Ruger P97 vs HK 45 auto

[Lobotomy Boy]

The USP is not even in the same league as Ruger! Not even close! The USP is great gun! Goes bang every time! Accurate as all get out!

Sounds like a perfect description of just about every Ruger I've ever owned.

A couple of years back I shopped just about every .45 sold in the U.S. market before buying a Glock 21. If I had to do it today, when there are a number of options not available then (24/7, P345) I'd still buy the Glock.

 

[pyrotechnic]

USP45, no compromize.

Regards,
Maarten

 

[P0832177]

USP is a service pistol built hell for stout, as is the Ruger. But, that is about all they share in common. If you want accuracy, well the USP hands down!
Reliability, well that is matter of function vs. form.

 

[goalie]

I'd buy the USP if it came with a guarantee that I would shoot it as well as P0832177 shoots his.

 

[Omaha-BeenGlockin]

Gotta go Ruger on this one---currently have a P90 which I would put against ANY pistol in the accuracy dept----previous P90 was the same way.

Handled the HK in the early 90's when they first came out---haven't touched one since---literally---that's how bad of a first impression I got----it was nasty then---it's nasty now---what's the point of looking at them again?? At least they were cheap back then---now they're overpriced to boot.

 

[Woody_in_MN]

goalie - U hear you on that one.

Well, I put money down on a used Ruger P97. It is 95%, and I can get it for $220 plus shipping, and transfer fee. That this was a great bargain was the over-riding factor. It fits my hand better than the P90. I did look at the Taurus 24/7, but I like the exposed hammer on the P97. I was starting to think about 3rd gen S&W's - but I did not see much under $400, and I was afraid someone else was going to get the P97 before I got to it. If I had found an equally good deal on the P345, I would have gone that route - but a P345 was looking like $395 deliverd.

- w

 

[Lex]

Get a Hogue Hand-All for that P-97 and you'll be good-to-go!! Makes that slippery grip complaint a thing of the past!


Lex in NC

 

[Black Majik]

Apples to oranges.

HK USP is in completely different league. Both are reliable. But the USP is better overall.

 

[CAnnoneer]

I don't know about the 97, but my KP89 is one sweet sweet gun!

I am still waiting to see a decent explanation as to how it is practically justified to fork out twice the price on a German toy instead.

Okay, I have my asbestos suit on, so bring it on, heckler boys

 

[Flashpoint]

I am still waiting to see a decent explanation as to how it is practically justified to fork out twice the price on a German toy instead.

+1

I don't understand the people that say the Ruger P series isn't accurate. I use to use a P89 to knock the heads off snakes.

 

[Lobotomy Boy]

It's been my experience that people who knock Ruger P series guns have never shot too many rounds through those guns.

 

[Grunt]

I own both a USP-45 and a blue P90. The HK blows my Ruger away by a mile. Lighter, more accurate, higher capacity, modular, softer recoiling, better ergonomics and just plain easier to shoot. Yeah, the HK is twice the price of the Ruger but it's worth every penny!

 

[MachIVshooter]

 

[MachIVshooter]

It's been my experience that people who knock Ruger P series guns have never shot too many rounds through those guns.

The P-series are interesting guns. Very solid, very reliable and acceptably accurate-but somewhat peculiar. I love Rugers, but their centerfire auto's just didn't balance well for me. Owned a P-94 and have shot P85, P89, P90, P95. Same conclusion for all. And the muzzle ends of the newer ones look funny. Good guns, but not for me. I did almost buy a P345-until I saw the LCI

 

[litework]

I am still waiting to see a decent explanation as to how it is practically justified to fork out twice the price on a German toy instead.

Have you read any of the previous posts? Simply put, Ruger 95/97 series pistols fail to meet my minimum requirements for a self defense handgun. The price of the Ruger is irrelevant. It isn't practical to spend 300 bucks on a gun that you don't like. The Ruger 345 might be different; it looks a little leaner. When I think of low capacity .45's, I tend to think of another, much older design.

 

[BGH831]

gotta love that ruger
I lover mine put it through the beating(i.e. mud drop sand drop river drop) Performend flawless. Would buy another but now thinking I got ripped at $410 4 years ago.

 

[HKGuns]

You caught up to my little plan...Your HK is really sweet - I just don't have $800 laying around.

So why ask the question if you can't handle the price? I smell a troll.

