HK USP 9 Compact - Review 2.0

Tactical Jackalope · December 7, 2018, 09:54 AM

Am I a few decades late?

Anyway, let's get started. I've gone back and forth between P226/P229/P228 SIGs, Glock 19, 17, 34, Smith and Wesson M&P 9L and 2.0, and HK USPs.

Pros and cons to all. They're all equally reliable and each one has gone into tactical/self defense courses with me. Mostly the SIGs. (I used to go a lot more often back when) More recently though, it's been the M&P and HK pistols.

Now that there background on the actual pistols are out there, the training is irrelevant for this thread.

HK USP 9 Compact:

I had this gun before and sold it for reasons of not being used to it. I had others, so why adjust to this one when I can ditch it and carry something else that I already have and am comfortable with.

The "issue" was my big hands getting pinched on reloads/top-offs. The thing is I've been in jobs where I'm required to carry, allowed to carry, or they don't care if I carry. This year I moved out from the usual industries I was used to after about 10 years now. And into a place where I am prohibited from carrying my gun.

Well, disagree if need be but there is willing and able versus "allowed" so I needed to get something smaller. As you see, I'm usually in the realm of long slides and full-sized service pistols.

Carried the P229 at the start and while I don't concern myself too much with printing, I didn't want to even remotely get cause at the first "outside the usual" job this year. An optometrist office as a technician. (I am now at an office in a building working a 9-5 Monday - Friday like a good old fashioned American) So I went with something I remember being a great shot with. Fast, accurate as can be, and just consistently clean draws.

The USP 9 Compact. I felt like my friend who moved on to work with a certain unit that carried Glock 22 pistols. He hated it. But HAD to learn it and be proficient. I needed to sort out that magazine "issue" and I did. With lots of dry practice and live fire drills from from all my previous instruction worked out just fine. It's a small cant outward from the palm on reloads with a full firm grip on the pistol, insert and go.

The USP 9 Compact is about the size between a Glock 26 and Glock 19. I don't need a magazine extender to get my full hand on the gun but the width of the grip is really small and I do manhandle the ever-living out of it. So forget about recoil. There practically is none.

I use factory 13+1 magazines, preferably with the straight/plain base plates from HK. Until recently, a company called Solum Tool came about. So I have the +0 base plates in black that add a nice weight to the magazine. The second I grab my fresh magazine and come up to my magwell and hit that button, hat magazine comes flying out even faster. I have a +5 in black on the way to me and they also have a +3. Granted, I will heavily test these before I trust my life to them. Solum Tool uses Wolff springs for the magazines, so that's a good sign.

I have Meprolight sights on them this time instead of Trijicon HDs (they don't make the XRs yet) because I want to maintain the same combat sight hold from the factory. They're nice and bright. Along with the HK bobbed hammer, they don't snag.

The holsters I use are T5 Custom Kydex. The hitchhiker is a sidecar style holster. Where the gun is one the dominant hand and the spare magazine is on the support hand. I have on for the gun alone and one for the gun with a GG&G rail and TLR-7. Until Surefire comes out with a comparable size and lumen count as the Streamlight, that'll be my WML of choice.

Magazines are loaded with 124gr standard or +P Federal HST or 127gr Winchester +P+ Ranger T rounds.

I have a Safariland duty holster in case I want to pick up some shifts at the local ranges as an RO.

The pistol hasn't had a light strike or any other type of malfunction as of yet aside from some mag issues from a day of outside drills with magazines hitting the dirt/mud about a hundred times. This didn't start until the end of the day. So granted, in a gun fight I don't think there's a case of standing in the same spot all day dropping empty magazines and picking them up to reload them again and again.

So, the USP Compact is only "outdated" with its accessory rail. Everything else about this pistol has been phenomenal.

My only small grip with it that I picked up from class and that I can do much, much, much better with a striker fired pistol is the draw and shoot into the T-Zone from 15-25 yards. Seeing as this is a DA/SA pistol, that's going to prove challenging. The trigger has a nickel plated sear spring which cleans it up a bit. Not that clean.

Other than that, this is a 8.5/9 for more EDC needs.

If you made it this far......

Cowboyfromhell · December 7, 2018, 12:36 PM

Awesome gun. I definitely want one of these to go with my full size USP 40

Tactical Jackalope · December 7, 2018, 02:02 PM

LOL whoohoo! Thanks for the reply!

I miss having a full-sized USP. I just don't see the use for it right now.

