06GunTests FNP

.
40 S&W Pistols: We Like the

USP Compact, SW40GVE Sigma
H&Ks USP Compact and the S&W SW40GVE show why they
are trusted self-defense handguns. Also, the FNH FNP-40 is a
sleeper, but Rugers P944 is behind the times, in our view.
W
hen it comes to planning
a test, the natural ten-
dency is to choose the
newest models. But in
this test we will look at pistols that
are tried-and-true products for each
manufacturer despite being outside
of the new-gun spotlight.
The $409 Smith & Wesson
SW40GVE is a perfect example. Af-
ter writing up the new M&P pistol,
we wondered what would become
of this model. But Smith & Wesson
has reported stellar sales for the VE
series better known as the Sigma.
We wanted to know why.
Heckler & Koch has been mak-
ing the USP Compact 40 ($799) for
many years, but more current adver-
tising has been focused on the P2000-
type pistols. Isnt the Universal Self
Loading pistol still viable?
FNH USA, the American arm
of the Belgium rm FN Herstal, has
been concentrating on selling mili-
tary and police weapons. But the
companys civilian handgun lineup
continues to expand. In this test
we will evaluate the $599 FNP .40
DA/SA.
Rugers .45 ACP P345 pistol
has overshadowed other models in
print. Would we still want the $495
.40 S&W P944?
To see if each of these pistols
still have what it takes to keep up
with newer models, we visited Phil
Oxleys Impact Zone, <theimpact-
zone.us>, to test each weapon. For
accuracy we red from a sandbag
rest at targets placed
15 yards downrange.
This is the same dis-
tance we tested from
in our April 2005 test
of .40 S&W pistols.
Test ammuni ti on
consisted of a full-
metal-jacket round
and two hollowpoint
defense loads. They were 165-grain
Winchester USA FMJs and Black
Hills Ammunition 180-grain reman-
ufactured JHPs in a blue box and
180-grain JHP ammunition from
Remington UMC.
Because each of our guns was
designed primarily for tactical re-
sponse rather than for the target
range, we also tried each gun in a
rapid action test. With a Hoffners
ABC16 target (877-Hoffner) placed 7
yards away, we red two shots at the
A zone located in the chest area of
the silhouette followed with a single
With a Hoffners ABC16 target, (877-HOFFNER)
placed 7 yards away, we red two shots at the A
zone located in the chest area followed with a single
shot to the head area, which contained the B zone.
This target was engaged using the Smith & Wesson
40GVE, also known as the Sigma (top right) We had
our best results by pulling the Sigmas DAO trigger
with a constant motion rather than staging the trigger
or searching for the break. The Heckler & Koch USP
40 Compact (upper left) was the fastest and most
consistent of our quartet. The HK pistol was also the
most accurate from the bench. The Ruger P944 (lower
left) malfunctioned. But after it expelled small chunks
of metal, the P944 ran without stopping. The Rugers
accuracy from the bench was sub par, in our view, but
still held its own at short range. The FNP-40 DA/SA,
lower right, surpassed our expectations. This product
performed well in all aspects of our test, and might
prove to be a Best Buy.
Reprinted from December 2006...
GUN TESTS
finalplaced.indd 1 3/5/07 4:45:38 PM
shot to the head-area B zone. Start
position was with the gun at about a
45-degree angle to the ground and the
shooters elbows slightly bent. We
recorded elapsed time with a CED
electronic timer (cedhk.com) that
supplied an audible start signal and
displayed elapsed time with each
report. This drill was performed ten
times. We recorded accuracy and
time to compare the responsive
capability of each pistol in closer
quarters.
All four guns utilized an externally
mounted extractor and rear-only
cocking serrations. Aside from the
Ruger, each of our test guns had an
accessory rail underneath the dust
cover. Here is what we found.
FNH USA FNP-4
Stainless DA/SA
.40 S&W No. 47834, $599
The FNP series pistols from FNH
USA, located in McLean, Virginia, is
not new but has recently been ener-
gized with the availability of options
such as a stainless-steel nish for
the slide, night sights and a variety
of actions. The FNP-40 is available
in full-time double action, traditional
double action (referred to as DA/SA),
and single action.
Our DA/SA FNP-40 had a matte
stainlesssteel nish on the slide
and featured low-mounted three-dot
sights dovetailed into place front and
rear. The receiver was a one-piece
polymer molded design, except for
the interchangeable back straps.
Each back strap slid into place from
the bottom and was held by a slot-
ted screw, which wasnt fancy but it
did not interfere with grip comfort.
One panel was flat and the other
provided a palm swell. Both panels
showed the same molded checkering
as found on the front of the grip.
The FNP-40s accessory rail was
the only one cut to Picatinny speci-
cation. We tried a SureFire X200
on it, and the light t perfectly. The
inside of the magazine well featured
the type of bevel a custom gunsmith
would apply to speed reloads. The
decocker levers were ambidextrous.
Along the left side of the pistol was
FNH USA FNP-40 .40 S&W NO. 47835, $599
Gun Tests RecommendS: buy it
The FNP-40 offers light weight, high capacity, and two grip
panels that work. It was edged out by the more expensive HK.
SPECIFICATIONS
OVERALL LENGTH .............................................. 7.4 IN.
BARREL LENGTH ................................................ 4.0 IN.
SIGHT RADIUS .................................................. 5.9 IN.
OVERALL HEIGHT ............................................... 5.2 IN.
FRONT STRAP HEIGHT ........................................ 2.3 IN.
BACK STRAP HEIGHT.......................................... 3.2 IN.
WEIGHT UNLOADED ............................................24 OZ.
CAPACITY .............................................. 14+1 ROUNDS
MAXIMUM WIDTH ............................................ 1.5 IN.
GRIP THICKNESS (MAX)....................................... 1.2 IN.
GRIP CIRCUMFERENCE (MAX) ..........................5.5/5.7 IN.
FRAME MATERIAL/FINISH ....................POLYMER/TEXTURED
BARREL .............................................. STAINLESS STEEL
SLIDE MATERIAL/FINISH ....... ST. STEEL/ MATTE STAINLESS
GRIP MATERIAL/FINISH ......................... POLYMER/ BLACK
TRIGGER PULL WEIGHT DOUBLE ACTION ............. 10.5 LBS.
