Congrats on the new Hi-Power. I always wanted one but always found something else that caught my attention first. Then when the spectre of Al Bore being elected was looming on the horizon I decided it was now or never; so I bought three. All I origionally wanted was a Standard Model with Adjustable sights but of course I immediatly learned that HPs were no longer being imported. So I found out about the AIM Surplus Israeli FN guns and bought one of those. It is a great gun and is currently being shuttled around the country to various gunsmiths being slighly tricked out. When I picked it up at the dealer, another guy was hanging out in there and started taking about his HP Practical. I managed to talk him out of that one. Then a couple months later, the dealer called me and said he just bought an estate containing a mint HP STandard Model with adjustable sights. I got two mags with each gun and bought four of the SA mags from CDNN. I think I am going to order two more to make it an even dozen.
My new Browning Hi-Power is a piece of...
- Thread starter Warm Bore
- Start date
BHP Vs CZ75 and
In regard to the BHP mags manufactured in Argentina..and RSA. Were they used by the South African Army and Police?
The Rodesians used the P-35 and everything else. That
the SADF and SAP used the STAR 9mm (army) and the P38
Walther Pistole (SAP) since the late 50s.
The P-35 has seen some limited use by the SAP..as the old
SA Railways Police.was absorbed into the SA POLICE. They
were issued the Hi-power and Model 51 SA copies of UZIs.
"Yes, but are they really ex-South African Security Forces?"
I have asked that of a couple SAP veterans who were
also in the Army.
I do know that Argentina has a HP plant, but isn't the .45
still issued to the Argie military? I guess they would be
good mags..as your new Browning HPs are assembled in Portugal
When i see people refer to "SA Mags" I am skeptical.But if
they work, then you are getting a good buy,,no matter what
origin.
The P-35 has been around for many a year..the first hi-cap
9mm.and still has quite a folowing. You don't see as many
overseas, due to more modern designs. Beretta , Glock..and
of course CZ.The BROWNING Alum. Framed VIGILANTE was sold
in SA and in Europe.
The use of hot ammo in a BHP will crack frame. Not so much
in a CZ75. The BHP seems small in my hands, but has the best
backstrap of any auto for me.
The CZ75 feels the same..but a bit bigger..and the price for a CZ75 is cheaper.NO new Factory hi-caps are
included with a new Browning.Not so a CZ75B Mil @299.00
i'm told that the BHP is history in the Browning line?
Well, enjoy your BHPs while you can still get them. like
the CZ75, it is a Classic design. Go Don Gwinn!
http://come.to/safestar
Dien Met Trot!
In regard to the BHP mags manufactured in Argentina..and RSA. Were they used by the South African Army and Police?
The Rodesians used the P-35 and everything else. That
the SADF and SAP used the STAR 9mm (army) and the P38
Walther Pistole (SAP) since the late 50s.
The P-35 has seen some limited use by the SAP..as the old
SA Railways Police.was absorbed into the SA POLICE. They
were issued the Hi-power and Model 51 SA copies of UZIs.
"Yes, but are they really ex-South African Security Forces?"
I have asked that of a couple SAP veterans who were
also in the Army.
I do know that Argentina has a HP plant, but isn't the .45
still issued to the Argie military? I guess they would be
good mags..as your new Browning HPs are assembled in Portugal
When i see people refer to "SA Mags" I am skeptical.But if
they work, then you are getting a good buy,,no matter what
origin.
The P-35 has been around for many a year..the first hi-cap
9mm.and still has quite a folowing. You don't see as many
overseas, due to more modern designs. Beretta , Glock..and
of course CZ.The BROWNING Alum. Framed VIGILANTE was sold
in SA and in Europe.
The use of hot ammo in a BHP will crack frame. Not so much
in a CZ75. The BHP seems small in my hands, but has the best
backstrap of any auto for me.
The CZ75 feels the same..but a bit bigger..and the price for a CZ75 is cheaper.NO new Factory hi-caps are
included with a new Browning.Not so a CZ75B Mil @299.00
i'm told that the BHP is history in the Browning line?
Well, enjoy your BHPs while you can still get them. like
the CZ75, it is a Classic design. Go Don Gwinn!
http://come.to/safestar
Dien Met Trot!
