[Topgun]

I think it may be the only gun in my arsenal that I can honestly say has NEVER had a jam with factory ammo. Actually, I can add reloads too.

Other than a few failure to fire (as I have found common in all calibers) with F E D E R A L junk ammo, it has gone off, ejected the case, and chambered the next round EVERY time I have wanted it to do so.

I've even TRIED to get it to jam by limp-wristing and firing upside down. (For use in southern hemisphere you know)

:)

[makarov1989]

I had a FM High Power that jammed a lot. Does that count?

[Sean Smith]

As a cheap third-world knockoff, I'd say not. :D

[Michael]

One time (cheap WW Winchester white box), in four BHP's, over thousands of rounds (commercial and reloads) and a decade of use (on and off duty). Wish I could get my 70 series Colt to do that.

Sincerely,

Michael

[NEtracker]

Nope,
Never in my '91 Silver Chrome.:cool:

[emc]

I had a Hi-Power in the 1970s, which was a beautiful pistol, with gorgeous bluing. Unfortunately, with many hollow points, it would jam on a regular basis. Unbelievably narrow feed ramp.

FWIW,

emc

[MK11]

My Kimbers and Sigs have all jammed (the Sigs a whole lot less than the Kimbers) but my BHP is jam-free so far. I want another.

[TonyB]

Shot IDPA last week w/ a guy who used one and it jammed all night long w/ Winclean ammo.....I too have had a couple of problmes w/ winclean in both my G17 and PT99...so it may have been the ammo...also I didn't get a good look at the gun it amy have been a copy......:cool:

[Kestrel]

My Hi Powers don't jam.

Steve

[jimmyjoebob]

I had a few just after I had my Hi Power refinished and at the time I was using Olympic ammo. But since then, never unless the gun is really dirty and not lubed. Overall it is one of the best guns that I own, now I am thinking about a 40 model.

[RGO]

My Hi-Power is my only gun that has never malfunctioned. (knock on wood?)

[Dr.Rob]

I started getting FTE's on my FEG.. had experienced NO jams in thousands of rounds. Cleaned under the extractor and viola.. no more jams.

[Dave R]

My FEG Hi-Power Clone has not jammed EXCEPT with Wolf 9mm ammo.

With that stuff, I would get one or two per mag that would stick in the chamber. Sometimes they would stick so bad I'd have to pound 'em out with a wooden dowel. Stopped using Wolf after that.

With brass ammo, nary a problem.

[Roadkill]

I'm on my third one, ain't happened yet. Will have my fourth hopefully next week. Don't expect it to jam either.

rk

[ddc]

I did a test about a year ago.

I was at the range and realized I hadn't cleaned my hi-power from the previous visit a week earlier. Probably had put about 250 rounds through it at that time.

So I put another 250 through it and then decided not to clean it for a couple more visits to see if/when it started choking.

The next two weeks I put about 200 through it each visit.

Then on the third week I put about 300 more.

At that point I started feeling guilty and cleaned it when I got home.

So I put a total of about 1200 rounds through it without cleaning and without any failures of any kind....

I'm starting to feel like I can trust this pistol....

PS: Used about 60% winchester value pack, 40% S&B with a little Fed 9BP mixed in so mostly FMJ but in other tests there have been no problems with any factory JHP either...

[jacketch]

Several BHP's and about 60,000 rounds and no jams. I have had several FTF's that were the fault of the ammo but no jams. My 1974 Browning even handled JHP's because I polished the feed ramp.

[Ky Larry]

Not me personably. A couple of pals and I shot a case of cheap Russian steel case junk ammo last summer. I was shooting a Ruger and my friends had a Beretta and a Hi-Power. Each gun jammed once out of 1000 rounds.Probably not the guns fault.

[BHPshooter]

With factory ammo, not a one. I did have a minor hangup when first learning to handload LRN bullets (didn't seat the bullet deep enough), but that's my fault, and not a problem before or since.

I did have a failure to feed with my FEG, but I kind of wonder if that's not my fault too... I didn't let the slide go when charging the pistol, but I just kind of let it forward.

So yes, I feel like I can trust them, especially the Browning. 1709 rounds and not a problem. :D

Wes

[Voodoo]

Never.

[Brian Williams]

But then again I do not have a BHP, want one tho, probably will be my next auto.

[p35]

Once with 147 grain Hydra-Shoks. Just too long to work. No great loss.

[makarov1989]

As a cheap third-world knockoff, I'd say not.

