I’d like to purchase a new .40 caliber handgun.
I have narrowed down my choices to the HK USP .40 and the S&W M&P .40.
Some things to consider:
-Please don’t suggest another caliber( I already own 9mm and .45)
-Please don’t suggest another brand(I already own a Glock .40)
-I don’t care about the USP’s proprietary rail
-I am not a new shooter
All input appreciated.
Thanks
Almost an apples to oranges comparison with a striker fired and hammer fired. But if it were me I would go with the Hk. And I have the mp in 40 but I also have 3 other Hk’s with a 4th in layaway which is the USP 45. I’ve never had any problems with the m&p as far as accuracy and the trigger has smoothed out over time. With that said I would still go with the Hk even though you can probably buy 2 M&P’s for the price of the Hk.
Josh
Both .40 in caliber, both polymer framed, both 4.25" barrels. Didn’t think it was that much “apples to oranges” given those characteristics.
You are correct sir
I’d vote m&p. The HK may be “better” but m&ps have decent accuracy in 40, have much better support for less $, and I hate the way the HK shoots. Imo the m&ps is one of the best 40 guns out there. The mp is also smaller and easier to conceal. I’m also partial to striker guns.
The HK is going to be the better built pistol. The M&P will most likely be reliable and accurate enough but when it comes to quality, it’s not in the same league as anything built by HK.
Some of the finest shooting handguns I have owned were in .40 and they all were USP’s and USPc’s. H&K designed the USP around the .40S&W much like Glock designed the 17 around 9mm. I’m not a real big .40 advocate, but every H&K owner owes it to themselves to purchase a .40 USP or USPc.
Do yourself a big favor and checkout the USPc .40. I have one and it is a very smooth and accurate .40.
USP 40 hands down. The gun is built like a brick, well you know, and will always be reliable as hell. Not saying the M&P isn’t though. The USP will also hold better resale value for when you decide to move away from the .40 fad 
That is one thing Smith did as well, learning from the mistakes that Glock made with the 40.
I can’t give an educated comparison on a “versus” one over the other as I have no experience with the USP. I do have the M&P 40. The only thing I did to it was drop in a DCAEK. I love the platform and can drive tacks with it as it is set up. I have done the majority of my handgun shooting with the .40 and am better with it than the 9mm. I think the M&P is a great value in the polymer striker fire offerings. Of course, HK makes a great product so I guess it just depends on your budget and preference.
Really think about a USPc .40. You might like it.
USP for the win!
What do you shoot presently, striker or hammer?
You are talking about two, very different trigger set ups. You have options with a USP trigger including getting into match grad and LEM if you are familiar with the flavor from Deutschland.
Im completely biased, the USP is hands down the better gun…20k service life with a new trigger return spring at 10k. You will have to get into a tuned gun to beat its accuracy. It does have two drawbacks for some: They are big guns and the front rail is not a 1913. You can buy a adapter to fix the second point, but you should hold and shoot one if you can.
You will hand it down to your children after you have shot the piss out of it.
Go to a range that has them both. Shoot them both. Which one seemed more intuitive to you?
It will not be a definitive test-- one range session is not enough-- but you would need to wring out both platforms through some identical drills or courses to make a more definitive decision on which one works best for you.
If one had the funds, one could buy both, shoot the snot out of both, then sell the one you like the least.
How about this for a reason to select the Hk
http://www.hkpro.com/forum/hk-handgun-talk/160710-chat-hk-armorer-must-read.html
USP or USPc
i got over the striker fad about 6 years ago and went back to hammer guns. best decision i have made.
I have both, but my USP is a 45 Tactical and my M&P is a 9. The match trigger in the USPT is far superior to the M&P. The only thing I changed in the USP was the hammer spring from a 14 pound to a10 pound Wolff spring. The trigger pull was greatly enhanced in double action from a hard heavy pull to a butter smooth light pull, greatly increasing my trigger control and enhancing accuracy.
The draw back to the USP for me is, it’s huge. HK mag capacity should be a little better for such a big gun. Obviously you are aware of the rail, that can be fixed. I can’t say enough good things about either platform. For the money I think M&P is the better option. But if you’re an HK fanboy, and I am, you’ll be really happy with the HK USP. It’s an addiction.
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M&P
Just cannot get into DA/SA. Plus, in my opinion, HK is over priced. They offer nothing over Glock or S&W in the polymer pistol except an inflated price tag.
Yes I own an USP in .40 S&W.
Oh and for the USP…its gigantic, the paddle mag release sucks, the mags are expensive and the height over bore is ridiculous.
Height over bore complaints? Paddle magazine release complaints? All “issues” easily remedied with training. I go from Sigs, to Glocks, to HK’s and never have a height over bore complaint.
I would go with the M&P 40. Why? Because I have shot an H&K USP 40 and I didn’t like the way the H&K USP felt in my hand. I ended up going with the Sig. I like the-the way the M&P feels. Plus the M&P is a soft shooting 40 cal.