[WheelMan]

I have a very old high power. It's one of the one's made during the occupation.

It's my understanding that these old models have no hammer block or other "trigger must be pulled" type safties and if the hammer manages to slip the sear it's going all the way down to the firing pin.

Question is, how much of a saftey concern is this? Obviously any specific gun can have dangerous problems, but on a design level is it a problem. This particular piece appears to have all it's lockwork in good order, with no signs of exessive wear or failure. Thanks

[Zak Smith]

I don't know about the differences in the occupation-produces HP's, but the firing pin safety was only added when the MKIII model came out in 1988.

A BHP with the half-cock notch on the hammer should be roughly as safe as a Series 70 or older 1911.

-z

[WheelMan]

Mine does not have a magazine disconnecter either, I'm not sure if this is typical of the oldermodels or an occupation issue, I suppoes it could have been removed at some point as well, I've never seen the inside of any high power but this one so I don't know what to look for.

[Bren]

Yes, like the 1911, the hammer has a half cock notch.

Go here for BHP info. www.fnhipower.com Bren

[Bren]

Some military guns (like for Germany) were orderd/built without the mag disconnect. Bren

[WonderNine]

Yea, the German occupation guns are the only ones that I know of without the mag safety disconnect. There could be others, especially clones made by other companies that don't have it either, but I don't know.

My 1982 HP does not have a firing pin safety either. The half cock notch adds a little safety, but if the sear breaks with a chambered round it will probably go boom.

When I carry I use a leather IWB holster with a retention strap and I hope this will slow the hammer down enough to prevent a discharge if the sear would ever break.

[WheelMan]

I suppose if I'd though about it a bit more I'd have realized the half cock notch would catch if the full cock notch slipped, I guess for both to fail the sear or hammer would have to seriously fail (like totally come apart).

[Zak Smith]

Does anyone remember if the thumb safety in the BHP physically blocks the hammer or sear when it is engaged ("on safe")?

-z

[Country Boy]

Zak - negative, it doesn't. A slide mounted safety (a la Smith & Wesson semis) will usually physically block the firing pin. No such luck on the BHP.

[WheelMan]

hmm... I'm not sure, this gun is just begging to be a shooter, the finish is so rough as to remove any collectors value, but the inside of the barrel looks brand new. I feel safe with it at the range, but I'm not so sure about carring it around. I guess I could take it to the smith and see what he thinks.

[Zak Smith]

Well, the thumb safety has to block sear movement.

The question is if it also blocks hammer movement. I believe on the 1911 it does.

-z

[Bren]

Zak, the thumb safety blocks the sear from moving.