New HK USP .45 "Build"

MontaniSemperLiberi · May 31, 2012

My first handgun purchase back in 2001 was an HK USP 40, with follow-up purchases of a P2000sk 40, HK45 and HK45C...

Back in 2007, my local shop haunt pulled in a single black/grey USP .45 full-size... But he wanted too much for it considering the bevy of other HKs I had bought for less. This past March, after 5 years of hounding, I finally got him down to an agreeable price considering not many of his customers are looking for a handgun in that price range.

Anyways, here's my new .45 in all her glory:

Rather than a Hogue slip-on like on my USP 40, I decided to try out the Decal Grips, which I must say I rather like; especially since my paws aren't exactly the largest:

I've also bought:

GGG Rail Adapter
Trijicon night sights (I've also got a set of Meprolight adjustables I may put on it that I never put on my .40... not a fan of the Straight-8 Heinies, as I've got the sight picture of a full-sized USP burned into my memory)
HK Extended Mag Release
HK Threaded Barrel w/ Thread Protector (you know it)
A mess of old-style HK Green Barrel O-Rings

and finally the HK Match Trigger kit, but hkparts is still waiting on a shipment from HK -- I've been waiting since March :tdown:

Once I've got it all in, I'm going to true up the internals and send them off to be electroless nickel PTFE plated.

The end results should be great! I'll definitely provide plenty of pics as the build progresses! :cool:

sailskidrive · May 31, 2012

Wow... those are really rare. I was looking for one several years ago and gave up. If I remember correctly they only made 500 of them.

04RWon · May 31, 2012

It sat in a case for 5 years? Wow

BradMacc82 · May 31, 2012

The match trigger is a nice upgrade, I have my USP .45's set-up so there is no over-travel - still has a long reset/take-up, but it is what it is.

Never seen a black/grey combo - interesting find! :thumbsup:

Gratuitous pic included.

View attachment 58921

smores · May 31, 2012

Now just put a light LEM trigger group in there and we're good to go.

What's with the grey finish? I know they did that for a while but is it to camouflage with the paint on Navy ships or something? Definitely unique. I had a USP .40 Custom Combat with the Tan/FDE frame, but ditched it. I couldn't stand the ergonomics...

But I am a huge HK fan, so I will congratulate you on your new old, old stock gun. Enjoy it!

sailskidrive · May 31, 2012

What's with the grey finish?

I think it was called "Urban Gray".

My USPs below...

BradMacc82 · May 31, 2012

I see sailskidrive's lights and I feel like I cheaped out in a big way with the one I have on mine..., until I remember the pricing. :innocent0

smores · May 31, 2012

BradMacc82 said:
I see sailskidrive's lights and I feel like I cheaped out in a big way with the one I have on mine..., until I remember the pricing.

If you don't have to have the HK stamp on it, IIRC that is the Insight UTL M2. There is a version made with the HK markings that goes for $100-150 more. Now this light was cutting edge back in the day, but remember it's a Xenon bulb (I think) and is only 90 lumens. However it IS the correct light, and looks badass. I found one for you, about the same as a Streamlight TLR-1:

http://www.opticsplanet.net/insight-technology-m2-utl-universal-light-for-h-k-usps-hkl-000-a5.html

HarCo.45 · May 31, 2012

Big Hk fan here as well... picked up a couple this year.

That is an awesome gun, I would love to find one in any of the colors that have been offered. A FDE HK45C would be my top choice.

Congrats man, really surprised it sat around that long.

BradMacc82 · May 31, 2012

smores said:
If you don't have to have the HK stamp on it, IIRC that is the Insight UTL M2. There is a version made with the HK markings that goes for $100-150 more. Now this light was cutting edge back in the day, but remember it's a Xenon bulb (I think) and is only 90 lumens. However it IS the correct light, and looks badass. I found one for you, about the same as a Streamlight TLR-1:

http://www.opticsplanet.net/insight-technology-m2-utl-universal-light-for-h-k-usps-hkl-000-a5.html

smores - Thanks man!, kick-ass! :party29:

May have to transplant that streamlight to another pistol now, didn't like how it slides some on the USP's rail.

90 lumens is still plenty enough for those 'bump in the night' moments.

sailskidrive · May 31, 2012

Yeah... I agree the lights are really, really Kewl if it was 1998. I have a TLR2 on my 1911 and it's a much nicer light. As far as price, one of the lights came with the USP9 LEM that I bought from Lou, the other one I bought from a guy in Essex off of the hkpro web forum for $75.

