I've been seriously considering the HK45, but cannot justify the cost. The gun seems to be phenomenal.

I would try to find a way to take one to the range. Once you do the extra $ wont brother you so much. I paid more for my HK than my stag AR without all the add-ons. I stepped off to 65 feet and put all 10 inside a pie plate. Never been able to do that with any other pistol. Hell I know its crazy to spend all that money on a pistol. My dad thought it was nuts to spend over $15000 on a house in the day. Go figure

That about somes it up.

I've watched several of them fail while on the line (all 40 cals). The 40 cal pistols seem to really take a beating when compared to the 9mm and 45 cal variants. The 9mm and .45 have good reputations amoung the LEO I know who carry them.

I had my usp 40 for 12 years and shot the heck out of it never had a failure of any kind.

I have a buddy that has had his a year or two longer and is HORRIBLE about cleaning his guns and he has never had a failure either.

I have heard of problems with the mainsprings breaking but never seen or actually known anybody that has experienced them. Its always "I heard".

And therein lies my exact dilemma. Being left-handed, I have my eye on a lefty STAG AR model at a local dealer. The STAG is the exact same price as the HK45. Sadly, I am not in a position to buy both. I'm leaning toward the STAG because of the potential of an AR ban. <sigh>

I would get the AR first. My local gun shop has 12 months no intrest. Thats how I bought the HK45. Check out the XD 45 from Springfield. Not as expensive but very nice weapon.

I've owned 4 full size in each caliber, now I'm down to my favorite one.

Models I've owned:
USP9 V1, stainless, late 1990's model.
USP45 V1, late 1990's model.
USP9 V1 w/ Trijicon night sights, earlier model w/ different hammer.
USP40 V1

The USP9 w/ night sights was pretty nice. I already had a 9mm USP, so my brother convinced me to sell him this one so we'd both have the same gun as our primary go-to-gun... he made a good argument and I later sold it to him (he paid what I paid, so he got a STEAL) and its his go-to gun w/ a surefire X300 (?) on it...

The USP40 shot and handled just like the 9mm. Its the same exact frame as the 9mm, and the plastic magazines are almost identical to the 9mm. The USP40 was the original design for the USP, I believe. Being that it handled similar to my 9mm, and I don't really like the .40 round, I ended up selling it.

I rarely shot my USP45, so I sold it to my buddy with 5 factory mags. Factory USP45 mags aren't cheap-- almost double what the 9mm and .40S&W mags cost, and the mag bodies are made of metal. My buddy loves this gun-- its probably his favorite, and shoots VERY well. Overall, I think the USP45 is the best, but I prefer 9mm, and he wanted my USP45 so I sold it to him. Since he bought the gun, I also sold him all the .45ACP ammo I had remaining-- at an EXCELLENT price, so he got a really good deal.

I would prefer that these be decock-only, not safe/decock (variant 1), but I didn't want to pay to change them over... if I was LE, I would do this day 0...

I've since spent LOTS of $$$ on my USP9. I converted my USP9 to have a funnel kit, and it now uses 18rd mags... I thought about doing the same to the USP40 before I sold it. (I traded my brother several "pre-ban" mags since I can no longer use them unless I convert the gun back.) It also has a new factory threaded barrel from a USP9SD and an AAC EVO 9 still in transfer (but paid for!), and will soon have a GG&G rail adapter from Addax (this week!?) so it can hold my TLR/2 (laser/flashlight).






Around here, they range from $450-$650 used (I check every day ), or $425-$650-$750-$900 new (from late 1990's pricing, they increase every year, and depends on model).



$1K? Basic USP40 sells used daily for $450-$650 all the time. I see ads every day in TX-- seriously.

New? $750-ish.

I'd check out Clyde Armory (clydearmory.com) for good deals on new HK pistols (currently $735-$750 for several models, depending on options). Their USPs come with 3 mags AND night sights, so that price is EXCELLENT for a USP40 or USP9!

