HK45 some observations

[Borderland]

I finally got my hands on one and made it to the range with it yesterday. My first polymer pistol. It isn't new (2008) but shows no wear. Ran 100 rds thru it.

I had a few malfs. A few cases didn't fully eject on the last rd. and a few times the slide didn't lock back on the last rd. Not a carry pistol so no big deal. I suspect it has something to do with my reloads as they're pretty weak. They were tweaked for my 1911's. I'll beef them up a little and see if that helps.

Reading up on the history of the HK45 and how it was developed for the military Joint Combat Pistol program encouraged me to buy one. This seems like a very well designed pistol and they're built here in the US. Recoil is a little less than a 1911 and pretty easy to shoot. Getting used to that trigger is going to take some time however.

I'm having a hard time understanding why this pistol never made it into the US military arsenal. Must have been some fascination with the 9mm and maybe cost prohibitive. I think the military really missed the boat here. It's a pretty nice pistol and I don't see any negatives yet. Great 1911 upgrade.

I'm curious what other opinions are. Like it or hate it?

[GJM]

We have been discussing HK pistols for years on PF. If this is your first polymer pistol, and you have only 100 rounds through it, you might hold off just a bit more before concluding too much. A good start would be reviewing Todd Green’s HK45 endurance test.

[revchuck38]

@Borderland - Buy some factory hardball or load some equivalent ammo and try again. It definitely sounds like your ammo was the issue, rather than the gun.

[JSGlock34]

I'm having a hard time understanding why this pistol never made it into the US military arsenal. Must have been some fascination with the 9mm and maybe cost prohibitive. I think the military really missed the boat here.

Arguably it did. Naval Special Warfare type classified the HK45C (Variant 3) as the Mk24 Mod 0 Combat Assault Pistol in 2011. It succeeded the Mk23 MOD 0 in service (which was certainly a predecessor to the HK45, albeit a controversial and ultimately less successful one).

[Borderland]

We have been discussing HK pistols for years on PF. If this is your first polymer pistol, and you have only 100 rounds through it, you might hold off just a bit more before concluding too much. A good start would be reviewing Todd Green’s HK45 endurance test.

Is that here or someplace else?

Never mind, found it. I'll check it out. Thx.

[Tennessee Jed]

I've been working with a USP Compact 45 for about 8 months now, and I've learned a over that time period that HK's, at least USP's, sometimes need slightly different handloads than a typical 1911, Glock 21, etc.

For me, I was getting pretty consistent failures to return to battery in my handloads, but Federal factory ammo was 100% reliable. I learned that USP's often have tight chambers and short leades. Maybe that's one reason why they're very accurate?

After changing from cheap plated bullets with 0.452 diameter (that varied considerably from bullet to bullet), to FMJ bullets with 0.451 diameter (that was much more consistent), and reducing the overall length of the cartridge (to address the fact that my particular FMJ bullets have a slightly shorter ogive than normal factory bullets), I've been getting 100% reliability.

Just a thought.

[OlongJohnson]

Arguably it did. Naval Special Warfare type classified the HK45C (Variant 3) as the Mk24 Mod 0 Combat Assault Pistol in 2011. It succeeded the Mk23 MOD 0 in service (which was certainly a predecessor to the HK45, albeit a controversial and ultimately less successful one).

The Mk23 doesn't do anything that a USP .45 Tactical doesn't do at least as well. I have pretty big hands, but a Mk23 is just a cartoon gun when I pick it up.