[osubigdog1]

I was hoping to see how yall feel about the USP in either 40 or 45. I know they are expensive, that is not a real issue. I just want to know their reliability, performance, quality. I will not have a chance to shoot one but have held one and liked it. Any pros/cons other than price. I am looking to buy within a month if I can find some good info about one. Thanks in advance.

 

[cooks128]

I've owned my USP 9mm for 10 years...utterly reliable...I've never had a single failure to feed, fire, or eject.

 

[Kaboom]

USP Full size Custom Combat in 40S&W, nice gun, BIG gun! Make sure you can grip it before you buy. Mine has the safety/decocker and I LOVE that about it! It's a good pistol, soft recoil for a 40 but the HKs are universally over hyped. I would put them a tick below the German Sig P series and slightly above the XDs and CZs. The mags are expensive but they ARE quality. I paid $600 NIB for mine a couple years ago.

 

[captoveur]

I have had a USP full size in .45ACP since Summer of 1999.

Pros:
The recoil is hardly worth mentioning. It is extremely controllable. Followup shots come quickly and almost always land on target with very little practice.


The thumb safety is very 1911ish, I love it. Also, it is one more thing a bad guy has to figure out before shooting you with your own weapon.

I have fired probably in excess of 10,000 rounds through it. No malfunctions.

The price really isn't that much more than a comparable SigSauer or a good 1911.

The trigger is excellent right out of the box. In single action it breaks like glass at I believe 3lbs with very little slack. I think the double action pull is around 6lbs and considerably longer.

The finish on the slide is excellent. In 10 years I have never even managed to scratch it.

Cons:
It has a huge frame, so make sure you can grip it before you buy it.

Accessories: Magazines go for about $50. From a material point of view it is the same as an XD magazine, only the finish on XD mags is more durable. However, on closer examination the construction of an HK magazine is beautiful. Also, while the finish comes off I have never had one rust. I am thinking they are made out of pretty good steel.

Holsters are very rare and difficult to get and even when you do find them they are often for the USP 9mm or .40. The .45 is slightly larger than the .9mm/.40. Test fit everything first. The Blackhawk Sherpa is a bit snug on the .45. I have a Blade-Tec that works great on the range. I reccomend going with a custom made leather one from Milt Sparks or someone else- especially if you are going to actually carry it.

Night sights are hard to come by. But I have Tru Glow TFOs on mine. I suggest getting them. The factory sights are great but the night sights are way better.

Pray to God it never breaks (Mine never has) HK customer service doesn't exist unless you are a large police department or an army. I know this is a board for Springfield Armory fans so you might be a tad spoiled by customer service.

Don't get the HK Tactical light. It is a piece of **** compared to what comes from Sure-Fire and Streamlight. Get one of their lights. When I get home I will post a picture of mine if anyone is interested.

Overall- It is a great gun. The cons are all things that are pretty minor in my opinion. I wouldn't trade my USP for anything. It was the first handgun I ever bought and I would sell a kidney before I sold it.

 

[Cuda66]

I've got 2 USP's, a .45 Fullsize and a .45 Tactical. I'd have to agree with most of what Captoveur says; they are great pistols, super light shooting, rock solid reliability (how many other .45's come factory-rated for .45 Super?), and neither of mine have ever given me a lick of trouble. I'm also a big fan of being able to carry one cocked & locked, as well (given, this will depend on which variant of the USP you get, but since the majority are V1's, this shouldn't be a problem if it appeals to you).

As to quality...compared to my former XD-M, I would rate a USP much, much higher. And HK's customer xervice has come a long way in the past couple of years.

 

[ORD]

I love mine...I have a few different ones, including a standard USP 45, a Match 45 and an Expert 9mm. All are 100% reliable, build quality is excellent and performance is outstanding. I won't go through it all again because the other posters have prettymuch said it all.

I will just re-add that the only downside to owning an HK is the price of mags, parts, and accessories, combined with the non-existant customer service/warranty/repairs dept. Even large Mil/LEO contracts have trouble getting things serviced, but it has gotten better in the last few years, but not by much. That said, there really aren't many people who will tell you that they have ever had to send in a pistol or rifle for repairs because HK tends to get it right the first time.

