Pebble-grain stippling is molded all around to offer a solid hold on the gun under a wide range of environments and conditions. I do not like finger grooves on handguns, as I want to put my fingers where they want to go and not have placement pre-set by the grip. This being said, I really did not notice the grooves on the HK .45 as they are quite shallow. If they bother you, there is enough polymer material on the frontstrap that a skilled gunsmith can remove the finger grooves.

The polymer frame is well stippled for a firm grip.

To further enhance the grip, interchangeable backstraps are included to make the grip as large or small as is required by the end-user. I have very small hands, so I was happy to see this feature. It is my opinion that this will quickly become a requirement on any handgun that is intended for military or police service and is purchased through competitive bid. Companies that do not offer interchangeable backstraps on at least a few of their pistol models will find themselves behind the curve when bids go out for new service handguns.

A 1913 rail is molded into the dustcover for the mounting of white lights and laser sights. While the utility of laser sights is still debated by many, few ignore the advantages that a weapon-mounted light offers. We all know that shooting a handgun is much easier and more accurate with two hands, so the ability to keep both hands on the gun while engaging an attacker in an inconsistent light environment should not be underrated. This does not mean that the handheld white light is obsolete--far from it. The gun (and light) should never be pointed at something that is not a potential threat, so having a handheld light is essential. In addition, two lights will always be better than one. It is wise to have a contingency for everything you can, whether it is a spare tire or a white light.

A rubber O-ring has been added to the 4 1/2-inch polygonal barrel to enhance accuracy. If you disassemble the pistol down to the slide and barrel, you can actually feel this O-ring grab the slide as you slowly move the barrel back and forth, making me believe that a tighter barrel-to-slide fit would be hard to achieve. The O-ring will wear out with time and rounds downrange, but I am guessing that it will take many thousands of rounds.

The author with his handheld 50-foot groups.

In an effort to reduce felt recoil and lengthen service life, a polymer buffer has been added to the recoil guide rod and spring. This buffer rides along the length of the spring and keeps the slide from beating the frame as it cycles back and forth. Along the way, this feature also helps reduce felt-recoil forces by as much as 30 percent according to HK.

My test gun came with a safety decock lever that was mounted on the left side of the frame above the grip tang, similar to the 1911. This flat-faced lever--which is a big improvement over that found on the USP--has serrations to offer solid contact by the thumb and when pushed up, locks the trigger action. When pushed all the way down it will safely decock the pistol, placing the hammer at rest. This system permits the gun to be carried either cocked and locked for a short, consistent trigger action or hammer down for a first double-action trigger stroke.