Come on now! Argentina is not quite 3rd world. The FM HP is the only liscensed copy of the BHP. It was made on Browning equipment by Browning staff for a while. I'm not saying it is as good as a real BHP but it is not 3rd world.

I know two Argentine men that would get really hurt by the things you just said. They are very nationalistic.

[pyrguy]

I had mine jam a couple of times in the mid 80's. Shooting IPSC with dirty reloads. Only happened a couple of times after a couple hundred rounds in the same session. Can't remember it ever happening with factory ammo.

[7.62FullMetalJacket]

We get so bent on the newest/latest/greatest that we forget about simplicity. I have tried them all. The one I always come back to is the one that never jammed: the BHP. I think of it as an auto-revolver due to the lack of malfunctions.

[Sean Smith]

I know two Argentine men that would get really hurt by the things you just said.

I'd be more impressed if they were able to keep the Falklands. :neener:

[Harold Mayo]

Despite having shot hi-powers FAR more than any other pistol, I have still seen them malfunction LESS than any other pistol.

[kumma]

my hi power functions flawlessly with every ammo i shot except for cci blazer ammo then its jam-o-matic... it actually shoots umc yellow box the best.

[Dobe]

I had a Hi-Power in the 1970s, which was a beautiful pistol, with gorgeous bluing. Unfortunately, with many hollow points, it would jam on a regular basis. Unbelievably narrow feed ramp.

Same here. The feed ramp was convex on my HP, and wouldn't feed anything reliably except FMJ. More and more companies are manufacturing clones. The High Power will eventually suffer the same reputation as the 1911. No one entity is in control of the model when so many produce it.

[moewadle]

I have never owned an auto loader and just this year fired one for the first time. So, I want to buy a 9mm. I have been looking at various ones and found,with my small hands, the Browning HP fits like a glove. Feels wonderful. However, one sales person in a sporting goods chain store told me he once had a genuine Browning HP that jammed terribly and suggested I buy a Springfield Armory XD or whatever the model is. However, I like attractive, traditional looking, quality looking toys. The Browning HP with blued steel and walnut grips is just so much nicer looking than the Springfield. But..pretty has to work also. Thanks so much to all of you for telling me that the HP is probably not a chronic jammer. Also, question, does anyone know if there have been any manufacturing changes aimed at reducing alleged jamming problems in the HP in the last few years? Thanks. Moe

[Quinch]

I had a .40 early 90s Browning that didn't jam, but the trigger bound up and could no longer be pulled after about 300 rounds.

I still don't know what was wrong with it. Weird.

[10-Ring]

I've only put about 1500 rounds through mine, but it has been absolutely flawless....why did I wait so long to take the plunge?

[ugaarguy]

Moe here is THR moderator Stephen A Camp's website. Enjoy;
http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/

[Candiru]

My brother managed to jam my Hi-Power once by overlubing it with sticky grease and limpwristing it. Other than that, neither my Belgian Hi-Power nor Argentine FM Detective have experienced a single failure of any kind to date. In the area of reliability, Hi-Powers generally make Glocks look like Jennings.

[Dienekes]

I have an Inglis Mk1* and an Israeli FN Mk. III. Don't recall any malfunctions with the Inglis (don't use the original JI mag, bought a couple Mec-Gars for it). The FN came with 3 beater mags which are for practice only and I have had a couple of failures to feed from them. Put a buffer in a couple of years ago and immediately had failures to feed. Removed it and that was the end of that. With Mec-Gars it runs very well, but does not like any ammo with long OAL.

With the proper OAL handloads, 124 gr. Federals, and +P+ 115 gr Federal JHPs it is extremely reliable.

I am not a 9mm fan but I like and trust both of these guns. I would take them as a strong second to a good 1911, which qualifies as a ringing endorsement.

[Marshall]

None of my three have ever jammed, had a FTF or FTE.

My Browning BDA 380 has though.

[moewadle]

Thanks so very much for added replies. The one I am looking at is a brand new one for $679 plus tax. I don't mind putting out that kind of money but I want to be pretty sure before I do and you contributors have helped this beginner a great deal. Means a lot to me! I especially want to thank UGAARGUY for putting me on to the website. I love specializd websites. Thanks again. MOE

[slicknickns]

Quote:
As a cheap third-world knockoff, I'd say not.


Come on now! Argentina is not quite 3rd world. The FM HP is the only liscensed copy of the BHP. It was made on Browning equipment by Browning staff for a while. I'm not saying it is as good as a real BHP but it is not 3rd world.