TRIGGER PULL WEIGHT SINGLE ACTION ................ 4.5 LBS.
TRIGGER SPAN DOUBLE ACTION............................ 2.8 IN.
TRIGGER SPAN SINGLE ACTION ............................ 2.5 IN.
WARRANTY .........................................IMPLIED LIFETIME
TELEPHONE ....................................... (703) 288-1292
WEBSITE OR EMAIL ........................... WWW.FNHUSA.COM
If you are used to riding a safety
with the strong hand thumb
unintentional return to double
action is in your future. Tucking
the thumb or simply letting
the thumb relax will avoid this
pitfall.
The FNP-40 was the only gun
in our test with an accessory
rail that would t modern gear
such as the Surere X200. The
breakdown lever above the
trigger guard meant the top
end could be unlocked without
touching the trigger.
the slide catch and the break down
lever. Field stripping was as simple
as locking back the slide and rotat-
ing the break-down lever clockwise
90 degrees.
The top end consisted of the slide,
barrel and recoil assembly with a
captured at-wire recoil spring. Steel
rails appeared on each side of the
locking block directly below the bar-
rel chamber and to the rear of the
frame. Three 14-round magazines
with polished stainless steel bodies
came with the gun.
At the range we tried shooting with
each of the supplied backstraps. Grip
circumference varied only about 0.2
inch, but we found them to be very
different. The larger panel gave the
FNP-40 a traditional feel. Shooting
with the smaller, atter panel sup-
plied a little more forward index and
reminded us of the Smith & Wesson
4013 we tested in the April 2005 is-
sue. Our test staff preferred the at
panel, and we used it throughout the
remainder of our tests.
From the bench the FNP-40 print-
ed ve-shot groups that averaged less
than 2 inches across with the both
the Winchester and the Black Hills
ammunition. Groups ranging from
0.9 inch to 1.6 inches ring the Black
Hills remanufactured 180-grain JHP
ammunition was the top performer
from the bench. The Remington am-
munition printed groups in the 2.5-
inch range.
Our action test brought out other
characteristics of the FNP-40 pis-
tol.
We thought the magazine release
was a little too far out of the way,
and magazines did not always drop
freely when they were empty. Par-
tially loaded magazines were easier
to release. We found the trigger to be
smooth and light enough for seam-
less transitions from double to single
action after the rst shot. The outer
surface of the hammer was grooved,
making it easy to thumb back for
rst-shot single action.
The decocker levers were in reach
of the thumb, but not everyone on
our staff preferred this. For those
accustomed to shooting with the
strong-hand thumb against the side
of the frame or atop a safety lever,
they had to be careful not to touch
the decocker. More than once we
found ourselves in the middle of a
rapid-re string being forced from
single action to hammer-down dou-
ble-action re. Once we learned to
relax the strong-hand thumb and
keep it away from the side of the pis-
tol, decocking the FNP-40 uninten-
tionally was no longer a problem.
Winchester USA .40 S&W FNH USA Smith & Wesson Ruger Heckler & Koch
165-gr. FMJ USA40SWVP FNP40DASA SW40 GVE P944 USP40 Compact
Average Velocity 1017 fps 1017 fps 1015 fps 980 fps
Standard Deviation 8 fps 4 fps 10 fps 6 fps
Muzzle Energy 379 ft.-lbs. 379 ft.-lbs. 378 ft.-lbs. 352 ft.-lbs.
Smallest Group 1.2 in. 1.9 in. 2.8 in. 1.0 in.
Largest Group 2.1 in. 2.5 in. 4.1 in. 2.1 in.
Average Group 1.7 in. 2.2 in. 3.5 in. 1.6 in.
Remington UMC .40 S&W FNH USA Smith & Wesson Ruger Heckler & Koch
180-gr. JHP L40SW2B FNP40DASA SW40 GVE P944 USP40 Compact
Black Hills .40 S&W FNH USA Smith & Wesson Ruger Heckler & Koch
180-gr. JHP Remanufactured FNP40DASA SW40 GVE P944 USP40 Compact
To collect accuracy data, we red ve-shot groups from a sandbag rest using open sights. Distance: 15 yards. We
recorded velocities using an Oehler 35P chronograph, with the sky screens set 10 feet from the muzzle.
ACCURACY & CHRONOGRAPH DATA
shot to the head-area B zone. Start
position was with the gun at about a
45-degree angle to the ground and the
shooters elbows slightly bent. We
recorded elapsed time with a CED
electronic timer (cedhk.com) that
supplied an audible start signal and
displayed elapsed time with each
report. This drill was performed ten
times. We recorded accuracy and
time to compare the responsive
capability of each pistol in closer
quarters.
All four guns utilized an externally
mounted extractor and rear-only
cocking serrations. Aside from the
Ruger, each of our test guns had an
accessory rail underneath the dust
cover. Here is what we found.
FNH USA FNP-4
Stainless DA/SA
.40 S&W No. 47834, $599
The FNP series pistols from FNH
USA, located in McLean, Virginia, is
not new but has recently been ener-
gized with the availability of options
such as a stainless-steel nish for
the slide, night sights and a variety
of actions. The FNP-40 is available
in full-time double action, traditional
double action (referred to as DA/SA),
and single action.
Our DA/SA FNP-40 had a matte
stainlesssteel nish on the slide
and featured low-mounted three-dot
sights dovetailed into place front and
rear. The receiver was a one-piece
polymer molded design, except for
the interchangeable back straps.
Each back strap slid into place from
the bottom and was held by a slot-
ted screw, which wasnt fancy but it
did not interfere with grip comfort.
One panel was flat and the other
provided a palm swell. Both panels
showed the same molded checkering
as found on the front of the grip.
The FNP-40s accessory rail was
the only one cut to Picatinny speci-
cation. We tried a SureFire X200
on it, and the light t perfectly. The
inside of the magazine well featured
the type of bevel a custom gunsmith
would apply to speed reloads. The
decocker levers were ambidextrous.
