Thinking of an HK 45 (C?) as Companion to my 1911

[Louca]

For some reason, I am thinking of getting a companion pistol to my 1911. My 1911 is a Series 70 Colt Government Model I got back in the 80's. I love shooting it and have put thousands of hand-loaded rounds though it.

The HK 45 looks appealing to me, but I am wondering whether I would like the full size better than the compact or vice versa. Although I do not currently carry, I am thinking of getting my CPL and on the relatively rare occasion I might want to carry, my thoughts are the 1911 would just be too big and too heavy. One thing I know for sure is I want to stick with .45 cal.

I read the thread If you were going to have one HK pistol (link here) and there are good arguments for the compact, especially for CCW. But then others said they preferred carrying and shooting the non-compact version.

Ideally I would like advice from someone who has a 1911 and likes it, and also has one of the HK 45's. I have held only the 45C, but not the HK 45. There just does not seem to be a lot of them around here. The C felt good in my hands, but I have no idea how different the two are when fired, and how they compare to the 1911. My gut tells me the non-C would point and feel the most like the 1911, but I would appreciate any recommendations. Thanks.

Lou

[TunnelRat]

To me you can make the HK45c like the regular HK45 with the use of 10 rd mags. You cannot, however, shrink the HK45 to the size of the HK45c. The HK45 also has a much different texture and the grip shape, with finger grooves, is different. I don't find the fullsize really does anything the compact can't.

I really like my HK45c. In a pinch I can carry it too if needed. It's also very tame, not that the 45 is uncomfortable anyway, and for some reason I shoot it better than any of my other HKs. First off figure out if you're worried about carrying. Secondly really try to get your hands on an HK45 or, failing that, an HK P30 (which is much more similar grip wise to the fullsize than the C). What feels good to someone else might not to you.

[HKGuns]

If you're looking to carry the 45c, depending on your size and the climate you carry in is about your only option. I can't easily conceal the full size HK45 on my frame and I consider it more of a duty option for open carry.

However, if you're huge and/or always in a cold climate where a jacket is possible the full size might work for you.

The best answer is to get both.

This HK45cT has the elephant foot floor plates. I have a non threaded barrel for it as well.


I also have a non threaded barrel for this HK45T.


If you're my size, you'll have an even easier time carrying this one. That is unless you have your heart set on a 45 only.

[Pilot]

I would get the HK45 full size if you're not going to carry it that much, and if you do then just dress around the gun. You'll appreciate the longer sight radius for range use.

[Louca]

Appreciate the replies. Do any of you that have replied so far also shoot a 1911? If so, just curious how either of these HKs "feel" compared to it, when held and when fired. But I guess, as I have heard elsewhere on these forums, just get both. And I would probably love them both, I am sure.

HKGuns, yes, I am pretty convinced I want to stay with .45 cal. Reading that thread I mentioned above, others say they also prefer the P2000. But I am not sure about it's trigger and I just really don't feel like supporting two different calibers if I can avoid it. With respect to triggers, I am not much of a fan of the DA/SA mode of operation (remember, I am coming from the 1911) and if/when I did carry one of the HK45's it would probably be in Condition 1 or maybe Condition 3 (full mag, hammer down, empty chamber).

I think if I look around enough, I may be able to find some I can handle. The compact I held seemed to point nicely and felt good in my hand. I am guessing the full-size would be even closer to the 1911 in feel, maybe even better. I have only fired one handgun I did not care for. I won't mention the brand, but it starts with a "G". It just felt squirrelie in my hand.

This kind of feedback is helpful, thanks.

Lou

[temmi]

Unless you plan to carry it get the full size

a compac if you plan to carry it

Snake

[HKGuns]

Originally Posted by Louca

Appreciate the replies. Do any of you that have replied so far also shoot a 1911? If so, just curious how either of these HKs "feel" compared to it, when held and when fired.
Lou

No polymer framed pistol is going to have the trigger of a 1911, although with DA/SA HK's you can carry cocked and locked and shoot SA and be close.

The recoil of a 1911 is going to be different because of the weight of an all steel pistol. You will find the recoil of either model to be very manageable and well controlled. I really recommend you shoot one before shelling out that much cash, although it will hold its value very well.

[45Gunner]

I am a total fan of the 1911 and own, well to be honest, I lost count awhile ago.
However, I don't limit my collection to 1911's exclusively. Your consideration of a HK .45 is a wise one. I also own 4 HK's, 3 being the USP Compact series and the 4th being a full size Variant 1. If you are a fan of the .45ACP, I would recommend you go with the USP Compact as it serves a dual purpose; it can be a nice range gun, yet is small enough to be carried concealed. BTW, I routinely carry a 1911 concealed. I switch to the HK when I know I will be in extreme environments such as sand or monsoon rains. The HK, IMO, is much more reliable than the Glock and also more accurate.

FWIW, when in extreme environments with a 1911, I find that I have to break it down a couple of times a day to clean all the sand/mud/younameit out of it. Whereas the HK will take a licking and keep on ticking.

[thedudeabides]

FWIW, when in extreme environments with a 1911, I find that I have to break it down a couple of times a day to clean all the sand/mud/younameit out of it. Whereas the HK will take a licking and keep on ticking.

