Variants of H&K USP .45 Compact

T

The Walrus

New member
I currently have a CZ-75BD, manufactured in 1999. It's an excellent gun, and I consider it to be one of the best values going for a home-town carry/plinking 9mm. ($339 new @ retail + hogue grips).

However, I can now afford a more expensive and more powerful proper carry weaon, and have started seriously researching the USP Compact .45. I've considered the Glock 30, which looks to be an excellent piece of machinery except for the thickness. Most people tell me (i've yet to handle either of these) that the USP Compact is generally slimmer than the glock. That should be a great advantage for IWB carry, particularly with the 30 described as a "brick".

So the question is: What are the different variants of trigger/safety/decocking mechanisms available for the compact USP .45? I know there are at least two or three. Ideally I would like something identical, or very similar, to my current CZ-75BD. No manual safety, a decocker, and a strong (6#+) DA first-shot pull.

I'm certainly not the expert on trigger pulls, but it seems that my CZ-75BD came out-of-the-box with a police-worthy DA decocked pull weight. The famous "NYC Glock trigger" is eight pounds, correct?

Any/all knowledge pertaining to compact USPs will be greatly appreciated, thanks guys :-)
 
Can't help a bit with the USP's but as far as the Glocks trigger pull:

NY+ = 9#+pull (rare and horrid combo)

New York= 8# (+-) pull

Standard= 5 1/2 to 6# pull

3.5# connector= 4# (+-) pull

3.5 Connector with NY spring +- 5# pull with more of a revolver feel.

Real gunsmith can get you a true 3-3 1/2# pull if you want it.

If you find you don't like the USP and Don't mind a lower capacity might want to try the Glock 36. Doesn't fit my hand well but you may like it.
 
the G-36 is 6+1, right? I've heard it's nice and slim... will need to drive 100 miles down to Seattle to test-fire one at a rental range, I don't think anybody near here has one.
 
I have a USP Compact in .45

It is a fantastic pistol. But it is not that easy to carry IWB.

You may wish to consider a Kahr MK 40. Very small, thinner than an H&K and much smaller overall.

That being said, there are nine variants you can have the USP Compact 45 in. H&K numbers skips 8 and shows 10 with Variant 8 missing. It will come in variant one from the factory, when you first get the pistol you can mail it to the factory and they will set it to the variant you want for the cost of postage.

1 - DA/SA with safe position and control lever (manual safety/decocking lever) on the left side of the frame.

2 - Same as one with safety/decocker on right side of frame.

Variants 1 and 2 allow the user to carry the pistol in a single action mode (cocked and locked) with the control lever/manual safety engaged. The same pistol, without modification, can be carried in double action mode (round in the chamber) with or without the control lever/manual safety engaged.

This is why I like the gun so much. You can carry with a round in the chamber and keep the safety on or not, draw the pistol and pull the trigger and away you go.

3 - DA/SA without safe position with control lever (decocking lever) on the left side of the frame.

4 - Same as 4 with decocking lever on right side of frame.

Variants 3 and 4 provide the user with a frame mounted decodking lever that does not have the safe position. The hammer can be lowered from SA to DA but it does not provide the safe position to prevent the pistol from firing when the trigger is pulled.

If you dont want to hassle with a safety, leave it off!

5 - DA-Only with safe position and control lever on the left side of frame.
6 - Same as 5 with control level on the right side of frame.
7 - DA-Only without control lever (no safety/decocking lever)

Variants 5, 6 and 7 are DA only with the hammer returning to the DA position after each shot. To fire, the trigger must be pulled through the DA pull. 5 and 6 have a safety, 7 has no safety.

8 - DA/SA with safe position and control lever on the right side of the frame (no decocker) This variant uses a spurred hammer too.
9 - Same as 8 with the control lever on the left side of the frame.

Variants 8 and 9 allow the user to carry the pistol in a single action mode (cocked and locked) with the safety engaged. There is no decocker so a spurred hammer is put on the gun to allow use of the thumb on the hammer.

The USP Compact also provide second strike capability, a feature which I very much like because I have never had a round not fire on the second strike. I have never had a primer failure with a .45 but I have had them with the 9mm's and the second strike always sets them off.

The USP Compact also has an ambidextrous mag release which allows you to drop a mag with your thumb while never changing your grip. Very well thought out.

All of this info is right out of the Operators Manual.
 
Don't have a compact, only the Tactical, but if the trigger is the same on the compacts as is on the Fullsizers, buy one. Mine is a beast[see pic] and the only way to conceal it is in a suitcase!
I'm a Sig fan, but this pistol shoots great!


Sorry pic is too many bytes!
 
The Tactical has a match trigger. I think the compact's trigger is akin to that of the normal trigger on the fullsize. DA pull is heavy, very safe if you want to carry it decocked like a SIG. SA pull is nice, somewhere between a 1911 and a Glock if you want to carry cocked and locked. I have heard the match trigger is a little better than the normal USP's.
 
Walrus (great name are you a Stadler fan?),

I have a USP .45 C and F.

Trigger for the C - it is not the same as a F. It can not be swapped out for a match trigger. The pull in DA is heavy (guessing around 10 #). It does break clean and with practice it is not an issue. Esp at a true CQB distance. If you have a real issue with the trigger, one smith does come up frequently - Teddy Jacobson. He can do some good stuff (from what it sounds like).

Concealability - Anything is concealable if you A) know how to dress and B) have a good holster. I have two holsters that are great - a Galco shoulder rig and a Milt Sparks Versa Max II.

A quick note on holsters - if you look around you will note that many will tell you that they tried several different lesser expensive holsters before they finally bought a good one. They spent more in the end to do it that way. I am one of those. The Sparks make the .45C disapear. I can wear it with my shirt tucked in and it is invisable. So - such much for the "its too big" argument.

G-30 and G-36: I do not own either but do have some trigger time behind them both. I do have a 27. For the most part, a glock is a glock is a glock. Pretty darn decent. Same deal, no problems concealing this either.

Good points - consitant trigger pull.

Down side - no double strike.

External safety - this a personal issue. If it is engrained to snick the safety off as a part of your draw - b/c you are used to a 1911 - great. If not, just like all other weapons - keep your finger out of the trigger guard till it is time to fire.

They are both great. I like HK - others like glock

Good luck.
 
These are full sized USPs, but AFAIK the compacts are the same. . .

uspvariants.jpg


Shake
 
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