Along the left side of the pistol was
FNH USA FNP-40 .40 S&W NO. 47835, $599
Gun Tests RecommendS: buy it
The FNP-40 offers light weight, high capacity, and two grip
panels that work. It was edged out by the more expensive HK.
SPECIFICATIONS
BARREL LENGTH ................................................ 4.0 IN.
SIGHT RADIUS .................................................. 5.9 IN.
CAPACITY .............................................. 14+1 ROUNDS
MAXIMUM WIDTH ............................................ 1.5 IN.
GRIP CIRCUMFERENCE (MAX) ..........................5.5/5.7 IN.
FRAME MATERIAL/FINISH ....................POLYMER/TEXTURED
SLIDE MATERIAL/FINISH ....... ST. STEEL/ MATTE STAINLESS
GRIP MATERIAL/FINISH ......................... POLYMER/ BLACK
WARRANTY .........................................IMPLIED LIFETIME
TELEPHONE ....................................... (703) 288-1292
WEBSITE OR EMAIL ........................... WWW.FNHUSA.COM
If you are used to riding a safety
with the strong hand thumb
unintentional return to double
action is in your future. Tucking
the thumb or simply letting
the thumb relax will avoid this
pitfall.
The FNP-40 was the only gun
in our test with an accessory
rail that would t modern gear
such as the Surere X200. The
breakdown lever above the
trigger guard meant the top
end could be unlocked without
touching the trigger.
the slide catch and the break down
lever. Field stripping was as simple
as locking back the slide and rotat-
ing the break-down lever clockwise
90 degrees.
The top end consisted of the slide,
barrel and recoil assembly with a
captured at-wire recoil spring. Steel
rails appeared on each side of the
locking block directly below the bar-
rel chamber and to the rear of the
frame. Three 14-round magazines
with polished stainless steel bodies
came with the gun.
At the range we tried shooting with
each of the supplied backstraps. Grip
circumference varied only about 0.2
inch, but we found them to be very
different. The larger panel gave the
FNP-40 a traditional feel. Shooting
with the smaller, atter panel sup-
plied a little more forward index and
reminded us of the Smith & Wesson
4013 we tested in the April 2005 is-
sue. Our test staff preferred the at
panel, and we used it throughout the
remainder of our tests.
From the bench the FNP-40 print-
ed ve-shot groups that averaged less
than 2 inches across with the both
the Winchester and the Black Hills
ammunition. Groups ranging from
0.9 inch to 1.6 inches ring the Black
Hills remanufactured 180-grain JHP
ammunition was the top performer
from the bench. The Remington am-
munition printed groups in the 2.5-
inch range.
Our action test brought out other
characteristics of the FNP-40 pis-
tol.
We thought the magazine release
was a little too far out of the way,
and magazines did not always drop
freely when they were empty. Par-
tially loaded magazines were easier
to release. We found the trigger to be
smooth and light enough for seam-
less transitions from double to single
action after the rst shot. The outer
surface of the hammer was grooved,
making it easy to thumb back for
rst-shot single action.
The decocker levers were in reach
of the thumb, but not everyone on
our staff preferred this. For those
accustomed to shooting with the
strong-hand thumb against the side
of the frame or atop a safety lever,
they had to be careful not to touch
the decocker. More than once we
found ourselves in the middle of a
rapid-re string being forced from
single action to hammer-down dou-
ble-action re. Once we learned to
relax the strong-hand thumb and
keep it away from the side of the pis-
tol, decocking the FNP-40 uninten-
tionally was no longer a problem.
Winchester USA .40 S&W FNH USA Smith & Wesson Ruger Heckler & Koch
165-gr. FMJ USA40SWVP FNP40DASA SW40 GVE P944 USP40 Compact
Remington UMC .40 S&W FNH USA Smith & Wesson Ruger Heckler & Koch
180-gr. JHP L40SW2B FNP40DASA SW40 GVE P944 USP40 Compact
Black Hills .40 S&W FNH USA Smith & Wesson Ruger Heckler & Koch
180-gr. JHP Remanufactured FNP40DASA SW40 GVE P944 USP40 Compact
To collect accuracy data, we red ve-shot groups from a sandbag rest using open sights. Distance: 15 yards. We
recorded velocities using an Oehler 35P chronograph, with the sky screens set 10 feet from the muzzle.
ACCURACY & CHRONOGRAPH DATA
RUGER P944 .40 S&W, $495
Gun Tests RecommendS: dont buy
Early malfunctions surprised us, and we were disappointed in its
15-yard performance. At its best, we felt this design was dated,
and other models have more to offer.
We hit 18/20 shots in the A zone
body area, and 10/10 shots grouped
into the B-zone head area. The B
zone contained 6 hits inside of a
group that measured about 2.25
inches across. Elapsed time for each
of the ten strings of re ranged from
1.96 to 2.33 seconds from the audible
start signal to last shot red.
Ruger P944
.40 S&W, $495
The Ruger P series pistols has
long been a fixture in the Sturm
Ruger catalog. The P944 is a .40 S&W
variation that is built on a coated
aluminum frame with polymer grip
panels. We liked the stealth black
appearance with only the hammer,
trigger and barrel providing a metal-
lic contrast.
The P944 is a traditional dou-
ble-action pistol. The safety and
decocker mechanism rode on the
steel slide, with levers found on both
sides. After depressing the decocker,
the shooter can leave the lever in the
down position to disable the trigger.
This was a true decocker/safety.
The front sight was pinned to a
stanchion atop the slide. The rear
sight was dovetailed into place.
Windage adjustments were by drift
only, and an Allen screw helped
maintain the setting.
The polymer grip panels were ap-
plied cleanly enough to make one
think they were holding a one-piece
molded frame. The front and rear of
the grip frame was without any kind
of checkering or grip enhancement,
but the matte nish provided its own
degree of friction. We found the grip
angle and general ergonomics of this
pistol to be about perfect, save for
the magazine release.
Found on both sides of the pistol
at the bottom rear corner of the trig-
ger guard were two heavily lined
wedge-shaped levers. The lever had
to be pushed forward to release the
magazine. Set with a leaf spring, the
shooters sensation of pushing the
lever was more like the spring was
being bent rather than compressed.
