Heckler & Koch historically goes completely overboard when they engineer any piece of gear. Have you ever handled one of their MP-5 slings? Good luck figuring out how to use it without a PhD from MIT. It works great, but you have to know how to hook it up and how to utilize it if you expect to be anywhere near competent with it.
Many of their pistols are also ridiculously over-engineered, and that’s one of the traits that I believe makes them very cool. Yes, we could have plain pistols that function well, but why not have something that is a true piece of functional art?
Heckler & Koch
Heckler & Koch is well-known in the firearms world, with the name being synonymous with extremely high quality. They got their start after World War II when they began producing parts for sewing machines and bicycles using dismantled war machinery.
They responded to the West German government’s call for a new service rifle in 1956 with the G3 being the result. A little over a decade later, they produced the revered MP-5 submachine gun.
In 1980, when the British SAS stormed the Iranian Embassy in London to rescue hostages, the world got its first real look at the MP-5. From that point on, H&K’s popularity steadily built, and all the cool kids had to have one.
Heckler & Koch also made history in 1970 with the introduction of the world’s first polymer pistol, the VP70. It was double-action-only and held a whopping 18 rounds. And here you thought Glock was the first polymer pistol. Well, now you know!
USP Tech Specs
Hecker & Koch’s USP (Universal Self-Loading Pistol) is a gorgeous pistol. To be more precise, the slide is a true work of art in steel, with lots of extra, unnecessary machining work that Germans are known for. It’s beautifully over-engineered, and it shows.
The overall length of the USP 9mm is 7.68 inches, with a height of 5.31 inches. It’s rather thick, at 1.26 inches. The barrel length is 4.25 inches, and it delivers obscene accuracy. Lastly, the USP weighs in at 27.20 ounces. For comparison, my Glock 19X weighs 24.83 ounces. So while its weight is substantial, the USP isn’t overly heavy, comparatively, to other full-sized pistols.
The pistol can be carried cocked and locked, much like a 1911, with a round chambered and the safety on. The safety works the same as a 1911: just flick it down with your thumb and you’re ready to fire. The safety also functions as a de-docker, safely lowering the hammer so it can be carried and fired with a long double-action first pull. Options are always nice!
There are also other trigger modules that can be installed for a variety of different trigger modes, including Double-Action-Only (DAO).
The USP (and USP Compact) all use the same recoil reduction system that is used in H&K’s Mark 23 pistol that was used by USSOCOM many years ago. It’s very efficient at minimizing recoil and does not affect the pistol’s reliability in the least.
A few other quick considerations with this pistol are that the grip, while rather “plain”, is quite comfortable and extremely functional. Even with my medium-sized hands, I have no trouble running the pistol. Those with larger hands will also appreciate the generous proportions. And these days, the grips on pistols seem to be growing in size again, given the trends of the latest pistol releases that we’re seeing. The USP’s grip texture is very effective in keeping the pistol anchored into the shooter’s grip and not moving around.
Reliability is, as we’ve come to expect from HK, perfect.
It is made in calibers 9mm, .40 S&W, and .45 ACP.
The only downside is that finding holsters for this “antiquated” pistol can be a little challenging. To be honest, that’s a shame because this pistol isn’t the latest, most “cutting edge” design on the market, so it’s been relegated to a back burner. In reality, it’s still incredibly capable even if it’s on the larger side compared to some pistols on the market these days. Mind you, it’s definitely not the largest pistol around.
If I had to use a pistol to clear a building of bad guys, I’d be perfectly content to choose the USP as my handgun. It’s that good. In fact, when we weigh the accuracy, reliability, and lack of recoil and compare these factors to other pistols on the market currently, there aren’t any handguns that come to mind that could beat it by a wide margin.
In my opinion, that’s not bad for a pistol that was introduced in 1993.
USP Mags: The Meat and Potatoes
Interestingly, the USP magazine is made from polymer and is extremely light. One of the only metal parts on this magazine is the steel spring and the piece that sits inside the base plate where the spring contacts. Everything else is polymer and it feels as light as a feather.
Because the magazine’s follower is polymer, it really glides along, adding to the reliability. Unlike some other mags on the market (Glock), there is no metal lining inside the H&K magazine. It doesn’t seem to matter, though, since they work beautifully.
On the side of the USP magazine, it is stamped, “Made In Germany” and “9×19” for the 9mm designation. The rear of the magazine sports witness holes numbered from five through 15, which allows us to see how many bullets are left in the magazine.
The base plate can easily be taken off by pushing in a small detent and sliding it off. The bottom of the base plate is marked with the HK symbol.
The fact that these mags are polymer, which is somewhat flexible, and extremely lightweight, means they’ll be very durable. Dropping them onto hard surfaces, while never a great idea for any magazine, will be not as catastrophic as a heavier magazine.
Heckler & Koch’s 15-round magazines work perfectly and offer good capacity. I always advocate carrying at least one spare magazine to whoever is carrying an auto pistol, and I’ll always have a spare on my person.
The USP’s magazine is of sturdy construction, very lightweight, and offers good capacity. It comes in an H&K package from the factory and is 100% genuine. At the time of writing, mags list for $42.99. To me, the quality is worth it, and I’ll keep a couple of these mags on hand at all times. Couple that affordability with the reliability of a classic, German-engineered handgun, and you’re guaranteed to have an enjoyable range experience.