FYI...the Variant 1 is the decocker, manual thumb safety model (for r-handed shooters) that will allow you SA/DA, and carrying cocked and locked.

If you want the varitable wealth of information on these anmd other HK firearms, you need to get check out HKPRO.COM and the forums over there. Excellent folks to learn from and more information on HKs than you could ever want or need.

HKPRO.COM--The Unofficial Website for the Uncompromising HK Enthusiast

 

[shipwreck]

I have two USPs. The fullsize grips are a bit too large for me. The compacts have smaller grips.

Hks are certainly reliable and can take abuse.

 

[osubigdog1]

Very nice pistols to those who posted pics. Thanks for all of the info. I have held one at a gun show and loved it. I almost bought it but I wasn't for sure on them and got the XD-40SC instead. Now that I have acounts from people on a great fourm( I love that it is ok to discuss things other than just the XDs which are great) I hope to have one within a month or so.

 

[XfrankD]

I have the USP compact in .40cal. Its nice, not one malfunction in the years I have had it, no complaints on the accuracy, the feel is good, shoots like a sweetheart. But it is not worth the money in my eyes.

 

[Dale6281]

Haven't fired it yet, but my father bought one today at the gun show in a 45 and paid about $850. Very nice looking and feeling gun.He hopes to get some rounds through it this week. He is totally H&K all the way though.

 

[J32A2]

Both my USP45 &USPc357 have been flawless! The 45 is my bed stand piece.8)

 

[ORD]

I forgot about my USP45c in my post above!!! Also an excellent concealed carry pistol (not so much with the full size USP)...my current CCW...and an all-around great gun. I can easily conceal the USPc in a Del Fatti LP-HTL. One of my favorites and I almost forgot her...off to the range tomorrow to "make amends!!!"

 

[nikon777]

Id love to get my hands on a P2000 in 9mm. In fact, I may trade one of my Glock 19s for one.

The checkering on the front strap of the USP's is way too aggressive for me.

 

[CMANavy]

I am planing on picking up a .40 Compact and the Tactical .45, but the Ar stuff has gotten in the way and there is a huge Auction for BSG that I am going to in January too.

 

[osubigdog1]

I forgot about my USP45c in my post above!!! Also an excellent concealed carry pistol (not so much with the full size USP)...my current CCW...and an all-around great gun. I can easily conceal the USPc in a Del Fatti LP-HTL. One of my favorites and I almost forgot her...off to the range tomorrow to "make amends!!!"

That is a nice rig. I looked at the compacts but I want a gun for the range, truck, and nightstand. I will go to the store and hold both the fullsize and the compact. I carry my XD-40SC. I love the XD but also want to try other pistols. You never know till you try right?

 

[FATSEXY]

IMO, the best poly .45 made, bar none, and the 2nd best .45 overall (behind the P220).

 

[Godlygunguy]

I"ve had my .40c for a few months now...absolutely no complaints...Love it. I have it in a Blackhawk right now, but the supertucks on the way. So we'll see how that does concealing it IWB. Anyone have this set up?

 

[ORD]

IMO, the best poly .45 made, bar none, and the 2nd best .45 overall (behind the P220).

It isn't REALLY "behind the P220"...it is back there for fire support when the P220 breaks down!! :wink:

Just kidding. The P220 is an EXCELLENT pistol all the way around...no doubt about it. One of the best "feeling" pistols I've shot. I wish I still had mine, but it went the way of the dinosaurs after I started getting caught up with more and more polymer framed pistols.

 

[Moezilla]

I've had my USP Compact 9 for about 5 years now with thousands of rounds through it and cannot honestly remember any failures on it worth mentioning that weren't the operators fault. The felt recoil is almost non-existant and very smooth allowing for good follow up shots. I wouldn't give up any of my XD's or my USP, that's for sure.

 

[XD_Dawg]

I have had my USP compact .45 for about 8 years now, I bought it the day I turned 21. I LOVE this gun. Trigger is smooth as glass, accuracy is much better than my XD, and that is saying a lot. You will not go wrong with a H&K.