**Spats McGee** · December 7, 2018, 02:22 PM

Nicely done.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tactical Jackalope

. . . . The pistol hasn't had a light strike or any other type of malfunction as of yet aside from some mag issues from a day of outside drills with magazines hitting the dirt/mud about a hundred times. This didn't start until the end of the day. So granted, in a gun fight I don't think there's a case of standing in the same spot all day dropping empty magazines and picking them up to reload them again and again. . . .

I would sure hope not!

Tactical Jackalope · December 7, 2018, 02:24 PM

Can you imagine? That's like one of those heavy trigger nightmares.

Mosin44az · December 7, 2018, 08:52 PM

I bought an accessory rail adapter for my USP Compact from GG & G out of Tucson. Sticks out slightly in front but otherwise works well.

chaim · December 8, 2018, 08:24 AM

I've only shot a USP a couple times, but I liked them when I did. They do seem a bit on the expensive side compared to some of the competition, but not as bad as they used to (I don't know if the price has come down compared to the competition, or as I got older, my income went up enough that they only seem a little expensive now). Anyway, they are nice guns, good choice.

My only nitpick with your choice:

Quote:

The thing is I've been in jobs where I'm required to carry, allowed to carry, or they don't care if I carry. This year I moved out from the usual industries I was used to after about 10 years now. And into a place where I am prohibited from carrying my gun.

Well, disagree if need be but there is willing and able versus "allowed" so I needed to get something smaller.

I won't go into whether or not you should carry at work when you aren't allowed to, but only your gun choice. A compact service pistol, while it used to be the standard carry size, is by today's standards a pretty large gun for true concealment needs. For everyday carry, they are probably ideal (small enough to conceal pretty easily, big enough for quick follow up shots and lots of practice, if you print a little once in a while it probably won't matter). If you carry where you aren't allowed to, you can't have it ever print or show. In that case, I think a micro carry gun or pocket gun (whether in a pocket or IWB) makes more sense. If you want some capacity, you can go with the SIG P365, if you don't like that gun and don't mind a little lower capacity, there are a ton of great choices.

Bartholomew Roberts · December 8, 2018, 11:48 AM

The USP triggers always give me fits. I can double-tap them but for some reason I can’t get a rhythm on longer shot strings. It goes pow-pow...pow......pow...pow-pow. And I’m not short-stroking the trigger, I just can’t find a rhythm. Probably because I don’t shoot them that much. I do like the trigger better than the Glock though and they are built like tanks.

TunnelRat · December 8, 2018, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rambo60+

I carried an issued USPc .40 LEM for years, now carrying a POW USPc .40 and it's little cousin, the P2000SK, also in .40. Personally, if I were buying an HK right now and wanted a mid-sized handgun then I'd get the P2000. It has picatinny rails and the adjustable backstraps. It also has an ambidextrous slide release, something the USPc lacks. My HKs have been flawless in operation, I find them easy to shoot fast and I like the reset of the LEM trigger.

P2000 rail is Glock thickness for the key, not 1913.

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

Dubar · December 8, 2018, 06:47 PM

I have a USP Compact 45 that belonged to my brother who passed away in 2005.

Never shot it until this past summer. Nice shooter, but I wish it was in 9mm as that's the caliber I've settled on. Still I just bought another 200 rounds to take it to the range soon and give it a workout.

Are the 9mm and 45 the same overall size? Ive attached a photo of my 45.

TunnelRat · December 8, 2018, 07:59 PM

No the grip of the 9mm is smaller.

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

Rinspeed · December 8, 2018, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dubar

I have a USP Compact 45 that belonged to my brother who passed away in 2005.

Sorry you lost your brother and welcome to TFL.

highpower3006 · December 8, 2018, 08:09 PM

I am currently looking at getting a USP compact in 9mm. No particular reason except that I really like my recently acquired USP 45 and I can't help but think that the 9mm compact would be an excellent choice for daily carry. Currently I carry either a Shield of a G19, so a gun in between those sizes might be ideal.

Thanks for the review.

Rinspeed · December 8, 2018, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by highpower3006

I am currently looking at getting a USP compact in 9mm.

My only problem with buying a USP to carry is once you handle the various P30s the USP grip really feels like a brick. I do believe the USPs are built to a slightly higher standard though. I'm sure some will disagree with me. For those that are more into the HKs than I am has the price of the new USPs come down any like some of the other HKs.

Dubar · December 9, 2018, 05:49 AM

Quote:

the USP grip really feels like a brick.

