gun scans

[Jae]

Well, those scans that were referred to- are linked in my post towards the bottom of page 3 in teh weapons info thread in the FMP forum.

If someone who isn't as lazy as I am wants to repost the links here, I'd be happy not having to do it myself

[HELLFIRE]

here
2nd one
3rd one
4th one

I presume these were the ones Jae? Guess us gunbunnies
have some work to do to look up specs on them. Sorries all
I haven't had time lately to rewatch FMP to dig up stuff for
this section




-Regards all

[Jae]

Yep :)

Thanks for doing that!

Hopefully I'll be able to pull the scanner out of storage to get some more

[HELLFIRE]

Walther WA 2000 sniper rifle
IOC: 1981
Cartridge: .300 Winchester Magnum
Weight: 8.3 kg / 18lb 5oz
Length: 905mm / 35"
Barrel Length: 650mm / 26"
Magazine: 6rds

Notes: Highly accurate, but this is paid for by the fact it's more
suited to police, security and anti-terrorist use than the rough
and tumble of the field.

...BTW, which ep did this appear in?

[HELLFIRE]

HK USP
IOC: 1993
Caliber: .40 S&W, 9mm Parabellum, .45ACP (Special Ops)
Weight (w/o magazine): 1.74lbs (.40) / 1.66lbs (9mm) / 1.9lbs(.45)
Length: 7.64" (.40, 9mm) / 7.87" (.45)
Barrel Length: 4.25" (.40, 9mm) / 4.41" (.45)
Magazine: 12rds STD, 15rds EXT *thx Katyusha*

Glock 26
IOC: 1995
Caliber: 9mm x19
Weight (w/o magazine): 560g / 19.75oz
Length:
Barrel Length: 88mm / 3.46"
Magazine: 10rds

FN P90 Personal Defense Weapon
IOC:
Caliber: 5.7mm x28
Weight: 2.5kg / 5.9lbs
Length: 500mm / 19.7"
Barrel Length:
Magazine: 50 rds *thx StromCrow*

S&W M49
IOC:
Caliber: .38 Special
Weight:
Length:
Barrel Length:
Magazine: 5rds

Notes: comes in blue carbon steel

[Katyusha]

Walther WA 2000 sniper rifle
IOC: 1981
Cartridge: .300 Winchester Magnum
Weight: 8.3 kg / 18lb 5oz
Length: 905mm / 35"
Barrel Length: 650mm / 26"
Magazine: 6rds

Notes: Highly accurate, but this is paid for by the fact it's more
suited to police, security and anti-terrorist use than the rough
and tumble of the field.

...BTW, which ep did this appear in?

Ep 11 and 12.

[StromCrow3000]

The FN P90 holds 50 rounds of 5.7mm SS190 ammo

[Katyusha]

On the HK USP, the standard Magazine comes with 12 rounds. There are extended magazines that can hold up to 15.

[HELLFIRE]

Edited, thanks both of you for filling the gaps.

[HELLFIRE]

Found info on the TPH in Jae's scan:


Walther PP, PPK, PPK/S, TPH (pocket pistols)
IOC: 1969 (TPH)
Cartridge: .22 LR (TPH), also available in 6.35mm, 7.65mm
or 9mm Short (.380 ACP)
Weight: 568g / 20oz
Length: 155mm / 6"
Barrel Length: 86mm
Magazine: 7 rounds
Notes:
- banned from import into the USA as a "Saturday Night Special"
(unsporting handgun, to put it another way) by the Gun Control Act of
1968, except for import for sale to military or law enforcement.
- rather popular as a backup or deep concealment gun with law
enforcement.
- PPK model popularized by 'James Bond' character played by Sean
Connery and Roger Moore *not sure if George Lazenby or Timothy
Dalton used it as well*

[Lord_Satorious]

OK, I have a lot of information for these guns, but should I post just the specifications on them, or do you want some really long descriptions as well? Ask and you shall recieve.

[Taurec]

Both.
One for the gunbunny in a hurry and one for the bunny with alot of time.

[HELLFIRE]

@Lord_Satorious
Post whatever ya got! The more info the merrier!




