Opinions on Browning Hi-Power 9mm
- Thread starter Rogervzv
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towboat-er
New member
Get ya 1 or two of em. Great guns.
bitttorrrent
New member
i have one that ended up in my g.room after Dad's friend passed. Is it that different from 1911?
I need a mag but will try out soon.
I need a mag but will try out soon.
boltomatic
New member
Its a well known design that's been around for years because it works. If you like the way it looks/feels then go for it.
Northrider
New member
My father in law saw me looking at some Hi Point, and other, 9's a couple of years ago at a gun show. I had been doing some computer teaching/problem solving/installing, etc work for him for quite a few months. So, one day after a shorter computer visit he gave me a box with a new cordless house phone on it and said take this home. It felt too heavy to be a phone with charger, etc, so while my buddy drove back to my house, I opened the box and he had given me his Browning Hi Power, in the leather zippered case and the 20 round extra magazine with the metal loader and 2 boxes of shells. Needless to say I was speechless for several miles. I finally called him and thanked him profusely and found out he had purchased it several years ago(mid 1970's) for $75 from a guy in the paper. It had not been shot much before he got it and even less when he gave it to me. Short story long, I have had many happy trips to the range with this gun and truly love the way it points, is reliable, accurate, and has a classic look.
Now, when he goes to the range with me I make sure to take it along so he can shoot it. I have offered to return it to him after him saying a couple of times he was thinking of getting another 9. He just says no, he gave it to me and to enjoy it.
Now, when he goes to the range with me I make sure to take it along so he can shoot it. I have offered to return it to him after him saying a couple of times he was thinking of getting another 9. He just says no, he gave it to me and to enjoy it.
leadcounsel
Moderator
I bought one. I tried to like it. The trigger was terrible and the mag disconnect prevented the mags from dropping free. A 30 minute mag-disconnect removal fixed that problem and made the trigger much better.
After that, I was still left with an 'eh' pistol for the price. I will say that it was well-balanced, and slender and felt good in the hand. But those are expected in a pistol, and there are many IMO that are as good or better... CZ, Sig, Glock, 1911...
I think from a practical standpoint there are many much better. than the BHP. The BHP is a classic gun that everyone should own and have experience with, but it's been surpassed in every way by modern guns (ergonomics, capacity, lighter weight, better controls, affordability, complexity, etc.).
Having said that, it's nowhere near the top of my list for best combat handgun.
After that, I was still left with an 'eh' pistol for the price. I will say that it was well-balanced, and slender and felt good in the hand. But those are expected in a pistol, and there are many IMO that are as good or better... CZ, Sig, Glock, 1911...
I think from a practical standpoint there are many much better. than the BHP. The BHP is a classic gun that everyone should own and have experience with, but it's been surpassed in every way by modern guns (ergonomics, capacity, lighter weight, better controls, affordability, complexity, etc.).
Having said that, it's nowhere near the top of my list for best combat handgun.
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I own a Hi-Power and I think it is one of the finest examples of a high capacity 9mm semi automatic pistol ever crafted. What I don't think of the Hi-Power is something it's not. It is not the best 9mm semi auto on the market today in stock configuration, but with some of the more modern accouterment, namely an elongated safety and for some a spurred or bobbed hammer, you can have a magnificent carry piece, albeit a little heavy. The trigger also leaves a lot to be desired, but this shouldn't be much of an issue in a defensive pistol, or at least it can be overcome and trained for. That being said, I absolutely love Hi-Powers and while some of them don't seem incredibly useful in stock configuration, they are absolutely gorgeous and shoot very accurately and mildly. They are old world pistols and you would be hard pressed to find another high capacity all steel wonder nine that can match the engineering marvel of Browning's pistol - and, okay, Saive's as well. A CZ-75 in SA configuration is pretty close and I wouldn't sneeze at one of those, either!
Folks can learn more about the BHP at Stephen Camp's excellent site...
http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/
tipoc
http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/
tipoc
RS97....yeah! What you said! I have carried a HP as a duty weapon, off duty pistol and fun shooter for better than 50 years, not only is it beautiful but malfunctions are virtually non existiant in my guns and those tested by the PD . I eventually choose the S&w 5906 over the Browning for Dept. Issue it was because of the single action only and safety lever features of the HP and not because the slides warped or other such stupid thing happened. All testing was done with Winchester Silvertip HP ammo.
Mike Irwin
Staff
Anyone who knows me knows that my true passion is revolvers, Smith & Wesson revolvers.
That said, my Hi Power is one of the few handguns that I would never, ever under any circumstances, get rid of.
I'd get rid of most of my S&W revolvers before I got rid of the Hi Power.
That said, my Hi Power is one of the few handguns that I would never, ever under any circumstances, get rid of.
I'd get rid of most of my S&W revolvers before I got rid of the Hi Power.
A High Power in one hand and a S&W Mod 19 in the other...what a way to go....bought my first 19 for $82.57 and was protecting a city that night on my first shift as a police officer, a job that only lasted thirty years. A High Power was just over $100 and took me four months to pay off, what a fine concealed carry pistol loaded with 9 mm ball.
Let's see......
It is my:
1. Most accurate pistol.
2. Most ergonomic/naturally pointing pistol.
3. Most attractive pistol.
4. Favorite range toy.
5. Most slim/properly-sized full-size pistol.
IMHO, it is the best platform for the 9mm......IF you are willing to practice/master single-action carrying. Get a MK III if you are looking to carry and shoot one a lot, an older one if you are looking for something collectable.....or BOTH. I have had one FTE in 3 years of shooting it.
