Heckler & Koch Mark 23

The Heckler & Koch Mark 23 is a semi-automatic large-frame pistol chambered in .45 ACP. It was developed for the Offensive Handgun Weapon System (OHWS) project in 1989 to standardize a pistol for the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) while fitting the needs of the SOCOM. The OHWS was to be a system made of a pistol, a sound suppressor and a LAM (Laser Aiming Module), and the pistol was to be designed more as a primary weapon than as a backup, using the high-powered .45 ACP round. In August 1991, H&K and Colt were awarded with contracts for the development of the OHWS pistol.

The development involved three stages: Phase I had the manufacturers provide 30 prototype pistols, sound suppressors, and LAMs. Colt is eliminated at this phase. Phase II involved physical testing and delivery of 30 additional pistols with suppressors. Phase III involved a production contract of 1,950 OHWS systems, now classified as the MK 23 Mod 0. H&K based their design on their USP design (which would itself be introduced to the world during the development of the Mk 23, in 1993), and the pistols were delivered in 1996. The LAM and the suppressor were developed by Insight Technology and Knight's Armament Company respectively.

While the MK23 Mod 0 designation usually applies to the whole system, it is also commonly used to refer to the pistol component alone. The pistol was also sold to the civilian market, designated the Mark 23.

Heckler & Koch Mark 23 - .45 ACP. Note the "Mark 23" marking.

Heckler & Koch Mark 23 with Knight's Armament suppressor - .45 ACP

Heckler & Koch Mark 23 with desert tan frame - .45 ACP. Screen-used weapon from I Am Legend. (photo from Weapons Specialists, Ltd)

Airsoft Heckler & Koch Mk 23 Mod 0 Phase II Prototype (note front grip grooves, deleted from production models) with Tokyo Marui replica of a Knight's Armament suppressor and prototype Laser Aiming Module - (fake) .45 ACP

Heckler & Koch Mk 23 Mod 0 - .45 ACP. This is the whole system with the KAC suppressor and the Insight Technology LAM. Note the "MK23 USSOCOM Cal .45" marking.

Specifications

(1996 - Present)

• Type: Semi-Automatic Pistol

• Caliber: .45 ACP

• Weight: 2.7 lb (1.2 kg)

• Length: 9.7 in (245 mm)

• Barrel length: 5.9 in (150 mm)

• Capacity: 12

• Fire Modes: Semi-Auto (DA/SA)

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The Heckler & Koch Mark 23 pistol appears in the following movies, video games, and anime used by the following actors:

Film

Title	Actor	Character	Note	Date
Soldier	Kurt Russell	Sergeant Todd	Likely first film appearance	1998
Yamakasi		Special Forces		2001
Blade II	Daz Crawford	Lighthammer		2002
Undercover Brother	Tig Fong	Enforcer	Possibly airsoft	2002
Tears of the Sun		U.S. Navy SEALs	Both Suppressed and unsuppressed	2003
District B13	Tony D'Amario	K2		2004
Today You Die	Jamie McShane	Vincent		2005
Four Brothers	Mark Wahlberg	Bobby Mercer		2005
I Am Legend	Will Smith	Dr. Robert Neville	Flat Dark Earth variant	2007
Hancock		Criminal		2008
In Bruges			on table	2008
Terminator Salvation	Christian Bale	John Connor		2009
Game of Death	Wesley Snipes	CIA Agent Marcus	cover only, fake	2010
From Paris with Love	John Travolta	Charlie Wax	Suppressed	2010
Maximum Conviction	Steve Austin	Manning		2012
Looper	Joseph Gordon-Levitt	Joe		2012
	Bruce Willis	Old Joe
	Noah Segan	Kid Blue	deleted scene
	Dikran Tulaine	Canady	deleted scene
Sicario	Benicio del Toro	Alejandro Gillick	Suppressed	2015
Psychos	Cliff Everett Smith	Officer Stewart		2017

Television

Show Title	Actor	Character	Note / Episode	Air Date
The X-Files - Season 6	Jeremy Roberts	George Vincent	"Agua Mala" (S6E13)	1999
	Valente Rodriguez	Walter Suarez
Battlestar Galactica (2004) - Season 2	Michael Trucco	Samuel Anders	"Resistance" (S2E04), Phase II LAM	2004-2009
Supernatural - Season 2	Sterling K. Brown	Gordon Walker	"Hunted" (S2E10)	2007
Burn Notice		Kent		2007 - present
Supernatural - Season 5	Jensen Ackles	Dean Winchester	"The End" (S5E04)	2009
Supernatural - Season 6	Jared Padalecki	Sam Winchester		2010 - 2011
Breaking Bad	Jonathan Banks	Mike Ehrmantraut	S03E03, S04E04	2010 - 2011
Supernatural - Season 7	Jared Padalecki	Sam Winchester	"Hello, Cruel World" (S07E02)	2011
Bullet in the Face	Max Williams	Gunter Vogler	(S01E01)	2012
Banshee - Season 1	Hoon Lee	Job	stainless / episode 10	2013
Supernatural - Season 9	Jesse Hutch	Crewcut	"Devil May Care" (S09E02)	2013
The Walking Dead - Season 5	Andrew Lincoln	Rick Grimes	Suppressed	2014

