[The Real Hawkeye]

There, now that I've got your attention, I have a question for you USP fans. I have the USP 45 full sized, but haven't shot it much. Been fooling with it lately, and when I go through the firing drill that I use with my 1911, the thumb safety not only goes beyond where I want it to go, lowering the hammer into double action mode, but even beyond that to a point below that to where the trigger gets locked and it cannot be fired. Does yours do this too if you really put the thumb pressure on? With a 1911, my thum rests on the safety, so I do the same with the USP by instinct. This would have to change if I were to take to carrying it. Thoughts?

[WT]

No, mine does not do that. Its a Variant 9.

[Trisha]

Resting my thumb on the safety of a 1911 has always resulted in 'slide rash,' when the slide cycles, and the cocking serrations shred the skin - so I don't use that grip.

If I'm not mistaken, you're describing an arc of travel for the HK thumb safety that borders on more than +60 degrees of travel, aren't you? I have a USPc, and am unable to duplicate the situation you describe - but the solution is simple, if you continue to be concerned:

Shoot only one model of semi-auto.

With me, in OWB hip carry, either the HK, or one of my 1911's is Condition 1. In a shoulder rig, when I carry the HK, I rehearse (snap caps), as it is then a crunch-n-ticker.

Trisha

[tc300mag1]

Nope dont have this problem thats a lot of downward arc to take up though

[PO2Hammer]

I had the same problem with my USP Tac. I ordered the detent plate # 214255, this will change your pistol to a varient 9, and it was an easy install. This will dis-able your decocker of course, and it will handle just like a 1911, exept you can rack the slide with the safety on. Contact
Marc@OPS2
866/286-9868
SALES@HKPARTSONLINE.CO instuctions
http://www.streetpro.com/usp/detail/dst.html
just follow the instructions as far as removing the detent plate, then re-assemble. I did this on my 9mm Elite also, and it allows me to put very firm pressure on the control lever for recoil recovery and a firmer grip.

[Mikul]

That's a long way to overtravel the safety! My thumb has to be at a 90 degree angle to decock an H&K. I brush the safety off when I shoot because if I ride it, I tend to squeeze it a bit which pushes the shots off to the right. I switch between my H&K and my CZ-75 (with no decocker) without even noticing.

I wonder if the spring on your decocker is a bit light because in addition to being a long push for me, it's also quite heavy. I'm going to guess it's in the 8 pound range for me.

[George Hill]

You shouldn't have to order a new part... you should just call HK and tell them the gun is defective and HK should say "Send it back to us so we can check it out for you." And they should give you the Fed Ex account number for the shipping.

Well... that's how Springfield and Taurus works.

[PO2Hammer]

I think it has to do with hand size and shape. It never happened to me while dry practicing, but at the range while shooting my thumb would occasionaly push the lever too far down when the pistol recoiled, and then the next shot wouldn't fire. If you never ride the safety, it isn't a problem, but if you shoot 1911's and have a habit of riding the safety, it may happen. It never happened with my USP 9mm, but it did with the USP .45. It's not a defective pistol or a design flaw, variant 1 was not designed for 'riders', variant 9 was.

[gbelleh]

I started shooting a USP 45 Compact a few years before I got into 1911s. I don't use the "thumb on the safety" shooting style for the USP. Although I have tried it without any problems. It takes quite a bit of force to activate the decocker on mine. I only apply very light pressure to the safety of a 1911 when shooting that way. Of course if you're really applying a lot of thumb force to the safety, the USP will not function properly.

[Jim Watson]

The first V-1 I ever handled at an NRA convention was prone to decock or lock up with vigorous operation of the safety, and I don't even ride the lever. Ray Ordorica reported the same thing in print.

I told the HK rep at the convention that it should be set up to decock by moving the lever up past Safe instead of down past Fire. He ignored me, of course, what does a shooter know about fine firearms?

When they actually got on sale they had stiffer detents and I could actually use one without unwanted decocks or lockup. I bought one and shot it long enough to remind myself that the double column .45 is the answer to a question I did not ask. Traded it for a Python to shoot IDPA SSR with.

If you want to carry cocked and locked, as said above, get the detent set up for V-9 and treat it like a 1911.

[The Real Hawkeye]

Thanks, everyone. I think I will take the advice of the majority and buy the thing that makes it into a variant 9. That should solve the problem completely. :)

[45R]

H&K will do a variant change for around 75 bucks.

[The Real Hawkeye]

45R, Yeah, I think I'd better have them do it, $75 buck or no.

[PO2Hammer]

I understand the desire to have the factory do it, but the part is about $7, and is very easy to do. I don't tinker with my guns much, but that part swap is easy. You can see the detent plate with the slide removed, and the frame pin that the plate rides against. Decock the pistol, push the pin in just far enough to release the plate. Slide it out, slide in the new one, push the pin back from the opposite side, your done.

[The Real Hawkeye]

You make it sound so easy, maybe I will give it a try.

[Kestrel]

Yep - do it yourself.

[dwestfall]

Agreed, it's a do-it-yourself job.

[RightIsRight]

How does one go about checking which variant their USP is?

[tc300mag1]

you can check it here Pics of variants (http://www.hkpro.com/usp.htm)

[Feanaro]

You shouldn't have to order a new part... you should just call HK and tell them the gun is defective and HK should say "Send it back to us so we can check it out for you."

So far as I can tell the fault is not with HK. If you want to rest your thumb on the safety, you have to buy a variant 9 USP.

Hawk: Either get the pistol converted to variant 9 or you'll just have to put your thumb in a different spot.

[Highland Ranger]

HK site or remove the slide - detent plate that is actuatyed by the saftey decock lever is marked - "Var 1"

Not sure if that is true of the older ones but my new Expert is marked. Need to check my old 40, bought in 93 when they first came out and you could buy variants in the store (now for all but the safety decock var 1 or 2?) you need to go to HK.

[tc300mag1]

yes the detent plates are marked 1+2 for var 1 and 2 forgot about this var 1 is control lever on the left side of gun var 2 is oppsite and so on for all there guns even #s are for leftys .. Varient 7 i think is the one that doesnt have a control lever

[Amish]

USP45F datecode AC; No problems here. Why not just send it to HK to get it fixed or switched to a non-decock variation?