H&K USP Compact

Great gun and the softest shooting one I even owned. Get the variant (V3 I think) that gives you the option of carrying it in SA cocked and locked or in tradition DA/SA with or without a safety. What I do it decock it into DA/SA mode and put the safety on. Then if I need it I can thump back the hammer with the safety on and be in SA mode quickly after taking the gun off safe. Very versatile. Feels like a toy until you insert a loaded mag in it to give it heft. If you do not carry I would suggest the full size model which is what I had. Great gun. Get one. I also have a HK P2000SK that I sometimes carry. If you like HK take a look at the FNX and FNS guns. Very similar to an HK and made by a top quality company that makes some of the finest combat guns in the world. Cost a few hundred less than an HK but function the same as described above, except for their new FNS model which is a striker fired version. Good quality built gun but not as refined as the HK which is finer than most guns out there.

I assume we're talking about a new gun since you didn't say otherwise. If that's true, I suggest you look at the P2000. The P2000 is generally seen (unofficially) as like a 'debugged' USP. Not that there were any major problems with the USP, but the P2000 was designed using almost 10 years of real world use of the USP series and incorporates many features that the USP does not, such as the adjustable grip panels. Technically speaking, the P2000 is considered a full size gun. It isn't small but it's not as big as like a full size USP or Glock 17/22/31, the barrel is something like 3.8" or thereabouts. The P2000 is deceptive in pictures much like the P30 is, they look smaller in photos than they are in real life.

The P30 (or variants thereof like the 30S and 30L) is another possible choice, they tend to be easier (for me at least) to find in stores, I was at a major sporting goods chain tonight and they had 3 P30 variants in the case and only one USP. I looked at the P30, but needed something smaller and went with the P2000SK, which is just a chopped down P2000 like a G27 is from a G22.

With all of the above guns, there are many trigger/safety/control variants available. I personally don't care much for SA capability and like DAO striker fired guns so I went with the LEM trigger in my SK since it is most similar to what I am used to. There is basically a variant for every preference combination though. Truther be told, you can't go wrong with any HK, unless you plan to pocket carry a MK23!*





In which case you may impress the ladies with a) the size of your weapon and b) the size of your wallet. Unfortunately, your pants will also have fallen down from the weight.