J
It is my:
1. Most accurate pistol.
2. Most ergonomic/naturally pointing pistol.
3. Most attractive pistol.
4. Favorite range toy.
5. Most slim/properly-sized full-size pistol.
IMHO, it is the best platform for the 9mm......IF you are willing to practice/master single-action carrying. Get a MK III if you are looking to carry and shoot one a lot, an older one if you are looking for something collectable.....or BOTH. I have had one FTE in 3 years of shooting it.
J
jglsprings
New member
This is funny - my oldest friend always said that:
"If push comes to shove and it is the end of my world as I know it, I'll have to sell all the other guns and use the High Power to rob 7-11s for a living"
I'm sure that it was poetic hyperbole but it would appear he loves his High Power as much as Mike does!
P.S.
I love my HPs too! this is my "fancy one" the 40 Tactical...
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I had a commercial Hi Power back in the 80s, and unlike some here, it was a gun I did eventually sell.
The grip felt great in my hand. Really good.
There were 4 things that I was displeased with. In order;
1) the trigger pull It took "three men and a boy" to pull it enough for the gun to fire.
2) The magazine disconnector. A useless feature (to me) which negatively affects the trigger pull, and keeps empty magazines from falling free. I understand that this feature was added to the design by the Belgian who finished the pistol after JMB's death, at the request of the FRENCH. If true, it explains a lot...
3) The Safety lever. I was never "comfortable" with the safety. While I never had an issue operating it, I always felt that someday, under stress, I might. Small, and rounded, even though it is grooved, the safety just never felt right to me. I much prefer the larger size lever, and particularly the flat "shelf" found on the 1911 pattern guns.
Apparently I'm not the only one, as I see that when Browning Inc. revamped the pistol, (after about 50 years of production) they used a larger, differently shaped safety lever.
4) It was a 9mm Luger caliber.
At the time, I was not a big fan of the 9mm. I'm still not much of a fan of the 9mm, but will admit that its better today than it used to be.
One thing that does irk me is the people who point out the Hi Power's shortcomings (or any other design from that earlier time) in comparison against some pistol who's design is half a century or more newer.
The Hi Power is the last design (most recent) from and era when firearms were not only tools or weapons, but objects d' art, as well. Modern combat Tupperware may be a more efficient weapon, but its not a better gun. The Hi Power has a grace and style, a soul, if you will, that current gun designs are sadly lacking. It may be a Model A Ford compared to the (insert favorite modern car here...), but it still gets you from A to B, and does it with a style you don't see much of, these days.
The grip felt great in my hand. Really good.
There were 4 things that I was displeased with. In order;
1) the trigger pull It took "three men and a boy" to pull it enough for the gun to fire.
2) The magazine disconnector. A useless feature (to me) which negatively affects the trigger pull, and keeps empty magazines from falling free. I understand that this feature was added to the design by the Belgian who finished the pistol after JMB's death, at the request of the FRENCH. If true, it explains a lot...
3) The Safety lever. I was never "comfortable" with the safety. While I never had an issue operating it, I always felt that someday, under stress, I might. Small, and rounded, even though it is grooved, the safety just never felt right to me. I much prefer the larger size lever, and particularly the flat "shelf" found on the 1911 pattern guns.
Apparently I'm not the only one, as I see that when Browning Inc. revamped the pistol, (after about 50 years of production) they used a larger, differently shaped safety lever.
4) It was a 9mm Luger caliber.
At the time, I was not a big fan of the 9mm. I'm still not much of a fan of the 9mm, but will admit that its better today than it used to be.
One thing that does irk me is the people who point out the Hi Power's shortcomings (or any other design from that earlier time) in comparison against some pistol who's design is half a century or more newer.
The Hi Power is the last design (most recent) from and era when firearms were not only tools or weapons, but objects d' art, as well. Modern combat Tupperware may be a more efficient weapon, but its not a better gun. The Hi Power has a grace and style, a soul, if you will, that current gun designs are sadly lacking. It may be a Model A Ford compared to the (insert favorite modern car here...), but it still gets you from A to B, and does it with a style you don't see much of, these days.
Mike Irwin
Staff
"As much as I like my Hi Powers though, I'd have to say the S&W M19 would be the last to go & that would have to be pried out of my hands."
Yeah, as if I really needed to explain that for those here who know me.
I picked up my Hi Power around 1999-2000 from a neighbor who was moving.
He bought it right before the magazine capacity ban, so it had two standard capacity, 13 round magazines.
He had shot it once, and put it away. It had a tiny freckle of rust on the rear grip frame that was easily taken care of.
Price?
$300.
It still had the price sticker on the box from where he purchased it in 1994. I'd have to look, but I seem to recall it being $469.
Yeah, as if I really needed to explain that for those here who know me.
I picked up my Hi Power around 1999-2000 from a neighbor who was moving.
He bought it right before the magazine capacity ban, so it had two standard capacity, 13 round magazines.
He had shot it once, and put it away. It had a tiny freckle of rust on the rear grip frame that was easily taken care of.
Price?
$300.
It still had the price sticker on the box from where he purchased it in 1994. I'd have to look, but I seem to recall it being $469.
I totally agree with 44 AMP on the reasons of what I dislike about the BHP ....yet , there is something about this pistol that I truly like ! Maybe , a commander type or semi- bobbed hammer , removing the magazine disconnect ( yuk ) , and a good action job would put this pistol as my favorite 9mm ! 
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