This design was safe from accidental
discharge, but it felt unnatural.
SPECIFICATIONS
BARREL LENGTH ................................................ 4.2 IN.
SIGHT RADIUS .................................................. 5.3 IN.
CAPACITY .............................................. 10+1 ROUNDS
MAXIMUM WIDTH ............................................ 1.5 IN.
GRIP CIRCUMFERENCE (MAX) ................................ 5.7 IN.
FRAME MATERIAL/FINISH ........ ALUMINUM/MATTE BLACK
SLIDE MATERIAL/FINISH .................. STEEL/ MATTE BLACK
GRIP MATERIAL/FINISH ................ POLYCARBONATE/ BLACK
WARRANTY ....................................................LIFETIME
TELEPHONE ....................................... (603) 863-3300
WEBSITE OR EMAIL ................WWW.RUGER-FIREARMS.COM
The Ruger utilized a true
decocker/safety. Pressing the
lever down safely lowered the
hammer and deactivated the
trigger. Return to rst-shot
double action required raising
the lever. Rapid deployment
training should include checking
the position of the lever.
After locking back the slide and
shifting the ejector, the slide
was moved forward. Matching
the vertical lines in the frame
and slide cued proper alignment
in order to release the slide stop
and take the gun apart.
Two 10-round single-column mag-
azines were supplied. We know of no
extra capacity magazines available
for this pistol.
Removing the top end of the P944
began with clearing the weapon and
locking back the slide. Looking down
into the magazine well, we found
the ejector, which we then pushed
forward and down. We unlocked the
slide and allowed it to move forward
so that the breakdown mark in the
slide was lined up with the mark on
the frame. With the frame and slide
in this position, we removed the slide
stop by pushing on the end of the pin
protruding from the right side of the
frame and pulling it out from the left
side. The top end consisted of the
slide, barrel and guide rod with cap-
tured recoil springs. A light-gauge
inner spring and a heavier-gauge
outer spring surrounded the guide.
The rails on the frame did not run
the length of the receiver, but instead
consisted of two shorter sections
placed to the rear and above the
trigger guard.
Our rst shooting session was cut
short by a series of malfunctions,
which were the only problems suf-
fered by any of the pistols in this
test. First, we experienced several
failures to ignite. Then, we noticed
that the trigger would not return to
its forward position. After one failure
to ignite we had a great deal of dif-
culty pulling back the slide to eject
the round. Not wanting to be left
with a frozen slide and a chambered
round, we dry red and hand cycled
the slide. Within a few repetitions
the slide was completely locked
up. To free the slide, we held the
pistol by its cocking serrations and
punched forward at the back strap
of the receiver.
Once the slide was free, we locked
it back and removed the top end. A
couple of small metal bits dropped
free from either the slide or the
frame. Upon inspection of the pistol
we could not nd any obvious points
from where the bits of metal could
have chipped off. We lubricated the
pistol and put it together. Afterward,
the P944 ran without malfunction.
The Ruger P series pistols have al-
ways had a reputation for reliability,
so we were glad to be able to x the
gun and return to the range. From
the bench we found that red single
action, our P944 was only capable of
landing groups that measured 3.5 to
4.0 inches across on average.
In the action test, the Ruger P944
red 17/20 shots in the A zone and
8/10 in the B zone. Elapsed time,
however was a little slow. Our fastest
three-shot string took 2.29 seconds,
and our slowest under 3 seconds.
We think the P944 pistol is still a
viable weapon, but considering other
achievements by the manufacturer,
it might be time for a new design.
Heckler & Koch
USP Compact 40 Variant 1
.40 S&W, $799
The USP or, Universal Self Load-
ing Pistol, is one model that is
synonymous with the Heckler &
Koch name. The compact model
we tested operated with a left-side-
only decocker/safety lever. The USP
is modular in terms of action, and
this was Variant 1 of ten different
congurations
Our USP Compact 40 V1 came out
of a special run that offered a two-
tone color scheme. The frame was
Desert Tan with a black slide. In con-
trast, the magazine basepad, trigger,
slide release paddles, mainspring
cap, slide stop and decocker were
black. Other than the color there was
no difference in function, design, or
price between our test sample and
a standard all black pistol.
The frame was polymer with
molded checkering on the front
and back of the grip and stippled
surfaces on the sides. The bottom
of the grip was indented on each
side to provide extra grip should
the magazine need to be ripped free.
The squared trigger guard included
grooves at the front to accommodate
a weak-hand index-nger hold. De-
pressing the paddles on both sides
below the trigger guard released the
magazine. The gun could be red
double action or single action.
The hammer was bobbed, so
moving the slide was the only way
to assure a single-action rst shot.
Three-dot sights were dovetailed
into the slide, and could be drifted
to adjust windage.
The magazine held 12 rounds.
These magazines can be shared with
the new P2000 pistols, such as the
one we tested in July 2006. Regard-
ing operation of the paddle-style
magazine release, we found that the
smaller USP Compact allowed us to
operate the release with much the
same movement used on guns fit
with a typical push button release.
Removing the top end was a mat-
ter of pushing back the slide about
For this test, we chose a popular
target round and two defense
loads. The Remington 180-grain
JHP rounds and the Winchester
USA 165-grain FMJ rounds (cen-
ter and right, respectively) are
economy rounds readily available
at big box stores such as Wal-
mart. You may have to search
a little for the Black Hills blue
box remanufactured ammuni-
tion, but they are a good buy and
shoot well. The best individual
result was achieved with the
combination of the FNH P-40 and
the Black Hills 180-grain hollow-
points. But the HK USP 40 Com-
pact averaged an overall best
1.8 inches for all shots red.
RUGER P944 .40 S&W, $495
Gun Tests RecommendS: dont buy
Early malfunctions surprised us, and we were disappointed in its
15-yard performance. At its best, we felt this design was dated,
and other models have more to offer.
We hit 18/20 shots in the A zone
body area, and 10/10 shots grouped
into the B-zone head area. The B
zone contained 6 hits inside of a
group that measured about 2.25
inches across. Elapsed time for each
of the ten strings of re ranged from
1.96 to 2.33 seconds from the audible
start signal to last shot red.
