HS PHP MV.

HS Produkt was founded as IM Metal in 1990, along with the first democratic changes in the Republic of Croatia. Their first design PHP pistol was a war effort to arm the newly founded Croatian police and army in Croatia's war for independence. PHP (Prvi Hrvatski Pistolj or First Croatian Pistol) was short-recoil pistol. Production of this pistol (which was produced in at least two versions, short-barreled PHP MV 9 and long-barreled PHP VM 17) was sporadic, and it soon was replaced by the HS 2000 pistol. By design, this pistol represents a mix between the Beretta 92 and the Walther P38 pistols. The basic short-recoil operated action with vertically tilting locking piece is similar to both pistols, the general appearance of the open-top slide is close to the Walther but the single return spring below the barrel is apparently an Italian influence. The trigger is a traditional double action type, and the safety consists of a manually operated safety, located on the left side of the grip frame. Magazines are double-stack and hold 15 cartridges. The PHP pistol is relatively rare, since production ceased after a short run and did not pick up again until after the breakup of the former Yugoslavia was well underway.