Heckler & Koch is the German maker of the USP, VP9 and MP5, known for military and police guns built to a very high standard. It was founded by former Mauser engineers after World War II.
Company at a glance
| Founded | 1949, Oberndorf am Neckar, Germany |
|---|---|
| Founders | Edmund Heckler, Theodor Koch and Alex Seidel |
| Headquarters | Oberndorf am Neckar, Germany; HK USA: Columbus, Georgia |
| Ownership | Heckler & Koch AG, listed on Euronext Access Paris; majority owned by CDE since 2020 |
| Status | In operation |
Locations and moves
H&K has always been based in Oberndorf. Its U.S. production and service center is in Columbus, Georgia, which absorbed the company’s New Hampshire operations in 2017 and is expanding again in 2026.
Timeline
- 1949 Company registered.
- 1959 G3 becomes the German Army rifle.
- 1969 MP5 introduced.
- 1970s P9S, P7 and the VP70, one of the first polymer-frame pistols.
- 1994 USP adopted by the German Army as the P8.
- 2014 VP9 released.
- 2018 Jens Bodo Koch becomes CEO.
- 2020 CDE takes majority control.
- 2024 HK USA brand launched.
- 2025 75th anniversary.
- 2026 Columbus, Georgia expansion announced. The German Army picks CZ’s P13 to replace the P8.
Major pistols
| Model | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| VP9, VP9A1 | Striker-fired 9mm | Modern polymer pistol |
| USP | DA/SA | German Army P8 |
| P30 | DA/SA | Ergonomic service pistol |
| P2000 | LEM / DA/SA | Compact service pistol |
| HK45 | DA/SA .45 ACP | Full size .45 |
| Mk 23 | DA/SA .45 ACP | Special operations pistol |
| P7, VP70 | Historic | Squeeze-cocker and early polymer pistol |
Also makes: the MP5, MP7 and UMP submachine guns, G3, G36 and HK416 rifles, and machine guns.
Important people
- Edmund Heckler, Theodor Koch and Alex Seidel: founders
- Jens Bodo Koch: CEO since 2018
- Michael Holley: CEO of HK USA
Notable events
- H&K has long been the main small-arms supplier to the German Army.
- The U.S. Marine Corps adopted the HK416-based M27 rifle in 2011.
- In 2019 a German court fined H&K over illegal rifle exports to Mexico, a ruling upheld in 2021.
- The VP9 is used by German state police and the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force.
Videos
Heckler & Koch gallery
Heckler & Koch pistols from the Gun Websites collection.
More makers: Pistol Brands · New to pistols? Start with Where to Start.
Company details change. Information current as of October 2026.