[CarbineKid]

I own a few pistols(Sigma, P95, Steyr M40 and a new P2K). All my guns shoot and perform flawless. So now I'm wondering what makes the HK brand so superior?

 

[dude]

As far as pistols go, that's a good question.

I think there's plenty of other better pistol manufacturers out there.

flame on but it's true.

 

[F22_RaptoR]

Because they're reliable, accurate, and last for a VERY long time.



Funny, thats not a USP in the picture, but an HK45

although im sure someone with so much experiance would have figured that out, Dude.




There is nothing wrong with glocks, sigs, beretta's, or any other make. I chose the Mark23/USP because they fit very nicely in my hands, and are very pointable for me.

I cannot stand the glocks grip angle, and i am now partial to the feel of polymer framed handguns, so i prefer the USP over the steel or allow frames of Beretta, Sig, 1911's etc...


Its a matter of personal preference. And if you think an HK handgun is not worth the cost, dont' buy them. Simple.

 

[Chris Sanchez]

Quality control and longetivity, as has been proven in my 20,000 round use and still functioned flawlessly. Though I follow proper maintenance procedures, I really abuse my USP9 Standard at the range.

 

[TexasJim]

I would seriously recamend a search on this subject. This question is old and tired. Needless to say HK's are a superior fire arm!! If you want a weapon that works first time everytime then get HK if that isn't a concern then buy what ever else. TJ

 

[jimmybuffett]

When people who don't know anything about pistols ask me what they should buy, I don't tell them a brand so much as a price point.

If you absolutely want to be in the $200-250 range, sure you can buy a cheap revolver which will work pretty much every time.

If you want semi-auto capacity and are more concerned with price than quality, spend $200-350 and get something cheap and very picky about the ammo it shoots. Likely they won't take good care of it and wonder why it jams twice per mag anyway.

If you want semi-auto capacity and good quality, you have just got to spend $450 and up. That puts you in Beretta/Glock/HK territory, which are all fantastic semi-auto pistols and will function without any problems for the most part. Take care of them and they'll treat you really well.

Once you break the $450+ price point, it's really all about fitting the gun to the person. Some individual pistols may be better for some people than others. For example, I'd never buy a Glock because (a) the grip angle feels strange, (b) the slide catch release on the side of the gun is so flat that it's practically useless, (c) I like an external hammer and (d) I don't like that pretty much any 4 year old can pick up a loaded Glock and fire it. I prefer the Taurus 92 clones to the Berettas because of the location of the Taurus' safety: down low and blocking the slide (when in safe). But again this is all my personal opinion, I tell prospective buyers to find a range that lets you rent pistols and try out a handful.

I really don't understand the Mark 23 crowd, I'm sure it's a fine weapon but damn, that's an expensive pistol. I even shot a P7M8 once...and then fortunately the PSP trade-in flood happened a month later and I got basically the same gun for half price. I wouldn't put the Kimber/Custom crowd into this group but right below it, sure you can buy a $1000 1911 clone if you want to, but the average person won't appreciate the difference.

Anything over $450 or so will function just fine for the average person, after that it's more about buying a pistol that fits you well. It might be a Glock, it might be a Beretta, it might be a HK.

 

[F22_RaptoR]

When people who don't know anything about pistols ask me what they should buy, I don't tell them a brand so much as a price point.

If you absolutely want to be in the $200-250 range, sure you can buy a cheap revolver which will work pretty much every time.

If you want semi-auto capacity and are more concerned with price than quality, spend $200-350 and get something cheap and very picky about the ammo it shoots. Likely they won't take good care of it and wonder why it jams twice per mag anyway.

If you want semi-auto capacity and good quality, you have just got to spend $450 and up. That puts you in Beretta/Glock/HK territory, which are all fantastic semi-auto pistols and will function without any problems for the most part. Take care of them and they'll treat you really well.

Once you break the $450+ price point, it's really all about fitting the gun to the person. Some individual pistols may be better for some people than others. For example, I'd never buy a Glock because (a) the grip angle feels strange, (b) the slide catch release on the side of the gun is so flat that it's practically useless, (c) I like an external hammer and (d) I don't like that pretty much any 4 year old can pick up a loaded Glock and fire it. I prefer the Taurus 92 clones to the Berettas because of the location of the Taurus' safety: down low and blocking the slide (when in safe). But again this is all my personal opinion, I tell prospective buyers to find a range that lets you rent pistols and try out a handful.