I know two Argentine men that would get really hurt by the things you just said. They are very nationalistic.


Yeah, but their also a very racist, and segregated society.

Question about the high power though, can you fire it with the hammer down or does the the hammer have to be cocked always like the 1911?

[Marshall]

It's single action. Must be cocked.

[bg226]

Yes, my Browning Hi-Power jammed.

It was very dirty and had no lube. A single FTE with WWB ammo.

[atblis]

absolutely.

The only auto pistol brands that have never malfunctioned on me are Glocks and Hks (still don't own one though). Not that I don't like them, I just think they are overpriced. The HK doesn't really count because I've only shot a couple of them.

BHP yep
1911's definitely (not a brand but...)
CZs occasionally
SIGs yep
Tanfoglio yep
Ruger yep

[kokapelli]

Never had a failure from my BHP or My Arcus clone, but had the barrel lug break off of my FEG clone!

[Northslope Nimrod]

NO. In well over 1k rounds, I have never had a jam or stove pipe with any type of ammo.

Once a firearm instructor tried to get me to hold it with my thumb up higher. My thumb started hitting the slide lock and locking it while I was shooting.

[Chupacabra]

It's a little too early to tell with my new BHP, but it functioned perfectly with the 100 rounds of Fiocchi 9mm I put through it the week before last. I hadn't even taken it home to clean and lube it first. I plan on really wringing it out this weekend and have high confidence that it will run perfectly.

[nero45acp]

Yes. My FN Hi-Power has a a few with WWB. However, my FN BDAO (DAO HP) has never had a single failure, even using different weight JHPs of varying manufacture.



nero

[Dr.Rob]

I suspect bad magazines before anything else with BHP's... they were designed for FMJ but over the years since HP bullets have become commonplace they have been fluffed and buffed for it.

I've found magazines with plastic follwers are usually the ones that fail.

I've never had a jam with Winchester Silver tips or PMC Starfires.

[Harold Mayo]

Have shot more rounds through a hi-power than any other handgun but have seen LESS total malfunctions out of a BHP than out of any other pistol. Some professional firearms trainers (who aren't overly "pro" in favor of some other pistol) will tell you that they see less problems with hi-powers than with other handguns when they show up in classes.

The only other handguns that I have seen few, if any problems, out of are Sigs. I've seen LOTS of problems with Glocks, even the 17 and the 19. Minor problems easily diagnosed and fixed but problems nevertheless.

[Walt Sherrill]

The original FM HPs were functionally identical to the ones made in Belgium, and performed just as well. Don't know about the newer ones. Not as pretty, but generally pretty good guns.

Bad ammo can cause problems in any gun.

[browningguy]

Well not a jam, but a 1943 vintage Inglis, after about 497,258 rounds, had the sear wear out and locked up.

Now my other Inglis is doing the same thing and I don't think it has even reached the 400,000 round mark. Pretty disappointing.

(just joking on the round count, no idea how many before I got them, but they had all original barrels and internals)

[Josh Aston]

Mines had a couple thousand rounds through it with no malfunctions, even the crappy Russian ammo worked perfectly.

[albanian]

I had a FM Detective that jammed. I like the way HPs look and feel but as far as shooting goes, I have never been impressed. Accuracy has not been as good as I have always heard. Maybe it is the bad trigger and sights that hurts the gun.

[Pilot]

Never had any malfunctions in my 1994 Silver Chrome BHP. Its probably my favorite pistol.

[david_the_greek]

never. even when I was shooting one as a YOUNG teen. I guess those older ones were made for FMJ's and not HP's, but once again I had never had any problems

[GroovedG19]

Yes, my FN Hi Power in .40S&W had quite a few jams.It is my only auto pistol that is not 100% reliable.Therefore it is reserve for range only.:uhoh:

[venerable yorgi]

Once in a great while with reloads, never if I keep it clean.
Is this an underrated gun or what? It points better than any gun on the market, its terrifically accurate, its got very little bulk relative to its capacity and barrel length, conceals well and is very easy to shoot well due to its low recoil. What a great gun.

[jon_in_wv]

My third world knock off FEG has NEVER jammed and is one of the most accurate guns I've ever shot. It also has a beautiful blued finish.

[gopguy]

One of the most reliable pistols have ever owned or used. However only the Mark III work well with hollowpoints. Anything prior to the Mark III you need to stick to good old FMJ ball ammo.



