SIG 220 vs HK USP .45C
- Thread starter zentao
- Start date
Well Zen,
I see the normally chatty bunch has abandoned you, so I'm gonna try and help out. I do NOT own a Sig, because I'm left handed, and the hammer drop is ETERNALLY right handed. But I do own an H&K USP45. I lusted after it BEFORE they even had a .45. All they had were 9mm $ .40, but I just knew that HK wouldn't let me down.
Anyway, I've had it for about 5 years now, and...
I LOVE IT!! I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT!
Now, having said that, I'll elaborate. It has never malfunctioned on me even ONCE! It is much more accurate that I am. If I do my part, I WILL hit what I'm aiming at. I can fire it even better one handed. Recoil is moderate, and completely controllable. I could carry cocked and locked if I wanted. It has a UTL attached. It holds 10 rounds of big bad .45+P.
Now to the down side...
It's big. No, I mean BIG! And it's WIDE. The trigger's a bit heavy on DA, but single action is BEAUTIFUL! I would say it's heavy, but so is the Sig, so I won't. Did I mention it's wide? I mean this is a BIG darned gun! If you don't wear at least LARGE gloves, I'd look twice. Maybe the USP Compact? Anyway, you get my point. It's like Rosie O'Donnell WIDE!
Honestly, I ALMOST traded a fellow TFL'er my USP45 for a USP45Compact because of the size, but I changed my mind at the last SECOND (sorry Jeff!)
I wanted to have a gun for the house and the hip, but I decided to keep the USP for the house and get something new for the hip.
I'll tell you what everyone told me when I almost traded. Find a range that rents pistols. Shoot them both. You'll figure out the rest yourself. They are both great guns and 100% reliable. You can't go wrong either way. You just gotta figure out what fits you.
Hope I helped, and hope you didn't fall asleep from reading all this!
I see the normally chatty bunch has abandoned you, so I'm gonna try and help out. I do NOT own a Sig, because I'm left handed, and the hammer drop is ETERNALLY right handed. But I do own an H&K USP45. I lusted after it BEFORE they even had a .45. All they had were 9mm $ .40, but I just knew that HK wouldn't let me down.
Anyway, I've had it for about 5 years now, and...
I LOVE IT!! I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT!
Now, having said that, I'll elaborate. It has never malfunctioned on me even ONCE! It is much more accurate that I am. If I do my part, I WILL hit what I'm aiming at. I can fire it even better one handed. Recoil is moderate, and completely controllable. I could carry cocked and locked if I wanted. It has a UTL attached. It holds 10 rounds of big bad .45+P.
Now to the down side...
It's big. No, I mean BIG! And it's WIDE. The trigger's a bit heavy on DA, but single action is BEAUTIFUL! I would say it's heavy, but so is the Sig, so I won't. Did I mention it's wide? I mean this is a BIG darned gun! If you don't wear at least LARGE gloves, I'd look twice. Maybe the USP Compact? Anyway, you get my point. It's like Rosie O'Donnell WIDE!
Honestly, I ALMOST traded a fellow TFL'er my USP45 for a USP45Compact because of the size, but I changed my mind at the last SECOND (sorry Jeff!)
I wanted to have a gun for the house and the hip, but I decided to keep the USP for the house and get something new for the hip.
I'll tell you what everyone told me when I almost traded. Find a range that rents pistols. Shoot them both. You'll figure out the rest yourself. They are both great guns and 100% reliable. You can't go wrong either way. You just gotta figure out what fits you.
Hope I helped, and hope you didn't fall asleep from reading all this!
I never fired a 220 but this past weekend fired a 228 which highly impressed me. I was at a gunshop today and looked at a used 228 with 2 hi-caps and NIB H&K Tactical. The price on the tactical was too good to pass up. You can't go wrong with either. Both are excellent pistols.