Regards

[Lord_Satorious]

Alright, you asked for it;

---------------------------

When Heckler & Koch introduced the USP in 1993, it marked the first time HK chose to incorporate many traditional handgun design elements in one of its pistols. The HK P7 with its unique cocking mechanism and gas system, the precise roller locked bolt of the P9S, and even the simple, double action only VP70Z all qualify as innovative, on-the-edge designs. So when HK crossed into the mainstream with the USP, two principles guided its development - the first being the use of advanced materials and engineering technology, the second being the creation of a "pistol paradigm", that is a pistol better than all those existing now or in the past.
So it should come as no surprise that Heckler & Koch should look to a number of the successful pistols of the past and the present for inspiration in developing the HK USP. John Browning's design for the Government Model is one of the most successful pistols ever produced. Its advantages are well known - reliability, accuracy, dependable stopping power. Many pistols claim these virtues but few combine them as well as the Model 1911. American input during the design phase of the USP was considerable. The controls and many of the pistol's features were directly influenced by American favorites like the Model 1911. And like the Model 1911, the USP can be safely carried "cocked and locked".

The USP control lever, a combination safety and decocking lever, is frame mounted and quickly accessible unlike the slide mounted safeties common on many pistols. The control lever has positive stops and returns to the "fire" position after decocking. The control lever functions can be modified by a certified HK armorer; making one pistol easily "convertible" into any of the nine different USP variants.

Using a modified Browning-type action with a special patented HK recoil reduction system, the USP is built to take the punishment of the most powerful +P loads. The HK USP is currently available in three calibers: .40 Smith & Wesson, 9mm Parabellum, and most recently added, .45 ACP.

The USP .45 was developed in the shadow of HK's work on the Special Operations Pistol (known officially as the MK 23, MOD 0), the.45 ACP handgun designed by Heckler & Koch for the US Special Operations Command. The frame and slide of the USP .45 are slightly larger than those found on the USP40 and USP9, demonstrating its close kinship to the special operations gun.

The polymer frame of the USP was designed using technical experience gained by HK engineers in the development of the world's first composite material pistols. An almost identical high-strength/corrosion-free material is used in the .45 ACP Special Operations Pistol. Both the USP and the Special Operations Pistol make extensive use of high-strength polymers and both pistols evolved out of the same desion philosophy - to create a technologically superior handgun. It is worth noting that work on the USP began well before the US Government issued its requirement for the Special Operations Pistol. Nevertheless, design, engineering, and testing overlapped and both programs continue to influence each other.

Major metal components on both the USP and Special Operations Pistol are also corrosion resistant. Outside metal surfaces like the one-piece machined steel slide are protected by an extremely hard, nitro-gas carburized black oxide finish. Interal metal parts, including springs, are coated with a special Dow Corning anticorrosion process that reduces friction and wear.

Choice of Nine Different Control Arrangements

By using a modular approach to the internal components, the control functions of the HK USP can be switched from the left to the right side of the pistol for left handed shooters. The USP can also be converted from one type of trigger/firing mode to another. This includes combination double-action and single-action (DA/SA) modes and double action only modes. This gives a shooter the widest choice of control arrangements. The USP can be modified into virtually any firing mode imaginable. Currently, the USP is available in nine different trigger/firing mode configurations.

Variants I and 2 allow the user to carry the pistol in a single-action mode (cocked and locked) with the manual safety engaged. This same pistol, without modification, can be carried in double-action mode, with or without the manual safety engaged. Variants 3 and 4 provide the user with a frame-mounted decocking lever that does not have the "safe" position. This combination only allows the hammer to be lowered from SA position to DA position. It does not provide the "safe" position to prevent the pistol from firing when the trigger is pulled. For the double action only user, variants 5, 6, and 7 of the USP operate as double action only pistols with a bobbed hammer always returning to the DA position (forward) after each shot is fired. To fire each shot, the trigger must be pulled through the smooth DA trigger pull. Variants 5 and 6 have a manual safety lever. No control lever is provided on variant 7. Variants 9 and 10 allow the shooter to carry the pistol in a single-action mode (cocked and locked) with the manual safety engaged. This same pistol, without modification, can be carried in double-action mode (hammer down), with or without the manual safety engaged. The single action mode offers a second strike/double action capability in case of a misfire. The control lever has no decocking function on variants 9 and 10.

In addition to a wide selection of trigger/firing modes, the USP has an ambidextrous magazine release lever that is shielded by the trigger guard from inadvertent actuation. The rear of the USP grip is stepped, and combined with the tapered magazine well, makes magazine changes fast and precise. Finger recesses in the grip frame also aid in magazine removal. On 9mm and.40 caliber USPs, magazines are constructed of an extremely tough stainless steel reinforced polymer. Magazines on the USP.45 are all metal. All USP magazines will drop free of the pistol frame when the magazine release is actuated. Also, the HK USP does not have a magazine lockout feature. You can still fire a chambered round even with the magazine removed. An extended slide release lever is positioned to allow easy operation without changing the grip of the shooting hand.

