Would you recommend an HK USP compact

[Zundfolge]

USPs are good pistols, well made, accurate, etc. My only problem with the USP Compacts is that by God there's nothing compact about it.

Its a giant brick of a gun. The Compact should be called the "USP Fullsize", and the full size USPs should be called "USP Extra Large" (and the SOCOM should be called the "USP Stockless-Carbine" ferchrissake)


Good shooters, would make an EXCELLENT house gun, but I would get tired of carrying the thing pretty quick.


Of course if you're 7' tall and 300lbs then yeah, would make a nice CCW piece.

 

[TimboKhan]

Thats a good point. They are about the least compact compact pistol ever.

 

[HKUSP45C]

Ahh the BIG BOAT of compacts ... I carry one daily.

Love it, recommend it, won't sell it .... do it ... you'll be happier than a pig in slop.

Once you figger out where to stick it, that is.


edit: I'm 5'10'' and a buck fitty ..... I wear bowling shirts and jeans and have no issues.

 

[bclark1]

to answer the original post, just get one. i have yet to meet someone who regrets it, and they're very forgiving in terms of the bullets going where you point and being hard to break.

 

[zahc]

I have a USP. Good gun, but I recommend an XD.

 

[gudel]

I'm just going to repeat what others have said:

*i have yet to meet someone who regrets it, and they're very forgiving in terms of the bullets going where you point and being hard to break.

*They are consistantly accurate across the board. Every HK I've shot has been spot on.

*Recommend them highly! The 4 I own have been perfect performers

*The nay sayers come up with all kinds of excuses


I never had a single malfunction of any kind with 4 of my HK's. I did have to return several other guns to factory due to malfunctions, all purchased brand new: two Sigs, one SA 1911, one XD, one S&W revolver. but I never ever had any jams or had to return any of the HK. did I say that already?
Sure the nay sayers will say expensive (see the reason above ) but I'd rather have trouble free guns, I really hate it when I have to return one, the time spent waiting, shipping cost etc (you would think they would check this stuff before going out of the factory door)

only one problem is, once you have HK's, you'll set your standard high for your other guns, you'll have this expection that you hope other brand will exceed the HK's (usually they don't, not even a sig). This might not work so well.

 

[Will Learn]

Get a Sig

 

[Captain America]

Absolutely!

HK is the most widely respected name in the special operations community. That should tell you something. I've shot the standard USP and it was great. They look cool, too (it helps ). If you like it, and it feels comfortable to you, I'd say go for it. I believe that you will get your money's worth. Have fun.

 

[Greg Bell]

The HK USP series are excellent combat handguns. They are probably the toughest, most reliable pistols in the world out of the box. The trigger is so-so, especially for the cost. OTOH, the gun just screams "FUNCTION." A lot of folks complain about the size of the gun, but it really compares to the SIG 229 and 226 guns, but is much lighter. The Compacts are kind of like the 229, SIG 220 Carry and Colt Commander type guns, not necessarily "compact" but definitely more carry friendly than there big brothers.

P.S. you will note that the USP and its variants are starting to show up in more and more hands lately, which is unusual for a gun that has been out a while and had not always been a big commercial success. HK won the largest Law Enforcement contract in history, the HK USP .45 CT popped up in Spec Ops use, and the HK45 seems to have a lock on being the next Spec Ops standard issue gun for the Military. Good guns.

 

[usp_fan]

I have to agree with most of the posts here. My USP40c has been flawless. I've had it since the first year they we available. I agree they aren't as compact as other "small" pistols, but I enjoy being able to get my whole hand on the grip, not pinch my palm on quick mag changes, and have a decent sight radius. I have noticed the top heaviness, but I honestly can say I haven't felt it to be a detriment to good and rapid shot placement.

Several weeks ago I had my wife and some friends out shooting. My wife ran several mags through a 1911 and then a SIG 220 to compare the two pistols. I truely believed she'd like the .45's due to lighter recoil impulse. She shot the SIG better, but after finishing, turned to her friend and said,"it's nice, but I love my .40 H&K". The fact of the matter is that she and I both shoot it more accurately than other handguns we own. I have taken the little gun to bowling pin matches and hung in with the other guys shooting standard (non compensated) pistols.

I shoot mainly reloads in my USPc. It has tolerated a broad variation of loads both in bullet weights and powder charges. If you read the H&K forum, you'll find a few folks that have broken thier firing pins. This has been attributed to lots of dry firing without a snap cap or empty case in the chamber. I'd lay in a spare if you plan to dry fire a lot. The only downside to the USPc's is the cost of new magazines. They are not cheap. On the otherhand, they seem to last forever.

Concealment isn't a problem. I usually carry IWB with shorts and a t-shirt. OWB usually isn't a problem either. As has been mentioned, good leather or Kydex is a must for any pistol.

I paid $550 new for my pistol way back when they were new. I don't know why they were priced so low at that dealer, but I would've paid more if I had to. It is worth the price to have a pistol that is reliable, accurate, comfortable to shoot, and easy to carry.

--usp_fan

 

[Edmond]

As for the cost of magazines, CDNN always runs specials on USPc mags: buy a full cap mag for about $40 and get a neutered one for free. That means you have a full cap for carry and a neutered one for the range.

If you're going to dry fire, get a packet of snap caps for $12. Spending $600 on the pistol but not willing to spend $12 on snap caps doesn't make sense at all.

 

[Newton]

My stainless USPc 9mm is a superb weapon, and points better for me than any other pistol.

Sure they are pricey and not very compact, but they are pure quality.

 

[Arethusa]

This link (google cache because the original seems to be lost) got posted here not too long ago, and it really changed my opinion of the USP.

I've never held let alone fired one, so I don't claim practical experience, but 'in a world of compromise, some guns refuse to go to battery if conditions aren't nice enough' is not a desirable quality in a weapon. I'm not sure if that results with the USPC in that thread were atypical, a fluke, unique to the compact, or just normal for the USP (which would lead me to question its dominance in the special ops/SOCOM community), but they were unsettling.

 

[hnk45acp]

Let's see. In the replies to the original thread, 23 members have favorable opinions on the HK. One member prefers the SIG although has no negative opinion about the HK, one member prefers the XD but says the HK is good and the only negative HK reply is from someone who has no experiences with the HK.
Do I believe Bigbore's Glock vs. HK post? Yes, sure no pistol is perfect.
From looking at the responses so far I think you have your answer.

 

[LiquidTension]

The only stoppage I've seen with our department's USPc .357Sigs was due to a firearms noob loading a .380 into the mag. The gun still fed the round and fired it, but due to the case being narrower the extractor couldn't grab the rim to extract it.

My personal USP has never had any malfunctions, either.

 

[Kowboy]

LeadCouncil:

I have no idea how much you should pay for an HK. I bought a 2005 model off Gunbroker.com, .40 P2000 supposedly 500 rounds through it with night sights, three extra mags and a factory trigger job lowering the LEM to 5lbs. +- for $700.00.

I bought a Kydex Galco paddle holster for concealed carry and I am happier than a pig in poop.

kowboy

 

[sdacbob]

I've got a USP 40c and I love it. One 12rd mag with one in the tube and 5 10rd spares.

 

[Blacklabman]

Wife owns a H&K P2000SK 9mm.

It has been nothing but flawless. At one time I owned a USP .45F.
Beside the high cost of magazines,I would highly suggest a H&K.

 

[VegasEgo]

I have only shot 1 USP and it shot great!