USP 40

[brokenprism]

I had to sell my last N frame recently, but couldn't stand going 'bare.' The .40 is no .44 special, but at least I have 8 more in the magazine to make up the difference. I envy those of you who don't have to decide between one or the other. Would love to have a 3.5" M27 to go to, or a 4" Highway Patrolman, a PPK (for no good reason ; ), a Series 70 Commander, a Hi Power -- the classic guns of my youth -- but it's a One Gun world for some of us and Hks shoot better for me than Glocks (which are a lot easier on the wallet). I tried many Sigs over the years, but they don't work for me. This leaves me with the ugliest gun ever made, a long way to fall from the classic lines of a 629-1.

The picture is of 12 rds of WWB hardball in a fairly tidy group. Hard not to like this mechanical performance.

Would be interested to hear from other Hk guys. Apparently the USP is held in somewhat low regard by nouveaux purists who seem to prefer the P30, but I wouldn't give up the frame-mounted 1911-style safety/decocker for a rear-mounted version. My age is showing, I guess. The USP is a blocky, plastic 1911.

 

[Arik]

I certainly would not call it " the ugliest gun ever made" but it wasn't made for that. Anyway I like my a lot and have a 9 and 40 along with the 40s&w P2000. If you look around you can find them pretty cheap from police turn ins. Neither of my USPs were over $500. Since they were police issue, mags can be found in the $35 range

The USP are old tanks. They were designed with US LE/MIL in mind so they were never small or as nice looking as the P30. The P30 was also designed with LE/MIL in mind but by then HK was also somewhat looking at civilian salesales as well. And in fact you are correct about the 1911 comment. The controls were influenced by the 1911.

 

[nrz]

Nice grouping. I stumbled upon a P30 V3 chamber in 9mm as my first handgun through a friend. He didn't like the trigger on it and wanted another Glock so he offered me the gun for what the shop offered him on trade. I had shot the gun before at the range and even my wife and shot it and liked shooting it so it was an easy sell for me.

 

[Arik]

Nice grouping. I stumbled upon a P30 V3 chamber in 9mm as my first handgun through a friend. He didn't like the trigger on it and wanted another Glock so he offered me the gun for what the shop offered him on trade. I had shot the gun before at the range and even my wife and shot it and liked shooting it so it was an easy sell for me.

This is what I find wrong with the USP, and HK in general. Their triggers. There are so many variations! there are even variations within the variations. Like my 9mm is a LEM trigger but it's the lightest version of the LEM. My 40 has the traditional 1911 safety which makes the trigger heavier, but again it's on the lighter end. I've tried some that had what seemed to be a 30 lbs trigger pull

 

[brokenprism]

I've never pulled a trigger in 'anger' so I can't say one way or the other what a gun may do - or not do - for me trigger-wise, but I always try a mechanical target test to see what the gun is capable of under ideal conditions. The better it does unstressed, the better (I assume) it will do stressed.

I love the sleek carry lines of a Glock 23 -- it disappears in my waistband -- so I'll eventually get one as a backup to the Hk, but all Glocks have been 3-4" group guns for me. Can't say why.

I still wonder what the P30 has over the USP that has to do with function and not aesthetics. It has a Spidey grip, a nasty looking rail, and a rear-mounted decocker... don't see the appeal if that's all it is. Lots of guys talk about the ergonomics of the P series, but if lead is flying, I'll bet a USP that loves one-hole groups feels great!

(I know, it's a system.)

 

[Texas Star]

Frankly, I think the USP is the best of the plastic-framed guns and one of the best looking. I see no issue with its looks, compared to most other "modern" guns. The rails look a lot better than those on SIG's, if one has to have a rail at all.

I think the USP is the German Army handgun? I presume they've wrung it out pretty well in Afghanistan and the British and Australian SAS have used them.

The grip's a little too long fore and aft to fit my hands as well as I'd like and the cost has been too high for a gun with a plastic frame and a front sight so poorly fitted that one sees daylight all around the base. Maybe the idea was to use interchangeable sight blades, but they should look better.

