dogtown tom
New member
None that I've heard of.
If they were that would be among the rarest of Hi Powers.
The Browning High Power....
- Thread starter SIGSHR
- Start date
If they were that would be among the rarest of Hi Powers.
while guns designed well after WWII and the creation of NATO with 9mm at its standard makes sense, note when the High Power hit the market.
1935
I think the 9mm Luger was not the most used centerfire pistol cartridge on the planet THEN.
It was popular, but not the dominant round is became after WWII.
Nations that had adopted the Luger pistol were potential customers. But not Nazi Germany, who still had Lugers and were looking to adopt their own design (which became the P.38). England didn't use the 9mm. Nor France, or Italy, or Spain, nor, of course, the Soviet Union.
No hope of the US govt buying the High Power, and before WWII, the 9mm Luger was not a particularly popular round in the US civilian market.
Making a pistol in 9mm Luger back then was NOT the sure thing it is today.
Jim Watson
New member
Well, they THOUGHT it was a sure thing but France didn't buy the gun they asked FN for.
Belgium eventually adopted it over the previous 1922 .380.
Sweden and Finland bought HPs in lieu of 1903 9mm Browning Long, Lahtis, and Lugers.
Belgium eventually adopted it over the previous 1922 .380.
Sweden and Finland bought HPs in lieu of 1903 9mm Browning Long, Lahtis, and Lugers.
dogtown tom
New member
What centerfire pistol cartridge do you think was more popular?
And "popular" could mean sheer numbers of firearms chambered or number of countries adopting or producing firearms in a particular caliber.
Extensive use of 9mmP handguns in WWI greatly increased popularity after the Armistice.
I'm guessing the 9mm Luger was in the top three centerfire pistol cartridges in 1935 based on Germany producing sub machine guns like the MP34 from 1929-40.
It wasn't dominant, but probably the most widely adopted round being used extensively by Allies and Axis alike.
England didn't use the 9mmP prior to WWII because they had little interest in submachine guns. Once WWII started they sure as heck became interested in 9mmP
France and Spain were noted for loving obscure cartridges that had little interest outside their own.
And with JMB's licensing agreements with Colt and FN it wasn't likely the Hi Power would have been supplied or even marketed in the USA. That exclusive license didn't expire until after WWII.
A large part of the success of 9mmP is because post war arms production seemed to center on FN for the free world. Add in LOTS of 9mmP surplus guns provided to every Third World country.
True.
I won't argue about "greatly increased' but, considering the 9mm Luger was only 6 years old at the beginning, and 10 at the time of the end of WWI, that's not a lot of time to build up a popular following, particularly in civilian markets.
I' not sure that it is proper to count the 9mm's popularity as a submachine gun round with its popularity as a handgun round.
If you look at non-military handguns, models made and numbers made, I'd say the .38 Special was more popular (meaning more people owned and used them) than the 9mm for a very long time.
dogtown tom
New member
Civilian market was/is an afterthought in Europe. Military and police contracts drive sales and civilian sales are gravy.
I do.
Commonality of ammunition between subguns and handguns was important for logistical reasons. Brits had the 9mm in the Hi Power and in their subguns as well. The Americans the .45 in the 1911, Thompson and M3. The Germans as well.
This commonality certainly helped drive the 9mmP popularity in both.
Here in the US for sure, but worldwide? I don't think so.
Hi-Powers were not hand-fit to any significant extent. There’s substantial variation in slide-to-frame and barrel-to-slide fit from gun to gun at every point in production.
I own two BHP and like them because they're comfortable in my hand. I bought a 9mm ad 40 cal because I reload and was collecting too much brass and needed a gun to go with it. My favorite is the 40cal. I'd separate the brass by head stamp then weight and length. Then I'd load the cases with bullets separated by weight to a specific OAL. Finally I'd shoot clay pigeons at 100 yards for fun.
As I've said here before, I carried one on my first tour in Vietnam for much of 1970. I'd owned one prior but did not bring it along when I received orders for Saigon. My predecessor flying out of An Loc's Special Forces "B" camp in lll Corps, had one that appealed to me with its 13 round magazine. I inherited it when he rotated back to the CONUS.
The gun was a 64-65 model standard and absolutely reliable with any 9mm round then produced...all FMJ's BTW...and fit my hand like a digital extension...still does in fact. For 10 months, it was never out of reach including trips to the head, showers and frequent nights in a variety of slit trenches/bunkers. In a word, I loved that old piece as much as the L-19 that was my daily 'ride' around the province. I carried it in a 'tanker' Army cross chest rig that didn't interfere with shoulder straps and lap belt in the airplane, and was always there if needed and the big fan quit working.
I currently own two HP's....one is a two-tone 9 that's as accurate as any Sig I've owned, and close to my 1911 .45's for accuracy...with tuned loads that suit the gun. The other is a .40, nearly as accurate, and with that deep blued finish that Browning's been famous for for as long as I can remember. Both have had their magazine safeties removed resulting in a trigger that's good but not on the level of a good 1911's.
Gripes about the HP's tiny safety are valid, as are those criticizing the small sights on early ones. But aside from those concerns, the gun's close to perfection in my esteem...great, no superb feel in the hand, natural point ability for combat use up close, and the perfect weight for the 9mm round...
Here's a pic of the two-tone with Hogue stocks fitted....the .40 looks just a good doncha think? The minimalist OWB holster is one I cooked up for field carry, BTW...great shooters and certainly pretty enough for any BBQ in Kentucky....YMMv, Rod
The gun was a 64-65 model standard and absolutely reliable with any 9mm round then produced...all FMJ's BTW...and fit my hand like a digital extension...still does in fact. For 10 months, it was never out of reach including trips to the head, showers and frequent nights in a variety of slit trenches/bunkers. In a word, I loved that old piece as much as the L-19 that was my daily 'ride' around the province. I carried it in a 'tanker' Army cross chest rig that didn't interfere with shoulder straps and lap belt in the airplane, and was always there if needed and the big fan quit working.
I currently own two HP's....one is a two-tone 9 that's as accurate as any Sig I've owned, and close to my 1911 .45's for accuracy...with tuned loads that suit the gun. The other is a .40, nearly as accurate, and with that deep blued finish that Browning's been famous for for as long as I can remember. Both have had their magazine safeties removed resulting in a trigger that's good but not on the level of a good 1911's.
Gripes about the HP's tiny safety are valid, as are those criticizing the small sights on early ones. But aside from those concerns, the gun's close to perfection in my esteem...great, no superb feel in the hand, natural point ability for combat use up close, and the perfect weight for the 9mm round...
Here's a pic of the two-tone with Hogue stocks fitted....the .40 looks just a good doncha think? The minimalist OWB holster is one I cooked up for field carry, BTW...great shooters and certainly pretty enough for any BBQ in Kentucky....YMMv, Rod
jetinteriorguy
New member
Even though I only have the FEG copy I’m going to chime in on something. Even though this is an all steel pistol it just feels light in the hand. I love the way it fits and just seems to point naturally. Given the current prices on the real deal I’ll probably never own one, but other than a beauty contest I like the FEG enough to be plenty happy with it.