Less Felt Recoil With the USP Recoil Reduction System

One of the most important unique design features of the HK USP is the mechanical recoil reduction system. This system is incorporated into the recoil/buffer spring assembly located below the barrel. Designed primarily to buffer the slide and barrel and reduce recoil effects on the pistol components, the system also lowers the recoil forces felt by the shooter. The USP recoil reduction system is insensitive to ammunition types and requires no special adjustment or maintenance. It functions effectively in all USP models. Using this same recoil reduction system, one of the HK.45 ACP Special Operations Pistols fired more than 30,000 +P cartridges and 6,000 proof loads without damage to any major components.

Abuse and function testing of USP's have seen more than 24,000 rounds fired without a component failure. In fact, this design testing and production evaluation mania of Heckler & Koch engineers is legendary. The HK USP is one of the most thoroughly tested and perfected pistols ever introduced by Heckler & Koch. When the initial design process began more than six years ago, HK engineers already had a large reserve of technical knowledge to draw from.

HK Has Wide Experience with Polymers

Heckler & Koch pioneered the use of high strength polymers with the P9S and the VP70Z, two pistols designed in the late 1960s. These designs, as well as extensive use of synthetics on HK military rifles and submacbine guns, demonstrated the "promise of plastics" in durability and cost-effective manufacturing. And while all-steel P7 series pistols were the principle handgun product of Heckler & Koch throughout the 1980s, HK's continued interest in polymer technology was evident in several prototype firearms developed during this period.

When development work on the USP began in 1990, HK experimented with several polymer compounds. But only one, an advanced injection molded polyamide, met the standards of the HK design team. Injection molded polyamides are super industrial-strength plastics known for their resistance to high temperatures, wear, chemicals, and radiation. They are lighter than steel, corrosion resistant, and have a higher tensile strength than aluminum. Reinforced with microscopic glass fibers, the USP polyamide is dimensionally more stable than many polymers used by other manufacturers. Dimensional stability is an important factor to ensure pins and other critical parts are held securely. The frame of the USP is also steel reinforced to provide additional strength and aid in giving the pistol a proper weight and balance.

Tough Military Standards Used in USP Tests

The testing process of the USP, already extreme, exceeded strict NATO AC-225 Military Specification Standards and in many ways mirrors the regimen the HK Special Operations Pistol was subjected to by US Government testers. The barrel of the USP is cold-hammer forged from a high-grade chromium steel - the same type of steel used in cannon barrels. For increased velocity and longer barrel life, all USP barrels now have a polygonal profile. During testing, a bullet was deliberately lodged in a USP barrel. Another cartridge was then fired into the obstructing bullet. The second bullet cleared the barrel, resulting in a barely noticeable bulge. The pistol was then fired for accuracy and the resulting group measured less than 2 1/2 inches at 25 meters.

Other less destructive tests reveal much about USP reliability and durability. Function testing a wide selection of ammunition types, one test gun fired more than 10,000 rounds without a single malfunction. That means no stovepipes, no failures to feed or eject; no jams! Endurance firing of test samples has passed 24,000 rounds of high performance .40 S&W ammunition without any parts failures. Severe temperature tests required the USP be frozen at -44°F (-42°C) and then fired, frozen again, quickly heated to 153 F° (67°C), and then fired again. These temperature spectrum tests were continually repeated with no adverse effects on the USP.

Demanding NATO Mil-Spec mud and rain tests were conducted, again with the USP passing without difficulty. Water immersion and salt spray also presented no problems to the USP. Outside metal surfaces of the USP are covered with an extremely hard nitro-gas carburized and black oxidized finish. Interal metal parts are coated with a special Dow-Corning© process that reduces friction and wear. Both the intemal and exteral finishes have proved to be especially corrosion resistant. For more than two years, German Navy combat divers have used the same process on weapons parts without any signs of rust or corrosion.

Safety testing exceeded the ANSI/SAAMI requirements adopted in May 1990. These included dropping a USP with a primed cartridge and decocked hammer on a variety of hard surfaces without discharging. The USP easily surpassed these commercial requirements, as well as tough German Army and police tests including repeated drop tests from six feet, hammer first, onto a steel backed concrete slab. Proof round firing resulted in no cracks, deformations, or increase in head space. Attempts to fire the USP pistol with an unlocked breech proved impossible.

HK firearms are known worldwide for their accuracy. Testing with a variety of ammunition proved the USP meets these high standards. The HK patented recoil reduction system, a mechanical dual spring buffering device, is another feature common to the USP and the HK Special Operations Pistol. During the USP testing phase, HK engineers discovered this innovative unit reduces the peak force acting on the USP grip to less than 300 Newtons (66 pounds). Peak force shock on competing .40 caliber polymer and metal framed pistols climbed to more than 5000 Newtons (1,102 pounds). The primary benefit of low peak shock is a decrease in wear and tear on pistol components, a great concern with the powerful +P cartridge in 9mm, 40 S&W. and.45 ACP. Reduction of peak shock forces also contributes to softer recoil for the shooter, although these "felt recoil" values are much more subjective.