Hello again,
Well the sun was shining, it was a beautiful winter day (felt like spring). I went to the shop and got a few boxes of 9mm ammo to try it out. All I can say is WOW! The feel and execution of this gun took me back to the first time I shot my great uncle's 1911. The sights seem to come back on target with every shot almost instinctively. No malfs. I knew after the first shot that I wanted one. Having skipped over the BHP for so long and having put just a meager 50 rounds down range this evening, I can already tell you that I'll never part with this gun. My wife was with me and she said I was grinning from ear to ear after almost every shot. I wasn't shooting for accuracy tonight, just at some soda cans. I'll have a complete range report in about two weeks and I'll be testing accuracy then as well. My wife shot it too and threatened to keep it as her own. She likes to shoot but doesn't currently have a gun of her own. This is the first time she's said anything like that in her life so I'm going to have to keep one eye on it at all times.
My only regret about this pistol is that I didn't buy it years ago.
Regards,
Warm Bore
Well the sun was shining, it was a beautiful winter day (felt like spring). I went to the shop and got a few boxes of 9mm ammo to try it out. All I can say is WOW! The feel and execution of this gun took me back to the first time I shot my great uncle's 1911. The sights seem to come back on target with every shot almost instinctively. No malfs. I knew after the first shot that I wanted one. Having skipped over the BHP for so long and having put just a meager 50 rounds down range this evening, I can already tell you that I'll never part with this gun. My wife was with me and she said I was grinning from ear to ear after almost every shot. I wasn't shooting for accuracy tonight, just at some soda cans. I'll have a complete range report in about two weeks and I'll be testing accuracy then as well. My wife shot it too and threatened to keep it as her own. She likes to shoot but doesn't currently have a gun of her own. This is the first time she's said anything like that in her life so I'm going to have to keep one eye on it at all times.
My only regret about this pistol is that I didn't buy it years ago.
Regards,
Warm Bore
BHPs: How could they be anything but great autoloaders that -- like the 1911A1 -- have survived the test of time with true excellence? After all, J M Browning designed them and he is probably the firearms genius of all time. Of course, I recognize Browning is not as accomplished as our new member P-Boy is, but that's another story . . .
Country Boy
New member
Warm Boy - I bought my first Hi-Power a couple years ago on the day I turned 21. No regrets. Classics endure, and I'm tickled that you are happy with yours.
Stephen A. Camp
Staff In Memoriam
Hello and I'm glad you like your HP! You are now infected.
If you like 'em, as you appear to, you'll not be without one. I've not been since '71. Best.
If you like 'em, as you appear to, you'll not be without one. I've not been since '71. Best.
SA 17 rnders ARE stiff and might have some teething problems. Here is what S. Camp recommends:
1. load them up to full and let 'em sit for a while. Take some force out of the springs.
2. replace your original recoil spring with an 18.5# wolff spring. The gun will function fine with normal loads, it will reduce frame vs slide battering (bonus!) and it will reliably strip the first few rounds from the 17 rnd mags...my 17 rnders had FTF on the first round when loaded to max with the standard recoil spring.
Mike
1. load them up to full and let 'em sit for a while. Take some force out of the springs.
2. replace your original recoil spring with an 18.5# wolff spring. The gun will function fine with normal loads, it will reduce frame vs slide battering (bonus!) and it will reliably strip the first few rounds from the 17 rnd mags...my 17 rnders had FTF on the first round when loaded to max with the standard recoil spring.
Mike
9mm Hi-Powers have been so scarce of late, Cylinder & Slide is now converting .40's to 9mm! I decided I wanted a HP just about the time Browning announced they weren't going to import any more. The supply of .40's didn't seem to be affected, as I had my pick of a half-dozen in the $550-$600 range. No 9's. After three months of shopping, I found a very slightly used '93 production gun for $450. The guy in the store said it had been in the display case only three hours. I bought three of the Argie 17-rounders, and found one of them didn't work very well, but I have the gun running good with the two 17's and a Mec-Gar "factory" 13-rounder. I'm not a big fan of the 9mm round, but if I've got to shoot that pip-squeek, it's going to be in the Hi-Power.
Stephen A. Camp
Staff In Memoriam
Hello. While I don't care for the feel of the .40 Hi Powers, converting one to 9mm would certainly allow you to confidently shoot the hottest 9mm loads without fear of undue wear on your gun. Best.
