44caliberkid
New member
I have a 1966 FN Hi Power that I had Heinie fixed sights and a reliability action job done by Cylinder and Slide. I use it for 9mm class combat shooting. Excellent firearm.
Have you shot a hi-power
- Thread starter Shadow9mm
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Geezerbiker
New member
I used to have an Argentine FM Hi Power. It was a good shooter but the slide wasn't properly heat treated and the locking lugs were wearing out very quickly. I ended up disclosing the problem and selling it at a pretty serious loss...
Tony
Tony
ammo.crafter
New member
HP
The Hi-Power was Browning's improvement of the 1911.
The Hi-Power was Browning's improvement of the 1911.
Jimbo-Indy
New member
Had a HP in 40 S&W som years ago. Currently shoot an Arcus 94 clone my only 9mm. The Arcus is a solid, all forged steel pistol usually available at bargin price when you can find one. Mine loves the Metgar 15 round mags.
I bought one as my first LE handgun in 1974. I was very disappointed with the one I bought. Every thing I had ever read in Gun Magazine's of the day said they were the greatest thing since sliced bread.
Mine was a commercial FN Hi Power no idea when made. It would not reliably feed anything that did not look like Ball Ammo. It also did not shoot accurately at all.
Today I could probably locate half a dozen Gunsmiths on the internet who could have made it a keeper. At the time I traded it for a new S&W M28 4" "that still drives tacks" and was very happy with the trade.
Bob R
Mine was a commercial FN Hi Power no idea when made. It would not reliably feed anything that did not look like Ball Ammo. It also did not shoot accurately at all.
Today I could probably locate half a dozen Gunsmiths on the internet who could have made it a keeper. At the time I traded it for a new S&W M28 4" "that still drives tacks" and was very happy with the trade.
Bob R
Jim Watson
New member
Long ago, I owned a BHP sold surplus from somewhere. It came with a military hard shell flap holster with the troop's name written inside the flap. I sold it on to a collector when they started getting interest.
I have shot a friend's Mk II and I got to shoot the Springfield copy yesterday.
I prefer the 1911 family for my shooting.
Commonly said, but the BHP was really D. Saive's development of Mr Browning's response to a RFP from France to FN. Early versions had to work around Colt/Browning patents.
Depends on your definition of "modern." Were the famous T series guns assembled in Portugal?
I have shot a friend's Mk II and I got to shoot the Springfield copy yesterday.
I prefer the 1911 family for my shooting.
Commonly said, but the BHP was really D. Saive's development of Mr Browning's response to a RFP from France to FN. Early versions had to work around Colt/Browning patents.
Depends on your definition of "modern." Were the famous T series guns assembled in Portugal?
I’ve had HPs for years. Military, Civilian and licensed clones. Found them all to be very well made and durable. Right now only have a one keeper, the Hi Power Comp. It stays in the rack. Most accurate 9mm I’ve ever shot.
When Browning started farming out assembly to Portugal they lost me. The Bean Counters ruined another company. I don’t even look at them and only take them on trade if a steal money wise.
I’ve not seen the new Springfield and know nothing about the processes used to manf it.
Would be my guess that it would be as good as last HPs Browning sold. I had a Mauser HP that was post war Czek ( I think-wasn’t German manf ) anyway same quality or better than WW2 militaries. That may be the reason for clones of hi quality coming out of that region.
There may have been tooling left there.
When Browning started farming out assembly to Portugal they lost me. The Bean Counters ruined another company. I don’t even look at them and only take them on trade if a steal money wise.
I’ve not seen the new Springfield and know nothing about the processes used to manf it.
Would be my guess that it would be as good as last HPs Browning sold. I had a Mauser HP that was post war Czek ( I think-wasn’t German manf ) anyway same quality or better than WW2 militaries. That may be the reason for clones of hi quality coming out of that region.
There may have been tooling left there.