That's what I found with the USP Compact 45, glad to hear the 9mm grip is smaller.

I've thought about trading it in, but I don't think I'd get anything that's close to what "I think" it's worth.

Ignition Override · December 10, 2018, 12:44 AM

Have only rented a 9mm USP Compact once, but was quite impressed. Range USA in Bartlett TN seldom ever sells any rental gun, but I asked them twice about buying the Compact.

I'm 63 years old. My first formal handgun tng., and freq. shooting was with the CZ PCR, a year ago (my First handgun larger than the .380 Makarov), then the Sig P228.
If those two hadn't already grabbed my full attention (no other recent exposure to HK USPs), I gladly would have bought a 9mm Compact, not just due to the size, but the better DA pull than with the USP .40.

Without a doubt.

Dirtbag · December 12, 2018, 09:53 PM

I used to own a USP compact in .45acp, it was a great shooter, im kinda surprised that the USP its still in production but it works and obviously still selling. Wish I still had mine.

Tactical Jackalope · December 17, 2018, 02:31 PM

I honestly kind of miss my HK USP 45 both the full size and the compact.

Sold them when I dumped all of my 45s since I was cutting down. I have only one 45ACP now. Since I'm trying and I emphasize on the trying part, to keep my stable small.

But another Smith and Wesson 1911 E-Series in 4.25 is calling my name...

December 7, 2018, 09:54 AM	#1
Tactical Jackalope Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2010 Location: Miami, Florida Posts: 6,429	HK USP 9 Compact - Review 2.0 Am I a few decades late? Anyway, let's get started. I've gone back and forth between P226/P229/P228 SIGs, Glock 19, 17, 34, Smith and Wesson M&P 9L and 2.0, and HK USPs. Pros and cons to all. They're all equally reliable and each one has gone into tactical/self defense courses with me. Mostly the SIGs. (I used to go a lot more often back when) More recently though, it's been the M&P and HK pistols. Now that there background on the actual pistols are out there, the training is irrelevant for this thread. HK USP 9 Compact: I had this gun before and sold it for reasons of not being used to it. I had others, so why adjust to this one when I can ditch it and carry something else that I already have and am comfortable with. The "issue" was my big hands getting pinched on reloads/top-offs. The thing is I've been in jobs where I'm required to carry, allowed to carry, or they don't care if I carry. This year I moved out from the usual industries I was used to after about 10 years now. And into a place where I am prohibited from carrying my gun. Well, disagree if need be but there is willing and able versus "allowed" so I needed to get something smaller. As you see, I'm usually in the realm of long slides and full-sized service pistols. Carried the P229 at the start and while I don't concern myself too much with printing, I didn't want to even remotely get cause at the first "outside the usual" job this year. An optometrist office as a technician. (I am now at an office in a building working a 9-5 Monday - Friday like a good old fashioned American) So I went with something I remember being a great shot with. Fast, accurate as can be, and just consistently clean draws. The USP 9 Compact. I felt like my friend who moved on to work with a certain unit that carried Glock 22 pistols. He hated it. But HAD to learn it and be proficient. I needed to sort out that magazine "issue" and I did. With lots of dry practice and live fire drills from from all my previous instruction worked out just fine. It's a small cant outward from the palm on reloads with a full firm grip on the pistol, insert and go. The USP 9 Compact is about the size between a Glock 26 and Glock 19. I don't need a magazine extender to get my full hand on the gun but the width of the grip is really small and I do manhandle the ever-living out of it. So forget about recoil. There practically is none. I use factory 13+1 magazines, preferably with the straight/plain base plates from HK. Until recently, a company called Solum Tool came about. So I have the +0 base plates in black that add a nice weight to the magazine. The second I grab my fresh magazine and come up to my magwell and hit that button, hat magazine comes flying out even faster. I have a +5 in black on the way to me and they also have a +3. Granted, I will heavily test these before I trust my life to them. Solum Tool uses Wolff springs for the magazines, so that's a good sign. I have Meprolight sights on them this time instead of Trijicon HDs (they don't make the XRs yet) because I want to maintain the same combat sight hold from the factory. They're nice and bright. Along with the HK bobbed hammer, they don't snag. The holsters I use are T5 Custom Kydex. The hitchhiker is a sidecar style holster. Where the gun is one the dominant hand and the spare magazine is on the support hand. I have on for the gun alone and one for the gun with a GG&G rail and TLR-7. Until Surefire comes out with a comparable size and lumen count as the Streamlight, that'll be my WML of choice. Magazines are loaded with 124gr standard or +P Federal HST or 127gr Winchester +P+ Ranger T rounds. I have a Safariland duty holster in case I want to pick up some shifts at the local ranges as an RO. The pistol hasn't had a light strike or any other type of malfunction as of yet aside from some mag issues from a day of outside drills with magazines hitting the dirt/mud about a hundred times. This didn't start until the end of the day. So granted, in a gun fight I don't think there's a case of standing in the same spot all day dropping empty magazines and picking them up to reload them again and again. So, the USP Compact is only "outdated" with its accessory rail. Everything else about this pistol has been phenomenal. My only small grip with it that I picked up from class and that I can do much, much, much better with a striker fired pistol is the draw and shoot into the T-Zone from 15-25 yards. Seeing as this is a DA/SA pistol, that's going to prove challenging. The trigger has a nickel plated sear spring which cleans it up a bit. Not that clean. Other than that, this is a 8.5/9 for more EDC needs. If you made it this far......

