Any Browning Hi Power fans?

[I_Like_Turtles]

I have some 10 Hi Powers.....most are X European or Israeli Police, with a couple Practicals and one Sport model. Most of mine are 9mm Parabellum with two being .40 S&W. I just love the design!

I am contemplating having one of my alloy framed models and /or my Israeli Mark II customized into a carry piece.

Anyone else?

[guido4198]

I'm a big fan of them.
I don't use mine for EDC. That said....there have been times in my life when I found myself going into situations where the probability of a gunfight was significantly increased over "every day". At those times my HiPower and 2 spare mags in a JackAss rig have been part of my go-to setup.

[JohnR]

I love ‘em. Perfect fit to my hand, perfect balance, good-enough trigger, decent capacity, all metal, what’s not to like?

[O'Dell]

I learned to shoot in the sixties on HP's and 1911's. Probably that's why, if given a choice, I still prefer a manual safety. [that is the reason I switched my preference from SIG to HK.] I carried a HP as my service pistol in the Navy for seven years. However today, because of concealed carry, I like smaller pistols. I have four Kahr's and only three each of SIG's and HK's.

[O'Dell]

I learned to shoot in the sixties on HP's and 1911's. Probably that's why, if given a choice, I still prefer a manual safety. [that is the reason I switched my preference from SIG to HK.] I carried a HP as my service pistol in the Navy for seven years. However today, because of concealed carry, I like smaller pistols. I have four Kahr's and only three each of SIG's and HK's.

[O'Dell]

Sorry about the duplication - I guess I'm getting old since I had my nineteenth birthday on Feb. 29th.

[I_Like_Turtles]

I sometimes duplicate posts and then go back and delete the second.

I believe the Kahr's grip is a copy of the HP's....read that in an article about the Kahr back in the 1990's.

[NothingToSeeHere]

One of my favorites! Bought an HP Mark III 9mm back in the early 90’s. Always wanted to send it to Wayne Novak for customization, but never got around to it. Got some Meg-Car 15-round flush-fit mags and they work perfectly.

There’s just something about how that grip fits my hand. Only the Sig P228 and HK P30 come close, just in a different way. Never recall this gun jamming, even though the ejection port is super small compared to today’s standards.

The trigger has some slack, but that never bothered me. The follow-up shots on an all steel gun always seem to settle right back on target.

I understand why people often have more than one in their collection.

[Burnett]

The Hi Power is my favorite handgun so I have a few. My Silver Chrome Mark III gets the most use. My shooting friends sometimes comment that I brought the "Pimp Daddy Gun" because of the factory hard chrome finish and gold trigger. They may tease but its pimped out looks doesn't seem to kill their desire to shoot it! LOL I recently purchased a Tisas stainless Hi Power clone. I have not fired it yet but it is extremely well finished for it's modest price.

[JohnR]

We’re gonna need pictures of Pimp Daddy.

[Burnett]

We’re gonna need pictures of Pimp Daddy.

https://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=207717

My photo skills suck but if you go to the above link and scroll down 3 that is like how mine originally came. I installed the fixed sights from the Browning Practical and added thin black G10 grips from Elite Warrior Armament (very close to Spegel Delrin grips). It was my first Hi power and was a Christmas gift from my boss, we had just started and had went through a couple of lean years and finally made a few bucks. That was back in the mid ninety's and it still looks like new. The hard chrome finish is very durable.

[I_Like_Turtles]

https://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=207717

My photo skills suck but if you go to the above link and scroll down 3 that is like how mine originally came. I installed the fixed sights from the Browning Practical and added thin black G10 grips from Elite Warrior Armament (very close to Spegel Delrin grips). It was my first Hi power and was a Christmas gift from my boss, we had just started and had went through a couple of lean years and finally made a few bucks. That was back in the mid ninety's and it still looks like new. The hard chrome finish is very durable.

I like your old boss! That is a gorgeous looking firearm! My first HP was also my first Gunbroker buy. Mine looks like yours, but with less gold paint left on the trigger and with the Browning type adjustable sights. That particular model was called the "Sport Model" I believe. I used mine in an IDPA match and did well, better than this uniformed officer that came and competed. He liked my HP so much he stated he would ditch his Sig and start carrying an HP! He was from a very small town (one I am familiar with) so he might could carry cocked and locked on duty.

Hard chrome is a very durable finish.

Did you leave the magazine safety in yours? I have it in all but two of my HP's. The commercial HP's are fine, it's the military/police contract HP's that have a bad trigger with the mag safety still in.

[JohnR]

My ‘87 Mark II has the mag safety removed. The difference in trigger feel isn’t really worth it to me, but I prefer the mags to drop free instead of being “retained.” My ‘73 HP is all stock, and the trigger feels great in dry fire. I’ve never fired live rounds through it, because it’s in Like New condition and I want to keep it that way since I got a screaming deal on it. I’m sure I’ll eventually shoot it, just not any time soon.

[I_Like_Turtles]

My ‘87 Mark II has the mag safety removed. The difference in trigger feel isn’t really worth it to me, but I prefer the mags to drop free instead of being “retained.” My ‘73 HP is all stock, and the trigger feels great in dry fire. I’ve never fired live rounds through it, because it’s in Like New condition and I want to keep it that way since I got a screaming deal on it. I’m sure I’ll eventually shoot it, just not any time soon.

