Operators Manual
Caliber .40 S&W
HK USP40 Compact – LEM Pistol
In a world of compromise, some don’t.
®
Includes Operators
Manual Supplement
for Law Enforcement
Modification (LEM)
SAFETY RULES
Please read this operators manual before handling your firearm. The following safety rules are placed in this manual by Heckler & Koch as an
important reminder that firearms safety is your responsibility. Firearms can be dangerous and can potentially cause serious injury, damage to property or
death, if handled improperly.
1. Never point a firearm at anyone, or in any direction other than a SAFE direction, i.e. downrange.
2. Treat all firearms as if they are always loaded.
3. Keep your finger off the trigger and outside of the trigger guard until your sights are aligned on the target and you are ready to fire.
4. Keep your finger off the trigger and outside of the trigger guard while loading or unloading the firearm.
5. Keep your finger off the trigger and outside of the trigger guard while pulling the firearm out of the holster or while returning it to the
holster.
6. Be sure of your target and the back stop beyond.
7. Never give a firearm to or take a firearm from anyone unless the action is open and the magazine and/or chamber are free of any
ammunition or brass.
8. Be sure that the ammunition you are using is factory loaded, is of the correct caliber for the firearm in which it is to be used, and that
it is not damaged in any way.
9. Before firing, remove the magazine from the firearm, lock the action open, make sure the chamber is clear of any ammunition or brass,
and check the barrel of the unloaded firearm for any possible obstructions.
10. Before firing any firearm that is unfamiliar to you, make sure that you understand exactly how it functions. A lack of familiarity with
the firearm can result in serious accidents. Attend a certified training course on any firearm which you intend to use or with which you
are not sufficiently familiar.
11. Always wear hearing and eye protection when using your firearm.
12. Keep all body parts, especially the hands and fingers, away from the muzzle to avoid injury or burns.
13. Be sure that no part of either hand touches or interferes with the slide. The slide is moved backwards by the recoil force of the pistol
during firing and may cause serious injury.
14. Firearms should be stored separately from ammunition and beyond the reach of children, and/or any untrained individuals.
15. Avoid the use of any alcoholic beverages or drugs before and during the use of any firearm.
16. Discharging firearms in poorly ventilated areas, cleaning firearms, or handling ammunition may result in exposure to lead, a substance
known to be associated with birth defects, reproductive harm, and other serious injury. Have adequate ventilation at all times. Wash
hands thoroughly after exposure.
STOP! Know how to clear this pistol before attempting to operate.
Clearing the Pistol The HK USP Pistol with Law Enforcement Modification (LEM) parts is not considered “clear”
or safe unless:
1. The magazine is removed from the pistol and;
2. The slide is locked to the rear and;
3. The chamber is free of brass or ammunition
To Clear the HK USP Pistol with LEM parts:
1. Make sure fingers are outside of the trigger guard and the pistol is pointed in a safe direction at all
times!
2. Remove magazine - depress the magazine release lever and remove the magazine from the pistol.
3. Open and lock slide - while pointing the pistol in a safe direction, lock the slide open by pulling the slide
rearward as you press the slide release upward. Watch for a cartridge or empty case to be ejected from the
pistol.
4. Inspect chamber - inspect chamber for the presence of a cartridge or empty case by:
• Visually viewing chamber through open ejection port and;
• Physically inserting finger into chamber through ejection port to check for the presence of a cartridge or
empty case.
Remove any cartridges or empty cases from the chamber or from within the pistol.
The HK USP Pistol is now considered “Clear”.
© Heckler & Koch, Inc., 9/96, 8/97, 6/98, 6/99 (revised 8/00 w/LEM supplement)
All rights reserved
21480 Pacific Blvd.
Sterling, Virginia 20166-8903
United States of America
Telephone (703) 450-1900 • Fax (703) 450-8160
www.hecklerkoch-usa.com
Specifications and models subject to change without notice.
®
This manual applies to the Heckler & Koch USP40 Compact – LEM Pistol (Caliber .40 S&W) with 7.5-8.5 pound
double-action only trigger pull as adopted and issued to INS personnel. The illustrations show the USP40 Compact.
All USP Pistols comply with NIJ Standard – 0112.00
WARNING
A firearm has the capability of taking your life or the life of someone else! Be extremely careful with your firearm.
An accident can occur at anytime and is almost always the result of not following basic safety rules.
