Thread: First time Buyer~ but...which HK???

Originally Posted by junkit_boy

Hi everyone,

Im a first time gun buyer and I went to the gun store and check out some handguns...I like the feel of the HK and the Beretta P92, but I think Im going with a HK because I like the de=cocking function for safety reasons; a nice feature! So.. I ask you, which one? The USP Compact, or the P2000 ? I like them both. And also, what's the difference between .40 SW and 45 AUTO? Any info would be appreciated .

I personally like the Compact more than the P2000. BTW, the Beretta 92 depending on variant (FS and G, D is DAO) have DEcockers too.

.40SW was designed to bridge the gap between 9mm and .45. IIRC its a shortened 10mm round. I have never shot a .40, however I hear that the recoil is quite abit snappier which causes slightly more muzzle flip than either 9mm or .45. I do believe the .45 is slighty more expensive than .40SW.

Best to pick a caliber you can afford to practice with ALOT. There is alot of debate about caliber and I would rather not start one, but it really boils down to whatever caliber, you can control and are most accurate with. Placement is more important than hole size in general. 9mm would be superior if YOU can shoot it twice as fast with twice the accuracy than the others. If I were you and you could rent the different calibers, do that.

A 9mm is a better choice for a new shooter than .40 or .45. It's much less expensive to shoot, and recoils considerably less.

Originally Posted by Mike Barham

A 9mm is a better choice for a new shooter than .40 or .45. It's much less expensive to shoot, and recoils considerably less.

And it is a very good HD caliber with any of the premium HP loads. Don't think if you get the 9mm you will have to "upgrade" later just to protect yourself.

Originally Posted by Wyatt

And it is a very good HD caliber with any of the premium HP loads. Don't think if you get the 9mm you will have to "upgrade" later just to protect yourself.

Agreed! 9mm is perfectly fine for defense with good HP ammo, and easier to shoot fast than .40 or .45.

Are you a new shooter or just new to buying?

Your questions indicate that a NRA Approved Basic Handgun Safety course is recommended.

Im a first time buyer, I shoot mostly my friends guns: 9mm and 38's. And I find the 9mm to be comfortable, although the 45 has a crazy kick that I find hard to control for accuracy

The .40 isn't too bad if the gun is heavy enough. I find the P99 to be TERRIBLE in .40, but the XD service isn't too bad.

But I agree that 9mm is better for beginners. You should a TON of ammo when you first start out to get a good feel for your gun, and to learn proper form. 9mm = cheap. Wally world usually has 100 round boxes for just under $19.

BTW, as Naterstein said, the Beretta 92FS has an ambidextrous decocker/safety.

Yea I would go with the 9mm as a new handgun for a new buyer, my first handgun and I didn't shoot much when I bought it was a 9mm and I loved it and got better and better as I shot more and more as ammo was cheaper for a 9mm. it was my primary carry for years with federal hydra shok rounds as defense round, and just your plain jane FMJ for practice, now I've upgraded to a XD .40 service. But I still kept my 9mm and I think I will always have it. I still shoot it quite often I've put thousands upon thousands of rounds through it.

Another Option is the Beretta PX4 in 9mm. It has the decocker, but it also has a rotating barrel, which seems to put the center of the recoil lower in your palm. Incredibly dependable and accurate, with very low recoil.

Junkit,
First... I'm not big fan of the 2000 so the compact would win. But I also would look at the fullsize USP (used) to get the best value.
The .40/.45 debate has gone on for ages... Go to the range and shoot both to feel it for yourself. Its all about energy! E=1/2mv^2. Since the net resultant impact energy is about the same for the (2) bullets.... the mass of the bullets are different (.45=230g) (.40~165-180g) the big difference is velocity of the round... The .45 lumbers in at ~800fps and the .40~1100 fps... (now you self loaders cut some slack these are just for representation data). Since basic physics says all actions have resultant equal and opposite action ... this is what you will feel... The .45 stays in the barrel longer so it pushes on your hand longer imparting that energy. The .40 is a quicker push "snappier"... same energy just delivered over a shorter time span. The funny thing is that the 9mm is a "snappy" (high velocity) shooter but the bullet mass is much smaller.... everyone loves the 9mm. The newer high performance 9mm ammo makes the round have similar energies to the standard .40/.45 ammo.
I do like the 9mm USP fullsize but actually shoot better with my CZ75.... The gun is a whole lot heavier and find I twitch less with the extra weight.