I have a Browning Hi-Power made in 1980 (a gift from my wife's uncle). While it is extremely accurate, it is only reliable with FMJ. I can't seem to be able to get one full magazine through when loaded with hollowpoints and I've tried them all ... Cor-Bon, Gold Dot, Sabers, Hydrashok, Silvertips, etc. I have other pistols (S&W 659, 4006, 4513, P14-45, etc.) which I can use for home defense purposes but it would be nice if I could also add the BHP to that team.
BHP won't feed hollowpoints.
- Thread starter FUD
- Start date
VictorLouis
New member
Are you game for polishing its feed ramp? You can do it yourself with two to three grades of crocus cloth that you can get at Home Depot. I suggest 800/1200/1600, IIRC.
You wrap a piece around a suitable, round barrel marker or pen, and just follow the contour. Let the paper do the work, not "muscle" on your part. LIGHTLY break the edge where the feed ramp transitions to the chamber mouth, and no more. If your final high polish doesn't help, more drastic measures may be needed.
You wrap a piece around a suitable, round barrel marker or pen, and just follow the contour. Let the paper do the work, not "muscle" on your part. LIGHTLY break the edge where the feed ramp transitions to the chamber mouth, and no more. If your final high polish doesn't help, more drastic measures may be needed.
Stephen A. Camp
Staff In Memoriam
Hello FUD. That vintage HP will have the "humped" feed ramp while all the HPs from the MKII on have the "straight" ramp. If you are familar with how to remove the hump, go ahead and you'll get good feeding assuming that the polish recommended by Mr. Louis doesn't work.
If not careful doing this, too much support from the bottom of the chamber can be removed and you could have a bad situation. You might consider buying a new BHP bbl. It will have the straight ramp. The newer factory HP magazines also held rounds at a more consistently high angle than when they were set up for ball. With the "magazine ban" problem, if you buy a pre-ban factory, you may get a factory magazine that works no better than what you have now! You might try buying a Browning factory 10 round magazine which is an abombination I know, but do it and see if it solves the problem. Back in the olden days when all you had were humped ramps and magazines that might or might not feed anything but ball off of a full load, I tried Ingles surplus magazines; they always worked. I've had great luck with the pre-ban South African 17 round magazines, so you might try one or two of those. Good luck and let us hear what happens. best.
If not careful doing this, too much support from the bottom of the chamber can be removed and you could have a bad situation. You might consider buying a new BHP bbl. It will have the straight ramp. The newer factory HP magazines also held rounds at a more consistently high angle than when they were set up for ball. With the "magazine ban" problem, if you buy a pre-ban factory, you may get a factory magazine that works no better than what you have now! You might try buying a Browning factory 10 round magazine which is an abombination I know, but do it and see if it solves the problem. Back in the olden days when all you had were humped ramps and magazines that might or might not feed anything but ball off of a full load, I tried Ingles surplus magazines; they always worked. I've had great luck with the pre-ban South African 17 round magazines, so you might try one or two of those. Good luck and let us hear what happens. best.
Stephen A. Camp
Staff In Memoriam
Oh, yes, I forgot to add. If nothing works and you opt to go no farther than the polishing or perhaps buying a magazine, you might truly look at Federal 115 gr JHPs and their 124 gr Nyclad. Both have profiles very similar to ball as does Remington's 115 gr JHP in both standard velocity and +P. (It's quite accurate from the HPs I tried it in.)
Best.
Best.
Byron Quick
Staff In Memoriam
Many, many years ago I had my FN HP's barrel's feed ramp polished and the chamber throated by a topnotch gunsmith. No problems since except for one box of Federal. Must have been the lot for I've had no problem with Federal since.
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Byron Quick
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Byron Quick
VictorLouis
New member
Stephen hit upon the "drastic" measure, sure enough. His ideas of a new barrel, and mag experimentation, would be the easiest methods, IMO.
I have a couple of BHPs made about 1980 and I really don't mind that they only shoot FMJ reliably. They're fine pistols and I shoot inexpensive FMJ cartridges through them very contentedly, because that's all they were ever meant to shoot. FN did such a good job on these guns that personally I wouldn't think of modifying them. If I want to shoot hollowpoints I have a MKIII.
So, although some may disagree, if it was my gun, I'd save myself some trouble, leave the 1980 BHP entirely as FN made it, and get it a MKIII as a little brother.
JMHO.
[This message has been edited by jimmy (edited July 14, 2000).]
So, although some may disagree, if it was my gun, I'd save myself some trouble, leave the 1980 BHP entirely as FN made it, and get it a MKIII as a little brother.
JMHO.
[This message has been edited by jimmy (edited July 14, 2000).]
Stephen has the easiest solution for you. Go out and buy the Federal BP9 115 grain hollow points. If ball works in your HP they will too. This round is very common and even available at Wal-Mart in most areas. Don't let that fool you though they rate among the top 25% in 9mm rounds if you believe all the studies. They are all I've shot through my HP for years and at $15 for fifty the cheapest fix you're going to get.
That url for Kurt Wickman is www.kwgw.com and Kurt is known as a BHP specialist.
Mark / FL
Mark / FL