Any concerns about buying an older USP?

[ml1209]

Thinking about buying a USP 45 with KI date code. It is not pristine, there is some wear. Does HK have any kind of "freshening up" service for their older guns? Do the guns need to be "freshened up" - springs, ejectors, etc.?

[Hired Gun]

I doubt it's worn enough to matter. Unless it was used in competition for a long time... Buy it and dont even think about it needing refurbished unless you find a problem.

But I am just a rookie.

Bert

[planzwrecker]

Thinking about buying a USP 45 with KI date code. It is not pristine, there is some wear. Does HK have any kind of "freshening up" service for their older guns? Do the guns need to be "freshened up" - springs, ejectors, etc.?I'd agree with Hired Gun. If by "not pristine" you mean some holster wear and not on the parts that matter then don't give it a second thought. You can swap out mag base plates to give it a more modern look, but you probably have the laser engraved markings that will require you to ensure there's a light coat of CLP on them before putting her away for a while.

[link80reid]

Most normal "men" couldn't put enough rounds through a usp to damage it if they tried. I actually prefer a heavily used USP, the trigger and action gets 10 times smoother/better after 5000 rounds or so. My old usp45 of which I'm the second owner, feels like a match trigger compared to my new barely broken in USP9.

[RyuNoKai]

I believe USP's of that time were roll marked. Either hoo, just about any USP you pick up is gonna shoot great. Not a lot of lemons in the lot, but that's why you buy HK anyways. I know that sometime in the 90's something was changed, the hammer or something. However, I don't know if there were any problems with it in the first place.

Bottom line: If it has holster wear, it just became your new beater gun; and probably your new best friend.

[ml1209]

I found it for sale for $499. Is that a good deal?

[link80reid]

Yea, that is an awesome deal. I would have paid that in a heart beat.

[yachky]

I've got tens of thousands of rounds through my 9mm and it is just starting to show wear. If I hadn't shot those + rounds then it would still look next to new! Check the fireing pin and make sure that works but otherwise I think it is one of the best pistols the world has ever seen.

[heffa]

I picked up a KH 45c recently and had the same concerns. I took it out a couple of weekends ago and ran 300 rounds threw it and four mags of +p GDHP's it ran like a f-n top! Don't worry about the wear on the outside look inside and make sure it's not beat up. I don't think in my lifetime I will be able to wear out any of these pistol's but I'm sure trying with my USPc 9!

[H&K 4 LIFE]

USP's made after the year 2000 have an upgraded firing pin. This is due to some instances of the earlier firing pins snapping from dry firing.

Whether your HK is new or old, IMO just use a snap-cap if your going to dry fire.

[planzwrecker]

USP's made after the year 2000 have an upgraded firing pin. This is due to some instances of the earlier firing pins snapping from dry firing.

Whether your HK is new or old, IMO just use a snap-cap if your going to dry fire.Will the new firing pin work in a pre-2000 USP? I called H&K today and got an RA# to send mine in to get the combat competition trigger and Novak sights put on and was thinking I might want to have the firing pin replaced while they have it there. The gun is in great shape, but I'm not the first owner.

I initially was just going to order the LEM & Match trigger kits and do the mod myself, but Travis at H&K said it would probably be cheaper for them to do it. Since they don't use all the parts of the kits due to redundancy between them, i.e. the trigger alone is $70. Amazing how jacked up the prices are from the dealers.

[UncleBilly]

I found it for sale for $499. Is that a good deal?


that is great deal. And here is the best part, You can easily sell that for the same amount, after putting a few thousands through it, and the person that would buy it thinks he got a great deal as well.

[H&K 4 LIFE]

Will the new firing pin work in a pre-2000 USP?

That I am honestly unsure of, but the problem stemmed directly from dry-firing on an empty chamber. Just use a snap-cap and theres nothing to worry about.

[planzwrecker]

That I am honestly unsure of, but the problem stemmed directly from dry-firing on an empty chamber. Just use a snap-cap and theres nothing to worry about.Thanks for the reply. I'll be speaking with H&K when they do the mod, so I can get a for sure answer. I'm guessing it is the same, just a better structurally made pin.

[ydaho]

USP's made after the year 2000 have an upgraded firing pin. This is due to some instances of the earlier firing pins snapping from dry firing.

Whether your HK is new or old, IMO just use a snap-cap if your going to dry fire.

This happened to my KF date usp 45 because I dry fire. I sent it in to HK and they fixed it for me for free, although I would have rather got the new firing pin and done it myself because the gun would have been out of use for much shorter time. Subsequent dryfiring has caused no problems with the new pin; granted, I had put a few thousand rounds and as many dryfires before the old pin broke, regardless of the previous owners use.

I bought this same usp used for $625 with two "broken" ten rounders and I consider that a deal. It looked like hell when I bought it, like it had been rolling around in the back of a farmers pickup for three years. I took it home and cleaned it and it has become one of my favorite all-time pistols. My guess is it had about 3000 through it before I bought it, and i have put another 5000 through it. USP's get much better with age, the parts and action smooth out. My stock trigger feels almost like a tactical triger minus the over travel stop. I now prefer used usp's.

I have already shown this pic in this forum but it shows what a usp can look like after 8000 rounds or so.

(Not contiguous photos.)

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s131/ydaho/Shootingpics011.jpg

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s131/ydaho/Shootingpics010.jpg

[ptechjpjr]

Thinking about buying a USP 45 with KI date code. It is not pristine, there is some wear. Does HK have any kind of "freshening up" service for their older guns? Do the guns need to be "freshened up" - springs, ejectors, etc.?

I have a KF USP 45 and have had not problems ever with the pistol. I sent it to HK and had them install the "combat competition" trigger in it and it is awesome. About a year ago I purchased a left hand USP 45 from Gunbroker for $425, I guess no one wanted it because it was left handed control. The gun was filthy when I got it. I took it apart, cleaned it, and installed the control lever that was no longer needed in my now LEM USP, and other than the trigger action, it is every bit as reliable as the USP I've owned since new.

[ml1209]

Well I made the purchase. Just need to wait for it to come in. I'll post pics.

[benderx4]

Well done - you'll be a happy man! Here's a pic of my KI date code - found it at a gun show for $400. I kid you not. My jaw dropped down to my chest when he told me the price, and then, stupid as I am, I asked him twice more if he was sure. Love this gun!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3449/3401626427_06309602e8.jpg?v=0

[Underwhere]

Thanks for the reply. I'll be speaking with H&K when they do the mod, so I can get a for sure answer. I'm guessing it is the same, just a better structurally made pin.

Please keep us informed as to what you find out.
I have a KI date code USP and want to know whether I should replace the firing pin.

[WhiteRiver]

I have a newer USP 45 that I have owned since new. I have put maybe 500 rounds throught it. I also have a 40 S&W that probably has 5000 rounds through it. Other than some wear on the slide both guns function like new.

[ml1209]

Picked it up today. It's DA/SA, not V1 with the thumb safety. A little disappointed. But the overall finish is in good condition, better than I expected. Three 12-rd mags, all marked Restricted LE.

http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/3773/hkusp451sm.jpg (http://img11.imageshack.us/my.php?image=hkusp451sm.jpg)

http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/2208/hkusp452sm.jpg (http://img11.imageshack.us/my.php?image=hkusp452sm.jpg)

[ml1209]

Also, can someone tell me how to change from Variant 3 (DA/SA) to Variant 1 (DA/SA with safety)?