A Great dilemma to be in is...

J

jrsower

New member
...the situation I find myself in right now. My wife and I both took the CCW class together. Our instructor let us handle several different guns, one of which was a P7M8. My wife, concerned that we have kids in the house, said that if we were going to have a gun kept in the bedroom for home defense (still well hidden) she wanted that one. She wouldn't have to fumble for a safety she can't find in the dark, a child would have a hard time accidentally shooting himself if, God forbid they were to ever find it. (We keep it hidden and our bedroom door locked even when we're home because of the gun (although I understand that could still happen).

At any rate, I like the gun so much, that I find myself often leaving in the morning for work, but not before reaching for our home defense gun. Of course, then the wife is defenseless.

Which brings me to my dilemma, albeit one I'm not displeased to be in. I'm in the market for another carry gun so I'm not tempted to take my 9 with me each day.

I can't seem to get the HK USP .45 compact out of my mind. Ideally I'd like to get another p7, either M10 or 13 but I just can't justify spending another $800 or more if I can't find another used one.

So here's where you guys come in. What do you know about the .45 HK compact? Is it bulky? Wide? I'm 6 feet and about 155 lbs so I'm not a big dude. Worth the price? And anything else you're inclined to share.
 
I'd say just get another P7...I don't own one but you seem to really like yours.
Your wife and you are already well aquainted with the weapon and you would have the ammo around and your wife could pick up your carry gun and feel comfortable....just my opinion but it really seems to fit well

Dragon
 
dragon makes a good point. In the case were you or your wife would need to use either gun, there would be no thought on what to do with it and no extra training needed to get aquainted with a new gun. Magazines would be interchangable.

Now the UPS .45 Compact is a little bit of a different animal. I sometime in the near future will be getting a full size USP, I like the thing so much. It is a little bulkier than some other .45ACP chambered pistols, but it is a quality firearm. Either one comes down to personal preference.

I think in this situation, once you weigh your options, you'll probably pick up another P7.
 
Might I suggest also, having kids in the house, that you redo your bedroom security method a little.

I have twin 5-year-olds, so my fear is that one night that "bump in the night" will be one of them getting midnight snack. I use the "three steps" method for home defense while sleeping:

Leave the gun on the bedstand, slide locked open, no magazine. I keep a couple magazines around the bedroom loaded, high up on shelves where little hands can't find/reach them, at least two or three steps away from the bed.

That helps insure three things:
1. If I wake up in the middle of the night to someone rummaging through my things, I won't be grabbing a loaded pistol while in that dazed just-woke-up state when there's a possibility that it could one of my kids. It's been proven that if you need to take 2 or three steps to get your mag, you are then woke up enough to reasonably assess the situation.

2. If the BG is already in my bedroom, he won't pointing my loaded pistol in my face when I wake up.

3. Not as much worry over little hands possibly grabbing my loaded pistol.
 
P7's are pricey. And I just found out the reason recently. The frames are machined using a $400,000 machining center. In fact, I have been told that once HK had to contract out a batch to a company in Bay area to be able to fill the order, they didn't have enough capacity with only one machine they had.

USP 45C is the only one worth having out of USP series of guns (my conclusion after owning 9mm and .45 full size). You will find out that compared to your P7 it has shiatty trigger, and high bore axis, which will make it quite harder to shoot rapidly and accurately (besides being in .45).

Now, if you are not stuck on HK, you could try G-30. Just about the same size as USP 45C (actually smaller). In fact quite similar to P7 considering the low bore axis, and de facto SA trigger. Oh, and it's ACCURATE and cheaper than 45C. You won't be at mercy of HK if anything brakes, you can swap your own (unlike the broken firing pins off USP series guns, where you have to send back to HK). And before the HK elitist comments start: performance speeks for it self, and for quality comments - check out the machining on G-30 slide.
 
I had to buy a second P7M8 because my wife claimed the first one. The P7 is the only gun in my safe that I have in duplicate, not including different model 1911's. I've never handled the M13, but from everything I hear unless you have big hands it will never feel as good as a M8. There are worst things in life than having to feel bad about having two P7's.
 
Good stuff guys

Man, you guys are making this difficult. Yeah, I'd like to get another P7, but for what they cost, I could buy a small tract of land somewhere.