I chose a BHP for my first 9, seemed appropriate at the time. Love the gun, hated the stock trigger. Now all of you that have so praised the BHP in this thread: what could C&S have done to one to make it $4,800? Blew my mind when I read about it being at the SHOT Show. It may be chopped, full custom and nice, but &4,800? You have to be a TRUE BELIEVER or Bill Gates for that to make any sense.
My BHP
While its not the BHP I always wanted. I really like the Chrome one I just picked up this weekend.
I am going to slowly turn it into the BHP I always wanted. New Grips, new Safety, Some new mags, New rear sight. I think thats all. Still the gun in "as is" condition is a work of art but I have my preferences.
While its not the BHP I always wanted. I really like the Chrome one I just picked up this weekend.
I am going to slowly turn it into the BHP I always wanted. New Grips, new Safety, Some new mags, New rear sight. I think thats all. Still the gun in "as is" condition is a work of art but I have my preferences.
BHP MkIII is my usual carry gun, which I also shoot in IDPA. But it actually DOES have a few flaws, as a previous poster mentioned:
1. Long trigger reconnect distance.
2. Mag disconnect. (This is easily remedied in 10 minutes.)
3. Consensus is that use of +P+ ammo is not recommended.
This is a short list. Every other 9mm I've tried - Glock, Sig, S&W, etc. has, IMHO, a longer list of shortcomings, so I'll stick to the BHP.
1. Long trigger reconnect distance.
2. Mag disconnect. (This is easily remedied in 10 minutes.)
3. Consensus is that use of +P+ ammo is not recommended.
This is a short list. Every other 9mm I've tried - Glock, Sig, S&W, etc. has, IMHO, a longer list of shortcomings, so I'll stick to the BHP.
Bartholomew Roberts
Moderator
HankB - regarding point 3 in your list:
I found this article while surfing the web for new Hi-Power info. Note that the tests it refers to took place prior to 1989. This should make the post-94 Hi-Powers even more durable.
The following article comes from the November 1989, issue of the American Rifleman magazine, starting on page 36. The American Rifleman is published monthly by the National Rifle Association of America, 1600 Rhode Island Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036. Telephone: (202) 828-6000.
"Browning, on the other hand, forwarded a copy of an internal test report in which it fired 5000 rounds of Remington +P+ 9mm ammunition in a Browning Hi Power pistol. "Inspection of the Hi Power system revealed no unnatural wear to the locking surfaces or any other area. Headspace was checked and found to be acceptable." The conclusion: "...the 9mm Hi Power system appears to be durable enough to withstand long-range [term] shooting of the new ammunition from Remington."
So while I would agree with points 1 and 2, I think the Hi-Power is OK with +P+ ammo. Although, like any other gun, shooting +P+ is going to lower the lifespan of the gun if it is done on a consistent basis.
I found this article while surfing the web for new Hi-Power info. Note that the tests it refers to took place prior to 1989. This should make the post-94 Hi-Powers even more durable.
The following article comes from the November 1989, issue of the American Rifleman magazine, starting on page 36. The American Rifleman is published monthly by the National Rifle Association of America, 1600 Rhode Island Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036. Telephone: (202) 828-6000.
"Browning, on the other hand, forwarded a copy of an internal test report in which it fired 5000 rounds of Remington +P+ 9mm ammunition in a Browning Hi Power pistol. "Inspection of the Hi Power system revealed no unnatural wear to the locking surfaces or any other area. Headspace was checked and found to be acceptable." The conclusion: "...the 9mm Hi Power system appears to be durable enough to withstand long-range [term] shooting of the new ammunition from Remington."
So while I would agree with points 1 and 2, I think the Hi-Power is OK with +P+ ammo. Although, like any other gun, shooting +P+ is going to lower the lifespan of the gun if it is done on a consistent basis.
Bartholomew Roberts: I'm pretty sure I still have that AR issue in my collection - I'll have to dig it out and review it.
I've seen some testimonial evidence on this and other forums where contributors have fired +P+ ammo out of their BHP's with no ill effects. On other forums, the consensus was that "some" use is OK if you have a late model pistol with 18 lb Wolff spring and recoil buffer. But I'd rather have something other than anecdotes to go on.
Thank you for the specific AR reference.
I've seen some testimonial evidence on this and other forums where contributors have fired +P+ ammo out of their BHP's with no ill effects. On other forums, the consensus was that "some" use is OK if you have a late model pistol with 18 lb Wolff spring and recoil buffer. But I'd rather have something other than anecdotes to go on.
Thank you for the specific AR reference.