OK, dropped by my local gun dealer yesterday and he has some new HK USP's in store, and for under R10 000 each. He also has the HK P2000, which seems to be a slightly smaller version of the compact.

Now, I've researched most handguns on the web before, but I can not emphasize enough the effect of being able to actually hold a gun in your hands when evaluating it as opposed to looking at a picture on the web.

All I can say is, I LIKE it!

I had never considered HK's before, largely because I haven't seen one up close, and I always had the impression they were top of the range overly expensive guns for the rich.

However, the first thing that struck me when taking the HK out of it's box was that the USP compact is WAY more comfortable to hold than my G19.

And its weight distribution just feel right. I also like the hammer, which is something new to me compared to my first gun - a striker fired Glock. And the de-cocking lever is also a nice feature.

I would choose the version without the extra safety lever which is an additional option, as I feel it's a bit of overkill with regards to external levers and buttons, especially compared to my Glock which has NO external levers whatsoever. I checked on their website, and you get about 10 versions of the USP, all with different trigger and safety setups.

OK, so now I get to my questions.

Does anyone here have personal experience with HK USP Compacts? Since my Glock is already a compact, I was actually looking for a full size second handgun which could double as a backup defensive weapon but would primarily be purchased under an occasional sport shooting license.

So the ANOTHER compact gun isn't really what I'm looking for. I see you get a full size USP as well, but apparently its design is somewhat different from the compact, with a less comfortable grip and bulkier dimensions. I did get to handle the USP Tactical with a threaded barrel. But that is a HUGE gun and far bigger than I'm interested in.

I would appreciate some thoughts on this gun. Things like the practicality of owning it in SA, spare parts availability, extra mags (it only comes with 2), accuracy, durability etc. Do any guys use them for practical shooting? I see a lot of Glocks and M&P's being discussed, but seldom HK's.

Is there a particular reason for this?