I'm a bit enamored with H&K. Some of that is appropriate since they are rugged, reliable, and accurate, some of that is that I've bought into the hype(No compromise etc). However, I have come to respect Sigs a great deal. I fired a friends stock 229 and was very impressed with the smooth DA and crisp SA trigger. Recoil was soft. The DA pull of H&Ks(I have 3 of them) need to be broken in. My 40C is smooth but took about 2K rounds to get there. The 45 fullsize is smooth but also has about 4K rounds through it. My USP9 still isn't smooth after some 700 rounds. They can be very scratchy out ofthe box.
Sigs, on the other hand seem to come very smooth and even the new MASS compliant Sigs are smooth despite the pull being a bit heavy. I checked out a used Sig 220 and a new MA-compliant 220. They are very ergonomic and have great trigger pulls. Even though I am an H&K guy I recommend getting the 220 over the 45C.
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Sigs, on the other hand seem to come very smooth and even the new MASS compliant Sigs are smooth despite the pull being a bit heavy. I checked out a used Sig 220 and a new MA-compliant 220. They are very ergonomic and have great trigger pulls. Even though I am an H&K guy I recommend getting the 220 over the 45C.
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zentao; I've owned a P-220 and a USP45 full size. First, these two pistols were absolutely fantastic! Now let's nit pick a bit. The P-220's bluing was very thin. Wore very quickly. Maybe the newer ones are better. The gun was totally reliable with all loads (factory). I'm not a big accuracy fanatic but I've got say that the P-220 is the most accurate pistol I've ever owned. To be honest with you the only negative of the USP45 full size IS it's size. Certainly the compact will be better in this respect. I liked both. They were great pistols! J. Parker
I went through a puchace decision some time ago that was very similar. I copmpared the H&K USP45f and 45c and the Sig P220.
I wrote a long post a while back, but here is my basic synopsis of the pro's and con's...
*****HK USP45 (full sized)*****
PRO: Well made, solid weapon with good accuracy and great controls. easy to fire with both eyes open, seems virtually indestructable with large, easy to opperate parts. Recoil is surprisingly light, lighter than the .40cal and the 10rnd magazine of .45cal is quite sweet!
CON: Its big, its bulky. No way can I conceal this baby. (note: I have since changed my mind, it can be concealed.)The trigger guard is so large many non-custom holsters wont fit it.
*****Sig P220 .45cal *****
PRO: amazing trigger, very accurate pistol. Finely machined, well executed design. Its hard to imagine not using a gun like this for most law enforcement tasks and home defense. It shoots so nice it makes you want to practice! Easy to take apart.
CON: hard to opperate controls. Only a 7 round magazine. No manual safety. It is finely machined and that makes me not really want to take it camping. Only seven rounds. Most armorers have said "dont get it too dirty!" Only seven rounds... (have I mentioned that already?)
*****HK USP45 compact *****
PRO: shares good controls with the USP. You can actually get 8 rounds in a compact .45cal! Three finger grip, pretty easy to shoot with both eyes open. Snag free versions of the full sized controls and a bobbed for concealed carry.
CON: It bit me! raised a blood blister slamming home a new magazine. Recoil is a bit sharp, accuracy is middle of the road, I dont carry concealed so the tapered controls arent a plus for me, the hammer is bobbed and so you cant cock it without pulling back on the slide. (note: if the gun is decocked, then you CAN cock the bobbed hammer by hand)
FINAL CONCLUSIONS
Well... after all was said and done I was convinced. I was about to go back to the .45cal after 6 years of being a "Forty" man. I loved the feel of the Sigs action, but my wife needs to be able to opperate the controls. I put the USP 45 in her hand and she did a full functions check without a sweat. In her words, "Thats not as bad as I thought!"
The .40cal USP disappointed me. The USP45 compact just didnt fit me but I think it is a great gun for the right hand. The Sig was so fun to shoot I want one, but it doesnt fit my current requirements for home defense and remote camping well enough to buy.
