I have owned about 20 1911s,a bunch of Glocks, and too many others pistols to count.But I have always wanted a Hi-power.I know nothing about them,and would not know which one (manufacturer)to buy.Are they made in Belgium or the States.Any advice would be appreciated.Which one should I buy?
Need advice on Hi-Power!
- Thread starter goat
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First and best piece of advice I can give you is check out this website ASAP; it has more info on BHP's than you will know what to do with.
http://www.fnhipower.com/index.html
With that said, briefly stated you will have 2 basic choices: buy the real deal BHP from Browning/FN, or buy a clone (FEG, ARCUS, Israeli, argentine, etc). Use the search feature on the above website to check out the details. Part of deciding between the 2 above choices will be how much you have/want to spend (ie, the real deal is in the $500 range, and clones $250-ish or so). Then you can decide to buy new or used etc. Great gun, I have several, and parts, magazines etc are plentiful and relatively inexpensive. ejnoy!
http://www.fnhipower.com/index.html
With that said, briefly stated you will have 2 basic choices: buy the real deal BHP from Browning/FN, or buy a clone (FEG, ARCUS, Israeli, argentine, etc). Use the search feature on the above website to check out the details. Part of deciding between the 2 above choices will be how much you have/want to spend (ie, the real deal is in the $500 range, and clones $250-ish or so). Then you can decide to buy new or used etc. Great gun, I have several, and parts, magazines etc are plentiful and relatively inexpensive. ejnoy!
I believe all _recent_ Browning HPs were made in Belgium by FN. I don't know if the HP was ever made in the USA. Anyone else know?
Anyway, my understanding is either a Browning or an FN-marked Hi-Power is generally considered the "real thing".
Among clones, I have heard that the Argentine Hi-Powers have the best rep. I have the FEG and really enjoy it. Its my favorite handgun.
Anyway, my understanding is either a Browning or an FN-marked Hi-Power is generally considered the "real thing".
Among clones, I have heard that the Argentine Hi-Powers have the best rep. I have the FEG and really enjoy it. Its my favorite handgun.
If you've always wanted a Hi-Power (and who's to argue with that?! 
), you probably want one by Browning or FN (same-same, more or less), and not a clone. But I won't argue with Dave R about the Argentine FMs (which are licensed clones made on FN machinery, are they not?).
Everyone has given good advice. You might want to do some thinking about what it is that attracts you to the Hi-Power. If it's the old-timey appearance, you might consider getting an older pistol . . . plenty to choose from . . . or maybe one of the tangent-sighted, stock-slotted recent imports by Vector Arms. If you're looking for a reliable combat pistol that just happens to be ergonomically wonderful, you might be looking at one of the newer MK IIIs (with small improvements that guarantee reliable feeding of HPs).
I think your best bet for starters is to follow GWC's advice and head over to www.fnhipower.com and look around. Those guys are serious about Hi-Powers!
), you probably want one by Browning or FN (same-same, more or less), and not a clone. But I won't argue with Dave R about the Argentine FMs (which are licensed clones made on FN machinery, are they not?).Everyone has given good advice. You might want to do some thinking about what it is that attracts you to the Hi-Power. If it's the old-timey appearance, you might consider getting an older pistol . . . plenty to choose from . . . or maybe one of the tangent-sighted, stock-slotted recent imports by Vector Arms. If you're looking for a reliable combat pistol that just happens to be ergonomically wonderful, you might be looking at one of the newer MK IIIs (with small improvements that guarantee reliable feeding of HPs).
I think your best bet for starters is to follow GWC's advice and head over to www.fnhipower.com and look around. Those guys are serious about Hi-Powers!
The High Power Pistol is considered one of the all time classics of high capacity 9mm pistols. It was the first high capacity 9mm and was designed by John M Browning before he died.
The High Power was not quite ready for the market when John Browning died and it the finale design was finished by I believe a frenchman named Saive who redesigned the extermal looks of the gun into a work of art. I believe if the final external design had been done by Browning himself that the gun would never of had the good looks that it was given by Saive. Saive was and probably never will be given the credit that he deserves for his contribution to the final design and production of the worlds most famous high capacity 9mm.
The High Powers were originally made in Belguim by FN and all the High Powers stamped Browning Arms were made for Browning by FN.
I believe it was sometime in the 1980's that the Assembly of High Powers was done in Portugal but the actual manufacture of the parts was still done by FN in Beldgium. I own one of the Portugal assembled High Powers and its workmanship is every bit as good as the Belgium assembled ones and its accuracy is actually every bit as good as the most desirable of all High Powers the "T" series High Power. Recently the Portugal factory was closed down and manufacture and assembly are now being done exclusively in Belgium. All new High Powers made by FN are made totally in Belgium.
The "T" series High Power was made up until about 1968 and was considered the best High Power ever made. Its trigger pull and extermal finish, and accuracy were all outstanding.
After about 1969 external finish started to deteriorate only slightly but the big change came after 1993 when FN started making the gun out of a casting which included many interal parts.
The cast high powers all have beautiful workmanship and accuracy but the purest collector sticks with the pre-1993 made guns.
The High power is probably one of the best balanced of any 9mm auto pistol made save the Sig-Neuhausen P210. It is a natural pointer and is outstandingly accurate. The High Power was at one time used by over 50 nations as their offical side arm. It is still considered by many to be one of the best 9mm's in the world even though the design is over 65 years old. Its beauty, workmanship, and accuracy are seldom matched on today's handgun market.
The High Power was not quite ready for the market when John Browning died and it the finale design was finished by I believe a frenchman named Saive who redesigned the extermal looks of the gun into a work of art. I believe if the final external design had been done by Browning himself that the gun would never of had the good looks that it was given by Saive. Saive was and probably never will be given the credit that he deserves for his contribution to the final design and production of the worlds most famous high capacity 9mm.
The High Powers were originally made in Belguim by FN and all the High Powers stamped Browning Arms were made for Browning by FN.
I believe it was sometime in the 1980's that the Assembly of High Powers was done in Portugal but the actual manufacture of the parts was still done by FN in Beldgium. I own one of the Portugal assembled High Powers and its workmanship is every bit as good as the Belgium assembled ones and its accuracy is actually every bit as good as the most desirable of all High Powers the "T" series High Power. Recently the Portugal factory was closed down and manufacture and assembly are now being done exclusively in Belgium. All new High Powers made by FN are made totally in Belgium.
The "T" series High Power was made up until about 1968 and was considered the best High Power ever made. Its trigger pull and extermal finish, and accuracy were all outstanding.
After about 1969 external finish started to deteriorate only slightly but the big change came after 1993 when FN started making the gun out of a casting which included many interal parts.
The cast high powers all have beautiful workmanship and accuracy but the purest collector sticks with the pre-1993 made guns.
The High power is probably one of the best balanced of any 9mm auto pistol made save the Sig-Neuhausen P210. It is a natural pointer and is outstandingly accurate. The High Power was at one time used by over 50 nations as their offical side arm. It is still considered by many to be one of the best 9mm's in the world even though the design is over 65 years old. Its beauty, workmanship, and accuracy are seldom matched on today's handgun market.