Info help on HK USP9

[New_comer]

Mabuhay to everyone from the Philippines!


I would very much appreciate any tips or special areas of concern regarding the HK USP9 standard i ordered recently. i'm particularly interested about claims of broken firing pins when dry firing the gun. Has HK solved this problem already in the recently manufactured units? The HK guy at the gun show told me that i could dry fire them as often as i want, but after reading the stories at this and other fora, i am not quite sure what to believe anymore.

Any info would be much appreciated.

[Oris]

For the price of 1 HK USP9 (10 rounder) you could get 2 CZ-75B
(15 rounder). Never heard of any problem with CZ -75 firing pin, and typical CZ will not break your finger in DA...when you
get your HK USP, you'll figure out real fast what I mean
about HK in DA..

[Mikul]

The SA pull on the H&K is fine. The gun can be safely carried or stored cocked and locked, so you may never have to deal with the DA trigger.

I seem to remember stories of broken firing pins on a single batch of USP9's. I think there was a bad heat-treat. I dry-fire with snap caps just to make sure. Why risk it?

[Onslaught]

I've had my USP45 for many years before hearing about the broken firing pin/dry fire issue. Must have run thousands of "invisible" rounds when I first got that thing! Still shoots so far, but just in case, I have cut back significantly. You know, Murphy's other law... after you find out about it happening to someone else, it'll happen to you.

[Ed2]

I dont ever remember stories of broken firing pins in USPs. I called the HK US office once to ask if I could dry fire my P7; the girl on the phone said "oh yeah, the guys are always walking around here dry fring all the guns".

[Cawdor]

I wrote HK about dry firing the USP:

Q. Will it damage the USP to dry fire it 150 to 200 times per week.
A. No

Q. Will it damage the USP to dry fire it more than this?
A. No.

Q. Are snap caps required? Recommended?
A. At your discretion. (There is no harm in using snap caps.)

Q. Will dry firing shorten the ordinary or expected life of the parts that are being used?
A. No.
Although I don't dry fire my USP very much, I use snap caps (AZoom) when I do.

[New_comer]

:)

Thanks, everyone!

To Mikul/Onslaught/Cawdor:

I think i'll follow your advice and not risk it. i still believe that i have chosen a good first handgun, and maltreating it would just be foolish. I'll ask that HK guy where to get those "snap caps".

To Ed2:

I appreciate your response. that's the very same response that i got from the HK guy at the gun show (maybe the reason i fell for it). But, for around $650 (including permits), i just wont heed that kind of advise...

To Oris:

Here in Manila, A CZ 75B costs around $550-600. Add another hundred for permits (drug test, safety seminars, gov't clearances), then its just as expensive as the HK that i got (well, there's a discount that i got for the unit, i think 20%, coz of the gun show). In addition, i get two 15 round mags to go with it plus one year warranty (but i've read about a lifetime warranty there in the US of A). All in all, i believe that i got a good deal. Anyway, thanks for your response.

PS: The test gun at the show wasn't that heavy in DA pull, i think i can handle it. I hope my unit pulls just as "lightly".

Again, thanks to everyone and MABUHAY!!!

[Shake]

Hey Oris,

Hate to be a jerk, but did you read the question?

The guy asked abuot the H&K USP that he ALREADY ordered and you proceed to tell him to buy a different gun because its cheaper??

Did you ever stop and think that maybe he likes the H&K more than the CZ?

As far as the DA trigger pull on the H&K, obviously you haven't tried one in a while. They have improved substantially in the last few years. For what its worth, I shoot my H&K USP with its terrible trigger far better than my CZ75B (far better than any of my autos for that matter). Haven't broken a finger yet.

I get a little sick of people that pop into every thread and recommend guns when the question doesn't even have anything to do with "what gun to buy". Read the question.


New_comer,

I wouldn't worry too much about it. Get some quality snap caps (I like the A-zooms) and don't worry about it. It is just good practice to use them with any quality gun.

You should love your H&K. I'm thinking of getting a third.

Shake

[Oris]

I'm so sorry for making you sick. I promise you to try recent production HK USP in DA. I feel HK was working day and night to improve DA . In addition, I will correct my behavior and will keep my mouth shut. I'm the jerk and you're the man, and I want everybody to take notice of that. Thanks for your input, sir.

[New_comer]

:D


Thanks, Shake!


I just submitted all the required paperwork yesterday. Can't wait to try it at the range as soon as i get it, 3-4 weeks.

PS: I was fortunate to have placed my order at the start of the gunshow last thursday. Orders placed yesterday will suffer a six-month wait! These are selling like hotcakes!

New_comer

[Kermit]

New_comer
I have 2 USPs...a 45 and an Expert. Have dry fired alot initially to learn trigger control. Not so much anymore. I have over 5000 rounds through them and not a single problem. Thinking about adding a 3rd to the mix.
Good choice on the USP 9 by the way. The HE coating and polymer frame will just laugh off the heat and humidity!
ENJOY, be safe :cool:

[Oris]

Mr. Shake,
As promised, stopped at the local gun store and checked out recent production HK USP 9. Trigger was awful. Sorry, man...

[Shake]

Oris,

I've never claimed the H&K did have a great DA trigger pull (I would never make that assertion since of all of my handguns, it has the worst trigger pull in DA by far). I did say that recent production H&K's have improved. If you had the chance to try them together, you'd notice the difference. Note: I did not say they now have great triggers.

As other posters have noted, the H&K can be carried cocked and locked making it a rare occasion that the DA pull is used.

Even with the "bad" trigger, I shoot it far better than my other hanguns, so I could care less about how the trigger feels. If it shoots like it does for me, I'm keeping it (and buying more). From what I see at the range, I'll take my H&K over most other handguns any day.

