I have a C-Series Hi-Power. Beautiful gun. Best trigger out of all of my guns, including a custom STI 2011 and Sig X-Five. I don't shoot it much, because the condition is so nice. I'm still more accurate with the X-Five, but the trigger and slide on my Hi-Power is, in my opinion, unbeatable. It is possible that the PO had some work done to the trigger and slide. It just feels too precise and clean for factory.
Browning Hi Power--the mystery pistol?
- Thread starter UncleEd
- Start date
Mike Irwin
Staff
I've never found the trigger on my Hi Power to be a hinderance. I can shoot mine extremely well.
Of course, I'm primarily a revolver shooter, so the HP's trigger is of no great concern to me at all.
As for it not enjoying the acceptance of other handguns, it always had a couple of strikes against it...
It was a "European" gun. It was never made here.
It was a 9mm in a land that for the longest time didn't love things metric, and could only think of a full-sized semi-auto in terms of .45.
When the hoards finally did discover 9mms starting in the 1970s, they wanted a Wonder9 -- high capacity AND double action. The HP only had one of those.
Then, finally, when the 9 truly became mainstream, it wasn't the latest space age polymer.
It's sold decently throughout the years, but it's always been just one of the pack...
Except for those of us who realize just how damned special the Hi Power really is.
Of course, I'm primarily a revolver shooter, so the HP's trigger is of no great concern to me at all.
As for it not enjoying the acceptance of other handguns, it always had a couple of strikes against it...
It was a "European" gun. It was never made here.
It was a 9mm in a land that for the longest time didn't love things metric, and could only think of a full-sized semi-auto in terms of .45.
When the hoards finally did discover 9mms starting in the 1970s, they wanted a Wonder9 -- high capacity AND double action. The HP only had one of those.
Then, finally, when the 9 truly became mainstream, it wasn't the latest space age polymer.
It's sold decently throughout the years, but it's always been just one of the pack...
Except for those of us who realize just how damned special the Hi Power really is.
FN Hi-Power
I'm new member , who was going to float question on Fn Hp that I recently
bought. I noticed pistol in Morgo's reply. It is the middle pistol, extended
barrel, adj.site, pacmr.grips and has "pro" in serial no. Can you price it?
It doesn't have spongy trigger. I'm wheel gunner but this pistol shots to good
to trade off. No box, 3 mags matching grips, Allen tool, no paperwork.
I'm new member , who was going to float question on Fn Hp that I recently
bought. I noticed pistol in Morgo's reply. It is the middle pistol, extended
barrel, adj.site, pacmr.grips and has "pro" in serial no. Can you price it?
It doesn't have spongy trigger. I'm wheel gunner but this pistol shots to good
to trade off. No box, 3 mags matching grips, Allen tool, no paperwork.
The first hi-power I ever saw was in '71 @ khe sahn during lam san 719. The guy carrying it (in a shoulder holster) was wearing fatigues in a camo pattern I had never seen before. Using that as a recommend I have owned 3 of them, currently an Israeli surplus, very accurate ugly finish. One of my favorites.
Why Browning/FN never offered a factory upgraded Hi Power (as, say Kimber did with 1911's) is a mystery to me.
Imagine if Hi Powers came with a commander hammer (which most people, including I, seem to prefer over the spur hammer), night sights, no magazine safety (improves the trigger some), and an extended safety along with a nice set of curvy wood grips, something similar to Spegels.
When I first encountered Hi Powers, I grabbed them and went "ugh," because the grips felt terrible with the stock plastic grips with thumb rests. And I wrote them off.
Then later I encountered a modestly customized Hi Power (a two-tone Practical model with night sights, magazine safety removed, barrel crowned, magazine slot beveled, and apparently with a decent trigger job) at a modest price, I bought it. I couldn't find a set of Spegel grips, so I bought a set of Hogue wooden grips (which the late Mr. Camp praised as a good Spegel substitute) and, wow!, I was shocked by how svelt and ergonomic the gun was. It's just a gorgeous, soft-shooting creature!
Since then I have been on the hunt to buy modestly-priced used Hi Powers to perform exactly those customizations.
Surely I couldn't be the only one who was shocked by how transformed a Hi Power could be with these minor modifications. I think FN/Browning missed the boat by not introducing a model with these features from the factory.