Ruger P944
.40 S&W, $495
The Ruger P series pistols has
long been a fixture in the Sturm
Ruger catalog. The P944 is a .40 S&W
variation that is built on a coated
aluminum frame with polymer grip
panels. We liked the stealth black
appearance with only the hammer,
trigger and barrel providing a metal-
lic contrast.
The P944 is a traditional dou-
ble-action pistol. The safety and
decocker mechanism rode on the
steel slide, with levers found on both
sides. After depressing the decocker,
the shooter can leave the lever in the
down position to disable the trigger.
This was a true decocker/safety.
The front sight was pinned to a
stanchion atop the slide. The rear
sight was dovetailed into place.
Windage adjustments were by drift
only, and an Allen screw helped
maintain the setting.
The polymer grip panels were ap-
plied cleanly enough to make one
think they were holding a one-piece
molded frame. The front and rear of
the grip frame was without any kind
of checkering or grip enhancement,
but the matte nish provided its own
degree of friction. We found the grip
angle and general ergonomics of this
pistol to be about perfect, save for
the magazine release.
Found on both sides of the pistol
at the bottom rear corner of the trig-
ger guard were two heavily lined
wedge-shaped levers. The lever had
to be pushed forward to release the
magazine. Set with a leaf spring, the
shooters sensation of pushing the
lever was more like the spring was
being bent rather than compressed.
This design was safe from accidental
discharge, but it felt unnatural.
SPECIFICATIONS
BARREL LENGTH ................................................ 4.2 IN.
SIGHT RADIUS .................................................. 5.3 IN.
CAPACITY .............................................. 10+1 ROUNDS
MAXIMUM WIDTH ............................................ 1.5 IN.
FRAME MATERIAL/FINISH ........ ALUMINUM/MATTE BLACK
SLIDE MATERIAL/FINISH .................. STEEL/ MATTE BLACK
GRIP MATERIAL/FINISH ................ POLYCARBONATE/ BLACK
TELEPHONE ....................................... (603) 863-3300
WEBSITE OR EMAIL ................WWW.RUGER-FIREARMS.COM
The Ruger utilized a true
decocker/safety. Pressing the
lever down safely lowered the
hammer and deactivated the
trigger. Return to rst-shot
double action required raising
the lever. Rapid deployment
training should include checking
the position of the lever.
After locking back the slide and
shifting the ejector, the slide
was moved forward. Matching
the vertical lines in the frame
and slide cued proper alignment
in order to release the slide stop
and take the gun apart.
Two 10-round single-column mag-
azines were supplied. We know of no
extra capacity magazines available
for this pistol.
Removing the top end of the P944
began with clearing the weapon and
locking back the slide. Looking down
into the magazine well, we found
the ejector, which we then pushed
forward and down. We unlocked the
slide and allowed it to move forward
so that the breakdown mark in the
slide was lined up with the mark on
the frame. With the frame and slide
in this position, we removed the slide
stop by pushing on the end of the pin
protruding from the right side of the
frame and pulling it out from the left
side. The top end consisted of the
slide, barrel and guide rod with cap-
tured recoil springs. A light-gauge
inner spring and a heavier-gauge
outer spring surrounded the guide.
The rails on the frame did not run
the length of the receiver, but instead
consisted of two shorter sections
placed to the rear and above the
trigger guard.
Our rst shooting session was cut
short by a series of malfunctions,
which were the only problems suf-
fered by any of the pistols in this
test. First, we experienced several
failures to ignite. Then, we noticed
that the trigger would not return to
its forward position. After one failure
to ignite we had a great deal of dif-
culty pulling back the slide to eject
the round. Not wanting to be left
with a frozen slide and a chambered
round, we dry red and hand cycled
the slide. Within a few repetitions
the slide was completely locked
up. To free the slide, we held the
pistol by its cocking serrations and
punched forward at the back strap
of the receiver.
Once the slide was free, we locked
it back and removed the top end. A
couple of small metal bits dropped
free from either the slide or the
frame. Upon inspection of the pistol
we could not nd any obvious points
from where the bits of metal could
have chipped off. We lubricated the
pistol and put it together. Afterward,
the P944 ran without malfunction.
The Ruger P series pistols have al-
ways had a reputation for reliability,
so we were glad to be able to x the
gun and return to the range. From
the bench we found that red single
action, our P944 was only capable of
landing groups that measured 3.5 to
4.0 inches across on average.
In the action test, the Ruger P944
red 17/20 shots in the A zone and
8/10 in the B zone. Elapsed time,
however was a little slow. Our fastest
three-shot string took 2.29 seconds,
and our slowest under 3 seconds.
We think the P944 pistol is still a
viable weapon, but considering other
achievements by the manufacturer,
it might be time for a new design.
Heckler & Koch
USP Compact 40 Variant 1
.40 S&W, $799
The USP or, Universal Self Load-
ing Pistol, is one model that is
synonymous with the Heckler &
Koch name. The compact model
we tested operated with a left-side-
only decocker/safety lever. The USP
is modular in terms of action, and
this was Variant 1 of ten different
congurations
Our USP Compact 40 V1 came out
of a special run that offered a two-
tone color scheme. The frame was
Desert Tan with a black slide. In con-
trast, the magazine basepad, trigger,
slide release paddles, mainspring
cap, slide stop and decocker were
black. Other than the color there was
no difference in function, design, or
price between our test sample and
a standard all black pistol.
The frame was polymer with
molded checkering on the front
and back of the grip and stippled
surfaces on the sides. The bottom
of the grip was indented on each
side to provide extra grip should
the magazine need to be ripped free.
The squared trigger guard included
grooves at the front to accommodate
a weak-hand index-nger hold. De-
pressing the paddles on both sides
below the trigger guard released the
magazine. The gun could be red
double action or single action.
The hammer was bobbed, so
moving the slide was the only way
to assure a single-action rst shot.
Three-dot sights were dovetailed
into the slide, and could be drifted
to adjust windage.