Even after the commercial introduction of the USP in 1993, testing and product improvement have continued. USP test pistols have already fired more than 24,000 rounds of.40 caliber ammunition without any component failures. Heckler & Koch engineers are set to surpass the standard set by the HK Special Operations Pistol of 30,000 rounds. The USP project demonstrates a simple, guiding principle of Heckler & Koch engineering; form follows function. All HK pistols are designed and manufactured to meet the operational requirements of the most demanding users.


HK USP9
USP9 Technical Specifications

Caliber 9mm
Operating System Short recoil, modified
Browning action
Ammunition Feed Staggered magazines;
10-round capacity
Sights Fixed, 3-dot
Barrel length 4.25 inches
Overall length 7.64 inches
Height 5.35 inches
Weight: with empty
magazine 1.66 pounds

HK USP 40
USP40 Technical Specifications

Caliber .40 S&W
Operating System Short recoil, modified
Browning action
Ammunition Feed Staggered magazines;
10-round capacity
Sights Fixed, 3-dot
Barrel length 4.25 inches
Overall length 7.64 inches
Height 5.35 inches
Weight: with empty
magazine 1.74 pounds

[Lord_Satorious]

HK Universal Service Pistol
by Massad Ayoob

USP45 UTL. A combination of six letters and two numerals that stand for a lot: Universal Service Pistol, caliber .45 ACP, with Universal Tactical Light. Heckler & Koch's USP has been at the forefront of the plastic-framed handgun market in terms of functional technology since its introduction. The USP was designed to compete with the enormously popular Glock in terms of both construction materials and pricing.

Unlike the Glock, you can "have it your way" with a choice of USP fire control modes. Left hand or right hand operation. Double-action first shot, double-action every shot, or single-action "cocked and locked" for every shot. The standard model, called Variant One, can be carried in your choice of cocked and locked or double-action mode for the first round, with the same ergonomic, frame-mounted lever serving as both thumb safety and decocker.

The USP comes in two frame sizes: standard and large. The standard frame is available in 9mm or.40 S&W caliber, the large frame in .45 ACP. An even larger version of the latter in the same caliber won the SOCOM contract, and (except for the sound suppressor) you can buy the same gun as the Special Operations Command did, though why you'd want the extra size without the suppressor instead of the regular USP45 I can't imagine. Perhaps a collector would want a Mk. 23, as the "USP on steroids" is officially called.

Crime Bill Gun

The USP45 was introduced in 1995. The Crime Bill was already in effect, and the 13-round magazines for which it was designed would be sold only to police and military. A legal 10-round magazine was enough. I got a couple of USPs to test, wrote them up for both police and civilian magazines, and liked them so much that I bought one of them to keep.

Both were equipped with the UTL, the quick-to-mount Universal Tactical Light that fits any USP. This is one of the two best "white light" attachments for a handgun I've ever seen. The other is by Laser Products. Comparison is inevitable. The Laser Products unit seems brighter, and I find it a little quicker to operate. It can be removed from the gun, but is not "quick-detachable," and can be operated ambidextrously and with a pressure switch mounted to the grip panel. It's pretty big. You wouldn't even try to carry it concealed on the pistol.

HK's own modular UTL is activated by a toggle switch that rides ahead of the trigger guard. It's not quite so handy in operation as the aftermarket Laser Products light. On the other hand, it's a lot smaller. It's also quick to attach and remove.

This means that you can use the same pistol for carry without the light and for bedside protection with the UTL in place. That makes a lot of sense for a lot of folks. Separated from the gun, the UTL can be used as a powerful flashlight by itself, and its square bottom allows you to set it somewhere and move away from the area you've left lit up. This means you can use it as a workman's light, or strategically, to illuminate a given area that you are covering from a barricade a safe distance away. That versatility is particularly useful for a cop in the field.

Target Identification

For the officer who is allowed to carry the USP, the UTL makes enormous sense - not permanently mounted on the pistol but in a pocket or glove box. There it functions as a spare flashlight and alternative tactical device as well as a potential gun-mounted source of white light during an entry, a premises search or a manhunt. This latter application has always made more sense to me than a laser sight: it can blind an opponent and, perhaps most important, it can identify your target, something no red dot of any kind can do. For the private citizen with a carry permit, this means the USP can do double duty: carry iron when you're out and about and a white light home defense pistol when you're back in the abode.

