HK USP CT for CCW?

[HK G3]

Hey all,

Currently I'm seriously debating over whether or not to get a USP .45 Tactical or a USP .45 CT. I have never seen any of the local shops here have a USP CT in stock, so I don't know how big it is, or what it feels like. I love the Tactical and have my heart set on getting an HK USP chambered in .45 ACP, but it's obviously not meant to be a concealed carry pistol.

Currently, I really don't have much intention of carrying, since I'm always going to the hospital (due to my "job") and it just wouldn't be practical. In the future, however, I might, so if the CT could be used for CCW, I may want to get that instead of buying another handgun for concealed carry.

I've tried looking for size comparison charts to see if this would be realistic or not, but I figure that asking people with personal experience would be a lot better than some picture anyway.

Thanks!

 

[Tribal]

Okay, maybe I'm ignorant, but does CT mean Compact?

If so, then how concealable it is depends on what you wear/carry. IWB carry is rough, but OWB's not bad at all, especially SOB. If you wear a bulky jacket or cargo pants, it's concealable. I carry a messenger bag daily and it's very good there, too.

Basically, if it's something you think you'll need access to quickly then I'd get a Kahr PM45, Baby Glock, or J-frame equivalent and carry front pocket or IWB. If you think you'll have a few seconds to draw, it's worth considering.

 

[Black Majik]

Unless you're planning to carry with a supressor, why not just get a regular USP compact model?

 

[WoofersInc]

I have the Tactical on my carry permit and have not used it once for that. It is a big gun and doesn't conceal well enough for my standards. The Tactcal is great however with the suppressor and a ton of fun that way. Get something smaller for CCW and keep the Tactical for range time.

 

[HK G3]

Okay, maybe I'm ignorant, but does CT mean Compact?

Yeah, sorry about that, CT means Compact Tactical.

Unless you're planning to carry with a supressor, why not just get a regular USP compact model?

That's the thing - I plan on getting a suppressor for it, and don't want to buy both a USP compact and a USP CT just so I can have a suppressor and concealed carry weapon if the USP CT could fit both those roles. While I know that the suppressor would be a great safety feature to have on a concealed weapon, and I would like to carry a suppressed weapon, I would never carry a suppressed gun because I know that could potentially look very bad to a jury. I suppose my ears will have to suffer should I ever have to actually fire the weapon...

I have the Tactical on my carry permit and have not used it once for that. It is a big gun and doesn't conceal well enough for my standards. The Tactcal is great however with the suppressor and a ton of fun that way. Get something smaller for CCW and keep the Tactical for range time.

Do you mean the full-size USP Tactical? Because I know that model is very large and bulky, and would be somewhat difficult to conceal during the summer. It's a blast to shoot at the range though, the first time I fired off a mag, I immediately felt that I have to buy one ASAP.

If so, then how concealable it is depends on what you wear/carry. IWB carry is rough, but OWB's not bad at all, especially SOB. If you wear a bulky jacket or cargo pants, it's concealable. I carry a messenger bag daily and it's very good there, too.

I normally do wear cargo pants, unless I'm on the wards, in which case I'm wearing slacks or scrubs. I never really wear shorts - personal preference I suppose...

Thanks for the responses thus far!

 

[Jason_G]

You might have a hard time finding leather for the tacticals, be it fullsize or compact.
If it were me, I'd get the compact, then go buy a threaded barrel separately to drop in when I wanted to put a can on it. The sights might be an issue though, I don't know if the regular height sights will clear the supressor; then again, the tall sights will probably create an issue when looking for a holster though.

Jason

 

[EAdams]

I have a HK USPc 45 and it is just too much of a hassle/bulk for me to carry either IWB or OWB. There might be the right combo of pants, holster, and cover but I have yet to find it and I don't feel comfortable with the way it prints even with a jacket. I ended up going with the messenger bag carry and a Kel-tec P32 IWB for backup.

 

[DogBonz]

I have 2 USP 45F's

The first was the first gun that I bought, and as such, I have carried (when I lived in a free state). I will say that it is "less than ideal" as a CCW, but I do have the upmost faith in my USP's. The first one has almost 10K rounds down the pipe with only one FTF... And that was due to ammo failure.

Bottom line:

The USP as a CCW... iffy


The USP as a top notch, never fail pistol... every day of the week and twice on Sunday.

 

[HK G3]

Thanks for the replies guys!

I'm probably going to try and call some CC holster manufacturers who have seen offer IWB and OWB holsters for a fullsize USP tactical, and see if they have any opinions on it. I'm going to try to find a CT USP, and see if I like the feel of it. I'll probably just buy whichever one I like the feel of the most, and if it's just not a realistic CCW option, I'll have to buy a more conventional CC weapon somewhere down the line.

 

[USMCDK]

I own a full size USP .45 and I carry and conceal it perfectly fine. But on the other hand it might be a problem for others. I will tell you this, I had practiced carrying both ways as to fine tune myself in both situation so that it would just be second nature. I also have a light attacthment on it making it even bigger and harder, but once again I C/C it perfectly fine and can shoot it accurately on the quick draw too.