Imagine if Hi Powers came with a commander hammer (which most people, including I, seem to prefer over the spur hammer), night sights, no magazine safety (improves the trigger some), and an extended safety along with a nice set of curvy wood grips, something similar to Spegels.
When I first encountered Hi Powers, I grabbed them and went "ugh," because the grips felt terrible with the stock plastic grips with thumb rests. And I wrote them off.
Then later I encountered a modestly customized Hi Power (a two-tone Practical model with night sights, magazine safety removed, barrel crowned, magazine slot beveled, and apparently with a decent trigger job) at a modest price, I bought it. I couldn't find a set of Spegel grips, so I bought a set of Hogue wooden grips (which the late Mr. Camp praised as a good Spegel substitute) and, wow!, I was shocked by how svelt and ergonomic the gun was. It's just a gorgeous, soft-shooting creature!
Since then I have been on the hunt to buy modestly-priced used Hi Powers to perform exactly those customizations.
Surely I couldn't be the only one who was shocked by how transformed a Hi Power could be with these minor modifications. I think FN/Browning missed the boat by not introducing a model with these features from the factory.
When you sell every single one that you produce it is hard to say that you missed the boat. FN makes a lot more $$ these days producing other guns. They make BHPs when they want and they sell every single one unlike some manufacturers who have trouble moving the metal. By todays standards it is an expensive gun to produce on the FN machinery. It is not a high volume seller in the commerical market and I do not think even with the add ons it would be.
The #1 complaint it that they are too expensive NIB so adding tons of bells and whistles at the factory will only drive up the price. When you have to tool up and change the process to add these enhancements most likely not going to yield enough profit to justify the extra cost.
Those who want to customize or upgrade their BHP there are more than enough smiths who can do it for you better than the factory ever could IMHO.
I bought myself one earlier this year, an FN branded one with a matte finish. It wasn't the blued steel and wood grips I originally wanted, but I'm still very happy with it. I do not shoot it extensively, and did not purchase it for carry or even HD.... I was just tired of not having one. and since then, I have arrived at many of the same conclusions others have.
I knew what to expect from the trigger by having read of comments in this very forum, so I got no unpleasant surprises. Having said that, I do not shoot it very accurately with slow, deliberate aim and fire; conversely, it is the most intuitive pointing pistol I own. I'm much better with point and shoot than using the sights, up to a point. It has never had a hiccup in the 500 or so rounds that I've put through it, and it is a very smooth operating handgun for me. I've never been bitten, but I also don't have unusually large hands. I prefer the looks of the spur hammer, but also can understand why some would rather have the function of the commander hammer. different strokes, I suppose.
That being said, I don't expect I will start collecting HPs, but I also don't intend to part with this one either. It really is among my favorite pistols.
I knew what to expect from the trigger by having read of comments in this very forum, so I got no unpleasant surprises. Having said that, I do not shoot it very accurately with slow, deliberate aim and fire; conversely, it is the most intuitive pointing pistol I own. I'm much better with point and shoot than using the sights, up to a point. It has never had a hiccup in the 500 or so rounds that I've put through it, and it is a very smooth operating handgun for me. I've never been bitten, but I also don't have unusually large hands. I prefer the looks of the spur hammer, but also can understand why some would rather have the function of the commander hammer. different strokes, I suppose.
That being said, I don't expect I will start collecting HPs, but I also don't intend to part with this one either. It really is among my favorite pistols.
BrewsterII
Inactive
The Browning Hi-Power is among the finest semi-auto single action pistols ever produced.
I would never be without one .... or five!
I would never be without one .... or five!
Last edited:
I have large hands, and do NOT get hammer bite with my MK III's spur hammer. I believe the earlier Hi Powers were more prone to this, but if it happens, you can bob the hammer, replace it with a Browning Commander style hammer or C&S hammer. Lots of choices, and lots of ways to make this gun THE perfect 9MM.
I have both a HP and a 1911. I like them both. The grip is about the same except the HP is wider side to side and I think less front to back. The 1911 has sort of flatter sides that may help in the "point-ability" department. The HP trigger is heavier and loaded with a full magazine the gun is as heavy or maybe a little heavier than the 1911. I suppose I slightly favor the 1911 but the 9mm brass is cheap and less expensive to reload so I shoot the HP a bit more.