SOCOM Connection

My previous tests in 1995 confirmed for the standard USP what the military had found with the SOCOM version. This pistol is engineered to take huge amounts of hot ammo! The Mk. 23 SOCOM pistol was amazingly reliable with tens of thousands of Winchester's military-only +P 185 grain .45 load at about 1,150 fps and it was match-accurate.

The USP has one feature the SOCOM gun doesn't- it's remarkably light for its caliber and capacity. The HK USP45 has been in the field for a couple of years now, and I'm gratified to see my predictions fulfilled. It has earned a reputation for accuracy, reliability and user-friendliness. I've seen a lot of these guns go through Lethal Force Institute courses. I don't recall seeing a USP malfunction. Students who use them generally place among the highest on the final live-fire qualification courses.

Tale Of Five Guns

I've monitored five USP .45 experiences in particular. Several commonalities are noted among them. USP number one was one of a pair of test guns shipped to me by HK. I took it overseas where some clients wanted to try it out during an LFI class. It went through well over 1,000 assorted rounds. malfunctioning only on some strange and nondescript European .45 ACP ammo that wouldn't work in most other .45s, either. It was very accurate and fed even the widest mouth American hollowpoints. I sent it back only because I couldn't afford to buy two of them.

Gun number two was the second test, gun, and this one I did keep. For some time it was my bedside pistol with a UTL attached. It was ultimately replaced in that function by a customized Beretta 9mm with a 20 round magazine and Laser Products light attached. That was, however, a dedicated home defense weapon performing that single function. Had I been new to guns instead of having built a collection over the years, the USP45 with detachable Universal Tactical Light would have been my hands-down choice for one gun that could perform both carry chores outside, and the home defense function.

It came with factory installed Tru-Dot night sights that worked and shot fine with target pistol accuracy and made it easy for me to find the pistol in the dark when awakened from deep sleep. This pistol has never jammed in probably 3,000 rounds of all kinds of .45 ACP fired by me and my students.

Number three belongs to Greg Henderson, a gunshop owner in northern New Hampshire. A big man, Greg has no problem concealing this large frame pistol, and he not only carries it daily (in double-action mode, for civil liability reasons), but takes advantage of the cocked-and-locked mode to shoot it in IPSC matches and beat an amazing number of competitors who have tricked out 1911 pistols. Greg was top shot in his LFI class against tough competition with his unmodified USP.

He has sold many of them to his customers, whom he reports are equally enthusiastic. One of his customers once said to him accusingly, "You sold that big HK .45 to a woman?" Greg laughs, "He came on like I'd sold alcohol to a little kid. I told him, 'Bud, you ought to see that woman shoot that USP! "' Greg has put many thousands of handloaded and factory .45 rounds through his USP, and doesn't recall a single malfunction.

USP number four belongs to New Hampshire state legislator Debbie Morris who has become enamored of the USP. An HK fan who usually carries a P7M8 for its compactness, Debbie likes the UTL on her .45 for home defense and for in the car.

"When you come home to a dark house at night, it's comforting," she noted. Although she's only 5'4" tall with proportionally short fingers, she finds that she can work the trigger easily in double action mode. "It's very controllable and enjoyable to shoot, with the usual accuracy, quality, and reliability I expect from HK," she says. The USP she uses is into a four-figure count of rounds fired with no malfunctions of any kind, factory or reloads.

Gun number five belongs to Lee Whittier, a private citizen in Vermont. "I tried every pistol I could get my hands on before I bought my USP," she told me. "I liked how easy it was to manipulate the slide, and how good the trigger was. I've been taught how to clear malfunctions, but I haven't needed to do that yet." At 5'7" and 125 pounds, Lee has no problem carrying her big .45 concealed. She shot steady 90 percent scores with it in her LFI class. "I like the idea of the UTL," she adds, "and I might get one for home defense use."

Note that among the above experiences we see the common threads of user friendliness, accuracy, performance on demand under pressure, extreme reliability and the desirability of the UTL option. Notice also that people find a way to conceal a light, high capacity pistol that they totally trust their lives to, even though it may be large in dimensions.

Downside

I've seen very few problems with the .45 caliber USPS. One dealer noted that he had three magazines that began to separate at the back welds after a lot of use, but that seems to be an isolated complaint, which would indicate one small batch of mags.

The Tru-Dot front night sight on Debbie's gun started coming loose during a 400-round John Famam course; she staked it back into place herself and had no further problems.