The USP Expert is by far my favorite of the USPs...

MontaniSemperLiberi · Jun 1, 2012

sailskidrive said:
Wow... those are really rare. I was looking for one several years ago and gave up. If I remember correctly they only made 500 of them.

Indeed they are, which is why he was asking a premium that I wasn't willing to pay until he came down far enough. I know plenty of folks who'd have paid that much had they known it was there, but his particular market demographic typically wants to spend <$500 on a gun unless it's a hunting revolver.

04RWon said:
It sat in a case for 5 years? Wow

Yeup, he ordered it along with my P2000sk from a distributor. He likes to stock special runs in his store, and it sat ever since off in the corner of his pistol displays!

I used to get sick looking @ the price of the HK-branded UTLs... but then I turned around and got an X200 a couple years back and X400 last year from SureFire, lol. Looking back, what I could stomach price-wise being 2 years out of college compared to 10 is much different! :lol2:

Right now, the X400 is looking to get mounted on this one...

Oh, forgot to mention how I got the wife to allow this one... You guys know that gun in the back of your safe you often forget you have? That'd be the 700 BDL .243 that I bought for my previous fiancee to go deer hunting with me with... :innocent0

Traded it for the USP + a bunch of UMC white-box & Hornady Critical defense! :lol2:

Ppat · Jun 2, 2012

Jesus thats one of 500 man... How it sat in a shop for 5 years is beyond me... These are uber rare... My girlfriends pistol is the walther pps 9mm with the same blue/grey finish... I get shit from friends when i bring it to the range, but if anyone gave me guff over owning an urban grey USP i would definitely have to question their credibility.

Btw how much was he initially asking for it? If you dont mind me asking

Ppat · Jun 2, 2012

Also i know its your gun and all... But i would leave as much of that beautiful frame exposed as possible haha

Blaster229 · Jun 2, 2012

I use grip tape on a lot of areas on pistols.

Omega21 · Jun 2, 2012

Ppat said:
Jesus thats one of 500 man... How it sat in a shop for 5 years is beyond me... These are uber rare... My girlfriends pistol is the walther pps 9mm with the same blue/grey finish... I get shit from friends when i bring it to the range, but if anyone gave me guff over owning an urban grey USP i would definitely have to question their credibility.

Btw how much was he initially asking for it? If you dont mind me asking

The PPS in urban gray is beautiful. Nice to see others doing gray. If you google PPS lots of gray ones pop up. Really nice.

Here is my post from like 4 days ago about gray HK handguns. http://www.hkpro.com/forum/hk-handgun-talk/159092-other-gray-guns.html

That USP is badass!

MontaniSemperLiberi · Jun 3, 2012

Ppat said:
Btw how much was he initially asking for it? If you dont mind me asking

In 2007, he had it marked @ $1000... I took him down to $600!

Ppat said:
Also i know its your gun and all... But i would leave as much of that beautiful frame exposed as possible haha

Oh, I know... I'm not too happy with the decal grips, the more I look at it. I'm looking into some textured soft epoxy that can be dyed as you mix it up... But like plasti-dip, you can just peel it off if it doesn't jive.

The majority of paints wouldn't work too well, as they'd wear too fast based on where they're needed on the grip. I wish Birdsong had a wider selection of colors, I'd get the grips done in a textured Birdsong in a heartbeat! :bannana:

sailskidrive · Jun 3, 2012

I wouldnt do anything to that gun, especially with paint or epoxy.

MontaniSemperLiberi · Jun 3, 2012

sailskidrive said:
I wouldnt do anything to that gun, especially with paint or epoxy.

No worries, I'm not going to jack it up...

Paint - It'd be to get the decal grips the same color as the rest of the frame, nothing more... but as I said, that won't work well.

Epoxy - Pull the decal grips off, replace with peel-off-able epoxy that's textured and is by default the same color as the frame.

You think I'm crazy?

Omega21 · Jun 3, 2012

Crazy? You paid 600 for that gun, you are my freckin' hero!!

New HK USP .45 "Build"

The #1 community for Gun Owners of the Northeast

Member Benefits:

MD Survivor

Legalize the Constitution

Ultimate Member

Ultimate Member

Creepy-Ass Cracker

Legalize the Constitution

Ultimate Member

Creepy-Ass Cracker

Active Member

Ultimate Member

Legalize the Constitution

MD Survivor

Active Member

Active Member

God loves you, I don't.

Active Member

MD Survivor

Legalize the Constitution

MD Survivor

Active Member

Users who are viewing this thread

Log in

Forum statistics