By: Friedrich Seiltgen
Copyright © 2024
ABOUT HECKLER & KOCH
The Heckler & Koch Company got its start in post-war Germany in 1948. At the end of WWII, the Mauser factory in Oberndorf am Neckar was in the French sector. The factory was dismantled, and French occupation forces destroyed all design paperwork, blueprints, etc. Three Mauser engineers, Edmund Heckler, Theodor Koch, and Alex Seidel, salvaged what they could from the Mauser Factory and formed what is now H&K. Initially, the trio designed and manufactured bicycles, machine tools, and precision parts. They got their first shot at building weapons again in 1956 when the reformed German army could arm up again, and the Bundeswehr needed a new battle rifle. The first rifle created by the team in conjunction with the Spanish arms manufacturer CETME was the G3 or Gewehr-3, which German engineer Ludwig Vorgrimler designed.
The H&K motto is “No Compromises.” The founders illustrated their dedication to detail when they were awarded the contract, and production began in 1959. Chambered in 7.62 X 51 NATO, the G3 is one robust, reliable rifle that has seen service around the globe. The G3 and its semi-automatic version, the HK 91, are made primarily with plastic furniture, stamped receivers, and a hammer-forged barrel and use the Roller-Delayed Blowback operating system.
In 1966, Heckler & Koch introduced the HK54 machine pistol, which eventually became the legendary MP5 submachine gun in 1969.
In 1990, Heckler & Koch completed two decades of development of their revolutionary caseless weapon system and produced prototypes of the Heckler & Koch G11. The company also had prototypes of the Heckler & Koch G41 intended for the Bundeswehr.
During 1994 and 1995, the German government awarded Heckler & Koch contracts for producing an updated standard assault rifle and updated standard sidearm for the Bundeswehr. Heckler & Koch developed and produced the HKG36 assault rifle.
Heckler & Koch also introduced and produced the Heckler & Koch USP. The P8 was adopted as the standard handgun for the Bundeswehr in 1994 and the G36 in 1995.
In 2004, Heckler & Koch was awarded a significant handgun contract for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security worth $26.2 million for up to 65,000 handguns. This contract ranks as the largest handgun procurement contract in US law enforcement history.
Heckler & Koch developed an AR-15/M4 carbine variant, marketed as the HK416. HK replaced the direct impingement system used by Eugene Stoner on the original M16 with a short-stroke piston operating system.
In 2024, HK introduced the CC9, its first Micro-Compact pistol. It’s the first HK designed and built in the USA.
Today, Heckler & Koch produces various types of weapons for the military and civilian markets and has facilities in Germany, Virginia, New Hampshire, and Georgia.
THE CC9
Earlier this year, H&K announced three new offerings on the way from HK-USA and has now delivered the first one. The CC9 was designed and manufactured in the USA, held to the same standards as full-size duty pistols, and subjected to several tests, including extreme temperatures, dust, sand, mud, and drop testing to simulate real-world conditions. The CC9 had over 750 thousand rounds fired during development and testing, and it is their first micro-compact pistol. I’m unsure what the following two models will be, but American Shooters, myself included, are begging for an MP-7.
THE FRAME & CONTROLS
The polymer frame features a serialized +P-rated chassis containing removable fire control components, an undercut trigger guard for high grip and recoil management, a loaded chamber indicator, and ambidextrous controls. Safety mechanisms include a firing pin block and trigger safety, and the C99 can be disassembled without pulling the trigger. 12-round magazines are available for those living in free states, while 10-round magazines are available for a flush fit or those who live in tyranny.
THE SLIDE & BARREL
The CC9 slide is optics-ready, features an RMSc / 407k footprint, and is equipped with night sights. The CC9’s German cold-hammer-forged polygonal barrel is +P rated with six grooves, RH 1:9.8 inch.
SPECIFICATIONS
Type: Striker-Fired, Short Recoil Operated, Semi-Automatic
Caliber: 9×19
Magazine Capacity: 10/12
Sights: Night Sights and Optics Ready
Sight Radius: 5.12 Inches
Barrel Length: 3.32 Inches
Overall Length: 6.03 Inches
Height: 4.6 Inches
Width: .99 Inches
Weight: 18.4 Ounces (without magazine)
MSRP: $699
URL: www.hk-usa.com
THE VERDICT
This Micro-Compact will be popular with folks looking for a dependable everyday carry pistol that’s affordable, and with this price point, HK will be selling a lot of CC9s. It ships with one magazine.
That’s all for now, folks! Please keep sending your questions, tips, and article ideas. And as always – “Let’s Be Careful Out There.”
Friedrich Seiltgen is a retired Master Police Officer with 20 years of service with the Orlando Police Department. His writing has appeared in RECOIL, Soldier of Fortune, The Counter Terrorist Magazine, Off Grid, American Thinker, Homeland Security Today, and The Journal of Counterterrorism & Homeland Security International.
Contact him at [email protected].