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Old October 11, 2009, 06:07 PM   #1
Departed402
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HK USP

Okay, so other than "it's expensive" does anyone have any strong opinions on the HK USP? Caliber isn't the issue here. How does it compare to SIG P22#, Glock, S&W, Etc.?
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Old October 11, 2009, 06:19 PM   #2
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USP well worth it

I've had a full size USP .45 for a few years now. It's a great gun and the one handgun I would have in my hand if something bad happened. With a few dozen trips to the range I've had no issues with it whatsoever. I wish I could say the same for my G19 which I also had high expectations for.

The high points of the USP are reliability and accuracy. The 3 dot tritium sights are awesome in the daylight or dark. They're bright even after it's sat in the safe for months.

I really like the flexibility of the safety system. You can carry it cocked and locked like an SA pistol or you can drop the hammer and carry it DA like a Glock. Maybe a few too many options for people new to it but I really like the flexibility. Trigger pull is good in SA mode but DA mode is not as slick as a Glock.

I can come up with only 3 negatives. It's kind of bulky for concealed carry. It could be more competitively priced. The one thing I would change is the magazine release. It's pretty easy to use from either side but it's quite small.

It's a great gun and I wouldn't hesitate to get another.

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-W-
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Old October 11, 2009, 06:20 PM   #3
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I like them a lot.

My .40 USP is very accurate for a service pistol. It seems to have less felt recoil than my Glock 22.

I am not crazy about double action triggers, I like DAO or SAO myself but the USP isn't bad. I would say it is just as good as my P226.
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Old October 11, 2009, 06:26 PM   #4
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I own the trio HK, SIG & Glock. The prices for all three are te same where I'm at.

Bottomline is you can never go wrong with a HK USP, Glock 17/19 or a SIG 226/9.

Reliability, accuracy and durability are inherent in a HK, Glock or a SIG.

However when it comes down to ergonomics, ambidexterity and looks this is where the HK USP takes a +1 from me.
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Old October 11, 2009, 06:40 PM   #5
Neil2470
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I have had the opportunity to shoot all the USP's and they are great guns. I have also shot the HK45 and if 45. is the cal you are looking for I would highly recommend the HK45 over the USP45. Both are great but the HK45 was pretty much designed to be an improvement on the USP and I must say IMO it is.

I recently was at my local shop looking for a 9mm and ended up putting a deposit on an HK P30L. It was really between that and the USP9 and the P30L was significantly more comfortable. The HK45 is very well balanced and comfortable as well.
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Old October 11, 2009, 06:47 PM   #6
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I did a write up on a USP a while ago comparing it to my Hk P7. Here it is. I wasn't impressed. Good reliable gun, but I prefer others.

Quote:
Ok, this is just my opinion after just returning from shooting both handguns. After an extensive search for the best CCW 9mm that I can find, the Hk P7 ended up getting my vote. I have several of them now, and believe they are one of the finest handguns available. Recently, I had been considering trading a P7 for an Hk USP. This morning I went to the range and tried the Hk P7 along with an Hk USP. Here is what I discovered comparing the two.

Trigger: USP double action was long and heavy, not smooth by any stretch of the imagination. Single action was acceptable.
P7 trigger is single action and amazingly crisp and smooth. I prefer the SA to the DA/SA setup.
I give the trigger edge to the P7.

Size: USP is a large 9mm. Looking at it from behind I could not believe how thick the gun is. Much larger than expected.
P7 is nearly sub-compact sized with a single stack magazine.
It really depends what you are looking for. I prefer the size of the P7 because I use it for CCW and home defense.

Capacity: with only 8 rounds the P7 loses out in this area. I'm not too concerned about the average gun battle or shooting situation needing more than that though.

Reliability: both functioned flawlessly on Federal Premium HST ammo in 147 grain. Each handgun put about 200 rounds through it. I've yet to have any Hk fail to feed, extract, eject, etc. One thing that the USP was doing is releasing the slide on it's own when I loaded a magazine into it. Not a huge deal and actually makes loading quicker, but it is technically a glitch if I were to get picky.
It's a slight edge to the P7 as it has no glitches whatsoever.

Comfort: I thought the USP was a little bulky and not very ergonomic. The trigger was biting the pad of my pointer finger while firing. I tried to adjust my grip and finger position and it just wasn't working right so I had to accept the trigger bite. What caused this was the trigger jamming my finger into the bottom of the trigger housing. Painful, but no blood. The USP did soak up the recoil quite well due to it's size.
P7 recoil is felt a touch more than the USP, but no trigger bite.
Overall I give P7 the heads up only because of the trigger bite issue.
Note-200 rounds and no problems with the P7 and heat. Maybe because the handguns were alternating.

Controls: The USP controls were a little hard to reach. With the P7 having the magazine release at the bottom of the frame it is not single hand operation though. This is about a draw in my opinion.

