Portugal Quality.... Hi-power owners

C

cjw

New member
I have been looking at hi-powers for some time, but have always been reluctant to purchase a firearm as expensive as the hi-power when it's assembled in Portugal. In my area new ones go for at least $600 and that's for the MKIII. Even nice used ones (assembled in Portugal) go for $500 in my neck of the woods. If I do break down and get one should I look for an older one made AND assembled in Belgium or are the ones put together in Portugal as good ? OR do I just save myself $400 and get a clone ?

Thanks Hi-Power owners!
 
Hello. Initially, I had the same concerns you express here. Currently, I own several of the "Assembled in Portugal" guns and like the old "Made in Belgium" guns, have found some to be better than others, but differences were in trigger pull, not major things like bbl fit or slide to frame fit.

All of mine have been shot heavily and I have no complaints whatsoever.

Best.
 
Well, the best endorsement I can give is that I sometimes carry by Portugese Hi-Power, and keep my Belgium Hi-Power at home. Now part of this is that I don't want to add wear on the Belgium gun, but I would not carry what I didn't trust.

I find them to be equal in accuracy. The fit on my Portugese Hi-Power is very good

And a Hi-Power site will point out that the Portugese Hi-Powers are heat treated to a higher hardness than the Belguim Hi-Powers, to add to durability.
 
I bought one about 5 years ago and it has proven to be an excellent handgun.I am still very impressed with the fit and finish of my Browning .
 
I have two of them and one from Belgium. I haven't shot them a lot but they seem about equal in quality to me. I certainly didn't think twice about buying any of them.
 
I've owned both as well and I have no problems with either. The older (1960s, very early 70s) Belgian Brownings seem to be a little prettier and have a nicer factory trigger; but they also have the small safety, small sights, humped feed ramp, etc.

If I was looking for a collector's piece, I'd buy a T-series Hi-Power. If I was looking for a shooter or carry piece, I'd buy a new Hi-Power that has the "Assembled in Portugal" stamp on it in a second - because I can make the trigger nicer if it needs work; the addition of a more usuable safety, higher visibility sights, and a feed ramp that is more accomodating to modern hollow points makes the new ones a better "work gun" in my mind.
 
Look, the parts are made in Belgium . . .

. . . do you really care if they're assembled in the monkey house at the zoo?

First of all, let me applaud your interest in the BHP. Wonderful pistols.

Okay. I've never understood the worries about the Portuguese-assembled guns. It's a real phenomenon, though - I was managing a gun store when the "Assembled in Portugal" guns came out. The old "100% Belgian" guns instantly commanded a premium, for some reason.

Metal work and quality worries, I understand, but the parts are still made where they always were. I'm not aware of any basis for believing that the Portuguese aren't capable of putting together a pistol properly (but, then, I'm a quarter Italian). And, the FN/Browning folks overseeing the process - they've got their name on the gun, and they're fully aware who's going to be defending the lawsuit if something goes wrong. Nothing to worry about!

FWIW, I've shot a few, and they were all wonderful. My main handgun nowadays is a Portuguese-assembled BHP in .40. The clones can be a real deal (check out info at the Hi-Power site dinosaur listed), but you might give up something on fit/finish/trigger pull. The Hi-Powers are quality pistols; that's why they cost so much. You won't regret purchasing one that was put together in Portugal, but go for the all-Belgian if it troubles you. Either way, you will like your Hi-Power a lot.
 
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