I managed to kill the UTL on the number one test gun mentioned above while in Europe. I'm not sure what happened: it stopped working and everything went smoky black on the inside. However, I'd been carrying it on the gun, both concealed inside the waistband and in the breast pocket of a heavy leather jacket (try that with any other flashlight mounted to a pistol; the flat, compact profile of the UTL made it just barely possible) and we'd been kicking the hell out of the light-mounted pistol in field exercises in very nasty weather. I just sent the dead UTL back to HK with the live test pistol, and neglected to ask the company to analyze what went wrong. My other UTL is still running fine on routinely changed batteries.

Bottom Line

HK's USP is an excellent pistol, earning top marks for accuracy and reliability. Its double-action pull is good, its single-action pull is great. It is extremely weight-to-firepower effective, and it's a damn good buy. The Universal Tactical Light makes a lot of sense, and it's the only pistol available from the gun manufacturer with this desirable option.

By the time you read this, the USP45 will be available in both stainless steel upper structure and "compact" mode. The UTL will still work on both. The new versions will make a fine gun even better, and the only possible icing on the cake would be if the magazine ban could be repealed, bringing its magazine capacity up from an admittedly-adequate "10+1" rounds of .45 ACP to the even more reassuring "12+1" rounds that this fine pistol was designed to hold - the better to protect the decent people HK designed this system to serve.



USP45 Technical Specifications

Caliber .45 ACP
Operating System Short recoil, modified
Browning action
Ammunition Feed Staggered magazines;
10-round capacity
Sights Fixed, 3-dot
Barrel length 4.41 inches
Overall length 7.87 inches
Height 5.55 inches
Weight: with empty
magazine 1.90 pounds


first published in the 1997 Combat Annual edition of Guns Magazine

----------------------------------

HK USP Compact
The HK USP Compact is a small-frame pistol capable of firing the most powerful catridges in 9mm, .40 S&W and .45 ACP. Based on the full-size USP models, these handy pistols combine compact size with optimum effective shooting performance.
USP Compacts are smaller and lighter than large-frame USPs. The reduction in trigger reach and grip circumference increases concealability and enhances shooting ergonomics. Unlike some subcompact semiautomatic pistols that use a difficult to shoot "two-finger grip" frame, the USP Compact uses a narrow, full-hand grip frame with a choice of interchangable extended or flush-fitting magazine floorplates. This makes the pistol easy to shoot without sacrificing concealability.

Like their large frame predecessors, USP Compacts are designed with the demanding needs of the American shooter in mind. Using a modified linkless Browning-type action, the USP Compact is built to take the punishment of high-energy +P loads.

To reduce the length of the slide and barrel on the USP Compact, the mechanical recoil reduction system found on the large frame USPs has been by a specially designed flat compression spring contained in the captive recoil spring assembly by a polymer absorber bushing. Service life is still engineered to exceed 20,000 rounds.

Simple to maintain, the USP Compact is a reliable, safe, accurate and highly concealable pistol.



USP Compact Specifications

Caliber 9mm .40 S&W .45 ACP
Operating System Short recoil, modified Browning action
Magazine capacity 10/13 10/12 8
Sights Fixed 3-dot
Barrel length 3.58" 3.58" 3.80"
Overall length 6.81" 6.81" 7.09
Height 5.00" 5.00" 5.06"
Weight: with empty
magazine 1.47 lb. 1.53 lb. 1.60 lb.

----------------------------------

HK USP45 MATCH
Based on the functional lines of the USP, the USP Match is designed and manufactured to achieve top class accuracy. The USP Match pistol approaches the precision found on the Mark 23 by adding a special barrel weight system, extended target barrel, adjustable trigger, and target sights to the USP .45 ACP.
USP Match pistols use the same patented recoil reduction system found on the full-frame USP and the Mark 23. When the pistol is fired, the impulse of the reaward-traveling barrel and slide are effectively buffered, eliminating the direct transmission of recoil forces to the pistol's frame and the shooter's hand.

An innovative design feature found on both the Mark 23 and the USP Match pistol is a high-temperature rubber O-ring that seals and centers the barrel in the slide until the barrel is unlocked by the slide's rearward movement. The O-ring has a significant effect on accuracy, lasts more than 20,000 rounds, and can be replaced without tools in seconds.



USP45 MATCH Technical Specifications

Caliber .45 ACP
Operating System Short recoil, modified
Browning action
Ammunition Feed Staggered magazines;
10-round capacity
Sights 3-dot
Barrel length 6.02 inches
Overall length 9.45 inches
Height 5.90 inches
Weight: with empty
magazine 2.38 pounds

----------------------------------

HK USP45 TACTICAL
An enhanced version of the USP45, the Tactical is designed for users who need the features found on the Mark 23, but in a smaller and more affordable pistol. The USP45 Tactical pistol approaches the precision found on the Mark 23 by adding an extended threaded barrel with rubber O-ring, adjustable trigger and target sights to the USP45.