I really don't understand the Mark 23 crowd, I'm sure it's a fine weapon but damn, that's an expensive pistol. I even shot a P7M8 once...and then fortunately the PSP trade-in flood happened a month later and I got basically the same gun for half price. I wouldn't put the Kimber/Custom crowd into this group but right below it, sure you can buy a $1000 1911 clone if you want to, but the average person won't appreciate the difference.

Anything over $450 or so will function just fine for the average person, after that it's more about buying a pistol that fits you well. It might be a Glock, it might be a Beretta, it might be a HK.

I primarily got mine for the rarity/collectability, and the fact that the grip (slightly larger than the USP45) felt better in my hand.

Its a darn fun gun to shoot! A little bit more muzzle rise, far less recoil. All in all, out of all the semi-auto's i've fired so far, i still think my Mark23 is the funnest gun i've shot

 

[NonConformist]

All I know is my HK USP has NEVER malfunctioned, not in thousands of rounds so to me that is worth it.

 

[dtibbals]

Well I either own or have owned about anything worth having. What that means is any gun that I can pick up and know its going to work. That is the Smith revolvers, Glocks, Sig, Beretta 92 and lots of HK's. I only own one Glock now and for everything semi auto larger then a 22 its all HK now. I like how the HK's shoot, function and over all build quality. I have NEVER had an HK not work and I have owned lots of them in every caliber, of course each brand will have an issue now and then but I have not heard any of the mass failures with HK that we have heard with Glock. With that said I have carried Glock's, still have one but do like HK much better. You do have to pay to play with HK which does keep a lot of people from buying one when you can by a Block I mean Glock for a lot less and mags, and after market parts are all over the place for Glock. If the US Military goes with the new HK you are going to see the brand sky rocket, even if they go with the new 416 watch out. You think they are expensive now lol, plan on adding 30% to the cost of new.

 

[IDontHaveTheTrunkSpace]

Part of it is the quality of HK in general. Sure, I had a Glock and a Baby Eagle that never once malfunctioned, but when you hold the HK it just feels different. The tolerances seem more precise and the gun just feels more "nice" I guess you could say. There are other guns that are just as reliable as HK, but it just seems like HK products are so overengineered that they would last above and beyond the rest.

I'm sure part of it is the name as well. Most $40,000 Volvos or Audis are just as reliable and well put together as a $60,000 BMW, so why the extra cost? Sure one might have some bells and whistles the others dont, but in the end, you still pay a little extra for name alone. But, thats one of those things that comes with the package when you are one of the most highly regarded figures in the industry.

I dont think that HK is leaps and bounds above some of these other gun companies, but at the same time, your money is getting you one of the best guns on the market.

 

[F22_RaptoR]

Part of it is the quality of HK in general. Sure, I had a Glock and a Baby Eagle that never once malfunctioned, but when you hold the HK it just feels different. The tolerances seem more precise and the gun just feels more "nice" I guess you could say. There are other guns that are just as reliable as HK, but it just seems like HK products are so overengineered that they would last above and beyond the rest.

I'm sure part of it is the name as well. Most $40,000 Volvos or Audis are just as reliable and well put together as a $60,000 BMW, so why the extra cost? Sure one might have some bells and whistles the others dont, but in the end, you still pay a little extra for name alone. But, thats one of those things that comes with the package when you are one of the most highly regarded figures in the industry.

I dont think that HK is leaps and bounds above some of these other gun companies, but at the same time, your money is getting you one of the best guns on the market.

Theres the difference. I know a guy, who's dad owns a BMW M6.

He's had it for over 20 years, and the only thing that currently needs replacing, is the air speed sensor for the cruise-controll


Most of todays cars have MAJOR problems in 10-12 years (as my parents old van had to have the engine seals replaced after 120,000 KM kilometers... would have been 2000 dollars)

 

[sfguard]

Sounds like F22 raptor have sumed it up pretty well for someone that can't tell the difference between a HK45 and a USP. Troll on!

 

[Baldy]

I Know

I don't know if HK's are SUPERIOR, which would mean better than any others. HK are at least as good as the best of them. I have heard of failures of other peoples guns, many costing way more than I ever paid for an HK. I have never had any kind of failure with any of my HK pistols. I too have other brands of firearms, but I choose to carry HK pistols, for a few reasons:
1) Reliability. One of the most important features of a handgun is Reliability.
2) Fit. One of the most important features of a handgun is the fit to the user.
3) Reliability. Yes, I said it twice, because that is how important it is.
4) Personal preference. Cannot explain why, but I like it. Just like Ford vs. Chevy, Ferrari vs. Porsche, etc.
I try not to be snobbish about guns. I have seen lots of people that are, so that is a lesson in itself. I drive a 12 year old Chevy truck, and I can afford a new one or a BMW or Benz but choose not to, because I don't need it, and I actually like my 12 year old truck.