What clinched it was that my gun range had a sale on their USP's offering the four that they had new in the box to the public at their law enforcement prices. There was a new .45 fullsized HK USP45 for only $619. I bought it.
FEEDBACK
After owning the USP45 for about 6 months now, and putting about 2000 rounds through it, I am still happy with my choice. I am not sure that the 45c is as good a gun. The Sig, if 7 rounds doesnt bother you, is an excellent pistol. I wouldnt choose it though if you are doing a lot of camping or other dirty work. The trigger, esp the DA is much better in the Sig, but the SA is about the same.
Have fun!
J.T.
As usual, YMMV, FWIW, IMHO, and all that
I wrote a long post a while back, but here is my basic synopsis of the pro's and con's...
*****HK USP45 (full sized)*****
PRO: Well made, solid weapon with good accuracy and great controls. easy to fire with both eyes open, seems virtually indestructable with large, easy to opperate parts. Recoil is surprisingly light, lighter than the .40cal and the 10rnd magazine of .45cal is quite sweet!
CON: Its big, its bulky. No way can I conceal this baby. (note: I have since changed my mind, it can be concealed.)The trigger guard is so large many non-custom holsters wont fit it.
*****Sig P220 .45cal *****
PRO: amazing trigger, very accurate pistol. Finely machined, well executed design. Its hard to imagine not using a gun like this for most law enforcement tasks and home defense. It shoots so nice it makes you want to practice! Easy to take apart.
CON: hard to opperate controls. Only a 7 round magazine. No manual safety. It is finely machined and that makes me not really want to take it camping. Only seven rounds. Most armorers have said "dont get it too dirty!" Only seven rounds... (have I mentioned that already?)
*****HK USP45 compact *****
PRO: shares good controls with the USP. You can actually get 8 rounds in a compact .45cal! Three finger grip, pretty easy to shoot with both eyes open. Snag free versions of the full sized controls and a bobbed for concealed carry.
CON: It bit me! raised a blood blister slamming home a new magazine. Recoil is a bit sharp, accuracy is middle of the road, I dont carry concealed so the tapered controls arent a plus for me, the hammer is bobbed and so you cant cock it without pulling back on the slide. (note: if the gun is decocked, then you CAN cock the bobbed hammer by hand)
FINAL CONCLUSIONS
Well... after all was said and done I was convinced. I was about to go back to the .45cal after 6 years of being a "Forty" man. I loved the feel of the Sigs action, but my wife needs to be able to opperate the controls. I put the USP 45 in her hand and she did a full functions check without a sweat. In her words, "Thats not as bad as I thought!"
The .40cal USP disappointed me. The USP45 compact just didnt fit me but I think it is a great gun for the right hand. The Sig was so fun to shoot I want one, but it doesnt fit my current requirements for home defense and remote camping well enough to buy.
What clinched it was that my gun range had a sale on their USP's offering the four that they had new in the box to the public at their law enforcement prices. There was a new .45 fullsized HK USP45 for only $619. I bought it.
FEEDBACK
After owning the USP45 for about 6 months now, and putting about 2000 rounds through it, I am still happy with my choice. I am not sure that the 45c is as good a gun. The Sig, if 7 rounds doesnt bother you, is an excellent pistol. I wouldnt choose it though if you are doing a lot of camping or other dirty work. The trigger, esp the DA is much better in the Sig, but the SA is about the same.
Have fun!
J.T.
As usual, YMMV, FWIW, IMHO, and all that
I own both and like both.
H&K's are more durable and can stand everyday wear and tear.
Sig's have better triggers and are more accurate.
So which one do I have in my safe, and which one sleeps next to me?
The Sig is state of the art machining, but my USP45 is what I shoot and rely on the most.
You really can't go wrong with either one.
H&K's are more durable and can stand everyday wear and tear.
Sig's have better triggers and are more accurate.
So which one do I have in my safe, and which one sleeps next to me?
The Sig is state of the art machining, but my USP45 is what I shoot and rely on the most.
You really can't go wrong with either one.