USP45 TACTICAL Technical Specifications

Caliber .45 ACP
Operating System Short recoil, modified
Browning action
Ammunition Feed Staggered magazines;
10-round capacity
Sights Adjustable target
Barrel length 4.92 inches
Overall length 8.64 inches
Height 5.90 inches
Weight: with empty
magazine 2.24 pounds

----------------------------------

Bump in the Night, on Goes the Light
by Jim Schatz
Many Americans keep firearms in their homes for the purpose of protection from the criminal element that preys on the unwary. No longer can you feel safe inside the security of your home. Assaults too often come at night, while you are asleep in your darkened home. As real as this threat is, there are other dangers of employing a firearm in a home for protection, especially at night. That threat comes against the very family members we strive to protect. It is unfortunate, but all too often we hear of individuals being shot by other family members, mistaken for a burglar or rapist. These accidental shootings are heartbreaking but many could easily be prevented.
Many Americans choose the right firearm for in-home protection but fail to outfit that weapon properly for its intended use. The firearm must be outfitted for safe use 24 hours a day and special consideration must be given for its use during darkness. How many readers have a working flashlight as easily accessible as that handgun or shotgun by the bed? Fewer still have that light actually attached to the weapon itself, where it should be.

Generally, in the event of an intrusion in our home many of us envision turning on the hall or bedroom light to see the intruder. In most cases this provides the homeowner little in the way of an advantage over the intruder. The intruder may be between you and the light switch. Turning on a light in your room with the intruder in the hall will only help to illuminate you and not the subject lurking uninvited in your home.

The advantages of mounting a light on your home protection firearm provides many advantages when you need them most. Remember, the intruder will have the advantage initially. He will be entering your home on his terms. You may be asleep and thus disoriented when awakened by movement in the house. His eyes will already be accustomed to the low or nonexistent lighting. If he has a weapon it will certainly be poised for immediate use.

A flashlight attached to the weapon will provide you with an immediate source of light as quickly as you can put your hand on the weapon. This will save you precious moments when the intruder may be only a few feet away down the hallway. The light provides immediate illumination in the area you are in and thus reorientation from the darkness and clarification of the circumstances of the moment.

The light, when mounted on handgun, allows the individual to keep one hand free to perform tasks such as dialing the telephone, opening or closing a door or removing a safety lock from the pistol. A common tactic inside a structure is for the intruder to wait behind a door or around a corner and grasp the barrel of the long gun from the side as you enter that space, wrestling the weapon from your grasp using the leverage gained from the Iong barrel. A pistol can be held close to the body and does not broadcast your arrival into that area before you can see the intruder lurking in the shadows.

A handgun fitted with a light module makes alignment of the light and pistol far easier than using a separate flash light. This skill requires practice and coordination that is not required when the light is an integral part of the weapon itself. To illuminate the dark figure in the home, modern high powered flash lights attached to the firearm need not be pointed directly at the individual for identification. "Bouncing" the light off the floor, ceiling or walls will provide more than enough illumination to clearly see who the person is and their intentions at that moment. Bouncing the light off the room is key to the safety of the individual awash within the light itself, especially when that individual is a family member returning unexpectedly from a business trip.

Once the individual is identified as a threat, then and only then should the light beam, and the attached firearm, be pointed directly at the subject. There is sufficient light produced by modern flashlights mounted on a weapon to allow easy alignment of the sights against the illuminated target.

Most importantly, a light affixed to the weapon directly will not only illuminate the intruder but it will also disorientate him by temporarily blinding him. The intruder may also feel less threatened, and therefore less dangerous, not knowing that behind that brilliant ball of light is a loaded firearm in competent hands. You have turned the lighting conditions in the home to your favor and against the intruder.

In addition, this light, if easily removable from the weapon, can be used in an emergency situation or if the electricity in the home is out. The detached light can be used to chase the local pesky cat or raccoon from the trash can in the back yard or to assist you in dialing for help on the telephone. The uses of this light at home, or while carrying that same firearm away from the home, are limitless.

Many people have mounted visible red lasers and/or tritium night sights on their home protection firearm, feeling these accessories have enhanced the usefulness of the weapon. While these items are useful under some situations, they can be dangerous when used for home protection, simply because lasers and tritium sights provide no illumination of the taraet. They only provide a means to align the weapon on the figure during periods of limited visibility, a potentially fatal fault that you might regret forever.