Baba Louie
New member
I guess it's not too hard to imagine someone never having shot Dieudonne Saive's classic in todays world. Most think of the GP35 as a Browning design if they think of it at all. Most own or have shot Glocks.
The late Steven A Camp... Hipowers and Handguns (I think it was?) seemed to enjoy them as well. (found it - someone still cares enough to pay $ to keep site alive!)Worth reading every word he wrote
https://hipowersandhandguns.com/
I have shot more than one more than once.
The late Steven A Camp... Hipowers and Handguns (I think it was?) seemed to enjoy them as well. (found it - someone still cares enough to pay $ to keep site alive!)Worth reading every word he wrote
https://hipowersandhandguns.com/
predecessor
New member
Fell in love with the Hi-Power when I was 10 years old watching Indy slice and dice...
Now I own two Hi-Powers: one that has been modified for business that I shoot the heck out of and is the wife's favorite pistol...
And the other who's chief role is to primarily be gazed upon.
Now I own two Hi-Powers: one that has been modified for business that I shoot the heck out of and is the wife's favorite pistol...
And the other who's chief role is to primarily be gazed upon.
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wachtelhund1
New member
I fired one at a range a while back because I had an interest in them at the time and wanted to see how they shot before I went to buy one. I'm not sure which variant or "generation" Hi-Power it was, but I remember it having very tiny front and rear sights, but it was very accurate and felt great in the hand. I did get hammer bite though and wasn't thrilled about that. But after that experience, my desire waned. I was initially excited about Springfield Armory re-introducing them and wanted one again, but I just recently purchased a Glock 45 and am wrestling with the decision to get one.
I love the Hi-Power for its historical pedigree and elegant looks, and I have several, but I don't think much of it as a pure shooter or in terms of its build quality. Lousy triggers, generally mediocre accuracy, and mostly average (to sometimes quite sloppy) fit. The forged-frame guns are pretty delicate relative to any other quality full-size 9mm pistol as well.
Tough to beat in aesthetics, though. Here's my unfired tangent-sight 1968 T-series BHP:
Tough to beat in aesthetics, though. Here's my unfired tangent-sight 1968 T-series BHP:
So I've noticed a lot if not all the photos in this thread are of older pistols . When did Browning stop making them if at all ? My buddies was new as of 6 or 7 years ago but I don't know how long the store had it .
It was a Browning chambered in 9mm with a double stack mag if I recall . it looked more like this then the picks I've seen here .
https://www.browning.com/products/firearms/pistols/hi-power.html
It was a Browning chambered in 9mm with a double stack mag if I recall . it looked more like this then the picks I've seen here .
https://www.browning.com/products/firearms/pistols/hi-power.html
A better question might be, "did Browning ever actually make them at all?"
I'm no expert, and could easily be wrong, but I don't think "Browning" the company makes any firearms. Browning has them made for them, sells them with their name on them, but isn't the actual manufacturer.
I owned a Browning Hi Power for several years about 35 or so years ago. Commercial gun, factory adjustable sights (good but not micrometer click type) grip was great, fit my hand really well. Trigger sucked. Magazine disconnect, sucked. Safety was ...meh..(a personal thing, I've never liked the small button of the original design, but that just me...) Spur hammer (I never got bit) it was a good gun, that could have been even better if just a few things had been different.
One common misconception about the Browning Hi Power, JM Browning did not design it. He did the initial protoype(s) and then passed away. FN engineers took that prototype, made a number of changes and created the gun that FN made and sold, naming it the Browning Hi-Power, in his honor. (and quite likely to make $ on the Browning name
)I recently had a chance to examine a friends new SA-35. Outstanding work, I consider it an improved Hi Power, without the features I disliked on the Browning (FN & clone) guns
It's a duty class gun, without the high luster finish, and very well done. at a decent price if you avoid the gougers selling them up to double MSRP. Were I in the market for a High Power that isn't a historical piece, I don't think you could do better.