Custom Alloy BHP from Don Williams has returned
- Thread starter WVsig
- Start date
Well the rain finally held up enough for me to get to the range. At least the rain yesterday allowed me to finish up a new PVC target stand which I have been meaning to put together. 
The gun functioned 100% as I assumed that it would. I shot about 100 rounds or so of mixed ammo. Some 115Gr Federal, 124Gr RWS and some 124 Freedom Munitions factory new ammo. All rounds feed and fired well. Extraction was predictable with the majority of the brass landing in the same area although some did bounce around on the concrete floor of the range.
I did not fire any JHP but I will shoot some standard pressure Federal 124gr HST and some 147Gr Rangers next time out. Basically wanted to get some rounds down range. Make sure the gun functioned properly with ball ammo get a feel for the trigger and make sure the gun was sighted in to point of aim point of impact.
The trigger feel was excellent. Broke crisp and cleanly and within a few mags it was very predictable. The safety snapped on a off with ease. Like most BHPs the gun pointed well for me so no surprises there. The grip of the gun and just about everything felt like a BHP should. Except for one thing... the weight.
The weight of the gun is really different than the standard BHP. I put it on my kitchen scale and it comes in a just over 26 oz. In comparison C series BHP comes in at 32 oz. So on paper it is only about 6 oz but in the hand it feels significantly different.
I brought my Wild West Guns C series custom to shoot side by side as a point of comparison. The standard steel BHP felt much heavier when shooting the two back to back. I have never thought of the BHP as a heavy gun and still don't but by the difference between the steel ans the alloy frame was 100% evident in the hand. This is not a negative but the shooting the two guns back to back really hammered home how much of a difference in the hand the two guns felt.
This did translate to a bit of difference in shooting. The alloy gun from a felt recoil standpoint was more like the PPQ, which weights about 23oz, which was also along for the ride then the steel BHP. 9mm is not snappy or stout but you could feel the cartridge more in the Alloy gun then the steel. I actually noticed it a little more than I had in the past maybe because I was focusing on the shooting and how the gun was functioning and felt more than a normal day at the range. In the past shooting the alloy gun it was not back to back with a steel brethren. It changed the feel of the gun for me a bit, not in a negative way but they were distinctly different.
The sights worked great. I really liked the sight picture with the Harrison rear notch you can see some space on the sides of the sight. Don set the gun to shoot at point of aim point of impact. It shot that way in my hands as well. I shot mainly 10 and 15 yards which is what I normally shoot at the range. The gun was hitting where I was pointing it when I did my part. As always it was more about the Indian than the arrow or the bow. When I was on the gun did its part. Isn't that always the case when it comes to shooting. Days where the gun is the cause of my poor groups are few and far between.
Here is a 5 shot group... The one on the top left was after this group and I was shooting for the Caldwell logo. This group was the best of the day at 10 yards.
The gun is exactly what I was hoping for. I believe that with time I will be able to use it as the winter carry gun I intended it to be.
The gun functioned 100% as I assumed that it would. I shot about 100 rounds or so of mixed ammo. Some 115Gr Federal, 124Gr RWS and some 124 Freedom Munitions factory new ammo. All rounds feed and fired well. Extraction was predictable with the majority of the brass landing in the same area although some did bounce around on the concrete floor of the range.
I did not fire any JHP but I will shoot some standard pressure Federal 124gr HST and some 147Gr Rangers next time out. Basically wanted to get some rounds down range. Make sure the gun functioned properly with ball ammo get a feel for the trigger and make sure the gun was sighted in to point of aim point of impact.
The trigger feel was excellent. Broke crisp and cleanly and within a few mags it was very predictable. The safety snapped on a off with ease. Like most BHPs the gun pointed well for me so no surprises there. The grip of the gun and just about everything felt like a BHP should. Except for one thing... the weight.
The weight of the gun is really different than the standard BHP. I put it on my kitchen scale and it comes in a just over 26 oz. In comparison C series BHP comes in at 32 oz. So on paper it is only about 6 oz but in the hand it feels significantly different.
I brought my Wild West Guns C series custom to shoot side by side as a point of comparison. The standard steel BHP felt much heavier when shooting the two back to back. I have never thought of the BHP as a heavy gun and still don't but by the difference between the steel ans the alloy frame was 100% evident in the hand. This is not a negative but the shooting the two guns back to back really hammered home how much of a difference in the hand the two guns felt.
This did translate to a bit of difference in shooting. The alloy gun from a felt recoil standpoint was more like the PPQ, which weights about 23oz, which was also along for the ride then the steel BHP. 9mm is not snappy or stout but you could feel the cartridge more in the Alloy gun then the steel. I actually noticed it a little more than I had in the past maybe because I was focusing on the shooting and how the gun was functioning and felt more than a normal day at the range. In the past shooting the alloy gun it was not back to back with a steel brethren. It changed the feel of the gun for me a bit, not in a negative way but they were distinctly different.
The sights worked great. I really liked the sight picture with the Harrison rear notch you can see some space on the sides of the sight. Don set the gun to shoot at point of aim point of impact. It shot that way in my hands as well. I shot mainly 10 and 15 yards which is what I normally shoot at the range. The gun was hitting where I was pointing it when I did my part. As always it was more about the Indian than the arrow or the bow. When I was on the gun did its part. Isn't that always the case when it comes to shooting. Days where the gun is the cause of my poor groups are few and far between.
Here is a 5 shot group... The one on the top left was after this group and I was shooting for the Caldwell logo. This group was the best of the day at 10 yards.
The gun is exactly what I was hoping for. I believe that with time I will be able to use it as the winter carry gun I intended it to be.
Last edited:
johnnydollar
New member
Very nice work on your LWT H-P. I agree that the alloy-framed Hi Power does feel much lighter than the scale would indicate. I always told people my LWT H-P felt more like a Glock 17 (as far as weight, anyway) than a Hi Power. Good job!