Gallery: Heckler & Koch

When Heckler & Koch first introduced the USP pistol at the 1993 SHOT Show, nobody could realize the success it would have, nor the heritage it would bestow to the world of firearms

20 years of Heckler & Koch USP: a portrait — The rear sight on the Mark 23 (r.) can be unscrewed with a screwdriver and moved to the lateral dovetail.

20 years of Heckler & Koch USP: a portrait — Twenty years ago, Heckler & Koch began the USP range with a model in .40 Smith & Wesson caliber

20 years of Heckler & Koch USP: a portrait — The Heckler & Koch USP .40, field-stripped in its main components

20 years of Heckler & Koch USP: a portrait — The USP Expert differs from the standard model by its four millimetre longer Match barrel, adjustable trigger stop and LPA adjustable rear sight

20 years of Heckler & Koch USP: a portrait — The cross section illustrates the working principle of the USP

20 years of Heckler & Koch USP: a portrait — Heckler & Koch advertised the SOCOM version to the civilian market with a very appealing slogan...

20 years of Heckler & Koch USP: a portrait — The USP Expert was followed by the USP Custom Sport and Match versions

20 years of Heckler & Koch USP: a portrait — The USP Compactis the only USP which also comes in a .357 SIG calibre. It was introduced as a 9mm Para called the P10 as a police pistol for several German federal states in 1997. It is shorter as well as narrower, and not as high as the original USP

20 years of Heckler & Koch USP: a portrait — Different safety catches: The Mark 23 (below left) has separate catches for safety and release. For the P8, (above left) "fire" is on top and it can only be put in "safety" by releasing it. It is standard for "safety" to be on top with USPs.

20 years of Heckler & Koch USP: a portrait — The Heckler & Koch P8 has been the official standard pistol for the Bundeswehr since 1994. Unlike other USP variants, it features a standard grooved barrel

20 years of Heckler & Koch USP: a portrait — The HK Mark 23 is the civilian market equivalent of the SOCOM pistol

20 years of Heckler & Koch USP: a portrait — Much like the USP Expert and Elite, he Match model also features a 6mm-high sight radius and an adjustable LPA sight

20 years of Heckler & Koch USP: a portrait — When he is not shooting for the HK team, top marksman Markus Emmel often tests arms for VISIER, the German firearms magazine