The magazine held 12 rounds.
These magazines can be shared with
the new P2000 pistols, such as the
one we tested in July 2006. Regard-
ing operation of the paddle-style
magazine release, we found that the
smaller USP Compact allowed us to
operate the release with much the
same movement used on guns fit
with a typical push button release.
Removing the top end was a mat-
ter of pushing back the slide about
For this test, we chose a popular
target round and two defense
loads. The Remington 180-grain
JHP rounds and the Winchester
USA 165-grain FMJ rounds (cen-
ter and right, respectively) are
economy rounds readily available
at big box stores such as Wal-
mart. You may have to search
a little for the Black Hills blue
box remanufactured ammuni-
tion, but they are a good buy and
shoot well. The best individual
result was achieved with the
combination of the FNH P-40 and
the Black Hills 180-grain hollow-
points. But the HK USP 40 Com-
pact averaged an overall best
1.8 inches for all shots red.
one-half inch to align the slide stop
relief. Pushing the slide stop out
from right to left freed the top end
to slide forward off of the frame.
A flat wound spring and a nylon
bushing that acted as a shock buf-
fer surrounded the guide rod, and
both the spring and the bushing were
captured on the guide rod.
The frame showed a transfer bar
from the trigger to the assembly at
the rear that included the hammer
and sear, decocker/safety, and the
frame mounted extractor. The frame
also had a pair of steel rails front and
rear inlaid into the polymer.
We didnt nd that ring single
action with the HK was similar to
a 1911. Primarily, this was because
the hinged trigger offered a much
different feel than a sliding trigger.
The stroke was much longer and
little bit mushy, in our opinion. We
think a at-faced trigger, such as the
one we operated on the CZ75B SA
tested in October 2006, might make
ignition seem more direct.
We liked the availability of the
safety, if not for cocked and locked
carry then for safer administrative
handling or locking the action while
still maintaining a higher state of
readiness. In our evaluation of the
FNP-40 above, we mentioned in-
cidents of accidentally decocking
the gun during recoil when letting
the strong hand thumb ride above
the decocker. This did not happen
when ring the HK pistol, even when
purposely riding the safety lever for
additional recoil control. Acciden-
tal decocking was not a problem
because putting the gun off safe
required a downward motion, but
using this same lever to lower the
hammer required a circular motion.
The thumb must actually get in front
of the lever and rotate it counter-
clockwise rather than merely press
it downward.
Our range session from the bench
was red single action only. Of our
four guns, the HK USP Compact was
the most versatile. Our other guns
noticeably favored one test round
over another, but the HK showed
ne accuracy with all rounds.
H&K USP COMPACT 40 V 1 .40 S&W, $799
Gun Tests RecommendS: our pick
At this price it should be the best, and HK didnt drop the ball.
This is a product nished rst in accuracy and speed.
SPECIFICATIONS
OVERALL LENGTH ................................................ 6.9 IN.
BARREL LENGTH .................................................. 3.5 IN.
SIGHT RADIUS .................................................... 5.3 IN.
OVERALL HEIGHT ................................................. 5.0 IN.
FRONT STRAP HEIGHT .......................................... 2.2 IN.
BACK STRAP HEIGHT............................................ 2.8 IN.
WEIGHT UNLOADED ............................................. 25 OZ.
CAPACITY ................................................ 12+1 ROUNDS
MAXIMUM WIDTH .............................................. 1.3 IN.
GRIP THICKNESS (MAX)......................................... 1.2 IN.
GRIP CIRCUMFERENCE (MAX) .................................. 5.6 IN.
FRAME MATERIAL/FINISH ..................POLYMER/DESERT TAN
BARREL ................................................ STAINLESS STEEL
SLIDE MATERIAL/FINISH ................ STAINLESS STEEL/BLACK
GRIP MATERIAL/FINISH ........................... POLYMER/PEBBLE
TRIGGER PULL WEIGHT DOUBLE ACTION .................. 11 LBS.
TRIGGER PULL WEIGHT SINGLE ACTION .................. 5.5 LBS.
TRIGGER SPAN DOULBLE ....................................... 2.8 IN.
TRIGGER SPAN SINGLE ACTION .............................. 2.6 IN.
WARRANTY .......................................... LIMITED LIFETIME
TELEPHONE ......................................... (205)-655-8299
WEBSITE OR EMAIL ............... WWW.HECKLERKOCH-USA.COM
The left-side-only safety lever
doubled as a decocker. We
found we could ride the safety
without fear of accidentally
decocking the weapon
because the safety action
worked straight up and down.
Decocking required a circular
motion pressing on the front of
the lever, as illustrated here.
The magazine-release paddle
(arrow) was available from
both sides. Unlike the larger-
framed HK pistols that require a
dedicated technique to activate
the release, the smaller size of
the Compact model let us drop
the magazine much the same as
punching a button.
Firing in transition from double
to single action, our rapid-action
test produced 19/20 hits inside the
A zone and 9/10 in the B zone. Nine
shots in the B zone created about
a 3.0 inch group. Elapsed time was
also the most consistent. Our fast-
est run took 1.97 seconds but our
slowest run was over in just 2.14
seconds.
Smith & Wesson SW40GVE
.40 S&W No. 120037, $409
The Sigma is the 18th letter of the
Greek alphabet, but Wikipedia lists
numerous other denitions of the
word sigma, including one denition
under the heading Popular Culture
that reads, Sigma, a Smith & Wesson
rearm.
A more complete denition might
read that the Sigma is a polymer-
framed, striker-red, full-time double-
action semi-automatic pistol feeding
from a double-column magazine. Our
test pistol was SW40GVE variant,
which included a green frame and
matte-stainless steel slide.
The Sigma was one of the first
answers to the success of the Glock
pistol, and early on it suffered from
calls of copycat and less than stellar
performance. Smith & Wesson has
hung in with the Sigma and recently
reported impressive sales gures in
overseas markets.
The low-mount sights consisted
of a simple three-dot system. The
front sight was pegged into the top
of the slide, and the rear unit was
dovetailed into place. The rear sight
was windage adjustable by drift, and
resembled a generic version of the
Novak design.
