Walking the aisles of the 2007 SHOT Show, I could not help but notice the not-so-small number of companies manufacturing 1911 pistols. While some models are better than others (mostly due to the quality of manufacturing and components used), one wonders how big--really--is the demand for the century-old design. As much as I like the 1911, I also realize that it is not for everyone and that variety is needed. This is why I was a bit relieved when I was told that Heckler & Koch's new .45-caliber pistol would not be a 1911 clone.

The new Heckler & Koch .45 is a combat pistol designed to work in a wide range of environments.

With an obvious kindredship to the company's successful Universal Self-Loading Pistol, what has been simply named the HK .45 is a marriage of the USP and the more streamlined P2000 pistol. In a nutshell, the HK .45 is a polymer-framed semiauto pistol that operates from the proven Browning link-less recoil system in which the slide locks on the barrel hood. As the recoil spring compresses, the barrel is cammed down, permitting the slide to cycle to the rear.

Simple and effective--just the way a pistol designed for fighting should be. Let's be honest: More than a few guns carried for defensive purposes are not as well maintained as they should be. With a design like the 1911, this "oversight" could be problematic, but the fact remains that no one should be hurt or killed because they failed to perform proper maintenance.

While some may bristle at this statement, the reality is that many people serving in the military or law enforcement are not weapon enthusiasts. This does not make them poor soldiers or cops; they are just people who have other interests. In the case of law enforcement, some of the most productive street cops I ever met could not have cared less about guns.

It's no secret that the U.S. military had been looking for a .45 to replace at least some of its 9mms. While this program has apparently been shelved for the time being, a number of companies developed guns that they intended to submit for this selection process. HK was one of them. While the HK .45 is not the exact gun that HK intended to submit, much of that gun's design has been incorporated into this new model.

(Right) The rubber O-ring on the barrel ensures a tighter fit for improved accuracy. (Left) The HK .45's slide is sleeker and more rounded than that of the USP.

The HK .45 was developed with the input of Special Forces veteran and custom pistolsmith Larry Vickers and well-known weaponcraft instructor and IPSC/IDPA founding member Ken Hackathorn. Both men are skilled shooters and instructors with a huge amount of knowledge regarding what should be incorporated into a fighting pistol. Both are strong proponents of the 1911, so the final configuration of this gun is noteworthy.

As previously stated, the HK .45 operates from the Browning link-less, but the rest of the gun is totally 21st century. The nicely rounded slide has both forward and rear cocking serrations and is snugly mated to a polymer frame that has a totally different grip than does the USP. This grip is quite trim considering that it holds a double-stack 10-round magazine. It is nicely rounded with no corners or sharp edges and has slight finger grooves in the frontstrap.