They are an LE supplier, so they usually have the good stuff in stock, including UMP45 conversion parts which sometimes aren't listed on their site... Sometimes they have sales... shhhhhh....

example, USP40 V1 Product Details: $750
• Caliber: .40 S&W
• Action: DA/SA with safety/decocker on left
• Barrel Length: 4.25”
• Magazine Capacity: 13 (3 magazines included)
• Weight: 1.65 lbs with an empty magazine
• Sights: 3 dot Night sights
• Safety/decocker may be relocated to right or left hand side
• Integrated support rail for attaching accessories

Anyone familiar with the Walther PPS? Being that its so small, their mag release is pretty slick. I wish some full size weapons were more like the Walther, but I'm not sure how the larger size would affect its placement...

This post has been edited by Energizer: January 1st 2009 3:47 PM

FAIL!?

I don't like the sounds of this, Stick! Can you give me heads-up?

I have a USP Fowty that's a used cop-gun, and the damned thing just refuses to quit, regardless of some of the crap ammo I've fed it over the years. It eats anything, and begs for more. I don't think I've cleaned/lubed the pony in over a year, and it still groups tighter than a well-driller's ass!

Yeah...I love my XD9, and one of my employees has the XD45 and he let me shoot it. I also have a SIG P226 .40, and thought about getting a SIG .45, but those are about the same price as the HK45, if not more.

I'll probably go with either the STAG or the DPMS Panther AP4 Carbine AR-15 and do something along the lines of a shell deflector, and hold off on the HK45.

Loved it, past tense as I sold mine and 6 mags to pay for babies about 10 yrs or so ago. Too bad kids don't come with triggers.

Nearly being the key word and I'd call $750 nearly $1000. I feel the same about Sigs, both are good pistols but just overpriced.

The mag release is goofy in my opinion. I don't like it. I didn't say it was a bad idea it just isn't for me. I never once said the pistol sucked, yet anyway I might once I go shoot it, low quality or anything of the above.

This post has been edited by Etho: January 3rd 2009 9:30 AM

yeah, but I also gave a link to Clyde Armory, which sells them to civilians for $750 WITH night sights AND an extra magazine, both of wich are not cheap. subtract the cost of the extra mag and night sights, and you are at $600-$650-- not much more than a full size Glock, but a much better gun than a Glock, but also more expensive to service.



Wasn't arguing about the mag release, although I like the USP release as well as the Walther PPS release which are similar.

What is "goofy" about it? I do have a question-- which finger are you using to release the magazine on a USP? your thumb? Try using your index/trigger finger instead.

This post has been edited by Energizer: January 3rd 2009 1:55 PM

Better than a Glock is subjective to the owners of each pistol. At this point I've yet to find anything that suits my needs better than a Glock 17, 19 or 26 depending on the application. The Hk isn't as good of a pistol as the price requires in my opinion.


Tried my thumb and trigger finger, I just prefer a button for my thumb.

Its taken me a long time to admit it... but I am starting to agree here. I love my Sigs, but dayum... at $800 for a new one... 1K for a 1911...

ouch!

I own a 40c USP. I love it i went in to buy a sig, but the 40c fit my hand much better. Shoots great. I just have the standard mags for it which don't cost too much. I have shot the full size USP in .45. It was ok, but the frame was a bit large for my smallish fingers.

My personal carry sidearm is my trusty HK USP 45 with the Tritium Sights.

I love my HK USP so much, I am looking for another one (same model).

Special Teams were using them, and they were breaking parts. Over, and over and over. Watching guys on the team pull their triggers and have nothing happen isn;t a very good feeling, especially when one of those guys was my partner.

This was .40 cal USPs, not the 9s or 45s. Its possible it was a bad lot or production issue, but HK continually stated there were no problems, it often took 6-12+ months to get the replacement parts.

Its a shame, I really like the feel of the USPs, but there is no way I would get one in 40 cal.



For clarification, this was me standing on the line as an instructor watching these failures, this isn't second hand info or internet rumor.

But but but...HK is infallible!

bc

And Glock .40s don't explode...