The barrel sat ush with the at
top of the slide. The rear of the bar-
rel hood showed a sizable relief
for checking whether the chamber
was loaded or empty. The left-side
slide release t nearly ush to the
frame. The break-down levers were
recessed, and the magazine release
was partially shielded by a con-
tour that doubled as a thumb rest.
The opposite side of the magazine
release was also blended into the
right-side grip.
S&W SW40GVE .40 S&W NO. 120037, $409
Gun Tests RecommendS: buy It
Reliable, but at times tiring to shoot, the Sigma surprised us
with its close-range speed and accuracy.
SPECIFICATIONS
BARREL LENGTH ................................................ 4.9 IN.
SIGHT RADIUS .................................................. 6.0 IN.
CAPACITY ......................................... 10/14+1 ROUNDS
MAXIMUM WIDTH ............................................ 1.3 IN.
FRAME MATERIAL/FINISH ............POLYMER/ O.D. GREEN
SLIDE MATERIAL/FINISH .............STAINLESS STEEL/ MATTE
GRIP MATERIAL/FINISH .................POLYMER/ O.D. GREEN
TELEPHONE ....................................... (800) 331-0852
WEBSITE OR EMAIL ................. WWW.SMITH-WESSON.COM
To our way of thinking, the grip of
the SW40GVE was its strongest
attribute. It allowed the shooter
to hold the pistol tightly while
isolating the trigger nger. Note
how the blank side of the magazine
release was blended in. This pistol
was slick and snag proof.
Breaking the Sigma down requires
pressing the trigger and moving the
slide slightly to the rear. If the slide
was moved from battery any more
than the distance shown, the action
would reset and require a second
snap of the trigger.
one-half inch to align the slide stop
relief. Pushing the slide stop out
from right to left freed the top end
to slide forward off of the frame.
A flat wound spring and a nylon
bushing that acted as a shock buf-
fer surrounded the guide rod, and
both the spring and the bushing were
captured on the guide rod.
The frame showed a transfer bar
from the trigger to the assembly at
the rear that included the hammer
and sear, decocker/safety, and the
frame mounted extractor. The frame
also had a pair of steel rails front and
rear inlaid into the polymer.
We didnt nd that ring single
action with the HK was similar to
a 1911. Primarily, this was because
the hinged trigger offered a much
different feel than a sliding trigger.
The stroke was much longer and
little bit mushy, in our opinion. We
think a at-faced trigger, such as the
one we operated on the CZ75B SA
tested in October 2006, might make
ignition seem more direct.
We liked the availability of the
safety, if not for cocked and locked
carry then for safer administrative
handling or locking the action while
still maintaining a higher state of
readiness. In our evaluation of the
FNP-40 above, we mentioned in-
cidents of accidentally decocking
the gun during recoil when letting
the strong hand thumb ride above
the decocker. This did not happen
when ring the HK pistol, even when
purposely riding the safety lever for
additional recoil control. Acciden-
tal decocking was not a problem
because putting the gun off safe
required a downward motion, but
using this same lever to lower the
hammer required a circular motion.
The thumb must actually get in front
of the lever and rotate it counter-
clockwise rather than merely press
it downward.
Our range session from the bench
was red single action only. Of our
four guns, the HK USP Compact was
the most versatile. Our other guns
noticeably favored one test round
over another, but the HK showed
ne accuracy with all rounds.
H&K USP COMPACT 40 V 1 .40 S&W, $799
Gun Tests RecommendS: our pick
At this price it should be the best, and HK didnt drop the ball.
This is a product nished rst in accuracy and speed.
SPECIFICATIONS
OVERALL LENGTH ................................................ 6.9 IN.
BARREL LENGTH .................................................. 3.5 IN.
SIGHT RADIUS .................................................... 5.3 IN.
OVERALL HEIGHT ................................................. 5.0 IN.
FRONT STRAP HEIGHT .......................................... 2.2 IN.
BACK STRAP HEIGHT............................................ 2.8 IN.
WEIGHT UNLOADED ............................................. 25 OZ.
CAPACITY ................................................ 12+1 ROUNDS
MAXIMUM WIDTH .............................................. 1.3 IN.
GRIP THICKNESS (MAX)......................................... 1.2 IN.
GRIP CIRCUMFERENCE (MAX) .................................. 5.6 IN.
FRAME MATERIAL/FINISH ..................POLYMER/DESERT TAN
BARREL ................................................ STAINLESS STEEL
SLIDE MATERIAL/FINISH ................ STAINLESS STEEL/BLACK
GRIP MATERIAL/FINISH ........................... POLYMER/PEBBLE
TRIGGER PULL WEIGHT DOUBLE ACTION .................. 11 LBS.
TRIGGER PULL WEIGHT SINGLE ACTION .................. 5.5 LBS.
TRIGGER SPAN DOULBLE ....................................... 2.8 IN.
TRIGGER SPAN SINGLE ACTION .............................. 2.6 IN.
WARRANTY .......................................... LIMITED LIFETIME
TELEPHONE ......................................... (205)-655-8299
WEBSITE OR EMAIL ............... WWW.HECKLERKOCH-USA.COM
The left-side-only safety lever
doubled as a decocker. We
found we could ride the safety
without fear of accidentally
decocking the weapon
because the safety action
worked straight up and down.
Decocking required a circular
motion pressing on the front of
the lever, as illustrated here.
The magazine-release paddle
(arrow) was available from
both sides. Unlike the larger-
framed HK pistols that require a
dedicated technique to activate
the release, the smaller size of
the Compact model let us drop
the magazine much the same as
punching a button.
Firing in transition from double
to single action, our rapid-action
test produced 19/20 hits inside the
A zone and 9/10 in the B zone. Nine
shots in the B zone created about
a 3.0 inch group. Elapsed time was
also the most consistent. Our fast-
est run took 1.97 seconds but our
slowest run was over in just 2.14
seconds.
Smith & Wesson SW40GVE
.40 S&W No. 120037, $409
The Sigma is the 18th letter of the
Greek alphabet, but Wikipedia lists
numerous other denitions of the
word sigma, including one denition
under the heading Popular Culture
that reads, Sigma, a Smith & Wesson
rearm.
