XD45 Vs USP45 (fullsize only)

[RT13]

Anybody own both models in fullsize who can give me feedbacks on how they recoil, shoot and such. I have shot an HK45 fullsize and use to own a USP45 compact. I have not shot the USP45 fullsize nor any XD for that matter. I am in the market for a new polymer fullsize .45. My choice is really between these two models. I don't know too much about the XD but do own HK's so am familiar with it. How is the XD trigger and recoil in comaprison to the USP? Any feeding or reliability issues at all on the XD? Thank you.

[Fobjoe]

I'm ready to get flamed...

I owned a usp9mm and an XD45. I preferred the look of the USP and the mag release, but there were several things i didn't like.
1. HK has damn high bore axis
2. extracts cases upwards and sometimes onto your head or in your face
3. grip was too fat
4. I have a tendency to ride the thumb safety and sometimes accidentally depress it, which locks up the gun.
5. stock trigger was no better than my XD. The SA on the HK felt like a striker fired DA. a bit of creep and mush.
6. the proprietary rail makes it a pain to install certain light/laser accessories.

I traded the hk but still have the XD. There's a thumb groove on the side of the XD which makes it more comfortable to hold the pistol. I'm not saying that the XD was better. (it too had a high bore axis and slightly mushy trigger) HKs are high quality and a respected name in the industry. the USP just wasn't for me.

[M1Atdk]

I own a XD Tactical .45 and have shot a HK USP fullsize .45 a few times my best friend has a USP .45. Both are really good guns. I have big hands and the USP does not bother me like it does others. I just like how the XD feels in my hand better though. I was tempted to buy a HK but bought a Loaded Springfield 1911 instead.

Both recoil like a .45 to me. To me recoil from the .45 is not as sharp as from the .40 S&W for some reason. I think that has to do with .40's alot of the time are built on 9mm sized guns.

Both guns are way above combat accurate. Both are not match grade but are well above combat accurate.

[Greg-Dawg]

Get over to your local rental range and try it out.

Not sure where you live, but the Burbank Firing Line has an XD .45ACP Tactical for rent.

[Sniper3142]

Greg-Dawg has a good suggestion; try to shoot both if possible.

I own a USP 45 Fullsize and a 4" XD45 and I've shot the 5" XD45 also.

Both are excellent pistols. The XD has a longer trigger reset but a lighter pull than the USP. The USP points better and more naturally for me. I've owned the USP for over 12 years and would stake my life on it going boom and hitting where I aim it every time I pull the trigger. I've only owned the XD for a little over a year but it hasn't had any problems so far. I'm not sure I'd trust my life with it just yet.

The recoil on both is very managable. The recoil reduction system on the USP is amazingly effective. I've much more accurate with my USP than with the XD.

Of the 2, I'd chose the USP over the XD every time.

[dilligaffrn]

Both recoil like a .45 to me. To me recoil from the .45 is not as sharp as from the .40 S&W for some reason. I think that has to do with .40's alot of the time are built on 9mm sized guns.

.45 ACP is a low pressure round (21,000 psi)
.40 S&W is a high pressure round (35,000 psi)

I have both the HK and the XD in 45 ACP, both are good guns, bang for the buck goes to the XD (mags are at least half the cost of the HK).

[Black Majik]

I'm not all too favorable towards a .45ACP in a polymer pistol, however I have tried both. I own a USP45f, which hardly ever sees the light of day. Fobjoe's gripes towards the USP mirrors mine very well. The last part isn't really an issue, I had to buy an adapter to mount a light, and it works really well.

Bambam-31 has a XD45 Tactical which has been sent to either Springer or Canyon Creek. Forgot which, but the gun was a pleasure to shoot. Normally I don't like the XD45. The gun feels great, it points naturally, but the weight distribution is very front heavy. However, That gun with a simple trigger job (and I think new sights) was simply a tackdriver. I'm pretty recoil sensitive, but I found it surprisingly easy to shoot. The smaller width grip probably also aided in the shooting experience.

