(Review) Heckler & Koch’s 45 Compact pistol

As a major international manufacturer of firearms, Heckler & Koch’s stated mission is “to be the world’s premier small arms systems company”. In pursuit of that mission, H & K has been recognized as a leading designer of small arms and light weapons for over fifty years. In fact, the foundation of everything H & K does is based upon a dedicated commitment to excellence. Consequently, H & K’s leadership in the firearms industry rests on in-depth research and development as well as technological leadership and a self-stated obligation “to deliver the best possible products to their customers”. Consequently, they are the leading supplier of weapons systems to law enforcement and military forces worldwide in addition to manufacturing a premier brand of firearms for both commercial and sporting use.

Developed as a possible candidate for the Joint Combat Pistol and Combat Pistol programs conducted by the U. S. Military in their search for a new service handgun, the HK45 Compact is smaller and lighter than its larger brother the HK45 and features a black polymer frame with an integral Picatinny Rail that measures 7.2 inches in overall length and 5.59 inches in overall height with a 4 inch barrel chambered for the .45 ACP cartridge with a magazine capacity of eight rounds. Also, all HK45 barrels are made using H & K’s renowned cold hammer forging process and they all feature polygonal rifling and H & K’s proprietary O-ring barrel for superior accuracy. In addition, the HK45 Compact incorporates H & K’s unique internal mechanical recoil reduction system the reduces felt recoil by as much as 30% which can drastically improve the shooter’s control over the weapon and thus positively affect their accuracy in addition to extending the service life of the firearm. Furthermore, each HK45 Compact includes an extra backstrap that enables the owner to customize the feel of the pistol and it also features an H & K USP-style control lever which serves as both a safety and a decocking lever and which can be easily moved from one side of the pistol to the other for ambidextrous use. Last, the HK45 Compact can be converted to a wide variety of different configurations that incorporate different trigger firing modes including a Double Action/Single Action mode and a Double Action Only mode that uses H & K’s unique “Law Enforcement Modification” firing system to provide an enhanced double action trigger pull.

Now, we are all aware of the German people’s reputation for innovative engineering and precision manufacturing capabilities and consequently, it is no wonder that H & K has benefited from that reputation. In fact, it is quite possible that the argument could be made that they are perceived by consumers as being the pinnacle of firearms manufactures (with the possible exception of Sig Sauer), and they are certainly viewed amongst law enforcement and military personnel as being some of the best gear you can own. In fact, we really like the HK45 Compact not only because of its innovative features but, because it is ergonomically designed, lightweight, and the trigger configuration is user selectable and user changeable. In addition, we are especially pleased with the internal recoil reduction system because, firing a 230 grain, FMJ, bullet from a compact, polymer framed, pistol can be handful; especially if you are using +P loads! In addition, we believe that the ability to interchange the grip panels to adjust both the circumference and overall feel of the grip to suit each, individual, shooter is an excellent idea. Also, we like the feel of the low profile, frame-mounted, Control Lever as well as the slide release lever and the fact that the frame was molded with an integral Picatinny Rail that enables the shooter to mount a tactical flashlight or a laser sight on the pistol with no fuss. In addition, another feature of the HK45 Compact that we really like is the fact that it has a hammer instead of a striker as is the vogue with most pistols these days. The reason for this is that with a hammer-fired pistol, you have the choice to carry the firearm in either the half-cocked position or the fully-cocked position at your discretion which, in turn, provides you with either a double or a single action trigger. But, with a striker fired pistol, you are limited to the half-cock, double-action-only, trigger pull mode.

Consequently, the HK45 Compact is obviously a well designed and meticlously constructed pistol that definitely upholds the German’s reputation for fine machine work and excellent craftsmanship. Furthermore, it is both comfortable to hold and comfortable to fire thanks to H & K’s internal recoil reduction system and with a customizable grip frame via an interchangeable backstrap and grip panels, the HK45 Compact just may be the ultimate concealed carry .45 ACP.