A more complete denition might
read that the Sigma is a polymer-
framed, striker-red, full-time double-
action semi-automatic pistol feeding
from a double-column magazine. Our
test pistol was SW40GVE variant,
which included a green frame and
matte-stainless steel slide.
The Sigma was one of the first
answers to the success of the Glock
pistol, and early on it suffered from
calls of copycat and less than stellar
performance. Smith & Wesson has
hung in with the Sigma and recently
reported impressive sales gures in
overseas markets.
The low-mount sights consisted
of a simple three-dot system. The
front sight was pegged into the top
of the slide, and the rear unit was
dovetailed into place. The rear sight
was windage adjustable by drift, and
resembled a generic version of the
Novak design.
The barrel sat ush with the at
top of the slide. The rear of the bar-
rel hood showed a sizable relief
for checking whether the chamber
was loaded or empty. The left-side
slide release t nearly ush to the
frame. The break-down levers were
recessed, and the magazine release
was partially shielded by a con-
tour that doubled as a thumb rest.
The opposite side of the magazine
release was also blended into the
right-side grip.
S&W SW40GVE .40 S&W NO. 120037, $409
Gun Tests RecommendS: buy It
Reliable, but at times tiring to shoot, the Sigma surprised us
with its close-range speed and accuracy.
SPECIFICATIONS
BARREL LENGTH ................................................ 4.9 IN.
SIGHT RADIUS .................................................. 6.0 IN.
CAPACITY ......................................... 10/14+1 ROUNDS
MAXIMUM WIDTH ............................................ 1.3 IN.
FRAME MATERIAL/FINISH ............POLYMER/ O.D. GREEN
SLIDE MATERIAL/FINISH .............STAINLESS STEEL/ MATTE
GRIP MATERIAL/FINISH .................POLYMER/ O.D. GREEN
TELEPHONE ....................................... (800) 331-0852
WEBSITE OR EMAIL ................. WWW.SMITH-WESSON.COM
To our way of thinking, the grip of
the SW40GVE was its strongest
attribute. It allowed the shooter
to hold the pistol tightly while
isolating the trigger nger. Note
how the blank side of the magazine
release was blended in. This pistol
was slick and snag proof.
Breaking the Sigma down requires
pressing the trigger and moving the
slide slightly to the rear. If the slide
was moved from battery any more
than the distance shown, the action
would reset and require a second
snap of the trigger.
The grip offered molded checker-
ing on all four sides, including the
back strap that presented a size-
able palm swell. There was also a
small shelf at the base of the front
strap. We thought the grip on this
pistol was excellent for a variety
of hands.
The magazines that arrived with
our pistol were constructed of
polished stainless steel but were
blocked from holding more than 10
rounds. Fifteen-round magazines are
available, however.
The face of the trigger was hinged
in the middle. From this point the
striker block was released only when
the trigger was pressed. Clearing the
weapon before removing the top
end was imperative because the gun
must rst be decocked by pulling
the trigger.
With the ring mechanism relaxed,
we shifted the slide back about 0.1
inch while pulling downward on
the levers located above the trigger
guard. If you move the slide too far
back the gun will re-cock and the
trigger will have to be pressed again
to the release the slide. With the top
end removed, the Sigma looked pret-
ty much like a Glock right down to
its captured at wound recoil spring.
There were no external safeties on
this pistol, but we thought that the
heavy 12.5-pound trigger was a deter-
rent to accidental discharge.
From the bench we found per-
forming a slow controlled press to be
tiring. This is common to guns that
have a long trigger stroke wherein
the movement is working directly
against a spring. We soon learned
that a steady sweeping press rather
than staging or searching for the
break was a better technique when
shooting the Sigma.
Resulting accuracy was not ex-
ceptional, but it was consistent.
The Remington ammunition was
the best performer, printing an aver-
age group that measured about 1.9
inches across. Overall average group
size was about 2.1 inches, but the
variation in size over the course of
ve groups per each choice of am-
munition was only about 0.5 inch.
Our action test on the Hoffners
ABC16 target proved our point
about constant movement at the
trigger. One tester referred to it as
his bicycle technique, adding that,
Once you begin you must stay in
motion. The result was a tight group
of 16/20 shots in the A zone, with
three shots to the left and one to
the right. We hit 8/10 shots in the
B zone. We measured the resulting
eight-shot group to be 2.5 inches
across. Elapsed time ranged from
2.01 to 2.33 seconds.
Frankly, we were surprised how
well the SW40GVE Sigma performed
once we adapted our technique.
Much of the credit we felt should
go to the ergonomics of the pistol
that allowed the index nger to fo-
cus on rolling the trigger while the
remainder of the hand held the gun
steady.
Gun Tests Recommends
Ruger P944 .40 S&W, $575.
Dont Buy. Early malfunctions sur-
prised us, and we were disappointed
in its 15-yard performance. We felt
this design was dated, and other
models have more to offer.
FNH USA FNP-40 Stain-
less DA/SA .40 S&W No. 47834,
$599. Buy It. If this pistol isnt a
Best Buy, then it is certainly a best-
kept secret. Incidental contact with
the decocker while firing was an
avoidable pitfall. The FNP-40 n-
ished second in accuracy.
Smith & Wesson SW-
40GVE .40 S&W No. 120037,
$409. Buy It. Reliable, but at times
tiring to shoot, the Sigma surprised
us with its close range speed and
accuracy.
Heckler & Koch USP
Compact 40 Variant 1 .40 S&W,
$799. Our Pick. At this price it
should be the best, and HK didnt
drop the ball. This is a classy product
that nished rst in accuracy and
handled great. GT
Written and photographed by
Roger Eckstine, using evaluations
from GUN TESTS team testers.
Reprinted from *XQ7HVWV Copyright 2006 Belvoir Media Group, LLC. *XQ7HVWV is published monthly
(12 issues) by Belvoir Media Group, LLC., 800 Connecticut Avenue, Box 5656, Norwalk, CT 06856-5656.
Subscriptions are $29 annually. 800-829-9084. www.gun-tests.com.

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