I used to like drop free mags but I kept losing my Parabellum mags in the trenches fighting for the Kaiser. Retention is important!

I read that is why the P38 had a heel retention clip....pulling a mag out makes it more likely the user will save the mag before going for a reload.

I will probably remove the mag safety on my future BHP build. Even with the "mouse trap" springed mags, they don't eject with slide open.

[Burnett]

I like your old boss! That is a gorgeous looking firearm! My first HP was also my first Gunbroker buy. Mine looks like yours, but with less gold paint left on the trigger and with the Browning type adjustable sights. That particular model was called the "Sport Model" I believe. I used mine in an IDPA match and did well, better than this uniformed officer that came and competed. He liked my HP so much he stated he would ditch his Sig and start carrying an HP! He was from a very small town (one I am familiar with) so he might could carry cocked and locked on duty.

Hard chrome is a very durable finish.

Did you leave the magazine safety in yours? I have it in all but two of my HP's. The commercial HP's are fine, it's the military/police contract HP's that have a bad trigger with the mag safety still in.


He's still my boss. We were pretty young back then, now not so much! The mag safety is still in. It doesn't bother me and I shoot it well. I removed the mag safety from one of my others and while it lightened and smoothed the trigger pull I wasn't thrilled with the lighter reset. They make a trigger spring that gives a more authoritative reset, I may have to see about getting one. I encourage anyone who is a Hi Power fan to visit https://bhspringsolutions.com. They have tons of parts and upgrades for the Hi Power, they are real fans of the gun. I'm still irritated that FN quit producing the Hi Power. Yea I get that it's expensive and not plastic fantastic but neither is the 1911 and those guns sell at a healthy clip. They should have had some pride and made an updated MK4 version. Little more consistent trigger (some are pretty good out of the box, some suck), Novak cut sights and slim G10 grips. Dump the high polish blue (saves some cost there) and finish it in a bead blasted matte finish and matte hard chrome. Make it a combat gun instead of the sportsman's companion that the Browning website seemed to push the last few years. Sorry for the rant.

[JohnR]

Especially with Walther’s new steel framed 9mm. They could have marketed it as an IDPA type competition gun or “race gun” (whatever that is).

[I_Like_Turtles]

He's still my boss. We were pretty young back then, now not so much! The mag safety is still in. It doesn't bother me and I shoot it well. I removed the mag safety from one of my others and while it lightened and smoothed the trigger pull I wasn't thrilled with the lighter reset. They make a trigger spring that gives a more authoritative reset, I may have to see about getting one. I encourage anyone who is a Hi Power fan to visit https://bhspringsolutions.com. They have tons of parts and upgrades for the Hi Power, they are real fans of the gun. I'm still irritated that FN quit producing the Hi Power. Yea I get that it's expensive and not plastic fantastic but neither is the 1911 and those guns sell at a healthy clip. They should have had some pride and made an updated MK4 version. Little more consistent trigger (some are pretty good out of the box, some suck), Novak cut sights and slim G10 grips. Dump the high polish blue (saves some cost there) and finish it in a bead blasted matte finish and matte hard chrome. Make it a combat gun instead of the sportsman's companion that the Browning website seemed to push the last few years. Sorry for the rant.

I am of same opinion. The HP could have been updated with grip safety, better trigger, etc.

I don't have a problem with trigger reset after mag safety removed. Haven't noticed it actually.

[Burnett]

Especially with Walther’s new steel framed 9mm. They could have marketed it as an IDPA type competition gun or “race gun” (whatever that is).

Good point. I read somewhere that the reason they discontinued the Hi Power is because the original tooling was worn out and cost to much to replace. I'm not sure I buy that. The frames are cast and they could have the slides done from bar stock with a cnc machine. A matte finish costs less than high polish blue. The Hi Power would have been easy for them to update if they had the desire.

[JohnR]

I heard that about Marlin lever guns, the tooling was worn out.

My ‘87’s trigger has no audible or tactile reset after removing the disconnect. Not a big deal in live fire.

[gb6491]

I have a forged frame MKIII. Nice gun, but it became a safe queen after acquiring my first CZ75.

I'd guess that most aficionados are aware of the late Stephen A. Camp's excellent Hi Power website: https://hipowersandhandguns.com

Regards,
Greg

[got2hav1]

This is the last one I have. Pared down from half dozen or so. Mid sixties " T" from Belgium . Came to me in German box and manual. The mags were still wrapped in plastic and coated with oil.

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/923/XKOTwH.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/pnXKOTwHj)

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/924/tAY0p8.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/potAY0p8j)

[Canine Dave]

Yes, I'm a Browning HiPower fan. He finally did get it right with this design.

[Canine Dave]

I have a forged frame MKIII. Nice gun, but it became a safe queen after acquiring my first CZ75.

I'd guess that most aficionados are aware of the late Stephen A. Camp's excellent Hi Power website: https://hipowersandhandguns.com

Regards,
Greg

+1 He's dead, but buy the book.

[gb6491]

Yes, I'm a Browning HiPower fan. He finally did get it right with this design.
Who got it right?...Dieudonné Saive?

[Canine Dave]

Who got it right?...Dieudonné Saive?

I have a Colt 1911 and a Browning Hi Power. Not seen a Dieudonne Saive Hi Power.

Might boil down to who owns (owned) the patents. Colt and Browning? I think Browning was happy when Colts patents ran out on his 1911 so he could incorporate many his design features into his new P35.

My take.