Any comments from owners of currently manufactured H&K .45s regarding accuracy? How about cast bullet use?

Given the polygonal rifling their recommendation is only jacketed bullets but I'll bet you knew that.
IF they we're a harder composition perhaps they might be OK but with the need for very thorough cleaning a necessity. I'd guess a hardness of perhaps 16 or so might work safely.

This HK Expert is one of my favorites. Yes, very accurate- much more than me. I've only shot jacketed rounds.

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I have an HK-45. Seems to be as accurate as my Gold Cup Trophy. I like shooting my GCT more however. I haven't had the HK to the range in several years. It was one of the pistols that scratched an itch that I never really warmed up to. Nice pistol though.

I always have used FMJ when loading for the HK.

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I have tons of experience with both the HK USP 45’s and current HK45’s. If there is one thing HK does is build insanely mechanically accurate .45’s.

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Not sure about the HK45 specifically, but I just had my USP Elite to the range for the first time, and it is way more accurate than me. In the first magazine, I was able to double tap the smaller top spinner on one of the metal spinning targets. Distance was probably only about 20 yards, but that's what we have to work with. Rounds were remington range fodder, corbon 230gr+p jhp, and underwood 185gr jhp .45super. No hard cast yet, but I think underwood hard cast is likely hard enough to not cause any problems.

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Thank you all; the information is appreciated.

FWIW in 1991 H&K gave out loading data and recommendations for 9mm lead bullets to German target shooters for the P9S. So much for not using lead bullets in polygonal rifling.

I have a .45 HK USP Expert and find it to be an amazingly accurate gun. The HK45 is also a very accurate gun but the sights are usually not designed for accurate target work.
I shot the HK45 against a Glock 30 and found the HK45 easier to shoot accurately but slower than the Glock on multiple steel targets or the Bill drill.

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FFL08

Had a HK45. One of the most comfortable, instinctive shooting and accurate 45's I've ever shot.

The trigger was horrible though. In addition the trigger guard has a "trough" that the bottom of the trigger blade rides through. That trough would drive me crazy catching my finger.

Couldn't get over that trigger and got rid of it.


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I like watching the videos by Tim at Buffalo Bore. He always uses the term “Hard Cast” when referring to his bullets. I have heard him say that his hard cast bullets work fine in Glocks. I don’t know if that little tid bit is useful or not.

They’re rated for 45 Super right out of the box. The 45 Super has some impressive numbers.

My Son has an HK45. I like it a lot. He has a little mini iron man; maybe 14 inches tall, including the head, 8 or 10 inches wide. I hit that dude 29 times in a row, going for 30 consecutive. But I flubbed the last shot. I was shooting standing offhand, at 30 yards. Magtec hardball. I never did bench it. But in short order you’ll be calling your shots.

Green Light Rock. Go for it.

I can't speak for the HK 45 but have had a USP in 45 seemingly forever. As has been said very accurate, the trigger is not the best, tough as nails though.

I've shot lead through it, coated bullets, and the cleaning didn't seem any worse than jacketed bullets. With the barrel off you can see there is a slight cut-in on the polygonal rifling right after the chamber and before the standard rifling, a bevel, if you will. I read somewhere that with polygonal rifling this is what you need to shoot cast. I also read that the early Glocks didn't have this which is why there was so many leading issues. Take it for what it's worth.

As a side note, depending on the cast bullet type, OAL won't be the end all, be all when loading. The bullets I bought were RN and although I seated them to the OAL as the jacketed bullets they wouldn't chamber. I had to seat them back into the case more since the nose was "fatter". Because the extra work of dealing with that I stick to jacketed bullets since the price is pretty similar nowadays. YMMV

My experience also. Joe

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And when I put the can on it tightened up the groups even a bit more

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It is GLOCK that used to tell folks not to use lead projectiles in Polygonal rifled handguns, not HK

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Thank you for keeping the comments going. Good information from all without the common second hand tales of dubious value.

Are you asking about the specific pistol model HK-45 or ANY current HKs chambered in 45

I only own a single HK45 it is the tactical model and mine is not that current of one. Truth is I hardly ever shoot it

That is because I own many HK USP's that are chambered for the 45ACP cartridge and I see no reason to own the skinnier pistol

None of those are current either. I bought my first USP45f the first week they were out. It is serial numbered in the 600s

I LOVE my USPs. These are fantastic guns, extremely durable, built like absolute tanks and they hold a lot of 45.

Yes I know the magazines that ship with them are 12 rounds however when I receive them the first one I realized that the magazine body looked almost identical to what came with the Paraordinance P14.

So I disassembled them and learned that the only major difference with the follower design. Cutting the long legs off of the USP followers yields magazines that will hold 13 rounds. Switching to one of the various followers designed for the P14 yield magazines that will hold 14 rounds. Unfortunately the 14 round followers were not always compatible with the feed lips on the HK magazine. So you must choose wisely


The Expert and the Elite are absolutely incredible firearms. Super accurate
with much better triggers than the standard USP ships with

The USP Tactigal makes for a great suppressor host. Not only is it very quiet with standard 45ACP subsonic ammunition but just like all of the full size USP handguns it is capable of switching over to the powerful 45SUPER cartridge with no changes to the firearm

For those with smaller hands the USPct (Compact Technical) actually utilizes the smaller magazines like the HK45, so they would be flesh-fit 8 rounds or the Elephant foot magazines with 10 rounds

Then of course there were all of the USP pistols that were being offered with various different colored frames

I do not believe you will be unhappy with any HK pistol. Like many German products they are way over engineered and are just built to impeccable standards very good

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"The trigger was horrible though. In addition..."

From someone who has spoken to gunsmiths about it, trigger can be improved, but may be a bit "mushy" compared to other 45's.

True dat but combined with the trough, too much to deal with.

The trough doesn't bother everyone.

Here's a rough pic from the internet.



My finger would catch the edge of the trough and disturb the pull through.

How or why HK did this design is a mystery.


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It looks as if it may keep the bottom of the trigger guard from being lower but its hard to tell based only on the photo; I've never examined the pistol. Maybe it's nothing more than an aesthetic feature?

The bottom tip of the trigger disappears into the trough and that would try to push my finger upwards (making for resistance) as I pulled through.

I'm in no way bashing HK. Just a weird design. Doesn't bother everyone.

Many take a Dremel and grind away the trough.

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I understand now; your explanation along with the photo makes it clear.

Love mine…

Shooting over a half a million rounds through HK USP 45’s over a ten year span mostly doing DA to SA transitions with the factory trigger (LE guns so they had to be dead stock) is a big reason for me paying for that with severe arthritis in my hands. With that said, the long term reliability of the USP 45/HK 45 series is phenomenal. They are truly “Service Guns”.

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I have two USP Compacts & a Tactical, all .45acp.

My original USP Compact is insanely accurate. It's amazingly accurate with cheaper PMC FMJ ammo.

My .o2

I own H&K USP45 Elite, which is the Longslide Target Shooting variation.



It's a really big gun, only outdone by the H&K MK23, but it's extremely accurate, and with it's 6" barrel will yield higher velocity. I've never used cast bullets though, always heard they'll gum up polygonal rifling in a hurry causing unsafe pressure spikes.

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