About the HK USP...

[Slater]

Some videos and articles on the USP have used the terms "relic" and "dated" in reference to this gun. Is that due to it's ergonomics and/or bulk?

[Hush]

Some videos and articles on the USP have used the terms "relic" and "dated" in reference to this gun. Is that due to it's ergonomics and/or bulk?

I would guess that, as well as the lack of modularity.

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[SteveL]

I can't help but think its outdated proprietary rail is a factor. If they would ever update the rail to the current standard I would buy one in a heartbeat.

[SteyrAUG]

I can't help but think its outdated proprietary rail is a factor. If they would ever update the rail to the current standard I would buy one in a heartbeat.

So funny thing is HK invented that damn rail. The HK one is the standard, everyone else adopted a proprietary rail.

Now I personally prefer the newer rails found on P30s and HK45s, but rail mounted handguns began with the USP. SureFire just needs to make a X300 that fits it.

[Slater]

A local store had a couple 9mm USP's in their case. Didn't take the time to examine them, but (IIRC) one was a "V1" and the other was a "V7". Think the difference was something to do with single action vs double action.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

It's an overbuilt combat autoloader. It was designed with .40 and 9mm in mind and has a lot of very interesting innovations. As note above, HK basically invented the accessory rail so you can't blame them for not copying other people's designs that weren't out yet. The recoil reduction system is also super clever. It's the kind of gun you carry into a mad-max scenario. There are better carry options, but the gun is as close to unbreakable as they come, shoots straight, bet your ass reliable and will just generally never give you any trouble.

[Budget]

It's a thick gun. I got rid of mine a couple years ago because I just didn't shoot it. It has a cool factor but it is a giant 9mm that only holds 15 (unless you jet funnel it).

We are seeing more and more striker fired guns and it seems hammer guns in general are tapering off

[Exiledviking]

A local store had a couple 9mm USP's in their case. Didn't take the time to examine them, but (IIRC) one was a "V1" and the other was a "V7". Think the difference was something to do with single action vs double action.

The V1 is your normal DA/SA with a thumb safety/decocker lever. Nice thing about that one is that you can run it cocked and locked like a 1911.

The V7 is my preference for a serious use pistol. It's HK's LEM, Law Enforcement Module. It keeps the hammer cocked internally but the trigger resets all the way forward and the visible part of the 2-part hammer resets forward too. So, looking at it from the outside, it appears to be a somewhat lighter DAO, but it's not since there's a sear that needs to be tripped to release the hammer. Depending upon how you run the trigger, it can be used as a hybrid DAO if you let the trigger all the way forward each time. Or, if you only let the trigger forward to the reset point, it feels similar (to ME) to a Glock trigger if you run the Glock trigger the same way; only to the reset. I run 1911 triggers the same way. And that's how I run my LEM HKs.

If you get a chance to dry fire a LEM HK pistol, you'll see why some people really like the LEM trigger. Keep in mind that you have to cycle the slide, just like it would if you were shooting it (just like a Glock), between trigger pulls. Every one of my friends that own HK hammer fired pistols have the LEM trigger in them. They were converts after trying my LEM HKs.
There are lighter springs that can lower the overall trigger pull on the LEM trigger if you prefer. I have a USP45 Expert that I use for bowling pin matches and it has the light (springs) LEM trigger in it along with the nickel-plated sear spring.

The USP is great pistol. Yes, it's a little dated and the OG rail is outdated, but it's a great and extremely tough pistol. Federal Ammunition has a USP45 that they use for testing and it has something like 300,000 rounds thru it with just regular maintenance. I read somewhere a while back that there's a USP9 with close to 250,000 rounds thru it as well with just regular maintenance.

[SteveL]

So funny thing is HK invented that damn rail. The HK one is the standard, everyone else adopted a proprietary rail.

Now I personally prefer the newer rails found on P30s and HK45s, but rail mounted handguns began with the USP. SureFire just needs to make a X300 that fits it.

I don't dispute any of that, but I still wish they would update the USP rail. That's really the only thing that keeps me away from it.

[Ron3]

DA trigger is terrible, paddle mag release to easy to accidentally release (in the P30SK, for me, anyway) and no optic mount.