Scubber Posted November 19, 2004 Share Posted November 19, 2004 New guy here. I recently finished school and now carry a HK USP Compact .40 w/ the LEM trigger for work. It has been my experience that the fastest way to learn and improve in just about any subject is to either teach it or compete in it. I am certainly not ready to teach so I am interested in competition. I am thinking of using a HK USP 9mm compact to compete in production. I have read a lot of the posts on this site and can find very little support for HK on this site. Seems like everyone uses a Sig, Glock, CZ or Para gun. I want to use the HK so that all of my muscle memory remains the same from work to competition. I don't want to have a "bobble" due to using a different gun between the two cost me at work. The 9 would be the same except for recoil and cost. The 9 should be much cheaper to operate without reloading. I'm not ready to get into that yet. Why are so few guys competing with HK's? Will I be handicaping myself to use this gun? Most folks seem to like the HK but they don't compete with it. Why? Thank you. Scubber Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDave Posted November 19, 2004 Share Posted November 19, 2004 Bring it and shoot it. It sounds like your 1st priority is to become familiar with your everyday blaster, so do that. If your priorities change and competition and placment become more important, you might consider changing equipment then. But, until then, do not concern yourself the competetion other than letting it push you and your equipment to the limit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhino Posted November 19, 2004 Share Posted November 19, 2004 I say go ahead and shoot the .40 if you want to get better with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nemo Posted November 19, 2004 Share Posted November 19, 2004 Scubber, The HK is a good gun and certainly will serve you right to compete. Hell, Petra Tutschke, Germany's Ladies Champ, as well as all the German team shooters, shoots an USP! Go for it and welcome to the game! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Moneypenny Posted November 19, 2004 Share Posted November 19, 2004 HK has not put a large marketing force to USPSA yet, when they do, a lot of shooters will be using them, i really like the gun personally. If u want to be a serious competitor a USP full size 9 would be the way to go, the compact doesn't give much sight radius and can pinch you pretty good on recoil For your first couple matches... shoot your USP 40 if you want. just make sure you bring enough mags,you can get by with about 4 mags in production 5 comes in handy providing they hold 9-10 rounds each Welcome to the board and sport! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shipster Posted November 19, 2004 Share Posted November 19, 2004 What BigDave said, shoot what you got for now worry about latter, latter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Singlestack Posted November 20, 2004 Share Posted November 20, 2004 Why are so few guys competing with HK's? Will I be handicaping myself to use this gun? Most folks seem to like the HK but they don't compete with it. Why? While I agree with everything that has been said so far you guy's arn't answering the question. The main reason you don't see HK's in competition is the bore height. While they are accurate and reliable, they are flip monsters. The double action trigger is not so great either. I started shooting IPSC with a USP 40 and it served me well for a while but I was shooting to compete, not just become more proficient with my carry weapon. As a matter of fact, I sold my USP 40 to Mr. Moneypenny. Still have it Steve? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDave Posted November 20, 2004 Share Posted November 20, 2004 The reason I quit using a USP is the (1) mag release and (2) the bore height. I started out with a USP 45 shooting L-10 and did okay with it and after an accidental discharge involving the mag release, I ponied up for the SV Limited gun I shoot now. USP's, in my opinion, are some of the best built production guns out there today. The original design was the USP 40 fullsize, which I think is a great gun. Bruce Gray, a Grand Master in this sport, shot a USP quite successfully for a couple of years. I think the other factor regarding the USP's and why we don't see more of them is the availability of parts, the cost of the magazines, and gunsmithing. At the time (3 years ago), 10 round magazines for my gun were $50 each. Only two people were doing trigger jobs (Teddy Jacobsen and Bruce Gray). I say go for it and stick with the 40. Get some Winchester white box and get silly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Moneypenny Posted November 20, 2004 Share Posted November 20, 2004 Singlestack. Actually i sold it a whle back to finance other projects... great gun though. i found HK's recoil system and aggressive checkering to make the high bore axis less pronounced. it flipped but returned very quickly. I like the mag release. i hit it with my trigger finger. done that way, it's about the fastest reloading production gun on the market. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the duck of death Posted November 21, 2004 Share Posted November 21, 2004 *QUOTE* I like the mag release. i hit it with my trigger finger. done that way, it's about the fastest reloading production gun on the market. For those who may not know the SVI can be ordered with the mag rel on the right side. (Like mine). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Moneypenny Posted November 21, 2004 Share Posted November 21, 2004 umm. the mag release on an HK is far different than the right handed releases. hard to explain if you haven't handled one, it is a lever pushed down. that mag well on the SV is a BIT big for production too :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hktoter Posted November 27, 2004 Share Posted November 27, 2004 Do it! I use my Fullsize 9mm in Production class, ended up buying a compact 40 to carry (all the same functionality just smaller). I'm planning on buying a Fullsize 40 to compete with later on when I move out of the production class. Biggest thing to to get out there, meet people, have fun and to be safe! After I pickup a fullsize 40 I think I play with my 9 a bit... Jet funnel, scope mount, match comp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Thompson Posted December 1, 2004 Share Posted December 1, 2004 USP's are basically over priced Rugers. The compact 9, the one I had, shot great and really flat but it did so because it's a big gun for so called compact. The .40's and .45's( I started IPSC with a full size .45 in 1997) do jump around in recoil like "turbo charged pogo sticks". USP's are very reliable and the factory sells a trigger upgrade. As far as the gun in question: shoot it and try everyone else's gun; when you decide based on experience that you want to go with another gun you do it then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooter Posted December 2, 2004 Share Posted December 2, 2004 Bruce Gray might have shot one for a while. John Flentz was heard saying, "Only Bruce Gray and God can shoot HK's." John shot one for about a month before giving it back. If you want to see where Bruce ranks the USP among other production guns. http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?...indpost&p=79400 If you are too lazy, out of the top 10, USP9f and Expert40 rank 9 and 10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayC Posted December 2, 2004 Share Posted December 2, 2004 Hey guys. Here's my 2 cents worth. I also shoot an HK, my choice is the 9mm fullsize USP. I have been using it for 4 years now shooting IDPA, USPSA, steel challange, etc. They are a pretty good firearm. They fit and work for me well. I have owned many different firearms trying to find something that works for me. I thought the Sigs were a pretty decent gun, but didn't care for the DA pull and the fact that I had one that didn't run, and Sig wasn't able to fix it after many trips. This isn't the case with all though, as I owned more than one and the others worked. Heck that same firearm was shooting high brand new. It was sent back to Sig and they confirmed it, guess what I had to buy a new front sight. They wouldn't replace it without me buying the sight (a new gun). I do like Sigs though, just not as a competitve gun for me. I have tried Glocks, doesn't fit me well. I guess my point is there are ups and downs to every brand. Find something that fits you well and that you can shoot. I believe it is the shooter more than the gun anyway. Give a top shooter a 500.00 gun and he'll shoot it just as well as a race gun (my opinion). I believe they are not popluar due to the trigger, the lack of interest and customer support of HK, no aftermarket for them and a lot of times getting parts from HK can be a pain, and they are an expensive firearm to get stuff for. Look around and you'll see all the top companies with sponsored shooters. Look at HK no one is home anymore. I believe that is a lack of interest and support. Just my 2 cents Jay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scubber Posted December 3, 2004 Author Share Posted December 3, 2004 Thanks for the inputs. Scubber Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skeeter Posted December 4, 2004 Share Posted December 4, 2004 i think it's the cost around here HK's got for 650 up to 800. where as glock sell for 450 to 600. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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