What's the Difference Between a Normal HK45 and the MA Compliant one?

[SwampDweller]

I hate to make a new thread just to ask this, but I can't find the answer anywhere. I'm looking into getting a full size HK45, probably V1, but the only ones I can find say they're MA compliant and are priced pretty low. Anyone know what makes them that way? I did a little reading on MA compliance and it has something about having to have a 10lbs trigger pull (I assume just for the first shot?) and a magazine disconnect. Can anyone confirm the specifics?

[Squib308]

I acquired my HK45 V1 while I was a subject of Massachusetts. There are no discernible differences. The mainspring appeared the same. No magazine disconnect or anything silly. I subsequently swapped in a V3 detent to remove the manual safety function. My guess is that HK just has a specific product code for MA. They may be cheaper because nobody wants a firearm that says “MA compliant”. It’s also possible they have a different LCI (loaded chamber indicator) but I doubt that HK would have made such a change. If you want to be 100% sure just call HK they’d likely tell you by phone.

[BehindBlueI's]

They come with 10 round mags, but unsure on any difference in the gun itself.

[Squib308]

They come with 10 round mags, but unsure on any difference in the gun itself.

10 rds is standard for HK 45. No difference -/+ MA BS.

[Lester Polfus]

I looked into this exact question and couldn't find a difference. It may just be that HK has told their people "you can only ship these SKUs to MA." That keeps Dan in the shipping department from sending a bunch of guns to MA that are illegal there.

[JDB]

Remembering the TLG tests on M&Ps....wasn't there something about extra strength trigger return springs to up the trigger pull weight for MA pistols? I vaguely recall TLG messing with spring combinations to include a spring from the MA compliant guns.

Anyway, that would be my guess...heavier spring somewhere to satisfy Massachusetts pistol requirements. Could well be wrong about that though.

[Andy T]

For a pistol to be approved for sale in MA, it must undergo destructive testing by the labs and entered onto the approved firearms roster. There is also a requirement for a certain trigger pull weight OR a safety. Hence the specific SKUs marked as MA compliant and only come with 10 round mags.

I am 97.98% sure there is no marketable difference between this and a normal SKU. Perhaps a call to HK to confirm?

[SwampDweller]

For a pistol to be approved for sale in MA, it must undergo destructive testing by the labs and entered onto the approved firearms roster. There is also a requirement for a certain trigger pull weight OR a safety. Hence the specific SKUs marked as MA compliant and only come with 10 round mags.

I am 97.98% sure there is no marketable difference between this and a normal SKU. Perhaps a call to HK to confirm?

I may call them, just to check for sure.

[Squib308]

Remembering the TLG tests on M&Ps....wasn't there something about extra strength trigger return springs to up the trigger pull weight for MA pistols? I vaguely recall TLG messing with spring combinations to include a spring from the MA compliant guns.

Anyway, that would be my guess...heavier spring somewhere to satisfy Massachusetts pistol requirements. Could well be wrong about that though.

S&W has a heavy TRS that they used to install in their M&P line to achieve the 10 lb trigger pull. It’s pretty awful. Even dealers would sell and install the apex springs at the time of sale. To my knowledge, HK never did similarly. The entire scheme of “compliance” is such a farce that some manufacturers clearly DGAF and it matters to nobody. S&W has historically been very conservative to meet all the absurd criteria.

[SwampDweller]

Now I'm actually thinking about trying out the V7 LEM HK45. I've never had an LEM before, and it's actually cheaper than the "MA version." I'd been doing light reading on how to make an HK45 V7 LEM into Light LEM, and someone on HKPro at some point had said that a CS rep at HK told them they make the V7 as light LEM because it's been so popular. Anyone know if this is the case? Either way, I'm considering trying it out. I've only gotten the opportunity to dry fire some P30's in LEM, and I liked what I saw/felt.

[Exiledviking]

Once I read the great HK USP light LEM thread here on PF and tried it I was SOLD. The light LEM Match hybrid trigger is the predominant trigger I use in my HK pistols. The trigger is that good compared to the standard DA/SA HK trigger IMHO. All of my friends who tried one of my light LEM pistols ended up with at least one HK pistol in their collections and all went for the light LEM trigger.

The two exceptions of mine are my P2000sk LEM which has the heavy trigger return spring and the light FPBS, and my Expert 9mm which has a superb SA Match trigger. I converted the safety/decocker to safety only.

[SwampDweller]

Once I read the great HK USP light LEM thread here on PF and tried it I was SOLD. The light LEM Match hybrid trigger is the predominant trigger I use in my HK pistols. The trigger is that good compared to the standard DA/SA HK trigger IMHO. All of my friends who tried one of my light LEM pistols ended up with at least one HK pistol in their collections and all went for the light LEM trigger.

The two exceptions of mine are my P2000sk LEM which has the heavy trigger return spring and the light FPBS, and my Expert 9mm which has a superb SA Match trigger. I converted the safety/decocker to safety only.

Do you know if the HK45 V7 comes with the Light LEM trigger or the Heavy?

[Exiledviking]

I do not. I'd recommend calling HK to find out.

[newyork]

I believe v7 is heavy. Around 8lbs. That’s what I’ve found Twosixy on hk pro saying a few times. A call to the factory might be better though. I’ve switched to light lem from V1. It sucked but I did it twice and I’m an idiot.

[TheNewbie]

How much bigger is the HK45c mag release vs the USPc?

[newyork]

Idk the numbers but it’s a very noticeable difference.

[TheNewbie]

Idk the numbers but it’s a very noticeable difference.

Thanks.

My only concern is bumping larger levers during recoil. As some have complained of doing with the larger levers of the P30 and full size HK45.

The 45c levers look bigger than the USP but smaller than the P30.

[newyork]

Might be worth a try. GJM probably can help.

[Sammy1]

Massachusetts has some weird standards. There are actually two list, the approved roster and then the AG's list. The AG's list only applies to sales. An example is Glock. Glock is on the approved list but can't be sold because they aren't on the AG's consumer safety list. As a Mass resident you can't purchase a Glock but if you live out of State and own ten Glocks, you can move to MASS and legally own them. I believe a store in the western part of the State started selling Glocks because they are on the approved roster. The AG filed civil charges ($5,000 fine per sale) but they couldn't make the people that purchased the pistols give them back because they legally owned them. The AG's list is a sales only law.

Part of the MA compliant are 10lb triggers or a manual safety. A typical DA/SA gun is fine because the first trigger pull is 10lbs. But, MA compliant P320, M&P, P365... all have manual safeties.

[RONK]

The only part numbers and descriptions that are on our HK price list for the HK45C LEM is the V7 Variant;81000020 regular sights and 81000021 night sights.We have an HK45C LEM here and I'll compare the trigger to the P30 LEM V1 "Light".I'll post tomorrow what if any difference.

[rayrevolver]

Do you know if the HK45 V7 comes with the Light LEM trigger or the Heavy?

My newer HK45CT V7 is Light LEM. At some point in the past HK switched it. My 45CT is a US made version, without a lot of slide markings.

[SwampDweller]

My newer HK45CT V7 is Light LEM. At some point in the past HK switched it. My 45CT is a US made version, without a lot of slide markings.

Yeah, I see where someone on HKPro also said they install the Light LEM on the HK45s now. Good, saves me the trouble!

[RONK]

Hi I just compared the two pistols,HK45C V7 and P30 V1 "Light",there the same trigger.