What's the verdict on the HK45?

[brianc142]

I owned one along with the HK 45C and sold them both. Great guns, typical HK quality, just not for me. I carried an issued 1911 on duty for 7 years and still love them but Glocks and M&P's have my attention these days.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

The HK45 is not really the old USP45. It is more closely related to the USP compact. It has ditched the complicated (but classic old-school HK) recoil reduction gizmo. It is pretty much a new gun, but it doesn't deviate much from the current combat pistol model. Pretty much every modern gun out there has the same action (except the arguably not modern Beretta 92). The SIG simplification of the old Browning tilting barrel is pretty much king these days. There hasn't been a "game-changer" since the Glock popped up in the mid-80s. Everything since then has just been a footnote to the G17.

[Outrider]

Isn't that a little unfair? Comparing a "tuned" 1911 to a factory built gun? Let's just say a Wilson or a Nighthawk being compared to a $900 out of the box gun.

What's fair is a matter of perception, but when a person asks whether "X beats the snot out of Y" it would have to be an apples and oranges type of comparison for one to blow the doors off the other. The question was whether the HK45 beats the snot out of the 1911 not does it beat the snot out of a $900 version of the 1911. Maybe the original poster had something particular in mind, but if so he didn't specify which 1911 was to be used for comparison.

I'm not here to argue why I prefer the 1911 to the HK45. Each one has features that give it advantages in certain categories. The HK45 is the beneficiary of many improvements in design and technology but still it's a question of whether it is a better finished product than the 1911. Ultimately, the answer depends on what the individual values more in a pistol. While the HK45 is better than a 1911 in certain areas of comparison, I do not think the disparities are so great that one design has completely vanquished the other. The 1911 design is not obsolete because the HK45 was produced. If it was, then I think you'd have a situation where one "beat the snot" out of the other.

[kihnspiracy]

The HK45 is a superb pistol. I do think the biggest drawback for it, is the price of spare mags.

[Savior 6]

The HK45 is a great handgun. I don't think however, that the single action on it would compare to the 1911. This would be the only adavntage of the 1911 IMO, but I have never been a 1911 fan. I prefer DA/SA with a decocker. My two favorite handguns are my HK45 and Sig 220 Combat. Having said this, I recognize that the 1911 has and always will be a mainstay in the USA, due to it's SA simplicity. I just believe that weapons like HK45 are an improvement considering that you can put the weapon on safe before you charge (cock) the hammer and can mechanically lower the hammer in a manner that is always safe.

[JSandi]

If I was about to wander off into the abyss of a Mad Max type world the HK45 would be my handgun of choice.

HK built this thing to last and tested it to hell and back, not to mention the military testing it went through.

[loupav]

What's fair is a matter of perception, but when a person asks whether "X beats the snot out of Y" it would have to be an apples and oranges type of comparison for one to blow the doors off the other. The question was whether the HK45 beats the snot out of the 1911 not does it beat the snot out of a $900 version of the 1911. Maybe the original poster had something particular in mind, but if so he didn't specify which 1911 was to be used for comparison.

I'm not here to argue why I prefer the 1911 to the HK45. Each one has features that give it advantages in certain categories. The HK45 is the beneficiary of many improvements in design and technology but still it's a question of whether it is a better finished product than the 1911. Ultimately, the answer depends on what the individual values more in a pistol. While the HK45 is better than a 1911 in certain areas of comparison, I do not think the disparities are so great that one design has completely vanquished the other. The 1911 design is not obsolete because the HK45 was produced. If it was, then I think you'd have a situation where one "beat the snot" out of the other.

Fair enough. But I was not challenging the original poster. I was challenging your quote of a "tuned" 1911 (which I assumed meant a Wilson CQB type weapon) compared to a HK45.

Let me just say. That I love my HK45's. I think they are excellent weapons. The recoil to me felt softer than a USP 45 and I hope to take my HK45 to my next pistol class. However I don't feel qualified to compare a HK45 to a 1911. Due to my lack of trigger time with a 1911.

But the price of magazines does...SUCK!!!!

[HK45]

The HK 45 was IMO a quick repackaging so it might have better chances of being adopted for the now ill fated US Military Joint Combat Pistol trials. Shooting characteristics and recoil impulse was very similar to a USP.

The HK45 was in development long before the military trials were announced. I was issued 1911's for many years in the USMC and used them in every climate and condition you can think of. I have owned all the top end 1911's. But I will take the HK 45, M&P .45, or G21 FS (in that order) over any 1911. All have outstanding accuracy, ergo's, have far fewer things to go wrong, require much less maintenance, lube and routine parts replacement. I like the big honkin slide on the Hk 45. I even like the standard sights. Big, blocky and easy to see.

if thats not enough sacrilege for you I like 9mm's too.

I've never understood the complaints about mag prices. For one thing they are really well made and for another plenty of other mags cost as much.

[dragonfly]

If thats not enough sacrilege for you I like 9mm's too.

Signature material right there.

[Longhorn]

The HK45 was in development long before the military trials were announced. I was issued 1911's for many years in the USMC and used them in every climate and condition you can think of. I have owned all the top end 1911's. But I will take the HK 45, M&P .45, or G21 FS (in that order) over any 1911. All have outstanding accuracy, ergo's, have far fewer things to go wrong, require much less maintenance, lube and routine parts replacement. I like the big honkin slide on the Hk 45. I even like the standard sights. Big, blocky and easy to see.

if thats not enough sacrilege for you I like 9mm's too.

I've never understood the complaints about mag prices. For one thing they are really well made and for another plenty of other mags cost as much.

I think that's a fairly accurate representation of the HK, M&P and G. Personally, I've only finger fiddled these weapons and I'd have to change the M&P and HK - BUT - that's only cuz the M&P feels more natural to me in hand cuz of where the controls are. Altho the HK does feel like a very fine weapon in typical fashion.

And I think the complaints of mag prices stems from basically being able to find "cheap" magazines for other platforms. I mean you're lookin at what $25ish for Glock mags, $30ish for M&P and 1911, $40ish for Sig and $50+ish for HK. I'm not gonna say quality doesn't demand a price. But after staying with the Glock platform for so long and finding their magazines so cheap some people may get jaded by having to pay double for one mag. (Yeah, I realize we're talkin polymer vs metal but SOME people don't see that).