I am still waiting to see a decent explanation as to how it is practically justified to fork out twice the price on a German toy instead.

Hmmmmm lets ask ourselves who makes more military service weapons, Ruger or HK? Hmmmmmmmm now that is a tough one.

HK:
HK MP5
HK G3
HK G36
HK 91
HK UMP
HK USC
HK PSG
HK Mk 23
HK 94

Ruger:
Mini-14

Based on this incomplete list I'd have to give the service weapon nod to the Germans. I'd also have to trust their engineering experience to build a reliable weapon. As well, they build fantastic automatic weapons. I'd certainly trust their engineering experience to build a reliable semi-auto pistol.

A little research will show the P97 has difficulty cycling lighter loads and is only reliable with factory ammo.

Is the p97 designed to shoot +P and +P+?

Does the Ruger offer you a choice of 9 different control arrangements? No, you get two choices. Decocker and DAO.

Does the Ruger have Poly rifling? No, it has 6 grooves RH 1:16 twist.

The Ruger holds 8 rounds, the USP holds 12 rounds.

The Ruger weighs 1.90 pounds, the HK weighs 1.74 pounds.

The HK is made in Germany and exchange rates affect the price. The dollar is weak right now which means German goods are more expensive.

All of the above equals your price difference. There is really no competition. Anyone who thinks otherwise can't afford the HK and likes to think they're buying a better pistol for less money.

Are Ruger's good Pistols? ABSOLUTELY. They just don't hold a candle to the USP series.

 

[Lobotomy Boy]

HK:
HK MP5
HK G3
HK G36
HK 91
HK UMP
HK USC
HK PSG
HK Mk 23
HK 94

Ruger:
Mini-14

And which of those rifles can you go to your local sporting goods store and actually purchase?

Just because a military selects a weapon does not mean it is the best weapon. The bottom line can mean more to the bean counters making the decision than the function, or there can be political pressures, like an inferior weapon might be manufactured in the district of a congressman who chairs the procurement committee.

Personal preferences mean more than military contracts. What works well for one person won't work as well for another. HK USPs don't fit my hand well so I wouldn't consider owning one. The Rugers fit my hand well and I've owned one and probably will again. If the HK fit my hand I would want one because they seem like high-quality pistols.

 

[Woody_in_MN]

Since I started the thread, I might as well squeek up.

My opinion is that the P97 is not a good carrying weapon, because of size - mainly width. I think the intended purpose of the P series is some target, some plunking, and some personal defense if that is all you have laying around.

- w

 

[Lobotomy Boy]

My opinion is that the P97 is not a good carrying weapon, because of size

You must really hate the M1 Garand

 

[HKGuns]

And which of those rifles can you go to your local sporting goods store and actually purchase?

Most, if not all of them can be purchased. How does whether or not they can be purchased at a "sporting goods" store change the importance of their engineering expertise, which by the way, was the point I was making.

Care to argue the status of the MP5 as the defacto-standard sub gun in most of the world?

 

[Lobotomy Boy]

Most, if not all of them can be purchased.

Anything can be purchased--machine guns, human slaves, fighter jets, snuff films--if you have enough money and know the right (or wrong) people. My point is that the guns you list aren't readily available to the average buyer. To compare them to a Mini 14 is as idiotic as comparing an F-15 to a Cessna 172 or Valantino Rossi's Yamaha M1 MotoGP bike to the Yamaha R1 you can buy at your local dealer.

 

[denfoote]

I had a P97 and totally regret selling it.

I'm glad I got mine when I did!! Right before Ruger came out with Sara Brady's wet dream (P345)!!!

Is the p97 designed to shoot +P and +P+?

Ruger states that any of their P-series pistols will accept any SAAMI ammo including +P and +P+!!

My opinion is that the P97 is not a good carrying weapon, because of size - mainly width.

Oh, I dunno about that!!

Here is a pic of my P89 in a Bianchi Black Widow belt holster.
It rides snug up against the body and covers nicely with a loose t-shirt!

Now granted, this is not the P97, but the size and width are comparable!!!

I carry my P97 and P95 in a Bianchi Shadow II three slot pancake holster. It covers up just the same way!! It's not the width of the gun, but the holster, that counts!!

P89, P95, P97!! Yeah, you can pretty much say I'm a Ruger man!!