The year was 1998 and I was a young active duty Army Armor Officer stationed at lovely Fort Riley, Kansas. I had just been promoted from 2nd Lieutenant to 1st Lieutenant and that extra $385 per month was burning a hole in my pocket.
I was already the proud owner of two handguns. My first pistol was a special edition Colt 1911 that they issue each year for purchase for the graduating class from West Point. My second handgun was a Beretta 92FS nearly identical to my Army M9 sidearm. I loved both those guns, but with my recent promotion i thought it was time to kick it up a notch to some fine German engineering. Enter the HK USP Compact.
I’d been making regular visits to Pat‘s Pawn and Gun in lovely Ogden, Kansas, on my way to and from work (I lived off post in Manhattan, KS aka “the Little Apple”) and had my eye set on new HK USP Compact in .45 ACP. Now that I was no longer a lowly Butter Bar the time to strike was here.
I bought the gun for $699.00 and proudly took it home. It was a blast to shoot and I had a ton of fun with it.
Fast forward three years and I was itching for a new duck hunting shotgun and my wife said that I already had enough guns and if I wanted something new I’d need to sell something old. As much as I liked that HK, it largely sat in the safe. I’d already settled on the Glock G19 as my carry gun, and my trusty USPC had become just a lovely safe queen.
I was now a Captain, and in casual conversation with my Battalion Commander he said he was looking for a new carry gun. I told him that I had a fine HK I was going to sell, and once he saw it he was more than happy to give it a new home.
About a year later I left active duty and moved away. Every year or so I’d think about my old HK USPC and miss her, regretting that I’d sold it. I’d felt that way about more guns than I’d care to admit over the years, but who hasn’t? Oh well, $hit happens.
Fast forward to three weeks ago. I received an email from my old Battalion Commander’s wife and learned the sad news that he had passed away after a bout with cancer. We’d casually stayed in touch, but hadn’t spoken in about 2 years. He was a great guy and I was sorry to hear of his passing.
His wife said that before his death he had designated certain items he wanted to go to certain people. I was honored to hear that he’d put my name on that USPC pistol. She asked if I wanted it and I told her not only “yes” but “hell yes”. I also told her I didn't feel comfortable just taking it for free and I’d be happy to pay her for it. She asked me how much her husband had paid me for it back in 2001, and I told her $599. She said that sounded great now, and if I paid for the shipping it was mine again. Deal!
It finally arrived today and I was thrilled to go pick it up at my FFL. It looked like he’d barely shot it and it still had its original old school cardboard box (apparently the earliest HK USPC pistols that came into the U.S. didn’t even have plastic gun cases).
It’s not often that you get a 2nd chance at one that got away. Reunited and it feels so good…
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I was already the proud owner of two handguns. My first pistol was a special edition Colt 1911 that they issue each year for purchase for the graduating class from West Point. My second handgun was a Beretta 92FS nearly identical to my Army M9 sidearm. I loved both those guns, but with my recent promotion i thought it was time to kick it up a notch to some fine German engineering. Enter the HK USP Compact.
I’d been making regular visits to Pat‘s Pawn and Gun in lovely Ogden, Kansas, on my way to and from work (I lived off post in Manhattan, KS aka “the Little Apple”) and had my eye set on new HK USP Compact in .45 ACP. Now that I was no longer a lowly Butter Bar the time to strike was here.
I bought the gun for $699.00 and proudly took it home. It was a blast to shoot and I had a ton of fun with it.
Fast forward three years and I was itching for a new duck hunting shotgun and my wife said that I already had enough guns and if I wanted something new I’d need to sell something old. As much as I liked that HK, it largely sat in the safe. I’d already settled on the Glock G19 as my carry gun, and my trusty USPC had become just a lovely safe queen.
I was now a Captain, and in casual conversation with my Battalion Commander he said he was looking for a new carry gun. I told him that I had a fine HK I was going to sell, and once he saw it he was more than happy to give it a new home.
About a year later I left active duty and moved away. Every year or so I’d think about my old HK USPC and miss her, regretting that I’d sold it. I’d felt that way about more guns than I’d care to admit over the years, but who hasn’t? Oh well, $hit happens.
Fast forward to three weeks ago. I received an email from my old Battalion Commander’s wife and learned the sad news that he had passed away after a bout with cancer. We’d casually stayed in touch, but hadn’t spoken in about 2 years. He was a great guy and I was sorry to hear of his passing.
His wife said that before his death he had designated certain items he wanted to go to certain people. I was honored to hear that he’d put my name on that USPC pistol. She asked if I wanted it and I told her not only “yes” but “hell yes”. I also told her I didn't feel comfortable just taking it for free and I’d be happy to pay her for it. She asked me how much her husband had paid me for it back in 2001, and I told her $599. She said that sounded great now, and if I paid for the shipping it was mine again. Deal!
It finally arrived today and I was thrilled to go pick it up at my FFL. It looked like he’d barely shot it and it still had its original old school cardboard box (apparently the earliest HK USPC pistols that came into the U.S. didn’t even have plastic gun cases).
It’s not often that you get a 2nd chance at one that got away. Reunited and it feels so good…
