Heckler & Koch facts for kids

Heckler & Koch GmbH

Type	Private (GmbH)
Industry	Defense
Founded	28 December 1949; 75 years ago (28 December 1949)
Founders	Edmund Heckler Theodor Koch Alex Seidel
Headquarters	Oberndorf am Neckar , Germany
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Rainer Runte (Chairman)
Products	Firearms, weapons
Revenue	€305.1 million (2022)
Operating income	€46.23 million (2022)
Net income	€50.639 million (2022)
Total assets	€328.194 million (2022)
Total equity	€70.313 million (2022) €85.251 million (2021)
Number of employees	1,131 (end 2022)

Heckler & Koch GmbH (often called HK or H&K) is a famous German company that makes different types of firearms. These include handguns, rifles, submachine guns, and grenade launchers. The company is located in Oberndorf am Neckar, Germany. It also has offices in the United Kingdom, France, and the United States.

Heckler & Koch was started in 1949 by three engineers: Edmund Heckler, Theodor Koch, and Alex Seidel. They used parts of an old factory to begin their new company. At first, HK made tools and metal parts. But in 1956, they designed a new rifle called the G3 for the German army. This rifle was very successful. Because of this, HK decided to focus on making weapons for defense. The company's motto is "Keine Kompromisse!" which means "No Compromises!".

History of Heckler & Koch

An early G3 rifle, HK's first firearm, from 1961.

After World War II, the old factory in Oberndorf was taken apart by French forces. In 1948, the three engineers, Edmund Heckler, Theodor Koch, and Alex Seidel, saved what they could. They used these parts to start a new company. It was first called the Engineering Office Heckler & Co.

On December 28, 1949, the company officially became Heckler & Koch GmbH. In the beginning, they made machine tools, parts for bicycles and sewing machines, and other precise metal pieces.

In 1956, the government of West Germany needed a new rifle for its army. Heckler & Koch offered their G3 rifle. This rifle was based on a Spanish design. The German government chose the G3, and it became the standard rifle for their army in 1959. Later, in 1961, HK also made the HK21 machine gun, which was also based on the G3.

In 1966, Heckler & Koch introduced a new type of machine pistol. It was later launched in 1969 as the famous MP5 submachine gun. Two years later, they made the HK33 assault rifle. This was a smaller version of the G3.

Growing the Company

In 1974, Heckler & Koch expanded into two main areas. One was for defense and law enforcement (police). The other was for hunting and sports firearms. Since then, HK has designed over 100 different types of firearms. These are used by armies, police forces, and sports shooters around the world.

In the 1990s, HK worked on a new type of rifle called the G11. This rifle used special "caseless" ammunition, meaning it didn't have a metal casing around the bullet. However, due to changes in politics and defense budgets, the German government did not buy these new weapons. This made the company financially weak. In 1991, Heckler & Koch was sold to a British company called Royal Ordnance.

In 1994 and 1995, the German government again asked HK to make new standard rifles and pistols for their army. HK developed the G36 assault rifle. They also made the P8 pistol, which came from their USP handgun series. The G36 became the standard rifle for the German army in 1995, and the USP pistol was adopted in 1994.

Later, in 2002, Heckler & Koch was sold to a group of private investors. In 2003, the company was reorganized. It went back to having two main parts: one for defense and law enforcement, and another for sports and hunting firearms.

In 2004, Heckler & Koch won a big contract in the United States. They were chosen to provide up to 65,000 handguns for the United States Department of Homeland Security. This was one of the largest handgun contracts in U.S. law enforcement history.

The Heckler & Koch factory in Oberndorf am Neckar.

HK also worked with the United States Army on new weapon designs. They helped create parts for the Objective Individual Combat Weapon. This weapon was meant to replace the M16 rifle and M203 grenade launcher. HK also developed the XM8 rifle. However, both of these projects were later stopped.

Heckler & Koch also made their own version of the M4 carbine, called the HK416. This rifle uses a different internal system than the original M4. In 2007, the HK416 was tested against other rifles, including the M4. The HK416 performed very well. The Norwegian Army was the first to use the HK416 as its standard rifle in 2007.

Today, HK sells its pistols in the United States to police and civilians through its HK USA branch.

Heckler & Koch Products

Further information: List of Heckler & Koch products

Heckler & Koch has made many famous firearms. These include the G3 rifle, the MP5 submachine gun, the G36 rifle, and the HK416. These weapons are used by many armies, police forces, and other groups around the world. HK has also created many prototype weapons, like the G11.

HK firearms use different ways to work, like "blowback" or "gas operation." These are technical terms for how the gun reloads itself after firing. HK is also known for new ideas in firearms. For example, they were among the first to use polymer (a type of plastic) in weapon designs. They also developed modern polygonal rifling, which is a special way to make the inside of a gun barrel.

HK Naming System Explained

The name of the MP5A5 comes from the HK naming system:
MP (Maschinenpistole or Machine Pistol)
5 (a type of selective fire carbine)
A5 (Model 5)

Heckler & Koch uses a special system to name its products. This system helps them identify and tell apart different models. The names often have a short abbreviation and a two or three-digit number. Each letter and number has a specific meaning.

For example, "MP" stands for Maschinenpistole, which means "Machine Pistol" or "Submachine Gun". The numbers often tell you about the weapon's generation, size, or the type of ammunition it uses.

However, not all HK products follow this system strictly. Sometimes, names are chosen for marketing reasons. For instance, the HK416 doesn't perfectly fit the system.

Common Abbreviations

Many HK products have a short prefix of one to three letters. These letters usually stand for a German word or term.

Trigger Controls

The "Navy 3-Round Burst" trigger group on an MP5, set to "safe".

Heckler & Koch long arms (like rifles) often have similar controls for safety and firing modes. These controls usually have markings or pictures to show what they do.

For example, a common setting is "Safe," which means the weapon cannot fire. Another is "Semi-automatic," where one shot is fired each time you pull the trigger. There can also be "Full automatic," where the weapon keeps firing as long as the trigger is held down. Some weapons also have a "Burst fire" mode, which fires a small number of shots (like 2 or 3) with one trigger pull.

These settings are often shown with simple pictures:

Setting	Picture	Meaning
Safe		Weapon is safe and will not fire.
Semi-automatic		Fires one shot per trigger pull.
Burst fire		Fires a small group of shots (like 2 or 3) per trigger pull.
Full automatic		Fires continuously while the trigger is held.

See also

In Spanish: Heckler & Koch para niños

• List of modern armament manufacturers