[Galileo]

Hello,
Does anyone have any input or opinions on these little devils (Heckler and Koch USP compacts). They sure seem interesting and a friend recently bought one but hasn't recieved it to shoot yet. I especially like the compact model and wonder what the differences, i.e. advantages vs. disadvantages, are between the .40 .357 .45ACP and 9mm models are. Since I already have a .45ACP (1911)I was considering maybe one of the other calibers.

I was also thinking of the SIG p229 in lieu of the H&K (even though it is not a compact). What caught my attention of the SIG is the endorsement from the Navy Seals that they use them, along with various law enforcement agencies around the country. They must be good too! Yeah, no kidding Gali

, but how do they compare to the H & K?

Thanks ahead of time for any input-
Regards,
Galileo

 

[Thunder25]

Well, I had 2-USPs:

1-Compact 9mm and 1-Fullsize .45.

Both excellent pistols, and ate everything I fed them.

Upside - Reliability and NO maintenance.
Downside - Concealment and Magazines are pricey.

Within the compacts - the .45 is a little larger than the 9mm, but not noticeably.

Compact comes w/2-mags: w/finger extension and 1-without, but I needed that extra length.

If I had my choice again, I would vote the USP .40 Compact (Best of both worlds).

Thanks and Happy Shooting, Thunder25

 

[wishbone]

The HKs are all high quality products.For great accuracy try the TACTICAL,or EXPERT. My TACTICAL put them all in the same hole at 25 yds. right out of the box.Of course I used a bench rest..Wish I could shoot that good off hand.For carry they are larger than most, but you will be happy if you decide to get one.You might try a P7.It's heavy, well made,and has a CULT following.I like mine,but it does take more care than the others.The HE (hostile environment) finish on the USP is one of the best, and requires little care..

 

[Citizen_Gilmore]

I have the compact stainless 45 acp Excellent weapon.. Here is the h&k forum link you will find more info there.. www.h&k-forum.com
-Gilmore

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ME,WE!

 

[close quarters]

My primary concealed carry is the HK USP 40 Compact - LEM. I feel that it's the best DAO trigger around. I used to carry the Glock 23 and once I tried the LEM, I was sold.

The trigger pull on the LEM is about 5-6 #'s and the reset distance is much shorter than that of the Glock or the Para-Ord LDA.

You might have a tough time locating a LEM, however. HK was contracted to manufacture 4000 units and most of those when to gov't agencies and LE departments. I got mine through an LE dealer who had an order overrun to get rid of.

 

[col132]

Looks to me like the compact HK in 45 would make a nice companion piece to your 1911. Would give you the option of smaller size, lighter weight, DA capability, decocker (if its set up that way), ammo compatability with your 1911, and a nice CCW piece.

 

[BuckWheat]

Please...no posting of guns for sale per the Forum guidelines.

[This message has been edited by LW McVay (edited 11-17-2001).]

 

[Skunkabilly]

I haven't shot a Compact, but I'm a proud owner of a full-size. One advantage of the USP over the Sig is that you can carry cocked & locked if that is your style and that's what you're used to. I don't care for double action and on the HK I think it totally sucks. Don't worry too much about the endorsements, choose what works best for you. Government equipment is built by the lowest bidder. I don't mean to slight the Sigs. I think they're great guns, they just don't work well for me. I shot a 226 and didn't care for it.

Also, if you're short on cash and don't need the gun right away, I'd wait until the P2000 comes out. It looks like a USP Compact with a Walther P99-ish grip. Like a USP Ergonomic. Not sure if it can be cocked and locked, the initial version looks like a DAO gun.

No compromise!

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Jeff More
Irvine, PRC
All your AR-15 are belong to us!

[This message has been edited by Skunkabilly (edited 11-17-2001).]

 

[Galileo]

Great input guys...I have my research to do now. The H & K looks so professional...it caught my attention right away. I like the Sigs but haven't liked the way they felt in my hand (mainly the SigPro).

As it is, I will wait a bit so the p2000 might be a viable contender.

Regards,
Galileo

 

[M1911]

I have an HK USPc .45. It is relatively light. Mine has been accurate and reliable. Felt recoil is soft.

There are several things that I don't like about it though. First, the slide is quite bulky and, oddly, this is true both of the .40 and the .45. It's much thicker than a 1911 slide, making it significantly more difficult to conceal than my Kimber Compact. It's NOT a small gun. It would be quite a brick to carry in your pants IWB.

