I want to get a CCW, and it is possible now where I live.Advice needed:I have two candidates for carry, an HK USP Compact in 9mm and a Makarov in 9X18. Which would be the best choice? The HK is more powerful, but the Mak is slimmer. In our CCW permit system, you have to list the pistol you will be carrying, as well as qualify on it, so I have to decide soon.pds
Makarov is fine for what it is, BUT it is like you are asking should I drive a BMW or a Yugo.
Wiki says the Mak is not drop safe.
Can you get the safety off on the Mak under pressure??? (you could carry it DA safety off)
It can be hard to find defense ammo for the Mak, CCI Blazer has some Gold Dot JHPs.
H&K will have better sights, better trigger, more ammo, and better ammo selection, and I think 9mm ammo is a bit cheaper.
Weight and length are very close.
mad saint jack
I love it when Hot Air devolves into gun talk.
EDIT: I am assuming They own these two guns...
EDIT: I am assuming They own these two guns...
God what a terrible limitation!
ReplyDeletePersonally CZ-82 is a better choice than the Mak, that being said why a questionable com-bloc gun or an overpriced German gun with $50 Magazines?
Since the USP tells me he isn't opposed to "Plastic Guns" I'd suggest they look into Glock, S&W M&P, Springfield XD, or Kahr P-series if a single-stack seems a better fit.
What a bizarre set of criteria!
I'm not sure if he is looking to buy, or carry something he already owns...
ReplyDeleteI was assuming he owns these two.
I give you a B+ as you sound like and more than likely know more about this than I. As I do not know enough to check the validity of what you asserted, I could not give you the A+ that you probable deserved.
ReplyDelete:-)
Josh
Depends on if we're deciding based on firearms already owned or if we're deciding what to purchase.
ReplyDeleteIf it was already owned I'd go with the USP. Higher cap, the gun works. Spent all that money on it, might as well use it.
If its purchase, I'd look to something all together different, but if those are the two options I'd side with the Mak. It'll function just as well as the USP and you don't have to get a loan to get mags for it.
I love my Makarov. 9x18 ammo can be hard to find though, so I buy it by the case.
ReplyDeleteIf they already own both those firearms, I would go with the USP - the round is up to two times more powerful, the platform is generally more reliable, and it has a higher capacity.
ReplyDeleteIf they are looking at buying things... well, that gets a lot more complicated.
Both aren't the greatest CCW choices IMO, but if I had to choose I'd go with the USP. Better trigger, drop safe, far better sights, higher capacity, far greater ammo selection / avaliability etc. etc.
ReplyDeleteMy first carry gun was a FEG PA-63 in 9x18. Certainly not what I would choose first today, but it served its purpose. Hornady XTP is available in this caliber, and is an excellent 9x18 carry round.
ReplyDeleteAnd like others, it boggles my mind how these became the two choices of your writer. Maybe they're the only two guns his dad is willing to give him, maybe a buddy is cutting him a deal, and these are the choices. Whatever it is, it's an odd predicament.
I'll agree with most everyone else here. If you've already got both of these guns, carry the H&K. Ammo availability is better in 9mm, and you have diverse options when it comes to carry ammo. If you're looking for some reason to buy one of these two, go with the Makarov. Get some Hornady XTP for carry, and whatever you can find for plinking.
Your first carry gun is just the place you start out. No point in dropping ridiculous amounts of money on the H&K name. You'll find out what you really want somewhere along the way.