Accuracy: One ragged hole through the center of the target. It was hard to tell which was more accurate. I should have taken more time by using different targets but I didn't. I think the P7 does have a slight edge though.

Safety: USP has a decocker while the P7 has the squeeze cocker safety and slide release. I like how the P7 controls the gun with a minimal amount of levers.
I give the edge to the P7.

What else? I just have a fondness for the P7 which makes me biased towards it. In shooting both guns I came to the realization that the P7 won't be out the door in a trade for a USP. Up next might be a P2000 test, not sure yet. The P7 is still #1 in my book. I did also take along my CZ 75B in .40. It's had lighter springs installed and a home trigger job. I believe it also shot more accurate, smoother, more comfortably, and had better ergos than the USP. I like the USP quite a bit, but I preferred the cheaper CZ over it!
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Old October 11, 2009, 06:54 PM   #7
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I own H&Ks, GLOCKS, and SIGs. They're all top-shelf guns for self-defense.
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Old October 11, 2009, 07:03 PM   #8
ragwd
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I have the USP45C, Its very dependable, very accurate and points well for me. I have the ver 1, I do like the de-cocker. The trigger is the only short coming for me, I can't say all usp's are this way but mine had way to much creep, nice pull almost too much and then the reset was almost at the full return position. Triggers are not a make or break thing to me as long as they are consistent, I can get use to any trigger with enough practice. I would buy another if I find one with the right price. Strong opinions? Its a very nice pistol, but so is my Glock 21sf, Sig p6, Springfield Loaded, Kimber custom 2. Can't say that I have a favorite.
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Old October 11, 2009, 07:39 PM   #9
teeroux
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I used to own one a few years back, my second pistol actually.

Good pistol accurate, reliable, accesories and aftermarket parts were not as available when I owned mine as they are now.

I purchased it because I read it was a very good pistol and I got it at a good price $650 new which was pretty good even for when I purchased it.

I recently had a chance to fire by brothers Sig 250 and its comparable in size. However it had a much better ergonomics, trigger, and controls over the Hk. Also fired his FNP 45 and it to was comparible in size and had a better trigger than what I remember on my USP but, the USP had it on the FNP on overall ergonomics, and function of controls.

Last edited by teeroux; October 11, 2009 at 07:50 PM.
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Old October 11, 2009, 07:48 PM   #10
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Got four H & K USP pistols. Love 'em. Got two Glocks. Like e'm. Got two Kimbers. Love them. Got lots of other stuff. OK.

I take at least one of my USP pistols everywhere. They are tough, accurate, strong and indestructible.

Got specific questions? I'll be happy to answer them. Was issued the H & K USP compact .40 S&W LEM as a duty weapon by the U.S. Government. For this particular agency, low bidder was not a priority. Says a lot. Yeah, yeah, Glock is pretty common issue for a lot of LEO. Not a bad gun but it ain't a H & K.

After all of the feedback, what really matters is what you think. Good luck.
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Old October 11, 2009, 08:51 PM   #11
doc540
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had a 9mm full size

great gun and I liked the design of the features

the safety, decocker, and slide release just fit my hands and make intuitive sense to me

sold it for a good profit to buy something else I wanted more
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Old October 11, 2009, 08:52 PM   #12
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I have the USPc and a USP Elite. The Elite is without doubt one of the most accurate guns around. The USPc is my favorite range gun... never miss a beat, no problems, easy recoil, accurate and easy to maintain.

I also own a P2000 and P7. IMHO HK does not make a bad handgun, no mediocre ones either for that matter. Top quality all around.
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Old October 11, 2009, 11:08 PM   #13
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Don't forget you can get USP's in various flavors of safety, no safety, decocker, DAO, DA/SA, LEM, etc, depending on your preference.

A comment on the DA trigger pull on a DA/SA variant, for example, has no bearing on the DA trigger pull on the LEM version.
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Old October 11, 2009, 11:14 PM   #14
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USP's are tremendous handguns. I love HK made products, you will get equal reliability from a Sig, HK, or Glock. All 3 are more accurate then the person shooting them, however the HK is more accurate than a Glock from a rest.
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Old October 12, 2009, 08:42 AM   #15
Departed402
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Thanks everyone. A lot of people preach Glocks because they're accurate reliable, and especially affordable, but I was wondering, "but what if price isn't a major concern." And you've all answered that. Thanks and I'll of course keep reading this thread for more opinions.

I have a while to go before I can purchase my own handgun, as I am 20-years-old. A lot a kids my age look forward to that first beer; I look forward to my first handgun (of course the beer won't be a bad thing either ).

I've read many articles and watched many shows. With the help of this forum and other sites I have pretty much narrowed it down to a H&K USP or SIG p226. Of course that isn't the end of it. I still have to choose one or the other and from there. which version of either of those do I want?
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