H&K USP: Is it worth the money?

[Strafer Gott]

I went with the USP Tactical. I couldn't swing(or pick up for that matter) a Mk 23. Everyone needs at least one crew served handgun.

[481]

SG,

Nice guns, the Tacticals. Might be one for me in the future, too. Been saving my pennies.

[FFournier]

I'm an FFDO. The issue weapon is a USP Compact 40 law enforcement model. This means its DA only. When I got in the program HK would sell me one at half price so I bought one. The gun is pretty much what everyone says it is. To me it has a decent trigger, on par with the stock trigger of any other high quality gun, with the exception of my Sig P226. That gun has the best trigger i have ever felt in a stock gun. Mine is a West German made one however, so I don't know if that makes a difference. I have shot my issue gun a lot over the years. Maybe 5 to 6 thousand rounds and it has never failed, not once. All rounds have been 165 to 185 grain HP's. You are only allowed to shoot what they issue you. My personal one has had a variety of ammo through it, and it to has never failed. Although mine only has had maybe 200 rounds through it. They are extremely reliable, the trigger works in very well and they are accurate. Oh, did I mention I'm selling mine? I liked this gun, till I bought my CZ P06. I still like the HK, but I love this CZ. It is incredible. Beautifully made, and because it has internal instead of external slide rails there is absolutely no play in the slide. This gun is tight as a drum yet very smooth. And more accurate than the HK. The first time I shot my CZ, I shot better with it than I can shoot with the HK. And I have a lot of shooting time with the HK. You can buy a new CZ for the same money if not less as a used HK. And it's all steel. I have the HK because I got it at half price, but I am NOT a fan of plastic guns. It's the only one I have or ever will have, unless,once again, I can buy a new one at half price. They work well, are reliable, a little lighter maybe, but plastic? Really?? Come on. Go find a CZ and just hold it. That alone sold me. I now own 4. The P01, 75 Compact 9mm, P06 and a 97BD, the best 45 I have EVER shot. Ok, now lets get down to business. Do you want to buy my HK?? lol.

[FairWarning]

I think USPs are excessively priced when new, although the used market corrects that to a great extent. The new USPs are excessively priced because of the existence of perfectly good, no fantastic pistols like the P-01 or PPQ, which can easily serve the needs met by the USP for about half the price.

Having said that, I want a USP .45 and will find a good used (near mint) one soon.

[ESI Agent]

A while back at the range a guy on line pulled out his new H/K 45, I never fired one so I asked him if I could fire a few rounds,after firing his H/K I pulled out my Ruger P97 out and fired it. I liked the trigger/grip on the Ruger better and just said I'll stick with my Ruger. On another occasion while firing my Ruger P95 an off duty LEO showed me his new H/K 9 in stainless and told what a great gun it was. I told him mine is stainless to and my groups are tight as yours. Get what makes you happy and train with it,I'll stick to my Rugers or Glocks, Be safe.

[Adamantium]

It is all about needs and wants.

If you need a gun to protect yourself, need it to be reliable and need it to shoot modern ammunition then the USP is completely overpriced.

If you want a gun and want it to be a USP, then no, the USP is priced exactly right because no other gun is a USP.

[globalsmack]

Ill echo the call to skip the USP and go to the newer p30 or hk45 pistols. USPs are monsters and a lot of slide moving high above your grip. That being said they are still a great pistol.

What the USP has over the newer HK guns is you can get a trigger stop on the competition trigger. The newer ones wont allow for it with the much nicer ambi mag release.

The DA/SA trigger does kinda suck. However its like anything. Practice with it and you are golden. The super light LEM version is very nice with a great reset and very light LEM pull.

You can find USPs on the cheap used. Heck we got some turn ins that were beat to hell. I ran 10,000 more rounds through the one i picked up before offing it. No telling how many rounds were through that beast.

In the end the grip is just too big for me so i went in a different direction. Dont fall for the HK hates you internet hate. They are very, very helpful and a good bunch of people at HK USA.

[rickmelear]

Had a USP .40 for several years, bought it new for $598. The gun was accurate and was flawless with any ammo except Wolf, would not extract steel cased ammo.I traded it even up for a Mark III Hi Power a few years ago.I would say it was no better in any way than my Glock, M&P, Walther PPQ or Springfield HD and that's not a knock on the H&K. I do think they, like Sig classics have just become to expensive. That being said if its they gun you want buy it and don't look back.

[308Gunner]

Well, I did run into a used USPc .40 for $650 recently, and put a down payment in to a layaway I've always wanted an H&K, and really liked the feel of it. It's used, but in great condition. So, around Christmas, it'll be comin' home Much appreciation to all the input. And I'll probably end up with a CZ P06 anyway; this was more a case of 'which one first.'

[MJ1]

I would have thought for the money they could have built in a better trigger but then as it's name implies the arm was built for the universal soldier who has in most European cases no or little shooting history and little training before his/her service.

Still after owning P7's and P9's I think it's a very serviceable hand gun.



Cheers
..MJ..

[insaneranger]

I agree that the trigger lacks the light smooth pull I'm used to with my other pistols, but there's no doubt they're very well built. I bought a Wolff hammer spring that lightened the trigger pull by a couple poundsl. Eventually, I may pull it apart and lightly polish some of the internal parts to smooth things out even more. (The USP has a lot of internal parts, unlike my other pistols I've customized.)

[HKGuns]

They are very much worth the money but the ones who can't afford them will be here saying just get a gLoCk. It will never end.

Oh and HK's triggers suck too. There I think I've covered everything for all the gLoCker's.

[imp]

Yes, its worth the money. You won't be able to tell until you start putting lead downrange, but the USP is just plain smoother and softer shooting than compareable poly pistols.

