USP/M&P, 9mm/.45

[Rittmeister]

A few years back I fired a friend's M&P9 compact. I was highly impressed; it had less felt recoil than a full-sized XD 9mm I fired the same day, and I felt that it fit my hand well. At the time I thought to myself that the .45 version must be awesome. More recently I fired a full-sized M&P9, and liked it also.

Fast forward to last fall; I purchased a full-sized M&P45 and found that I didn't care for it much. Even with the smallest backstrap it sort of felt too big for my (fairly large) hands, and I thought the recoil was almost uncomfortable. I didn't get along with the (admittedly stock) trigger and felt that I didn't shoot it well or accurately. I sold it fairly quickly and luckily broke even.

Fast forward a bit more; for the first time today I shot a USP, in 9mm. Again, full-sized gun. I enjoyed it immensely; I found it to be very soft-shooting and quite accurate, and it fit my hand and pointed well.

So here's the question: I've got a bunch of 9mm pistols and the USP is a big gun for 9mm (of course that's the reason it's such a soft shooter, I know). Will I be similarly disappointed if I pick up a USP45, as I was with the 45 M&P? I'd be grateful if someone who's owned or fired the USP in both chamberings could weigh in.

 

[fastbolt]

I own a '08 production M&P 45, and I've invested a fair amount of time over the years handling & shooting USP 45's (owned by other guys, or for T&E).

Personally, I suspect responses to your question are going to ultimately be too subjective to be of much use to you. You need to find a range where you can rent a USP 45 and try it out for yourself.

I have medium-size hands & fingers, even though most glove makers seem to think I have large hands.

On my M&P 45, the small grip insert makes it feel remarkably like my full-size 1911's equipped with flat mainspring housings. That's me.

I've always found the USP to have a bit too much of a large and boxy grip frame for my hands. Doesn't mean I can't controllably & effectively shoot them. I just think the grips are too large for when it's my money.

My M&P 45 trigger started out at the upper end of the normal +/- 2lbs range of the standard triggers (7 lbs for the .45). I was getting averages of 8 1/2 - 9 lbs when it was new, although I was only using my digital gauge, and not my trigger weights (I save those for the 1911's and revolvers ).

It was also a bit rough & gritty.

Somewhere between 2,000 -2,500 rounds I checked it again and found it gave me averages of 5 1/2 - 6 lbs, and it was quite smooth.

Of course, then I started trying some new factory parts, since I'm an armorer, and added the revised striker assembly, as well as the newest sear housing block with the heavier sear plunger & spring. That initially bumped up the trigger pull again (to approx 7 1/2 lbs, if I recall), but continued use settled things down and it's still a very accurate, controllable pistol to shoot ... for me

I've handled and tried other new production M&P 45's and have experienced some triggers at either end of the acceptable trigger pull tolerance range.

If possible, try a USP 45 and decide for yourself how well it may, or may not, suit your preferences.

 

[Onmilo]

Now granted, I have a USP Elite in .45 which looks like a beheamouth to bigin with, but the grip frame is the same size as the standard USP .45 and you can see the difference between it and my USP 9mm.


A better option would be to look and and handle the H&K 45 which is a much better erogonomic platform if you have a smaller hand size

(This image courtesy of worldofguns.ru)

 

[PO2Hammer]

The USP 45 grip is not much bigger than the USP 9mm because the .45 version uses all metal magazines. The USP .45 has less felt recoil than any other .45 I've shot. I'm about to buy my second one. I traded my first one in on a HK45, but came to regret it because the modern look of the HK45 started to bother me. I like the 'humvee' looks of the USP models better.

But if you're concerned about grip size you really need to look at the HK45 and the P30 in 9mm. Very nice guns with greatly improved ergonomics, as long as the 'spiderman' grips don't bother you.

 

[Scrubber3]

Look at the H&K P2000. Best grip ever.

 

[Phaedrus/69]

I have a USP45 Tactical (same size as the regular one but with a TB & Match Trigger). It's an awe inspiring gun. Superbly accurate and softer shooting than most other .45s. The grip is barely larger than a USP9, pretty small difference. I've handled the HK45 but never shot one. My experiences with HK make me confident that it will shoot well (I have 2 x USPf9s, 1 x USP45 Tactical and 1 x P30S).

One nice bonus is that the USP can fire .45 Super ammo with no mods to the gun. It has a fully supported barrel.

 

[usp9]

I have a USP9 and Elite .45. The grips feel essentially the same to me. Of course the recoil felt is much different between a 9mm and a .45.

 

[Onmilo]

The HK45 grip, especially the earlier non finger groove version, feels exactly the same as the USP9mm/40 guns, they designed it that way.
Everyone who has handled both my USP Elite and my USP 9 tell me they can feel that the .45 grip is quite a bit larger.

 

[usp9]

Not quite everyone.

 

[Girodin]

If I was after an hk in 45 it would be the hk 45c or perhaps the hk45. They are IMHO better guns than the usp.