General Information

(or how to interpret HK's codes and other arcane details)

Jump to date codes

HK developed a series of codes to help identify their military/law enforcement firearms. Using their 2 number codes, it is possible to identify the type of firearm (belt-fed machinegun, submachinegun, etc) and the caliber. Here is how the code system breaks out:

 

First Number
Type of Weapon
1
Box (magazine) fed LMG
2
Belt fed machine gun
3
Select fire assault rifle
4
Paramilitary rifle
5
Submachine gun
6
Grenade launcher
7
Grenade launcher, added to weapon
8
n/a
9
Semi-auto rifles

 

Second Number
Caliber
1
7.62x51mm
2
7.62x39mm
3
5.56x45mm
4
9x19mm
5
n/a
6
4.6x36mm
7
n/a
8
n/a
9
40mm

 

Naturally, there are combos of the first and second number that (as much as we might want one) would produce an HK firearm model number that doesn't (or won't ever) exist. For example: the HK59, the BIG brother of the MP5.... :-)

There have been model number changes over the years, most notably the models 91 and 93. They were originally imported as the 41 and 43, respectively, and if you look at the coding, you'll see they are identified as "Paramilitary" rifles -- which to this day I maintain that they are. They are not "Assault Rifles" (which is a media term).

HK Date Codes

Date codes are the next thing that cause a little confusion for new HK owners. Like the model numbering scheme, the date codes are a 2 letter code and indicate the year of manufacture:

Letter
Corresponding digit
A
0
B
1
C
2
D
3
E
4
F
5
G
6
H
7
I
8
J/K
9 (J used for mags, K for firearms)

 

Therefore, if your HK91 shows a date code of IH, it was made in 1987. Pretty simple.

Now that we have that squared away, I have to note that it appears that HK has changed their date coding for post-ban LE/military magazines, and there hasn't been any definitive documentation to indicate what this is.

 

Last Update: 11/22/2003 03:07 PM