Buy new Hi-Power or 25 yr. old Hi-Power?

T

Tomas

New member
I have an opportunity to buy a 25 year old Hi-Power MK II, blued with walnut grips and adjustable sights (and that crummy little safety), from a friend whose husband recently died. She bought it for him in '78 and she said he never, EVER fired it. It is about 25 years old and not a scratch or spot of rust on it.

I'm just wondering, should I spend the money on this old gun, in perfect condition, or just spend a little more on a recent incarnation of the Hi-Power, i.e. the MK III

Thanks for your comments.

Tom
 
You didn't mention purchase price... I recently chose a used hi-power practical over a new MK III. I guess I have this "thing" about blued guns. Here in Louisiana it seems like they need constant attention to prevent rust. BTW - I'm very pleased with my choice. It's an excellent shooter and is easy to clean. The new MK III with two 10-round blued mags is still under the counter for $420 +tax title and license (the yellow form.)
 
IMO, it depends on if SHE bought it new. If she's just trying to get rid of it, you may get a really good deal on it in which case I say go for it. Hopefully you knew the guy well enough to know if the history was true.

With a NEW gun you pay more; BUT you know the history... there is no history (good or bad).

Ben

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"Gun Control Is Being Able To Hit Your Target"
 
I guess the answer depends on the purpose of getting the pistol.

Being, in a very modest way, a BHP collector, I'd go for the old one without hesitation. Not that it'd be especially valuable or collectable (FN made a lot of them). But with its forged frame it does date back to better times and more traditional manufacturing methods, which I respect. Frankly, I wouldn't shoot it, but would just take it out every now and then to admire. I have newer BHPs to shoot.

OTOH, if I needed a BHP to shoot, I'd go for a new one, which will probably feed non-FMJ bullets more reliably. Since it's anybody's guess how much longer new BHPs will be available (to the extent that they are), getting one sooner rather than later might be a good idea.

But, IMHO, the best answer is to get both!!! :)
 
Thanks for the replies.

This gun was bought NEW. I know the family well and they wouldn't lie to me to get me to buy it. She said she saved $20 a month to buy it for him back in the days when you laid your money down and took the gun home the same day.

My wife has a BHP in .40 that is a very good shooter, so I doubt I'd be shooting this one very much, though I think I'd take it to the range a couple times a year.

Thinking about sending it to C&S for some work if I get it, but maybe not, if that would detract from the value.

I can get it for $400.

Tom

[This message has been edited by Tomas (edited April 26, 2000).]
 
For a gun that old in like-new condition, I personally would leave it strictly factory rather than send it to C&S. Just my $0.02 from a collector's point of view. :)
 
In this case I would go with the older one....because there is no paper work trail.......jmo...fubsy.
 
Old.
My .02 worth. You late friend's wife sounds like a gem of a person. I'm sure she would rather see it go to the good home of a friend than that of a stranger. Even at the prices 25 years ago, $20.00 a week amounted to a pretty fair number of weeks to save for I also would vote to leave it in factory condition. Somehow it jst seems fitting, and I'm sure "he" would take kindly to it. 25 years from now you will regret passing on this one, trust me.
 
$400 for NIB HIPower thats 25 years old. No way. What a rip off. ;)

Run don't walk. That's a BARGAIN.

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So many pistols, so little money.
 
I agree with the majority. Buy the old one and don't modify it. If you only plan to shoot it a little, that's what I'd do.
If you want a regular shooter, go for a new one. Customize as desired and enjoy.

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TFL's official "Curmudgeon Member" and damned proud of it!
 
See part II of the worst pistols of all time thread. If you collect BHP's then it sounds like a good buy. If you are looking for a shooter, I would advise getting something else.
 
Yeah, G50, I saw your little blast at the HiPower over there. It was pretty strange. No decocker? Dude, neither does the 1911 or he CZ75, which are ALSO universally hailed as great pistol designs. The Hi Power is meant to be carried cocked and locked...no need for a decocker. The Hi Power is a great pistol, your thoughts to the contrary notwithstanding.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Tomas:
I have an opportunity to buy a 25 year old Hi-Power MK II, blued with walnut grips and adjustable sights (and that crummy little safety), from a friend whose husband recently died. She bought it for him in '78 and she said he never, EVER fired it[/quote]

Buy it, even if you don't want it. I'll buy it from you for $50 extra. :) Seriously, that's a good buy, I'd jump on it.
 
Personally, I'd pay the lady's price based on your description of her and the BHP though they can be had--if you look long enough--for $350 or so.

The P-35 was hardly the first "wunderNine"--that term came into being over a quarter of a century later but as far as expert advice calling it an inadequate piece, one might speak to any one of several generations of SAS troopers about its merits.

I wouldn't personally worry about having quality gunsmithing done on the piece--unless you're concerned about collectibility for your young children. A lot of these pieces were made.

Still, before I sent it away for custom work, I'd surely add a better set of sights than the issue Browning adjustable and then pop out the mag safe and see how the trigger responds, how reliably it feeds your round of choice and how accurate it is. You may find it suits your needs as a pretty much stock weapon--my most recent BHP is just a bit earlier than this one and its trigger is fine for a duty piece and it feeds fine with my round of choice.

BTW, that "crummy little safety" does work (especially after it's been worked enough to smooth it up) and it doesn't get inadvertantly pushed off safe like some of these "combat" safeties do. If you do prefer an extended safety, it's an inexpensive fix.
 
Nothing wrong with old HP's. The new ones are a bit safer as the trigger/sear bar also serves to block the firing pin if it is dropped.
 
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