lightly grip the weapon being sure NOT to engage the squeeze cocker. As you come on target/threat and are aligning the sights depress the squeeze cocker to cock the weapon ( be sure to have finger off trigger). After engaging target/threat release pressure on the squeeze cocker AS SOON AS YOU LOWER the weapon! BE SURE TO RELEASE THE SQUEEZE COCKER BEFORE YOU ARE ANY PLACE NEAR THE HOLSTER. Finger off trigger of course. Holster weapon.
DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES SQUEEZE/ENGAGE THE SQUEEZE COCKER WHILE THE PISTOL IS IN THE HOLSTER OR AS YOU DRAW! DO NOT HOLSTER THE WEAPON WITH THE SQUEEZE COCKER ENGAGED!!!
With the short stroke light trigger you can press off a round very easily. There have been NDs when holstering the P7 series with the cocker engaged and the finger in the trigger guard.
You CAN have an ND, IF you press and hold the trigger back THEN engage the squeeze cocker. The pistol does not care which order the action happens. Cocker then trigger or trigger then cocker will cause the weapon to fire!
I wish I still had both of mine!