In 2003, I was a young shooter and really my only other experience with a handgun was with a 2nd generation Glock 17. Prior to owning my first gun, I spent a lot of time on Glocks and a Smith and Wesson 686 I loved. I researched for a couple months and still couldn’t figure out what I’d rather purchase between an H&K USP Compact or a SIG P229. At the time, I was only around 13 and saved up working to have my dad buy one. I wanted a handgun so I could start competing in IDPA and steel competitions.

Buying My First Gun

I went into a local large gun shop and tried out a few different handguns. My father wasn’t a big handgun shooter and I knew some family members also shot competitively that used H&K USP’s. The full-size handgun was still a little large for my hand so I went with the compact instead. I honestly didn’t buy the P229 at the time because it was too expensive and I didn’t have enough money.

Looking back, I’m happy how it worked out because I probably wouldn’t have gotten my Legion if I bought a 229 then. At the time, I didn’t really understand trigger reset and slapped the trigger horribly. If I knew how to reset a trigger, I probably wouldn’t have bought the USP Compact. It was a bulletproof reliable handgun for all the years I’ve owned the gun but the trigger isn’t the greatest. I loved how it fit my hand and shot for me at the time and I was very happy for a lot of years.

How The Gun Stacks Up Now

If you fast forward 16 years, I still own the very USP Compact I bought way back with my dad. Now I own a lot more handguns and I prefer to shoot other guns over the USP Compact. I never realized how mushy the trigger was until I went with an SRT Trigger from SIG. Honestly, I prefer a good striker fired gun as well. Don’t get me wrong though, the USP Compact still holds a place in my heart. I take it out and shoot the gun still, but with technology and guns advancing I think it’s starting to show its age. Despite the trigger, the gun has been incredibly reliable The gun has chewed through nearly 20,000 rounds without a single malfunction. I think that’s amazing on its own so even with a polymer trigger, it was still a great working gun.

Overall Thoughts

I wouldn’t change anything about my purchase. It was a good gun for me at the time and I’m honestly glad it wasn’t a great trigger to start. The gun made me learn trigger discipline for competition and really taught me a lot about shooting over time. I can do a review for you guys of the gun if that’ s something you’d be interested in. Let me know what your first handgun or firearm was. I love hearing stories about other guy’s first guns so don’t be shy and leave a comment below. Thanks for the support and stay safe out there.

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