HK USP40 Compact–LEM Pistol Operators Manual
Caliber .40 S&W
Includes Operators
Manual Supplement
for Law Enforcement
Modification (LEM)
6
TABLE OF CONTENTS
LEM Supplement Overview ......................................................................................................................................7
Parts List (Law Enforcement Modification)..........................................................................................12
Exploded View (Law Enforcement Modification) ................................................................................13
Section 1 Introduction..................................................................................................................................14
Section 2 Nomenclature ............................................................................................................................19
Specifications..............................................................................................................................20
Section 3 Function and Operation ............................................................................................................21
Clearing ......................................................................................................................................21
Operating Controls and Components ........................................................................................23
Sights and Sight Adjustment ......................................................................................................24
Section 4 Ammunition ................................................................................................................................26
Section 5 Instructions for Use ....................................................................................................................28
Clearing ......................................................................................................................................28
Filling and Emptying the Magazine ............................................................................................29
Loading ......................................................................................................................................29
Firing ..........................................................................................................................................30
Unloading ..................................................................................................................................31
Selection and Use of a Holster ..................................................................................................32
Storage and Transport ..............................................................................................................33
Section 6 Disassembly and Assembly ......................................................................................................34
Section 7 Cleaning and Maintenance ........................................................................................................44
Inspection ..................................................................................................................................45
Lubrication ..................................................................................................................................46
Troubleshooting Problems and Repair ......................................................................................47
HK Lock-Out Device ..................................................................................................................48
USP Accessories ......................................................................................................................50
Section 8 Firearms Service Record ..........................................................................................................52
7
The HK USP Pistol received with this supplement section
(pages 7-12) is fitted with special Double-Action Only
(DAO) trigger parts set called the “Law Enforcement
Modification”, or LEM for short.
This supplement must be used in conjunction with the
current Operators Manual for the pistol received. Please
review this supplement and the complete Operators
Manual for this pistol before handling the firearm. The
USP Pistol fitted with the LEM parts has the same
features and controls and is handled in the same
manner as other DAO variant 7 USPs with the
exception of those differences listed within this
supplement (pages 7-12).
Description
The Law Enforcement Modification (LEM) is a series
of unique trigger mechanism parts created specifically
to improve the quality and reduce the weight of the
Double-Action Only trigger pull in the USP Pistol.
At the time of this writing the LEM is only available to
military and law enforcement organizations and their
officers. With these parts installed the USP pistol can
OPERATORS MANUAL SUPPLEMENT FOR USP PISTOL WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT MODIFICATION (LEM)
be fired like the standard DAO USP pistol where every
round is fired by simply pulling the trigger fully
rearward with the hammer starting at the forward rest
position. There are no external decocking or safety
levers present or required.
Due to the design of the proprietary HK LEM system
the weight of the DAO trigger pull has been reduced to
7.5-8.5 pounds when new and is easier to use due to
the smoothness of the trigger pull.
NOTE: Optional 4.5-5.5 pound LEM trigger pull is
also available for the USP.
Parts Unique to the Law Enforcement Modification
The unique parts of the INS-issue USP40 CompactLEM pistol are listed below.
Part No. Item Description
219452 Hammer
218513 Slide (375 g.), USP40C, complete
215820 Slide (375 g.),USP40C, incomplete
219443 Cocking piece
215809 Strut, hammer
218512 Frame, USP40C, incomplete
8
Part No. Item Description
219438 Trigger bar
215827 Assembly, recoil spring, complete
219439 Sear, complete
215828 Guide rod, recoil spring
219441 Spring, trigger rebound
215830 Spring, recoil
219444 Spring, cocking piece
217439 Magazine,12-round, with extended floorplate, cpl.
214695 Spring, hammer
215661 Housing, magazine, 12-round, USP40 Compact
219454 Spring, firing pin block
219442 Catch
214212 Spring, magazine follower, 12-round, USP40 Compact
Operation
USP Pistols fitted with Law Enforcement Modification
parts operate like standard variants of the USP Pistol.
However, the way in which the hammer is cocked is
unique. The hammer in the LEM is a two-piece
hammer comprised of a cocking piece (not visible with
the pistol assembled) and an external (visible)
hammer. The hammer on a conventional DoubleAction (DA) or DAO pistol is normally drawn to the
rear, fully cocked and automatically released by the
relatively long rearward pull of the trigger by the
operator.
To insure reliable primer ignition even under adverse
conditions the hammer spring that drives the hammer
forward is relatively strong.
In a conventional DA or DAO pistol the operator is
forced to compress the hammer spring by squeezing
through the entire DA trigger pull while at the same
time trying to hold the sights in alignment for accurate
aiming. This can be difficult especially if the operators
hand strength is marginal.
To address this problem, HK devised the unique Law
Enforcement Modification. In the LEM system the
quality of the trigger pull is improved while at the same
time a stronger hammer spring can be employed to
improve reliability by increasing the firing pin indent on
the primer. The stronger hammer spring also helps to
reduce the slide velocity when firing “hot” ammunition.
The HK LEM uses the rearward movement of the slide
during loading or firing to fully compress the hammer
spring instead of relying on the rearward pull of the
trigger as in conventional DA or DAO systems.
The cocking piece and hammer are rotated rearward
on the hammer axle when the slide moves fully rear-
9
ward. When fully to the rear the cocking piece is held
in the cocked position by the sear and the hammer
spring has been fully compressed by the hammer
strut. As the slide travels forward the hammer is
rotated back to and held in the forward position by the
hammer rebound spring.
