So, going to buy a threaded HK pistol. Is the Mk23 really that much more gun than the USP or is it basically just a big USP?

I like .45acp but have stockpiles of .40 and buckets of brass...

So I guess at this point, has the USP overtaken the Mk23 and How does the USP hold up in .45 and .40?

the Mk23 is a huge handgun, even if you're not carrying it, it is a handful. I'd go with the USP-T in .45.



Versus



I think the USP-T is more manageable; I have a regular USP-45 myself, so I kind of know.

The H&K USP Tactical .45 is arguably the best polymer .45 handgun ever made. The MK23 is a fantastic pistol but it's just impractical for me at least. I may get one in the future but it's just not high on the priority list. The USPT is big but not so much that it feels like a hand cannon like the MK. The USPT is an incredibly reliable and versitle pistol and will shoot every type of ammo you feed it from the cheap steel cased garbage to 45 super. It was designed to shoot all 45 ACP ammo commercially available reliably and it absolutely does just that.

The match trigger is probably the best you will find in a polymer pistol hands down. I'm not the most accurate shooter out there but the USPT shoots above my skill level for sure. It's one bad ass pistol that's ready to roll right out of the box. If you get one, I'm certain you won't have any regrets what so ever. I'm more than happy with mine.

Here is a link that goes into some detail on how the two pistols are different. They look very much the same but in fact they are quite different from each other.
http://www.hkpro.com/forum/hk-handgun-talk/105104-mk23-vs-usp-45-tactical-4.html

Here is another good read on the USP firing 297,000 rounds without any failures or breaking.
http://www.hkpro.com/forum/hk-handgun-talk/160710-chat-hk-armorer-must-read.html

I have only ever held a mk23 in a shop, never shot one. And I own a USP 45T. The mk23 is big and for the increase in size I don't think it really does anything over the USP 45T, and for the larger size it only holds 12 rounds, the same as the USP. Then there is also the bigger price.

IMO really the only reason to get a mk23 over a USP 45T is to have a mk23, which isn't necessarily a bad reason, but not the most practical.

The Mk23 is a housing block in your hand, and when you put a can on it it can feel like you are shooting a flagpole.



Consider the USP Tac a more "value engineered" Mk23... they took all the good points of the Mk23 and reduced them just enough to still be great but actually be usable and affordable. The USP Tac is a great host and a great gun, and the few benefits of the Mk23 above the USP Tac are lost on most who don't need the elongated sight radius or "survive a direct nuclear strike" build. On the downside they both have proprietary rails that require adapters, they both are on the low capacity side when compared to newer offerings and they both have the ergonomics of an 80s sedan.

So IMO the Mk23 is nice but the USP Tac is a far better value.

Now I have a feeling I will be owning 3 or 4 hk pistols. But I am looking at the .40S&W tactical to start. How do the .40s hold up compaired to the .45s?

Let's put it this way: The USP was designed from the get go with .40 S&W in mind. Everyone that I know that owns one in .40 will not let go of theirs because they like it that much. The USP40 Tactical is a great start since that is your caliber of choice. If I ever was to let go of my USP45, then it would be for another USP in 9x19.

I have both the Mk23 and USP 45T.
If I had to choose between them, I'd keep the Mk23 every time. Yeah, it's kind of a hog leg.
But the USP 45T ain't no light weight. The Mk23 is the epitome of HK, imo.
I own about 10 handguns, and if SHTF in an hour, it'd be the one hanging on my side, over my
other HKs, SiGs, and CZ.

Another Mk23 and USP45T owner here.  Practically the Tactical is a better rounded pistol.  Smaller and something you can actually carry.  The Mk23 has got to be the smoothest suppressed weapon I've ever fired.

I ended up picking up a USP tactical in .40 for around 800 over the weekend. I'm gonna give it a shot and see how well I like it.