[fun2shoot]

I guess you could buy HK brand guns while in Germany and get some sort of bargain on them. Probably Same in Switzerland to buy Sig brand guns.

[dondulah]

I think as soon as you fondle a usp or field strip it, it is evident to me the quality. They are accurate and very mild recoil even the 40 compact. The only thing that Bothers me compared to glock or xd is the trigger. Everything else I like better.

[BoomieMCT]

I had a USP compact in .40 and got rid of it. It was perfectly reliable and accurate, but no more so than my Sig, Glock or CZ. OTOH, the grip was much larger, the gun was top heavy and the trigger was sub-standard. It was also much wider than anything out there - not really great for conceal carry.

[Stevie-Ray]

But, I've always heard great things about the USP, specifically I'm looking at the USP Compact, probably in .40. It's roughly the same size as the Kimber, and would give me 3 more rounds to use in the magazine.

Welp, let me put it this way. My HKUSP45C was replaced by a Kimber UCDP, that totally and completely outclassed it in every conceivable way. My HK is a safe queen and hasn't been shot in years. The Kimber, OTOH, is my EDC for over 8 years now and that's not likely to change.

If you're anything like me, you'll be wasting your money.

[dayman]

If you have the money, and want an HK they're worth it.
Otherwise there are other options that do the same thing for less money.

I'd echo what other people said and suggest you try to shoot one before you buy one.

[IMightBeWrong]

I'm going to possibly stray from the path a bit. You already have a pistol, right? How many quality training courses, not including mandatory CCW courses, have you taken? If you have a good training background, how long ago was your last training? Quality training will trump having another pistol to rotate in your daily carry routine every single time. Just a thought. A lot of people get too fixated on the gear and don't focus enough on their own skills, myself included a lot of times.

That said, I don't like the grip on the USP. Love the P30 grip, though. I'd take a Glock or M&P over a USP any day of the week, however. It just doesn't fit me well, plus I don't care for safety levers or the trigger. Same goes for the P30 when it comes to the trigger, but at least the grip makes up for a lot in my hand. Make sure you hold one and see how it feels before deciding.

[Stevie-Ray]

Make sure you hold one and see how it feels before deciding.

That may not help. When I got mine, my mind was made up that I would get a HKUSPC or a SIG P220C, whichever pointed better for me. The sights cleared instantly for me with the HK from draw to aim-I had to fiddle with the SIG a bit every time. So I really thought the HK was meant for me. I was wrong. Expen$ive mistake.

[Eppie]

t depends on the objective, if defense is the objective I would say no, simply because the bullet will hurt the same regardless which gun fires. Ask Trayvon Martin? It was a $280 Keltec that killed him.

If status is the objective, having an exensive gun will get you noticed until you shoot it. Then bullet placement will speak volumes.

[Miami_JBT]

I am a H&K hater.... yet I own a H&K USP. I'm a GLOCK fan through in through but I own a H&K USP .40 S&W Variant 3 (made around 2003). I bought it on a whim from a local gun shop. It was a LEO only sale.... Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office sold a ton of guns to the shop on the condition that they only sold them to other LEOs. Hey, I'm against policies like that but it's the way the world works.

Anyways.... this H&K was for $400 with case, factory night sights, three mags, and the factory H&K light. I collect and figured what the hell. It's a smooth shooting pistol and the trigger isn't great but it's not horrid either. It's a typical modern day production double/single action polymer framed pistol. I'd put it right next to my FNP-45 in terms of quality or a Sig Sauer P2022.

I've grown attached to it somewhat simply because I do respect H&K for making quality products. But their pricing is insane for new guns. Their designs are that revolutionary or amazing; they're simply good and current.

The frame feels a little thin by the bottom of the mag well and flexes if I squeeze it. It's not as rigid as my GLOCKs or FNP-45. It has a higher bore axis and that does effect time to target during fast strings of fire due to recoil, the magazine release does take some time to get used to, and lastly it's not this fancy super amazing piece of High Speed Low Drag Delta Navy SEAL Green Beret SAS high tech super weapon. It's a service pistol designed for a (at the time) conscript army. That's what majority of H&Ks weapons have been. The G3, MP5, HK33, USP, etc.... It is designed for easy production and simply servicing by a soldier that has never been a "gun guy".

I'm not gonna sell my H&K USP and I do enjoy it but I also understand that it's over hyped and over priced. H&K does not hate civilian sales but they also won't bend over backwards for it and that's due to German and American laws.

You sound like you want a USP because you have other quality firearms. Nothing wrong with that.... hence why I bought mine. I see them for sale used quite often in the $450-$550 price range and that's not great but a hell of a lot better then paying $800+ for a handgun that does what my GLOCKs, FNP-45, M&Ps, Rugers, Berettas, etc... can do.

In the end.... H&K USPs are nice pistols and I'm glad I own mine. I like the design and it's not a bad pistol.... every collector should own one simply because variety is awesome and I want for my future kids and grand kids to inherit as many good quality firearms has I can. If you have the cash and want one... go after it. You won't regret it unless you pay top dollar. They are worth owning but not at the crazy prices folks pay for 'em.

[TunnelRat]

They are worth owning but not at the crazy prices folks pay for 'em.

Value is in the eye of the beholder, as always.

[Coltman 77]

308 Gunner:

Well, I did run into a used USPc .40 for $650 recently, and put a down payment in to a layaway I've always wanted an H&K, and really liked the feel of it. It's used, but in great condition. So, around Christmas, it'll be comin' home Much appreciation to all the input. And I'll probably end up with a CZ P06 anyway; this was more a case of 'which one first.'

You made the right decision and got a great price for your new HK. Congratulations.