Second, it has a relatively high bore axis so there's a lot of muzzle rise. Third, the DA trigger is awful, the SA trigger is ok. My Sig P239s DA trigger is much better than the HKs, and so is its SA trigger. The HKs SA trigger is nowhere near a good M1911 trigger. Fourth, the HK safety is ok. I certainly like the ability to carry condition 1. It's not quite as easy to use as a M1911 safety, and there's also the possibility that you could move it too far and decock, rather than just remove the safety.

Fifth, the magazine release is different. Ambidextrous is good, but you can't reach it with your thumb, so you instead have to use your trigger finger. That's not a big deal if you only carry HKs and train for it. But it concerns me because I usually carry a gun that has a conventional thumb-button magazine release. If TSHTF and I need to do a magazine change, I'll probably be looking for a thumb button. That may not be an issue for you.

So for me, I can't give two thumbs up to the HK USPc.

M1911

 

[Electric_Armadillo]

I've fired a sig, not sure which one but it was a .40DAO, but I neither liked nor hated it.

I've fired plenty of .45's through both the full size and the compact HK USP's. The USPc is a class act. As was mentioned before, it is thick (double stack) but its very accurate, ammo tolerant, softens recoil, and is reliable. Try one, you won't be disappointed.


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-Electric Armadillo-
"You're basically killing each other to see who's got the better imaginary friend." - Yasir Arrafat (On going to war over religion)

 

[robotpusher]

I have been in possession of an HK USPc .40 for 3 years now and have found it to be utterly reliable. No FTF's, no FTE's in approx 1000 rounds. I agree with statements regarding "bulk"...it is larger than several other polymer guns in its class (limited to the slide). So from a purely concealable standpoint, it might not be the best choice if size is your main concern.

However, it is not large by any stretch of the imagination. I carry mine in a Don Hume small-of back-rig and as long as I'm not wearing overly tight-fitting jeans or slacks it is not very noticeable at all.

The main selling points for me are performance, reliability and sheer ruggedness. It is built like a brick ****house. Remember, its military version passed the worst that the U.S. military could throw at it. They even jammed a bullet in the barrel and fired another round behind it in an attempt to blow it up. Not only did it survive, after the barrel was un-jammed, the pistol functioned fine thereafter. Its recoil reduction system tames even the stiffest .40 loads with ease; I don't think muzzle rise is excessive with the USPc at all for a gun in its class.

The ergonomics are superb; very easy to manipulate controls...BUT controls-funtion is rather unique to the H.K. so familiarizing yourself with them is esential. I am also very pleased with its accuracy...more accurate than my Glock 22c which has more barrel length.

I don't have any experience with Sig's but I have heard really good things about the P239 in .357 Sig. That may well be my next purchase... there's something about .357 mag performance in a compact auto pistol that really appeals to me.

 

[PoodleShooter]

I have 3 USP compacts - a 45, a 9mm, and the limited edition 50th anniv 45. My CCW permit only allows 3 weapons to be listed and 2 of the 3 spots are taken by my USP compacts. They just fit my hand and the balance is perfect (for me). Out of the box they were much more accurate than I am. The only modification I even considered was the addition of Trijicon night sights. I have over 4k rounds thru the 9mm and 3200 thru the 45 - no problems with reliability.

I also own several Kimbers and a couple of Sigs. I prefer the SA pull of my Kimber over anything else I own. My Pro Carry fills spot #3 on my CCW due to it's trigger and accuracy. Nothing wrong with the Sigs (P229 amd P239) - they are just a bit different. Since I prefer the SA pull, I stay with that manual of arms for protection.

 

[Hunt4Ever]

I have the USPc in .40 and an HK Expert in .40.

I carry the USPc sometimes. I'm from Michigan and we passed the "shall issue" law this Summer and I just got my CCW permit. As for shooting the HK's. They are 100% guns. No question about it. The compact is more accurate than I am. Best of all, NO FAILURES!

I shoot a little IPSC with the HK Expert using 10 round mags. A few months ago I won my division. What do I attribute the win to? First, NO FAILURES, second, shoots great! Failures will DESTROY any competition shooting.

As for recoil, the Compact is a little "snappy" in my opinion, but managable.

The compact just fit so good in my hand, it was really the only choice for me.

The Expert is great, but it is very full size. Not a CCW.

Hope this helps.

 

[Galileo]

Thanks Hunter...and all the rest!

Gali