I want to get a .45ACP handgun, I used it have one but was dumb and sold it, still have a bunch of .45 ammo. I'm thinking an HK45ct would be cool and maybe use it as a bedside gun or winter carry as well as get a suppressor for it

Any reason not to get one? I was thinking about trying to make a Mk24 clone for the fun of it, is that doable? I've only found the v1 and v7s up for sale.

I personally prefer the feel of the USP45ct over the HK45ct, but it really does not matter. Both are exceptional firearms



Both firearms take the same 8 or 10 round magazines and suppressors go either way, so it is just personal preference

The double action pull, like most HK's, is poor. Gritty and heavy. It's serviceable, and can be improved, but very poor as it comes from the factory.

The pistol is extremely reliable. Not high capacity, by any means, but very reliable. The trigger is easy to stage, despite it's heavy, gritty feel (which has been the case with each HK45 and UPS45 I've handled or owned). It can be smoothed, or replaced with the LEM trigger (a great variant, for those that like it).

Of the HK45C and UPS45C, the USP has a more aggressive grip: both are more than adequate.

I bought another HK45C not long ago, too good of a deal, and all. Much better than the first I bought, new. HK's have always been pricey, but they seem to be doing a bit better, especially on the used market, and especially if they're not 9mm.

I have 2 USP compacts in 9mm and really like the platform. I then bought a 45c and actually prefer those ergos, it fits my hand perfectly and is a pleasure to shoot.

The HK45C is a bit of a mixed bag. I very much like mine as I love the P2000 and see the 45C as sort of a .45 caliber P2000.

PROS
-Very intrinsically accurate. The machining, the barrel, the barrel lockup etc. are all first rate. The limiting factor to accuracy is the trigger and ammo choice
-Dead nuts reliable. Run a box or three of hotter or heavier stuff to loosen it up. I suggest this with all HK's. After this, which is usually not necessary at all, most HKs are dead nuts reliable and the HK45/45C are VERY reliable platforms
-Fantastic machining/finishing both metal and polymer
-Very good stock sights. The stock night sights (LE model) are excellent as long as you are ok with 3 dots. The regular sights are very good as well.
-Very versatile. The 45C can go from a slim carry gun to a 10 shot suppressor ready I wanttobesolidsnakedammit gun very easily and excels at either.
-Good suppressor host with threaded barrel
-Elephant foot mags look goofy but feel good in my hand
-Fantastic exterior finish (Hostile Environment) VERY TOUGH finish. Like Glock tough back when Glock had tough finishes (GEN3 and before) maybe tougher in my experience.
-Very modular. There are approximately 4,697 different trigger and safety variations. Ok that's a bit facetious but you can set the gun up in one of many variants to suit your tastes.
-Excellent magazine quality
-HK snobbery forged right into the slide added chemically to the polymer mix.
-HK customer service. Yes I KNOW THE MEME's and YES there was a time HK sucked and they hated you. Today there customer support in my experience is TOP NOTCH.

YMMV STUFF
-I like the grip very much. I like the stippling front and back and smooth sides for easier carry. I also like that it is more P2000 then P30 like the full size 45, but as I said I view it as sort of a .45 caliber P2000.
-Capacity of only 8-10 rounds. Its a .45 so caliber plays a part here but one would think 12 rounds would be doable in the extended/full size/elephant foot mags. Is that a deal breaker? Not for me personally but YMMV.
-Controls. HK's have large controls designed for gloved hands. I like having fairly decent sized slide lock/release levers etc. DA/SA guns decocker/safety position and lever may put some off. The paddle magazine release is a love it or hate it affair. I LOVE it. Hint use your trigger or middle finger not your thumb. That said I can see why folks would not like it.
-Recoil. I only put this here because so many tout the recoil mitigation characteristics of the 45 HKs. Frankly out of the box they are no better or worse then any of the competition IMO. As they break in they do seem to be a bit more recoil friendly then others of the same size/class but don't go into them thinking based on all the hype this thing will shoot like a .22 magnum.

