I just bought the EXPERT (check out the pics on my post) and I was wondering about the difference, myself. I went to my LGS and one of the guys is an HK collector. He let me fire his Elite and I brought my EXPERT, and I have to say I like the Expert better. I found the long barrel, too long. I'm a pretty good shot, but that EXPERT makes me shoot like "an EXPERT."

Originally Posted by SIGCrazie

I just bought the EXPERT (check out the pics on my post) and I was wondering about the difference, myself. I went to my LGS and one of the guys is an HK collector. He let me fire his Elite and I brought my EXPERT, and I have to say I like the Expert better. I found the long barrel, too long. I'm a pretty good shot, but that EXPERT makes me shoot like "an EXPERT."

That's good to hear, I'm getting pretty close to picking one up. What caliber do you have and what caliber was the Elite?

The Elite was a .45 and my EXPERT is a .45. in looks alone the EXPERT wins hands down. http://handgunforum.net/showthread.php?t=12381 This was my first post when I picked up my HK. These guns are on the long side, already. There is no need for the extra length on the Elite. Good luck and go EXPERT.

So here's my range report on the first 205 rounds through my USP Expert .40s&w.

Prior to my purchase, the gun has been a safe queen for an unknown number of years. With a production date of AB, the gun is a 2001er. When I first got it, the double action stuttered and the decocker required superman's thumb to break it free. Knowing that this gun was in dire need of a lube job, I didn't mess with it too much more.

After an maticulate feild cleaning, all I'm comfortable doing, and a saturating of all vital areas mainly focusing on the trigger group and saftey/decock lever the gun was a little smoother; the gun had obviously dried up since it was last used.

The Expert worked flawlessly at the range, the brand of ammo used was Magtech FMC 165g and Magtech 155g JHP(more on these later!). The gun was getting smoother and smoother, double action silkier and silkier and it was putting the holes exactly where I wanted them! There was no failures at all, what- so - ever and I am proud of that.

The FMJs fed and fired great, but when I loaded up my "non-premium" Magtech JHPs which came at an affordable $25/50 opposed to premium prices which are closer to $15-18/20 a they left me in a state of awe. Imagine the nuclear bomb sequence in Terminator II when Sarah Conor was watching the empty playground when suddenly a shockwave tears through destroying everything, leaving nothing but a over dramatic Conor skeleton. That was my first experience with these JHPs which are apparently +P or even +P+, they made a HUGE boom and produced a plume of fire which exited the muzzel as if it were dragon's breath! (or a normal .357sig round if you're familiar with those) Considering they were so cheap, we're thinking they're not regulated? Anyways, we laughed as did the guys in the next lane.

Everything went as planned, the gun worked great and everything is silky smooth. Now I just have to get more ammo since I know that this thing will eat it all up with ease. I'm in love.

Thanks for the range report! There's a place by me that has some 9mm Magtech ammo for sale kinda cheap, and the date is even from 2003 on the price sticker. I didn't buy it since the WWB from Walmart is still a tad bit cheaper. Having said that, I have had no problems with either of my XD's, and I have put some nasty old ammo through them (as well as the Stoeger Cougar...tarnished black and some ugly REALLY old ammo from a buddy of mine). I haven't had a single issue (knock on wood....please ). I just don't personally see the need to buy any Magtech ammo when WWB at Walmart is cheaper than everything else. Is Magtech cheaper somewhere than the WWB at Walmart by you? If I could find cheaper ammo, then I would definitely avoid Walmart because I HATE that store, especially when buying ammo, but I have yet to find that deal. Just my .02 and I'm glad you're enjoying the gun!

-Jeff-

I've got the Elite in 9mm. For me I liked the overall look of the Elite and it balanced better for me as well. Also got a great deal on it. I believe the Expert was made as depending on the class being shot, there's size restriction. The Elite would be too large for some of these so there's both. Why not? I wouldn't be against another Hk in the Expert model later on. Actually one used at a shop up here at a decent price. Have a standard USP40 so I figured why not on another US model. Bought it more as a "it was available" than for any specific reason. Might end up wearing a Leupold/Gilmore LG35 via the HK mount for plate shooting.

I just picked up my USP Expert today! I'm going to the range tomorrow with 200 rounds of Winchester White Box (got it from Wal-mart, which has the lowest prices hands-down. I've done a ton of research on ammo prices and the winchester hasn't had any bad 'press' from any of the forums i read, other than it being a bit dirtier than say Remington UMC.. which I also use).

Anyway, I'll come back with a range report after my first outing.

-C

Does anyone have any comments from experience on the actual accuracy difference between the expert and elite? Is the elite a lot better? How much?

Jonsch,
I've owned the elite and expert in both 40 and 45 cal concurrently. They are both excellent shooters (far better than the standard USP). Key word is OWNED. I now have only the Experts in 40 and 45. I do have an elite in 9mm because I could not find an expert. Both the elite and expert are tack drivers but the elite is ugly! (IMO) I found no significant difference in their accuracy (in my hand or benched). Either version of gun outshot me! I do shoot all (3) calibers regularly (9mm more than the others). The expert just fits me perfectly. Now my brothers thought the elite in 45 was definitely better (it was the first gun he ever shot that he could put them all in the paper at 50'). When you step from a USP to a expert / elite you will all of a sudden score at 50' what you did at 20' on the same target. I've seen it too many times by friends who have tried mine. The problem is that the guns are more expensive and you will want to shoot more.... so your allways broke!

Originally Posted by JONSCH

Does anyone have any comments from experience on the actual accuracy difference between the expert and elite? Is the elite a lot better? How much?

For the most part, pistols are going to be more inherently accurate than their users. It is unlikely, with today's modern manufacturing process that you will buy a pistol that is inaccurate from shot to shot. Now, that's not to say that some pistols may come from the factory and be inaccurate, it just means they are going to shoot where they shoot all the time.

The sights are one thing, pointability is another thing, either way, you have to find a pistol that works for you. If you were to buy and Elite and and Expert, and one shot better than the other, I'd say it's because you want it to shoot better, not because the pistol is more accurate than the other. I shoot over 20 different pistols, and can put them on target in short order, but every time I pick up a different gun, I have to shoot it a little bit different. The best suggestion, unless you shoot a lot, is to pick a platform and shoot the piss out of it until you get good. That doesn't mean just putting rounds down range, it means analyzing what you are doing right/wrong, and fixing the issues. A lot of times people think that if they just shoot more rounds, they will get better, well as the old saying goes... "Practice doesn't make perfect, Perfect practice makes perfect". It takes a long time to become proficient with a pistol.

Often times, people drop big dollars on high end guns because they think it will make them a better shot. Pistols are mechanical devises, they can't make up for someones lack of skill. Unless you buy a really rank piece of doo doo gun, the differences from one brands model to another one of their models is going to be far less of an issue than the person shooting it.

Zhur