If you are in the military and must use jacketed ammo- probably about the same although I guess the Marines have gone back to the 45 ACP.
If you are in the military and must use jacketed ammo- probably about the same although I guess the Marines have gone back to the 45 ACP.
BrewsterII
Inactive
"BrewsterII, what grips are those?"
They are Cocobolo grips made by Esmeralda.
They are Cocobolo grips made by Esmeralda.
I only have one. I have wanted a BHP since I was a teen and one of the main characters in a series of books I read carried one. I'm 43 now...
I love mine. It feels great in the hand and is more accurate than I am. One day, I will have C&S work a bit of their magic on it...not because it needs anything but just because I want to.
I'd post a pic but it seems to be a tad to big for the forum.
I love mine. It feels great in the hand and is more accurate than I am. One day, I will have C&S work a bit of their magic on it...not because it needs anything but just because I want to.
I'd post a pic but it seems to be a tad to big for the forum.
ranchito457
New member
I'm a young shooter at exactly 37.5 years old-I started out with the plastic guns and have ever so slowly been moving towards 1911's and revolvers.The BHP has been on my list for a couple of years now and about 3 months ago I walked into my local gun shop with every intention on purchasing one but after dryfiring it I was really turned off.I ended up that day buying a S/W 686 pro which was my number 2 choice that day But now I find myself being pulled back to relook it again.In my eyes its not exactly the cheapest gun so I was figuring it would come with a halfway decent trigger.Who knows what the story was with the one I handled but hearing so many good things about it makes me want it even more.
Ranchito: I guess I'm sort of a "pistolero" in the respect I have owned about 50 different handguns over the years and shot about all that's out there. On the BHP- what was it that you didn't like? On that 686- very good gun and if you have an action job done on it you can get the DA down to about a very smooth 5-6 lb. pull and IMHO it is the equal of a Colt Python.
I guess that it is related to the fact that americans love their icons. John wayne, davy crocket, wyatt earp, all heroes, all cultural icons, and all of them worthy of their places in history. If you ask a teenager (boy, what a challenge it will be) who john wayne was, you'll probably get an answer that says "hero." If they even know about bat masterson, bill hickock, sergeant york, general schwartzkopf, you will probably get the same answers. We are a nation of hero worshipers. Our money is covered with heroes, not queens. Grant. Franklin. sacajawea, even.
Ask those same teenagers about BRITISH heroes. blank stare. As those teenagers what a .45 is? It's an american gun that will kill you dead as a box of rocks, even if you miss. BHP? blank stare.
We, as a people, are very, very focused on ourselves. baseball, hotdogs, apple pie, and .45s. We may drink a lot of english beer (actually, now that I think about it, I don't recall drinking much english beer, just irish, scottish, and european) but we don't eat their food, and don't really want them interfering with our icons.
The closest you will get to finding a genuine british hero in american pop culture will be james bond.
That's it, IMO. We are americans. the.45 is american. we love america and the .45, and nothing else compares. The american people who like the browning, IMO, are like cat owners. the .45 is a dog owner's gun. The interesting thing about cat owners, is that you don't find many cat owners that HATE dogs, while the typical dog owner can't say a decent word about a cat. Same with the browning. A 1911 fanatic would rather use a slingshot than a browning, but a browning fan will still use a 1911 if he chooses to.
Ask those same teenagers about BRITISH heroes. blank stare. As those teenagers what a .45 is? It's an american gun that will kill you dead as a box of rocks, even if you miss. BHP? blank stare.
We, as a people, are very, very focused on ourselves. baseball, hotdogs, apple pie, and .45s. We may drink a lot of english beer (actually, now that I think about it, I don't recall drinking much english beer, just irish, scottish, and european) but we don't eat their food, and don't really want them interfering with our icons.
The closest you will get to finding a genuine british hero in american pop culture will be james bond.
That's it, IMO. We are americans. the.45 is american. we love america and the .45, and nothing else compares. The american people who like the browning, IMO, are like cat owners. the .45 is a dog owner's gun. The interesting thing about cat owners, is that you don't find many cat owners that HATE dogs, while the typical dog owner can't say a decent word about a cat. Same with the browning. A 1911 fanatic would rather use a slingshot than a browning, but a browning fan will still use a 1911 if he chooses to.