December 10, 2018, 12:44 AM	#16
Ignition Override Senior Member Join Date: February 18, 2008 Location: About 20 nm from the Big Muddy Posts: 2,884	Have only rented a 9mm USP Compact once, but was quite impressed. Range USA in Bartlett TN seldom ever sells any rental gun, but I asked them twice about buying the Compact. I'm 63 years old. My first formal handgun tng., and freq. shooting was with the CZ PCR, a year ago (my First handgun larger than the .380 Makarov), then the Sig P228. If those two hadn't already grabbed my full attention (no other recent exposure to HK USPs), I gladly would have bought a 9mm Compact, not just due to the size, but the better DA pull than with the USP .40. Without a doubt. Last edited by Ignition Override; December 10, 2018 at 12:53 AM.

December 7, 2018, 12:36 PM	#2
Cowboyfromhell Member Join Date: August 7, 2016 Posts: 57	Awesome gun. I definitely want one of these to go with my full size USP 40

December 7, 2018, 02:02 PM	#3
Tactical Jackalope Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2010 Location: Miami, Florida Posts: 6,429	LOL whoohoo! Thanks for the reply! I miss having a full-sized USP. I just don't see the use for it right now.

December 7, 2018, 02:24 PM	#5
Tactical Jackalope Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2010 Location: Miami, Florida Posts: 6,429	Can you imagine? That's like one of those heavy trigger nightmares.

December 7, 2018, 08:52 PM	#6
Mosin44az Senior Member Join Date: January 15, 2006 Posts: 2,585	I bought an accessory rail adapter for my USP Compact from GG & G out of Tucson. Sticks out slightly in front but otherwise works well.

December 8, 2018, 11:48 AM	#8
Bartholomew Roberts member Join Date: June 12, 2000 Location: Texas and Oklahoma area Posts: 8,462	The USP triggers always give me fits. I can double-tap them but for some reason I can’t get a rhythm on longer shot strings. It goes pow-pow...pow......pow...pow-pow. And I’m not short-stroking the trigger, I just can’t find a rhythm. Probably because I don’t shoot them that much. I do like the trigger better than the Glock though and they are built like tanks.

December 8, 2018, 07:59 PM	#11
TunnelRat Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2011 Posts: 12,215	No the grip of the 9mm is smaller. Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

December 8, 2018, 08:09 PM	#13
highpower3006 Senior Member Join Date: July 30, 2011 Location: Savannah TN Posts: 1,220	I am currently looking at getting a USP compact in 9mm. No particular reason except that I really like my recently acquired USP 45 and I can't help but think that the 9mm compact would be an excellent choice for daily carry. Currently I carry either a Shield of a G19, so a gun in between those sizes might be ideal. Thanks for the review.

December 12, 2018, 09:53 PM	#17
Dirtbag Member Join Date: February 6, 2016 Posts: 18	I used to own a USP compact in .45acp, it was a great shooter, im kinda surprised that the USP its still in production but it works and obviously still selling. Wish I still had mine.

December 17, 2018, 02:31 PM	#18
Tactical Jackalope Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2010 Location: Miami, Florida Posts: 6,429	I honestly kind of miss my HK USP 45 both the full size and the compact. Sold them when I dumped all of my 45s since I was cutting down. I have only one 45ACP now. Since I'm trying and I emphasize on the trying part, to keep my stable small. But another Smith and Wesson 1911 E-Series in 4.25 is calling my name...