When the trigger is pulled rearward against the
combined force (@ 7.5 – 8.5 pounds new) of the
trigger, hammer rebound, firing pin block, and sear
springs the internal passive safeties are disengaged
and the sear releases the cocking piece. The cocking
piece is then free to rotate the hammer forward on its
axle under pressure of the compressed hammer
spring imparted through the hammer strut to strike the
firing pin and fire the chambered round.
Special LEM Considerations
HK Lock-Out Device Use - All new USP Pistols
assembled at the factory after October 1999, except
those pistols delivered to the INS, are fitted with HK’s
unique Lock-Out Device, an internal safety lock
located within the lanyard loop insert found in the heel
of frame and described in detail with the Operators
Manual. With LEM parts installed the HK Lock-Out
Device cannot be engaged (locked) if the LEM cocking
piece is cocked and the hammer spring is
compressed.
To engage the HK Lock-Out Device on pistols fitted
with LEM parts the pressure stored in the hammer
spring must first be released. You must CLEAR the
pistol, insure that it is unloaded and safe and dry fire
the pistol once to release the cocking piece and the
tension on the hammer spring before you can engage
the HK Lock-Out Device.
Long Term Pistol Storage - Anytime the slide is
moved fully rearward on the USP Pistol fitted with
LEM parts the hammer spring is compressed and held
in that position until the cocking piece is released by
pulling the trigger on the pistol. Therefore for long-term
storage (more than 1 year) it is suggested that the
pistol first be CLEARED and made safe then pointed
in a safe direction and dry fired to release pressure on
the hammer spring to maintain its life span.
Firing
All rounds are fired in the LEM DAO mode of fire as
they are in conventional DA or DAO handguns. When
10
pulling the trigger rearward you will first feel a
relatively long length of free travel (slack) and then a
second stage of heavier but consistent pull that actually
releases the hammer and fires the pistol.
In addition to providing an improved DAO trigger pull,
the unique LEM also provides a very short trigger reset
distance to enhance the speed of multiple or follow-up
shots.
WARNING: Do not place your finger on the trigger
or within the trigger guard until you have made a
conscience decision to fire the pistol.
If you need additional information, please contact your
customer service representative at Heckler & Koch at
(703) 450-1900.
11
12
1 Barrel (.40 S&W) 215799
H Recoil spring assembly with captive
spring,
complete (.40 S&W) (items 2-5)
215827
2 Recoil spring guide rod, incomplete
215828
3 Absorber bushing 215932
4 Recoil spring (.40 S&W) 215830
5 Recoil spring retainer 215831
H Slide, complete (.40 S&W LEM) (items
6-16
without sights) 218513
6 Slide, incomplete (.40 S&W ) 215820
H Sight set, front & rear, USP with
6.4mm
front sight & green tritium dots
702070
7 Front sight, 6.4mm, with green tritium
(HESCO) INS standard
(HK GMBH # 983568) 701245
H Front sight, 6.0mm, green tritium
701244
H Front sight, 6.2mm, green tritium
702076
H Front sight, 6.6mm, green tritium
701246
H Front sight, 6.8mm, green tritium
Item Description Identification No.
Item Description Identification No.
Item Description Identification No.
Parts List USP40 Compact-LEM Pistol
702075
H Front sight, 7.0mm, green tritium
701247
H Front sight, 7.2mm, green tritium
701248
8 Rear sight, with green tritium (HESCO)
(HK GMBH # 983569) 702072
9 Rubber plug, extractor 215801
1 0 Extractor spring 214188
1 1 Extractor 215919
1 2 Roll pin for extractor (ISO 3x14mm)
980838
Roll pin for firing pin (ISO 3x14mm)
980838
1 3 Firing pin spring 215822
1 4 Firing pin 215821
15 F irin g p in bl oc k s pr in g 219454
16 F ir in g p in b lo ck 215935
H Operators manual, usp compact pistol
with Lem Supplement 702073
H Key for Lock-Out device 219456
H Frame, complete (.40 S&W, LEM)
(items 12, 17-41) 218511
1 7 Frame, incomplete (.40 S&W, LEM)
218512
1 8 Trigger axle 214154
1 9 Trigger 215816
2 0 Trigger rebound spring 219441
2 1 Flat spring 214167
2 2 Trigger bar detent spring 214166
2 3 Trigger bar detent 214165
2 4 Trigger bar 219438
2 5 Hammer axle (Double Action) 214258
2 6 Sear 219439
2 7 Catch 219442
2 8 Sear actuator latch 214817
2 9 Sear axle 214101
3 0 Disconnector 214840
31 Hammer 219452
3 2 Cocking piece 219443
3 3 Cocking piece spring 219444
3 4 Hammer strut 215809
3 5 Hammer spring 214695
3 6 HK Lock-Out device, complete219457
H Lanyard loop insert (std) without
Lock-Out 214341
3 7 Lanyard loop insert pin 215829
3 8 Magazine release spring 215929
3 9 Magazine release 214818
4 0 Shaped spring (slide release) 214171
4 1 Slide release 215814
1 2 Magazine release axle (3x14mm)
980838
H Magazine , .40 S&W, 12-round, with
extended
floorplate, complete (items 42 to 46)
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