HK USP 45: Buy or Not to Buy?

I wouldn't go so far as to describe someone's differing opinions as "whiny", though. That's just me, though.

Note - do you see the name Erick anywhere in the response? I did not call you whiny. I am stating the most of the people who have a knock against HK seem whiney to me.

Out of curiousity (as I have never seen and HK advertisment) what is the publication and date of said publication that you are referencing?
 
Remember that even an H&K is a piece of machinery that can malfunction like any other. I had a standard varient of the USP 40 that converted itself to the DAO mode while I was firing it. It de-cocked itself after every shot and the hammer would not stay back even if I thumb-cocked it. The problem was internal to the pistol, my thumb was not resting on the safety/de-cocker during firing.

H&K took care of it and the problem did not happen again, but my confidence in the pistol waned after this happened. I never quite trusted it again. On the bright side, I have never heard of this happening to anyone else, and I did not find H&Ks customer service to be as bad as it has been reported to be on this board.
 
HK is among the best manufacturers of firearms in the world. The USP 45 is among its best offerings, IMO.

Personally, I do not like them all that much, but I also recognize a good-to-great thing when I see it even if it doesn't trip my personal trigger. This is one of those instances.

Just for the sake of comparison, what is the make/model of the 1911 that you'd likely get if you pass on the USP 45? There are a number of them that I prefer to the USP 45, and that would impact my recommendation (and that of several others, I suspect).
 
IIRC the barrels of the 9mm and .40 USP full size are 4.25" and the .45 is 4.41". Not that big of a deal, I suppose.

You can get a match grade threaded barrel like the Tactical has and bring the length to 4.92" or so as you mentioned. In a round about sort of way the stock USP .45 is cutomizable - you can improve it later when you have the money.

Either way, you pretty much know the pros and cons of the USP and 1911 platforms. I'd add that the USP's double recoil spring is pretty keen to boot.
 
I have a USP45 fullsize and a compact 45. They are both great. The USP is large complaint strikes me as odd in a way. The USP45 is much the same size as a SIG P220 and the 220 does not get the complaint. I think the USP's blocky lines give people a larger impression.

TT
 
1911 -A1

Howdy Nightcrawler.
I own an HK USP in 45 cal (have a 400 Corbon barrel for it, also) and used to own a .40.
Both guns are, indeed, accurate. The main reason I opted for the 1911 A1 is because the arched ramp makes the gun "point" naturally. I couldn't get that with the HK.
I put a Hogue rubber grip on, and stuffed some material under it to try and duplicate the 1911 A1, but my results were not good.
As the saying goes YMMV.
Luck,
Walt
 
Mo_Zam_Beek,

I said "its too big" then you said something about "the (whiny voice) "its too big" argument." So naturally I thought you were referring to me. But... Glad to know you weren't. No harm, no foul.

The advertisement I referred to is a full page add in the NRA's , America's First Freedom, Oct 2001 edition, page 5. I've seen them elsewhere, as well.
 
Please note, the polygonal barrel of the USP's appears to help generate additional bullet velocity. In some tests, as much as 100 FPS over equal length, land-and-groove rifled bbl's. This brings the USP at least on par with the 5" Gov't model in the tests I have seen. Interestingly, the USP Compact .45 generates almost the same velocities in the tests I have seen.
 
I am an HK armorer. I have to agree the regular full size 45 USP is too big for the average shooter. You may as well spend the extra bucks and get the Tactical or Expert if you go full size. The SOCOM is an abomination in size. It is NOT popular in SF circles. Give me a G36K or an M4 in that environment. The compact USP is a much better feeling gun even for gorilla hands like me. The compact is also more reliable and just as accurate. A few of the full size guns I have seen have had funky firing pin retractions and seem to be overly sensitive to crud in the firing pin channel. One or two full size guns have had small plastic pieces on the safeties crack, causing decock troubles. Have not seen any of this stuff in the compacts. I carry a compact USP even in uniform. My .02:)
 
seadog,

It is not my intent to flame you or prove you wrong, but do you have anything to substantiate this statement as far as reliability is concerned?
The compact is also more reliable and just as accurate.
Click to expand...
Seems to me just lookng at my full size and compact H&Ks that the design of both the firing pin channel and the safties is exactly the same. Why would gunk build up in the full size more than the compact?

Also, the safety/decock lever is shaped differently on the actual lever, but internally parts look exactly the same. Materials appear to be the same. Why would the full size safties crack while the compacts do not?

Again, not saying you aren't 100% correct, just interested in how you came to these conclusions.

Shake
 
Don't forget the three round capacity advantage on the USP full size.

I own a USP9c and have complete confidence in it. They're really built like tanks. The polygonal barrels are CAST which makes them a lot stronger than a traditionally rifled barrel.

The USP also has a low-profile extended slide release while the 1911 requires a slight change in grip to trip the release or an after-market extended release which is far from low-profile.

The 1911 is a faster gun. The trigger resets quicker and is generally pretty sweet. The firing pin safety on the USP takes its toll on the trigger. Oh, and the aftermaket add-on doo dads for the the USP pale in comparison to the criminal acts you can perpetrate on a 1911.
 
Rock River Arms Limited Match

Well if you want a reliable 1911 stay away from the off brands. Get a Kimber, Para, Springfield or a custom job like a Wilson or a LesBear.

I carried a HK USP in 45 as a duty weapon for a time its accurate and reliable. That said I prefer the GLock 21 to it because of its trigger system and less recoil. But the USP is a fine pistol. I see them as a good compromise for 1911 fans that want a reliable pistol that works no matter what yet still can be carried cocked and locked.
PAT
 
I'll buy an H&K USP, if I can get over that weird magazine release button. I see it as something of a tactical challenge. Am I wrong?
 
Funny, the mag release (lever) is my favorite of all pistols I have tried. A little practice and you can release the mag, slam home a full mag to trip the slide release and be ready to roll... good stuff.
 
It took a little getting used to but after a while the "off side" release became my favorite. I didn't have to shift the pistol much at all compared to using the "traditional side." I'm pretty sure my reload times improved. Maybe not, but my first shot after reload was quicker on target.

I abandoned it though after I tried the same technique qualifying with a Glock. Not once, but twice. Oops. (Imagine a loud, angry firearms instructor yelling "You bought one of those newfangled HKs, didn't you!" in my ear a split second later. "You're dead!" Fun stuff, I tell ya.) Habits are just that, and hard to break. There is something to be said for consistancy and the manual of arms.
 
I'm looking for a compact pistol and the USP compact is easily the nicest I've seen out there, except for custom 1911s. I'm a 1911 guy but I don't think they're the ideal carry pistol.

I'm getting a CZ 75B compact instead of the USP compact, but that's only because it's $350 cheaper.

The full-size USP is huge.
 
Mikul,

I agree with much of what you said, EXCEPT:

The polygonal barrels are CAST which makes them a lot stronger than a traditionally rifled barrel.
Click to expand...

The barrels are cold hammer-forged from ordnance steel blanks.
This is a far superior method to casting.

HK barrels are generally recognized as being among the most durable and wear-resistant. Cast barrels would never stand the torture tests documented on the forged HK barrel, such as a squib round followed with another round- slight barrel bulge, but the weapon still held 2" at 75 feet.

Seadog,

Very interesting viewpoint, what is you experience with the longevity of the polymer buffer which is used in the compact to substitute for the two-stage recoil system in the fullsize USP ?
 
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