Went down to the gun shop in town and handled a stainless .45c this afternoon. Wish I hadn't done that. Now I'm in trouble for sure. Never, never touch a gun that you can't afford yet...I probably cry myself to sleep tonight.:(
 
Try checking shotgun news for P7 Police Refurbs. These are almost new weapons having been checked by HK, worn parts replaced, and sometimes refinished if required.

Much cheaper than new if you can locate one.

Also check GunsAmerica.com. You can find good deals there if you shop at least weekly.

I agree with your wanting to purchase an identical firearm for your home. That makes very good sense. Unfortunately your first choice was an expensive one, but very good one.

Not being an HK "elitist", and not even having fired a P7, I can tell you that HK makes quality weapons no matter what the model....
as does Walther and Sig-Sauer. The jury is still out on the Austrians. I've not heard of any of the three previous makes mentioned of having blown up in their owners hands.

I would take your wife shopping if that's possible unless you leave the P7 at home for her. The grip on the USP/C and USP are very different feeling and they handle differently upon firing.

I would also investigate the offerings of the other two German manufacturers. You might find something you like from them and didn't even know it.
 
You were forced to buy a P7? Oh, you poor, poor man! Let me see if I can generate some sympathy for you here; hang on a sec... wait... nope. It just doesn't seem to be working. ;)

If you can track down one of the aforementioned refurbs, you should be able to find one for not too much more than the USP-45c stainless that you were looking at.

p7-hawaiis.jpg


(Oleg sure can make a gun look purty, can't he? :D )
 
Hey, how did Mr. Wolf get the pistol to float like that? Jedi mind control?

jrsower, you are indeed fortunate. It is a tremendous advantage that you and the female like the same weapon for the reasons mentioned above--training, holsters, ammo, logistics.

It's been my experience that females do not like the P7 because of the squeezing. Maybe they just don't like me?:D Instead they gravitate to 1911s, but females are a tricky lot and have individual tastes as well.

I'd buy another couple of P7s. Don't like the USP. It's too thick for me. It's been my experience though that the long and lanky like you and me carry thicker pistols better. Key is to get a good holster and belt. Get her to skul with you.
 
From an owner of both P7's and a .45c:

If you're gonna carry it, get the P7. The M13 is a little wider in the grip. Try one before you buy it. There are used M13's available for about the same money as a used M8, but M13 mags are more $$. Another M8 would be good in that both guns would be the same, and have interchangable mags.

If it's gonna sit on the nightstand, then the .45c is fine. IMO, the only advantage of the .45c over a P7 is the caliber.
 
As a P7M8 owner, absolutely get another!!! The manual of arms would thus be identical. You have the best, anything just won't do. Top gun!
 
I suppose I am one of the "H&K Elitists" that glockgazda is talking about.

I own and like a lot of handguns, but I happen to like H&Ks (USP) the best. I shoot them better than any other handgun I own and I think they are as reliable and as durable as any other gun on the market. If that makes me an elitist, then that's what I am.

The USP 45c is a great gun. I agree the trigger is not the greatest on the USP series, but I've found that it doesn't detract fom my accuracy enough to even worry about.

There is something to be said about having the same manual of arms on both pistols. If you really like the P7, you may just want to save for another.

glockgazda,
You won't be at mercy of HK if anything brakes, you can swap your own (unlike the broken firing pins off USP series guns, where you have to send back to HK).
Click to expand...
Who says you have to send it back to H&K?

The broken firing pin thing on the USPs is not quite as overblown as the Kb!s in GLOCKs, but overblown just the same. A poster on HKpro.com did a little research there not too long ago. HKPro.com has had about five first hand reports of broken firing pins in USPs. I searched here on TFL and found ONE firsthand report of a broken firing pin in an H&K USP (in 105,392 posts). Most if not all of these have come after extensive dry-firing without the use of snap caps.

Bottom line? I'm as worried about firing pin breakage in my H&Ks as I am about Kb!s in GLOCKs (that is to say NOT AT ALL).
performance speeks for it self
Click to expand...
You are correct about that. . .which is why I keep coming back to the H&Ks :D

Shake
 
Consider one of the gun safes designed to hold a single weapon and equipped with an illuminated number pad. They can be mounted on the wall near the bed. The good ones aren't cheap and are made of heavy metal plate but they buy a considerable amount of peace of mind. Neither your kid or someone elses can get into it. Neither maids for the lady visiting from next door. Nobody. If you are cleaver where you put the thing nobody walking in the room will ever see it.

Your current system only has to fail one time and......
S-
 
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