Shake

[Oris]

Shake, that O.K. I'm glad your HK works great for you. When I started my hunt for a "big" 9 mm, I also considered HK, then
I changed my mind after trying one and comparing it to some other pistols.

See, my dislike of HK is based, as I realized, on my mixed background as a designer, technologist and somewhat businessman, not as a shooter. Like some other people
pointed out, $600 pistol should not have $1 trigger. Considering that there are known designs of the DA/SA pistols for less money with much better trigger pull, I cann't figure out how HK guys managed to produce such 600/1 combo.
But honestly, I don't care, it's not my problem,
I'm just glad I didn't get influenced by magazine articles and performed my own R&D before getting 9mm.

P.S. CZ-75 is $600 in Newcomer land, same as HK???
Guess, they figured it out faster then we did...

[brouhaha]

Oris, don't be such an ass. The CZ is not the god of guns. This guy already bought a USP9, probably because he likes it. If you don't like the trigger, then don't buy it! But don't act like everyone else that owns a USP9 is a moron and can't do their own research! I did my research, I rented, I borrowed, I did everything possible. And you know what? I ended up buying a USPc40. I liked it so much, I bought a USP Match .45. I liked that one so much I bought a USP40. And that one was so utterly reliable like the others, I bought a USPc9. So, just because your trigger finger is obviously oversensitive, that doesn't mean others don't know their guns. It just means that you're tactless.

[alpo]

I'll ask that HK guy where to get those "snap caps".
New_comer,

Here's the web site:

http://www.a-zoom.com/

Click "AMMO".

Apparently they do mail order, but I couldn't tell if they ship overseas.

Lee

[Oris]

Sir Brouhaha,

Read "Bad things about HK USP " thread - or something like that.
There are obviously some more "asses" over there, who do not like HK trigger.

By the way, I never said that HK owners are morons. The word "moron" was used by you, and I have no idea what you meant...

I'm not fond of HK USP, but I'm just fine with the its owners.
They are the best people in the world...real gentlemen and stuff.

I love you, man. You're the greatest...

[Shake]

Oris,

This is the last time I'll post on this thread.

I'm not trying to convince you or anyone else on this board that the H&K is the handgun of all handguns (not even trying to convince anyone it is the "best"). If you'll read my other posts on the BB you'll see that I defend quite a few other handguns including your seeming favorite the CZ75 (one of which I also own and love to shoot as much as any 9mm).

Considering that there are known designs of the DA/SA pistols for less money with much better trigger pull, I cann't figure out how HK guys managed to produce such 600/1 combo.

Any experienced shooter knows that there is give and take in any pistol design. I am sure you are well aware of this as you are a self proclaimed "designer, technologist and somewhat businessman" (whatever business man has to do with this issue). I can list what I consider to be weaknesses of the CZ line or any other line of pistols.

The more time I spend on this BB and others, the more I laugh at the statements I read. Seems that everyone knows which gun is best and can, on demand, regurgitate a long list of why this gun is better than that gun.

I'm just glad I didn't get influenced by magazine articles and performed my own R&D before getting 9mm. :rolleyes:

Here is something else that makes me laugh. You, oh great designer, technologist and somewhat businessman, have done better research and develpment (did you work on the CZ design?) than all of the people on this board who have chosen brands other than what you have deemed worthy.

I don't care who you are, there is no way a statement like that can hold any merit because you simply don't know what research and testing others have done.

As for myself, I considered MANY other handguns before settling on the one that I found worked the best for me (i.e. was reliable, accurate, durable, fit my hand, and I liked the controls). Doesn't mean I have excluded all others either, I continue to buy many different brands.

For you to demean others choices simply because they don't happen to meet your particular criteria AND to have the audacity to state that you know better (read quote above) because your R&D is "better" is down right arrogant.

For what its worth, I don't read gun magazines. :p

For the record, I have nothing against CZs or any other well made firearm on the market. I happen to choose what works best for me and encourage others to do the same. One gun doesn't fit all as Oris obviously believes.

Oris, Is the CZ your only handgun?

Shake

[Oris]

Shake, I really hate to see you wasting so much effort chasing me around... am I something special or what. There are few guys on "Bad things about USP Full size" thread who were not happy with HK trigger also. If there is any justice in this world, everybody should suffer, not just poor me...I think you have an excellent chance to increase efficiency of your effort by chasing larger group in the same amount of time.

Go and get them. They are guilty as hell...Good luck, my friend...
And thank you for a special attention to my point of view.

P.S. I have 7 handguns, if this info is so important to you.
Now what? I don't have enough handguns to say that
I do not like HK trigger pull?

[New_comer]

To Alpo / Kermit:

Thanks. I've been shopping around for those A-zoom snap caps, but i can't find any. But there are other "dummy bullets" that may be just as good, sells for about $4 each. I'll get myself some of those to use during practice. Thanks again.

:)

[New_comer]

To Oris:

For what its worth, i also took a long hard look at the CZ75B you're endorsing. Went to the gunstore, held it in my hands. Beautiful gun, but i can't dry fire it, the sales guy prevented me from doing so. Costs $550-580. It looks like most other semis i've seen. Nothing too special, so i passed.

Checked the web, the darn thing costs half as much, breathed sigh of relief that i wasn't suckered into buying it then. :D

Now with HK, twas a different situation. They let me hold all the available models, (even the machine guns) dry fired them to my heart's content. I immediately felt comfortable holding the USP9. Went to the other stalls, but nothing else drew my attention. I was smitten....

Anyways, thanks for your inputs. If my fingers are strong enough to squeeze a dozen beer bottle caps, i think i can squeeze the HK trigger quite easily. ;)

New_comer