Video Games

Game Title	Appears as	Mods	Notation	Release Date
Time Crisis II	"Special Handgun for VSSE Agents"	with LAM unit, two-tone	Phase II prototype. Holds only 9 rounds	1997
Rainbow Six	HK MARK23	with optional suppressor	in-game model is the USP40	1998
Metal Gear Solid	SOCOM	w/suppressor & LAM unit	Phase II prototype	1998
Rainbow Six: Rogue Spear	HK MARK23	with optional suppressor	in-game model is the USP40	1999
Delta Force: Land Warrior	.45 SOC/.45 SOC SD	w/ LAM & optional suppressor		2000
Time Crisis II	"Special Handgun for VSSE Agents"	with LAM unit, two-tone	Holds only 9 rounds	2001
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty	SOCOM	w/ LAM unit & suppressor	Phase II prototype	2001
Delta Force: Task Force Dagger	Mk 23	w/ laser pointer & suppressor		2002
Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix	US SOCOM	w/ optional laser pointer, suppressor, or light		2002
Splinter Cell			used by hostile NPC's	2002
Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness			not usable	2003
Time Crisis 3			Appear as the in-game weapon icon	2003
Project IGI 2: Covert Strike	SOCOM	w/ Knight's Armament Suppresor & AN/PEQ-6 laser sight		2003
Söldner: Secret Wars				2004
Aliens vs. Predator 2	M-4A4 Pistol	w/ weaponlight and olive drab finish, sans threaded barrel		2004
Ghost Squad	P4512			2004
Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes	SOCOM	w/suppressor & LAM unit	Phase II prototype, not final version	2004
Rainbow Six 3: Black Arrow	MK 23 (.45 CAL)	Tritium night sights and suppressor	none	2004
Joint Operations: Typhoon Rising		w/ LAM unit		2004
Splinter Cell Chaos Theory	MK23	w/suppressor & LAM unit		2005
Time Crisis IV	"Handgun"	with weapon light	Holds 16 rounds	2006
Rainbow Six: Vegas	MK.23	w/ optional laser sight or suppressor		2006
Alliance of Valiant Arms	As the "MK23 SOCOM"	With AN/PEQ-6 LAM and removable silencer		2007
Rainbow Six: Vegas 2	MK.23	w/ optional laser sight or suppressor	Phase II prototype	2008
Dark Sector	Tekna 9mm / Tekna Burst	Basic version has a laser aiming module, Burst is a fictional burst-firing version with extended mag and laser module	Both have "Mark 24" engraved on the slide instead of "Mark 23"	2008
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots	Mark 23 Mod 0	w/ supressor & LAM unit	Phase II prototype	2008
Terrorist Takedown 2: US Navy Seals	Mk.23 SOCOM			2008
Delta Force: Xtreme 2				2010
Splinter Cell: Conviction	MK23	w/ optional laser sight and/or suppressor	Phase I prototype	2010
SOCOM: US Navy SEALs Fireteam Bravo 3	Mk.23 Mod 0	w/ optional laser sight and/or suppressor		2010
Sniper: Ghost Warrior				2010
Jagged Alliance: Back in Action	"USP .45"		holds only 7 rounds	2011
Assassin's Creed III		w/ extended magazine		2012
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance			Holstered model from Metal Gear Solid 4, seen on classic and prologue Raiden	2013
Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3	SP M23			2017

Anime

Title	Character	Note	Date
Cowboy Bebop	ISSP bodyguards	Episode "Pierrot Le Fou", fitted with a Wilcox Laser Aiming Modules	1998 - 1999
Full Metal Panic!	U.S. Navy Admiral		2002 -2005
Planetes	Police	Futuristic variant with integrated compensator, torch and laser.	2003-2004
Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom	Ein	Fitted with suppressor and LAM	2009
Cat Planet Cuties		Fitted with suppressor and LAM	2010
Aria the Scarlet Ammo	Ryou Shiranui		2011
Jormungand	Lehm		2012