[Rhyyke]

I tried both a USP45 and XD45, and decided to buy the USP. I couldn't get used to the trigger on the XD, tho the USP's honestly wasn't great either (used to 1911s). The grip is kinda wide, tho it doesn't bother me too much.

[GaryPowersLives]

Had both, XD 45 in 5" Tactical, and USP 45 fullsize. HK by a long ways. It is that much better, IMHO.

[gunrun45]

I've owned both. I still have the USP45f.
They will fit your hand differently and react differently under recoil.

[randy]

I'd kick both of those to the curb and get a Smith & Wesson M&P in 45. I've spent some time with the other two and the Smith is a better shooter.

It doesn't bother me that the LASD is going to start using them too. I was in a gun shop and 16 of the firearms training officers paid for them themselves.

[sb_pete]

After shooting both for a while I had decided on the USP. I lucked out and caught a good deal on an Expert model which I totally love so I bought that instead of the full size.

A few of the things that I prefered:

1. The Match trigger is just unbelievably good
2. I much prefer the mag release on HK and Walther guns
3. I prefer a DA/SA hammer fired pistol to striker fired pistols

I'm ready to get flamed...

I owned a usp9mm and an XD45. I preferred the look of the USP and the mag release, but there were several things i didn't like.
1. HK has damn high bore axis
2. extracts cases upwards and sometimes onto your head or in your face
3. grip was too fat
4. I have a tendency to ride the thumb safety and sometimes accidentally depress it, which locks up the gun.
5. stock trigger was no better than my XD. The SA on the HK felt like a striker fired DA. a bit of creep and mush.
6. the proprietary rail makes it a pain to install certain light/laser accessories.

Fobjoe is on in his criticisms, but I would say that

1. The recoil compensating mechanism makes up for the higher bore access (to me anyways).

2. I have never had a similar experience with upward extractions

3. The grip is very fat. This works fine for me, but they can be too large for many shooters.

4. That seems odd, did you have one of those German police variants with no decocker and a safety lever that was down for safe and up for fire? Variants 1 and 2 are very easy and ergonomical to unholster and take the safety off in one motion - much like a 1911.

5. I found the normal da/sa trigger to be better than the XD, but not by much. The LEM trigger is much better. The match DA/SA is in a world apart. the single action on mine is better than many 1911s I have tried.

6. True, but you can get an adapter. Remember that when that rail came out there was quite a bit of competition over standardization and the picatinny rail had not yet won out. It is annoying that they haven't changed out rail in this day and age, but if you want a new ergonomic picatinny rail you are supposed to buy an HK45, oh wait, right, California...


I'll add that it does suck that mags are so friggin expensive and so are other usp specific accessories. HK has been almost comically helpful in customer service regards though - so that is a plus.

I would say that a USP fullsize with the match trigger and upgraded sights would be a world apart from an XD, of course it would also cost almost twice as much so it had better be.

-Pete

[96GTS]

I'd kick both of those to the curb and get a Smith & Wesson M&P in 45. I've spent some time with the other two and the Smith is a better shooter.

It doesn't bother me that the LASD is going to start using them too. I was in a gun shop and 16 of the firearms training officers paid for them themselves.

When was this? LASD approved the use of the M&P 9mm (which is far from "starting to use"), but not the M&P .45. They also approve the use of the USP45. The M&P is cheaper and most likely a better bang for your buck, but not sure its any "better"...

I like having a hammer (ie USP). You can carry the USP cocked & locked if you choose to. Recoil was much less for the USP. XD45 did have a lighter trigger tho and if you dont have large hands, the ergos go to the XD45. XD has a useful rail, and many dont like the HK style mag release (I've grown to love them). I have a Hogue slip on grip on my USP and its absolutely amazing to shoot.

Here's my USP45 at 25 yards as fast as I could possibly get on target (basically a controlled rapid fire). 13 to the body, 12 to the head.