And have you actually had a 1911 fail in these "extreme environments" or are you just assuming it will rather than the HK45?

I used to go hunting in the mud and rain and carried a Colt series 70 45 as a sidearm. Soaking wet, drenched in mud, sand in the rails it still went bang every time. I'd throw it in the truck toolbox wet and take it out a week later. It was scratched and ugly as hell, but reliable.

Besides the sentimentality of ruining the finish on a 1911, I wouldn't put it below an HK45 (btw, the HK45 is the only HK I still own because it shoots decently). My HK45 failed in a 2 day course/competition... because too much grime had gotten into the rails (apparently crawling through sand was more than it could handle).

Crap 1911s give the entire model (and literally thousands of variants) a myth of unreliability, dust sensitivity, ammo sensitivity, etc. If carrying a plastic gun dispels that for you, that's fine.

[45Gunner]

I used to go hunting in the mud and rain and carried a Colt series 70 45 as a sidearm. Soaking wet, drenched in mud, sand in the rails it still went bang every time. I'd throw it in the truck toolbox wet and take it out a week later. It was scratched and ugly as hell, but reliable.

Besides the sentimentality of ruining the finish on a 1911, I wouldn't put it below an HK45 (btw, the HK45 is the only HK I still own because it shoots decently). My HK45 failed in a 2 day course/competition... because too much grime had gotten into the rails (apparently crawling through sand was more than it could handle).

Crap 1911s give the entire model (and literally thousands of variants) a myth of unreliability, dust sensitivity, ammo sensitivity, etc. If carrying a plastic gun dispels that for you, that's fine.

I used to go hunting with a 1911 in a land far, far away. MY M-16 was cleaned three times a day for they used to jam like crazy if they were not. The 1911 was my back-up and I broke it down after the M-16 was back together. I am as much a 1911 fan as you are but I know when to pack a plastic gun when I have to.

Back in my LEO days, my class was issued a HK right out of the box and we shot 1000 rds a day for 6 days before we were allowed to clean and lube the gun. To my knowledge, not one of my other 59 classmates had any type of failure. Try taking a 1911 out of the box and shoot 6000 rounds thru it without first cleaning and lubing it. I'm not saying a 1911 isn't a real man's gun, truth is that I have about 50+ 1911's in my personal inventory and they are all shot in rotation. I just wouldn't want to go wading thru streams, mud, sand, or other types of crap with a 1911. I don't think they will take the same pounding that an HK would given the same treatment without frequent cleaning.

[thedudeabides]

I will defer to your experience, 45Gunner, as I have never fired a gun at anything but paper, metal, and God's tastier critters, but will say that I have never had any of my "better" 1911s fail after tens of thousands of rounds of shooting since I was a young man of 16 and (at least to me) a 1911 is my CCW gun of choice.

[TunnelRat]

No one's insulting the creation of the almighty John Moses Browning, relax. I think it's fair to say that after 100 years there might be some options that are slightly more viable.

[Shane Tuttle]

We're NOT going downhill on this one, folks.

If comments aren't truly focused on the OP's topic at hand, don't even think about hitting the Submit button.

[Louca]

Thanks Shane. As an update, I did get to handle an HK45 today at a LGS. A while back I got to briefly handle a 45C at a gun show, but only for a few seconds.

The full size 45 felt pretty much like my Colt 1911, as someone mentioned. Just for fun, I also handled a P2000. That is one gun that, even if I wanted to go .40 cal, I would not like. The last 3 fingers of my shooting hand would not fit between the trigger guard and the magazine lip. My little finger overlapped the lip and it felt horrible.

I don't know. I am still pretty much up in the air, but have some food for thought. Would it be crazy to say I should go with the 45C to have a compact compliment to my full-size 1911?

I will likely be selling two other handguns, or one handgun and a rifle to offset the cost of the new H & K. I don't see many used HK45s for sale around here.

Lou

[TunnelRat]

Just for fun, I also handled a P2000. That is one gun that, even if I wanted to go .40 cal, I would not like. The last 3 fingers of my shooting hand would not fit between the trigger guard and the magazine lip. My little finger overlapped the lip and it felt horrible.

That sounds like a P2000sk, not the regular P2000. The regular P2000 is just as long in the grip as the HK45c. The HK45c is based on a modified P2000 frame.

[Louca]

That sounds like a P2000sk, not the regular P2000. The regular P2000 is just as long in the grip as the HK45c.

Yep, you're right. I didn't realize that at the time.

[TunnelRat]

Yep, you're right. I didn't realize that at the time.

Np, just wanted to be sure you didn't end up ordering an HK45c and having it be too small.

[NWCP]

I carry the HK45C on a daily basis. I liked my 1911, but the after getting the HK I sold the Colt. The HK is reliable, well made, accurate and feels good in my hands. I still have a 1991A1 Colt Compact, but the HK out shoots it and is lighter. I thought about getting the HK45, but after shooting both I settled on the HK45C. It just feels right. You can't go wrong with either model. I just prefer the compact. You'll enjoy whichever HK you decide to get. I own quite a few and enjoy them all.

[kcub]

I believe the navy seals have replaced the mk23 with the mk24 which is a hk45c tactical, so evidently they don't consider it too small.

[HKGuns]

My understanding is that DEVGRU is using 45cT's not the regular teams.