 

[MONEY]

Theres the difference. I know a guy, who's dad owns a BMW M6.

He's had it for over 20 years, and the only thing that currently needs replacing, is the air speed sensor for the cruise-controll


Most of todays cars have MAJOR problems in 10-12 years (as my parents old van had to have the engine seals replaced after 120,000 KM kilometers... would have been 2000 dollars)

I do not think comparing longivity of cars to guns is a good comparison. Higher dollar cars are more likely to be taken care of compared to cheaper cars so logically they will be on the road longer & high performance cars like the V8 Z28 do not have a long life because they are usually beat the hell out of or are wrecked. As far as longevity goes I would put a Lexus against a BMW or Mercedes any day of the week if treated the same while if something did break the BMW or Mercedes would cost probably at least double to triple to fix. Now I do agree that German cars have superior fit & finish compared to American cars & most import cars like the paint jobs are very nice with no orange peel & the fit of the gaps betwen the places like the trunk & fenders are spaced correctly.
Now as far as HK goes I think the Germans take great pride in their work & design which has allowed them to make some of the best firearms in the world. My favorite handguns are definetly HK because I like the feel of the grip , the trigger , overall look & reliability but I would still feel safe carring a Glock or a SIG & I do not think all 1911,s jam like some one minded HK snobs do. If you open my safes most of my hand guns & rifles are HK but I will never be the person who says if it says HK it must be the best & nothing else compares because that would make me the typical HK snob.

 

[F22_RaptoR]

I do not think comparing longivity of cars to guns is a good comparison. Higher dollar cars are more likely to be taken care of compared to cheaper cars so logically they will be on the road longer & high performance cars like the V8 Z28 do not have a long life because they are usually beat the hell out of or are wrecked. As far as longevity goes I would put a Lexus against a BMW or Mercedes any day of the week if treated the same while if something did break the BMW or Mercedes would cost probably at least double to triple to fix. Now I do agree that German cars have superior fit & finish compared to American cars & most import cars like the paint jobs are very nice with no orange peel & the fit of the gaps betwen the places like the trunk & fenders are spaced correctly.
Now as far as HK goes I think the Germans take great pride in their work & design which has allowed them to make some of the best firearms in the world. My favorite handguns are definetly HK because I like the feel of the grip , the trigger , overall look & reliability but I would still feel safe carring a Glock or a SIG & I do not think all 1911,s jam like some one minded HK snobs do. If you open my safes most of my hand guns & rifles are HK but I will never be the person who says if it says HK it must be the best & nothing else compares because that would make me the typical HK snob.

Yes, cars Vs. Guns is a a big stretch for a comparison, but for some people its the best way to get the point accross.

I do like 1911's except for the grip being too skinny for me (STI's are very nice, with the double stack magazines with semi-polymer grip, i do not mind them one bit! )

 

[N6ATF]

I'm fully ready to say to anyone who calls the USP too expensive, oh really? Less than $50 more than a Glock 21? Because that's how much I paid.

 

[jpgeorge]

P9S45, P7M8, Benelli M1S90 and SR9TC.
~$6800
-These are HK.

Colt 1911, Glock 19, Remmington 11-87 and M1A.
~$3000
-These will work all day, every day.


Knowing this, I would rather have the HK's. It's a $3800 preference. Either you understand or you don't. There's no convincing.

JPG

 

[madmike]

HK guns perform

I only had experience with one HK handgun an early mod USP 40.Boy did it suck.Terrible trigger pull and the safety kept coming off while holstering.Among numerous other problems.Now the long guns are fantastic.I imagine any of the guns other than the USP are superb.:27:

 

[alayank]

flame on but it's true.

Oh, yeah. Just ask Indiana State Police. Or Indianapolis PD. Or Anchorage. Or Amarillo. Or that department in Jersey...

 

[jpgeorge]

MadMike,

You must have got a bad one. Of all of the HK pistols that I have shot, I can count the number of malfunctions on one hand. My USP9F is going on 10,000 rounds. It has jammed something like three time. That was using lead and not having cleaned the gun in a year. Carbon built up near the extractor. I cleaned it and have shot it for the past year (~1440 rounds) without a stoppage.

I broke my P7M8 extractor. I am still at zero malfunction with it.


JPG