Certainly lasers, and to some extent tritium sights, are as expensive to purchase as a light for your firearm and are far less useful. They are more popular because of how they have been promoted in movies and firearms industry. The merits of flash lights mounted on weapons used for home protection have yet to be appreciated by the uninitiated. Heckler & Koch hopes to change that with the concept of the Universal Tactical Light (UTL).

The HK UTL is a quickly detachable light module specially designed for use on the HK Universal Self-loading Pistol (USP). Unlike other handguns on the market today, the USP was developed with the attachment of such a light module in mind, not just for the police SWAT team member but also for the home owner who wants a pistol/light combination for personal and home protection. The HK USP pistol was designed from the beginning to be used with just such an integral light module. The frame of the USP incorporates a pair of universal mounting grooves that run parallel and below the center line of the barrel. These grooves automatically line up the light with the bore of the weapon, easing alignment and zeroing.

The HK Universal Tactical Light was designed exclusively for HK by Insight Technology, Inc. (designers of the Laser Aiming Module for the HK .45 caliber Offensive Handgun Weapons System). An important design requirement dictated that the HK UTL quickly and easily snap into the mounting grooves on the USP in a matter of seconds and without tools. The shape of the module molds itself into the lines of the pistol and adds little weight (5 ounces with a pair of batteries) to the weapon. Unlike other lights sold on the market, the HK UTL only protrudes approximately one half inch beyond the muzzle of the weapon.

Its position underneath the weapon allows normal use of the pistol's iron sights or other aiming devices that might be present alone the top side of the weapon. The balance of the weapon is unaffected and the size permits the pistol/light combination to be easily secured in the same lock box, carrying case or dresser drawer that the pistol is maintained in without the light module. Various well known holster manufacturers such as Safariland and Eagle Industriesproduce holsters that allow the weapon to be carried with or without the HK UTL attached.

The performance of the HK UTL is unrivaled in the marketplace. Its 9 Candle-power output is greater than a full size flashlight and is powered by two 3-volt lithium batteries that provide maximum power for their size and weight. The power output is constant and can run for 30 minutes or more. The shelf life of the lithium batteries is in excess of ten years so the light will work at the critical moment it is needed. Unlike rechargeable batteries, lithium batteries have superior low temperature performance qualities and die gradually rather than abruptly near the end of their useful life, thus warning the user that new batteries are required prior to complete failure of the light.

The light has a contoured switch lever that is located along the bottom of the unit and protrudes back along the trigger guard of the USP pistol. This switch is actuated by the shooter's master and/or weak hand in either direction. When pressed only slightly this switch activates the illuminator and springs back into the off position when released. If fully pressed, left or right the illuminator will remain activated until the switch lever is moved back to the central off position. An optional cable with a pressure pad on/off switch allows the UTL to be operated remotely.

Standard features of the HK UTL also include an adjustable beam focus which is accomplished by a small rotation of the bezel ring surrounding the illuminator lens assembly. The beam can be instantly adjusted from an intense focused beam to a fully diffused flood beam.

The HK UTL will operate normally after immersion in water to a depth of 12.5 meters for a period of at least one hour and will regularly withstand a drop on a concrete surface from a height of 1.5 meters without subsequent component damage.

The 3-volt lithium batteries are commonly available around the country at electronic, camera, drug and department stores. The batteries are relatively inexpensive (usually less than $10 per pair) considering their merits over more conventional alkaline or mercury batteries.

The merits of the HK UTL do not end with its use in conjunction with the USP pistol. A specially designed multipurpose carrying pouch is available that allows various modes of carry. This padded pouch protects the light from damage and can be attached to a belt using two Alice clips. Ports in the pouch allow the light to be used from inside the pouch by both right and left handed individuals. Two elastic straps, stored in the back of the pouch, allow the UTL to be quickly and easily attached to nearly any type of firearm or item such as a bike, tools or your own forearm. Room is also provided within the pouch for items such as additional batteries, filter caps or a spare bulb for the illuminator.

A police officer or hiker can carry the Heckler & Koch UTL on his or her belt in lieu of a larger and heavier conventional flash light for use when concentrated illumination is required or it can be quickly removed from the pouch and attached to the USP pistol when needed. In fact, the light could be used hands free while the pouch is attached to a belt. The possibilities for use of this light/pouch combination are limitless.

The UTL is no "ordinary" flashlight. Its new bulb technology results in a beam so bright it exceeds the SOCOM pistol requirements for full facial recognition at 25 meters. Component designs and advanced engineering plastics are specifically selected and tested to withstand punishing recoil forces. Even the bulb assembly is on a special shock absorbing mount.

To see what's going on, take an illuminating look at the truly multipurpose HK Universal Tactical Light (UTL).