Yours lays waste to the story that the .40 S&W caliber isn't accurate. Thanks for the photo.

I'm sorry that you can have just one pistol, but realistically, if you have just one, this is a better choice in the real world than is a N-frame S&W. A K-frame .357 is more practical than an N-frame. It's handier and will fire as many .357 rounds as you have much business shooting if you have only one gun. I'd certainly select a stainless steel model.

Ruger's SP-101 and its big brother GP-100 are also splendid choices for the one gun man. Which depends on how severe the concealment need is. But if you have to choose an auto, the USP seems a fine choice.

I'm sure that it'll suffice for either rabid raccoons or burglars, and even bears, if used with precision and knowledge of the animal's anatomy. The caliber is a good one, too, if the gun shoots it that well.

If I was richer, I'd own a USP and it'd be the first H-K product that I'd buy. I think it's really one of the better looking ones. I think you'll like it. Some H-K's look a little grotesque or like something off the set of a Buck Rogers movie.

Let us know when you add a second gun. I'm fascinated to see what you'll choose.

Am I correct in thinking that you can carry the USP normally in DA first shot mode, but go to a cocked and locked carry if you suspect that it might see imminent need? That's part of what I like about the CZ-75B.

Who knows about H-K's customer service? I've heard they don't care much about non-official customers.

 

[ben1]

I have Glock 23, Springfield (XD) Tactical 45, and an H&K USP 40. Plastic but good guns all. But the USP makes it easy. Well balanced, soft shooting and as accurate as I can make it. I carry a Sig 229 40 but the USP sits in front of my safe with two full mags if needed. I do love my revolvers and my Sigs but I had always wanted an H&K and this one will be passed on plastic or not. Good choice.

 

[Arik]

Well the P is just as accurate and the grip is amazing. Put one in your hand. It also comes with backstaps. It has fully ambi controls and the decocker is for after the shooting. It's not ment to be used in the heat of battle. Done shooting? Decock! The decocker fixed another problem that the USP had. Some USP has a 1911 safety and when you go all the way down its also a decocker. When used for SD your fine motor skills go out the window and a bit too much pressure and you go from SA ready to fire....to instant DA.

The rail on the usp is proprietary, it can only take HK accessories or you have to buy an adaptor which will allow you to use any other accessory. The P30 is already like that. The LEM trigger on both the USP and P30 have no decock. It's always a light double action only.

During a recent (2009-2010) endurance test, a P30 test pistol fired more than 91,000 rounds without any major component failures

P30 has the HK recoil reduction system. It is essentially a 9mm HK45.

When it comes to trigger I didn't mean about shooting in anger however, the better the trigger the better the shot.

And quite frankly if a gun is ment to be a reliable SD/carry gun the LOOK of the rails should be the least of concerns.

 

[brokenprism]

The USP is the most accurate .40 I've ever owned. All 4 or 5 of them -- can't tell them apart. They all print like lasers. I've owned more Glocks, but I always find a reason to get rid of them. I like the aesthetics of 70s S&W revolvers and Colt autos better, but for what I can afford right now, today -- and given caliber and capacity -- the Hk gets it done.

 

[brokenprism]

Am I correct in thinking that you can carry the USP normally in DA first shot mode, but go to a cocked and locked carry ...?

Yes. Part of the appeal of a USP. It's a 1911, a Sig (originally the Browning BDA), etc. I can carry condition 1 or condition (?) like a revolver -- just squeeze if needed.

I like one in the chamber and the safety up. Sweep it down as needed like a 1911.

Trying to pick the right ammo now. That group was 180 gr hardball, but I'd like to find a 165 gr defense load that shoots as well.

 

[PALADIN85020]

I have nothing against the USP family of handguns. As a matter of fact, they are great - lightweight, operate like a 1911, totally reliable and accurate. I wasn't really all that aware of them, until I read about them years ago in some of Dick Marcinko's books. If a former SEAL has a very high opinion of them, I listen.

I don't own a .40 anything - the .45 ACP has always been plenty good enough for me.

Here are mine - one of them rests close to me every night.

John