What About My Hi-Power?

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I recently picked up a circa 1964 Browning Hi-Power
The finish is shot but the action is pristine (stored incorrectly). Probably less than 500 rounds shot through it.
Who would do a class act job of redoing a hot blue on this piece?
What is their turnaround time?
Any idea of the cost?
 
"...a hot blue..." That can be really expensive. Lotta shops don't do it because it requires a separate room with no other ferrous metals in it. Plus it's time consuming.
The quality of a bluing job is dependent on the quality of the polishing job. All of which is hand done. There's no machine.
Mind you, a lot is about who does the disassembly too. Which isn't terribly difficult. You just take out all the springs and send only the parts you need finished. Don't forget the mags.
Cylinder and Slide are BHP guys. (Wilson doesn't mention the BHP on their site.) $210.00 to re-blue the whole pistol. That'd be one with no pitting. "Stored incorrectly" may have some pitting.
Note: "WE ARE CURRENTLY BACK LOGGED 12 TO 14 MONTHS FOR GUN WORK." Just like any shop that's any good.
https://cylinder-slide.com/Category/BHP10
 
I have a 1970 Belgian Hi-Power. It is in 98% condition - has hardly ever been fired.

A good restoration re-blue on a hi-power is going to a bit tricky. While they do have a beautiful blue finish, they are not a super high polish glossy blue. If you really want it done right, send it to Turnbull. I'd call them first to get an idea of what something like this would run. My guess is it won't be less than $500.

https://www.turnbullrestoration.com/
 
In reality, bluing is a terrible finish. It offers little to no protection from rust.
Browning offered a satin chrome version of the High Power.
I suggest you upgrade your gun to a hard chrome finish from Mahovsky's Metalife.
 
IF you want it blued, I have been very happy with Loren Fogle's work.

Fogle's Gunsmithing.

His prices are, I think, less than $300, and that includes disassembly and reassembly.

He no longer does the High Polished finish, but the pistol below is one that he completed in High Polished Blue for me, before he stopped. It may look more of a satin, but it is really a brightly polished blue.


3hdcKxW.jpg


I have also had him do the Satin Blue finish on a Star Model S Super and Star Model F.

Now, I will be honest. I have always detail stripped the firearms, sent them in, and then reassembled them. This gets a discount. I think 20% off, IIRC.

Since I would do this anyway to verify and clean, I went ahead. That made the work on the Star handguns worth it to me.

Bill is right- bluing is not the best finish.

Yet, it is a nice finish if done well.



What I am looking for now is someone to rust blue a '47 High Standard HD Military, but not charge an arm/leg.


My 'carry' firearms get cerakote, hard chrome or nitride.

My range toys, that will NEVER see a holster [case to gun rug while loading, shoot, gun rug, clean, case] I like blued steel.

Yet, it isn't as durable- that is for sure.

good luck with the decision.
 
My Gen4 Glock 19 is still immaculate! Incredible black! Finish, not one blemish anywhere, in and out of holsters for years, including a no-name Kydex one. That finish was of a process (due to US Laws on the Austrian process not allowed to be duplicated here) for whatever reason.
There is a reason I carry this flawless pistol for protection, it has never failed to fire ever.
 
I'm from the school of " I don't care what it looks like does it shoot?"
I've got guns that are rusty . I knock most of the rust off with steel wool and oil it.
They're all accurate and reliable.

I keep getting offers to buy them

AFS
 
Shurshot---- Great idea, not mine, but a good one. Had a BHP Bought it in Manchester in the UK. Paid twenty Pounds for it, bran new? In 1960.
 
Turnbull Restorations, - Bloomfield NY. - Check out their web page. Probably the best firearms restorer working in America today.
 
While Turnbull does great work, it will likely cost more than the value of the gun. Spending $1000 to refinish a $500 gun doesn't make it a $1500 gun.

Understand that Turnbull does both "restorations" and "finishing":
https://www.turnbullrestoration.com/restore-your-ugly-guns-with-turnbull-manufacturing/#:~:text=The%20Turnbull%20%231%20is%20made,brings%20them%20up%20to%20%242%2C000.

Take the $1000-$2500 you would have spent at Turnbull and buy a pristine T series Hi Power. With the $$$$$$$ left over buy a can of Krylon at WalMart for your shooter.
 
Bill DeShivs said:
In reality, bluing is a terrible finish. It offers little to no protection from rust.
Browning offered a satin chrome version of the High Power.
I suggest you upgrade your gun to a hard chrome finish from Mahovsky's Metalife.
Click to expand...
Ill second Bills recomendation, especially if youre planning on actually using the gun.

I have a 77 HP with a nice factory blue, and if you dont keep after it with an Ezzox soaked rag, it rusts just looking at it.

I also have a MKI HP that came with a "sorta" parkerized finsh, that basically rubbed off as you handled it. I reparked it in my buddys garage (mid 90's) and it came out great and has held up well too. Hard crome is really the way to go though.

This is the MKI I parked......

enhance


This wasnt done by Mahovsky's (EGW did it, or had it done), but it is a hard chrome finish, and one that was carried daily for over 10 years, in a pretty harsh and sweaty environment....

enhance
 
AK103K ....I also have a MKI HP that came with a "sorta" parkerized finsh, that basically rubbed off as you handled it. I reparked it in my buddys garage (mid 90's) and it came out great and has held up well too. Hard crome is really the way to go though.

This is the MKI I parked......
Click to expand...
That's a MkII.

FN/Browning never made a "MkI", but Inglis did.
 
Whatever it is, its parked. :)

I had a couple of Inglis guns in the past. One with the tangent sight, and one without. Both were a bit rough, finish wise anyway.

Wouldnt mind having the one without back.
 
shurshot said:
Brit, are you suggesting that the OP have his Browning Hi-power re-blued by Glock?
Click to expand...

I think he's suggesting he have it Melonite Treated, which honestly sounds like a fantastic idea, since it's cheaper than bluing yet far more durable as well as corrosion-resistant.

Melonite actually looks pretty sweet too, if the M&P 1.0 Series is any representation.
 
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