CONS
-Cost and availability of parts and accessories
-A picatinny rail that holds about 3 accessories on the market. Again I am being a little facetious but the rail is pretty useless stock for stock for the great majority of lights. I have a Crimson Trace CMR-208 on mine and I do generally love the light so there are options but they are few and far between.
-HK snobbery forged right into the slide added chemically to the polymer mix. Double edged sword. You now get to be lumped in with all the HK delta bravo's and getting an answer about any issues can be hard to come by as many HK pureists / fanboys get their knickers in a twist at the mere mention of an HK having an issue. In all honest if you have an issue with one it was probably one of the few that missed getting blessed on the backs of naked virgins by Tibetan monks but if you send it back they will get that worked out.
-She's a big girl. At the end of the day she's a fightin' pistol not an svelte little piece of jewelry, but alas think 50s pinup model not 2000's heroin sheik
-Ohhh that trigger. Sigh. My gun is a DA/SA V1. Now I am not a trigger snob, but wow that double action trigger is........well lets just say its a helluva safety feature. The DA on my HK45C is probably the worst of all the HK's I have shot barring the VP70 (which has a trigger weight measured in days not pounds, but I digress). That being said the SA is pretty darn good. Decent reset, decent break. Cocked and locked, if that is your thing as it is not mine, would be pretty damn good in this gun. Just be aware if you are not getting a LEM variant the DA pull is stout, creepy and all around crappy. As for LEM I have never liked LEM. It has a weird feeling reset to me and the way the hammer moves is kinda strange to me. By far the DA trigger is this gun's Achilles heel and again I am NOT a trigger snob.

Honestly I love my HK45C. Its not a primary go to gun for me but I trust it implicitly, its dead nuts reliable, shoots to point of aim and is cool as hell. I would have no issues if you told me I had to take it into harms way nor would I have any issues if you told me I had to take it to the range or use it as my bedside pistol etc. Its a great gun. Its a versatile gun.

I don’t have any range target pics available to me at the moment but Here is mine with the a fore mentioned CMR-208

I had a 45c and liked it alot but just keep gravitating back to my 220's. Nothing wrong with the HK but I'm used to the DA/SA of Sigs and no safety so I sold my HK.

They're neat guns. I like mine a lot. I prefer the LEM trigger, but the DA/SA is serviceable. Mine has been boringly reliable as a suppressor host.

If you do get an HK, remember that the rounds go in the magazine backward...

quote:

Originally posted by sns3guppy:
If you do get an HK, remember that the rounds go in the magazine backward...

Is there a picture of that somewhere so that I can learn how to load my HK magazines?

quote:

Originally posted by Ogie:

Is there a picture of that somewhere so that I can learn how to load my HK magazines?

all over the internet

There is zero downside to the HK. I personally like the grip of the USP, but that's just me.
The trigger is fine for a defensive gun (DA/SA) and there is likely nothing more reliable.
Go for it.

FWIW, my HK-45c is my very favorite 45 acp handgun. Mine’s in ‘lite’ LEM.

I loooove my HK45. Love it. I’ve never shot or handled the HK45c though, but I found this interesting.

HK45c




Hk45 (pure sex appeal in gun form)

I have the 45c that I had converted to light LEM. I had H&K do it since it was beyond my skill level which is very low. It is an awesome gun.

My only two complaints: If you think the regular mags are pricy try the special 10 round molded mag that does not stick out, $72.00. Secondly if the larger version has that great grip like the P30 series WHY DID we not get that on the 45c???? Now don't get me wrong I love my P2000 with a similar grip BUT the P30 grip is so much better why not have it on the 45c? Yeah, I know I repeated myself.

quote:

you

quote:

you think the regular mags are pricy try the special 10 round molded mag that does not stick out, $72.00.

There is a flush fitting 10 round mag for the 45c???? I thought the elephant foot mags were all that were available (other then just running a normal H45 mag). The elephant foot mags are usually like 40 bucks and can be found much cheaper from time to time. The 8 rounders are nowhere near 70 bucks either but are usually a buck or three more then the 10 rounders in my experience.

quote:

Originally posted by SCfromNY:
Secondly if the larger version has that great grip like the P30 series WHY DID we not get that on the 45c???? Now don't get me wrong I love my P2000 with a similar grip BUT the P30 grip is so much better why not have it on the 45c? Yeah, I know I repeated myself.

I've seen either an article, a video, or both where Larry Vickers says essentially that it has the grip it does because they wanted it as small as possible and felt it ordered good surfaces for grip tape.

quote:

Originally posted by Ogie:

quote:

Originally posted by sns3guppy:
If you do get an HK, remember that the rounds go in the magazine backward...

Is there a picture of that somewhere so that I can learn how to load my HK magazines?

I know. I was joking.

I have a HK45C and a HK USP45c. The mags are interchangeable. I've got the elephant mag on the USP45c along with the Insight UTL light with the LED upgrade as my bedside weapon. Everything works great although I was not aware of a flush fitting 10 rounder.