Top gun, You manufacture weapons?:scrutiny:

I think it may be the only gun in my arsenal that I can honestly say has NEVER had a jam with factory ammo. Actually, I can add reloads too.:banghead:

Really guys, an arsenal is a place where weapons are manufactured. Lets not use the terminology of the idiot talking heads in the press... We have collections, unless you are building guns you are not the master of an arsenal. Lets not help the antigunners by using their loaded and ignorant terminology. Words have meanings, so know what you are talking about. Thanks. ;)

[Gun Wielding Maniac]

Yes. Three times. Once, using a military surplus magazine and CCI ammo. Double feed.

Once using military ball ammo. Stovepipe.

Cant recall the exact conditions of the third time.

[CornCod]

I think I have had three Hi-Power stovepipes in the early 90's after putting about 4000 or so rounds though the piece. I have never had any trouble since then. I think the culprit was excess gun oil.

[bg226]

Really guys, an arsenal is a place where weapons are manufactured. Lets not use the terminology of the idiot talking heads in the press... We have collections, unless you are building guns you are not the master of an arsenal. Lets not help the antigunners by using their loaded and ignorant terminology. Words have meanings, so know what you are talking about. Thanks.

:scrutiny:

I don't know what dictionary you use, but from the multiple dictionaries I have checked, the term "arsenal" can be defined as:

- A store of weapons.
- A collection of weapons.
- An establishment for the manufacture or storage of weapons.

[confed sailor]

ive had double feeds from weak lips on cheap mags, with Browning mags nary a failure

[the naked prophet]

My .40 has only jammed a few times, once due to some cheap magazines with crappy tilting followers, and once due to some odd pointy ammo made for those self-healing plastic screens for training.

[Chupacabra]

Is this an underrated gun or what? It points better than any gun on the market, its terrifically accurate, its got very little bulk relative to its capacity and barrel length, conceals well and is very easy to shoot well due to its low recoil. What a great gun.

You can say that again!

Where o where was the BHP during the armed forces pistol trials? I've shot a Beretta 92 before and was not overly impressed. It was just "meh." The BHP is ten times better. Smaller, weighs about the same, smaller grip, same capacity. I'm scratching my head over how the Beretta won that battle (politics?).

:confused:

[TimboKhan]

I had a hi power jam once after about 7500 rounds fired. I turned purple with rage and threw it down range as far as I could before I got in my truck and drove home. Also, that same day, I kicked a kitten and poked a baby in the eye. Damn you Browning!!!

In all seriousness, its a mechanical device that is susceptible to failure. In the case of the Hi-Power, it happens to be a very good mechanical device, but S.H. from time to time, and as shooters we just have to learn how to deal with it.

[bender]

I took my browning HP out a couple weeks ago, with a box of remington UMC 115 FMJ. Jammed every third shot...sometimes every shot. Maybe was my fault, probably needed a cleaning.

Couple days ago, took it shooting again, this time with winchester USA ammo, 115gr FMJ. No jams.

The gun is about 15 years old, but has not been shot that much, I'm guessing 400 rounds or less.

[czhen]

Not really a jam, but not feed the last round sometimes. Checking tips from other posts it's siilde stops has no sign of marks, but touch the bullet head, may be it is too long IDK, I was lurking for books so I will go with S. Camps papers soon.

[Charles S]

Yes, two of them as a matter of fact.

Here is the story.

I was going to shoot my first night handgun class.

The class reguired two guns one with and one without night sights, a good holster, 3 spare magazines and a good light.

My Colt Officer’s model was not reliable and my full sized 1911 was at the gunsmith getting some tuning done. The guns I selected for the course were my BHP with night sights and my close friends BHP without night sights. I had shot both guns extensively and both guns were, IMHO, completely reliable.

The ammo selected was mixed. I wanted to shoot some 127 gr Ranger +P+ at night, some 124 gr Federal Hydrashocks +P+ at night, and some Cor Bon 124 gr loads. The bulk of my ammo was Blazer Aluminum cased 115 gr loads and Georgia Arms 124 gr FMJ loads.

The guns were cleaned prior to class and lubed with Shooters Choice gun lube.

The class was in October, the night of the class it turned unseasonably cold, with the temperature dropping well below freezing, but the humidity remained around 80%. I was dressed appropriately, so I did not do to badly.

Just a little FYI. Conventional and rechargeable flashlights did suffer from the cold. The lithium celled lights did well in the cold.

The shoot started late in the evening and ultimately ended about 3 am well after moon set. This allowed the shooters to function in varying degrees of light and darkness. Several types of artificial lighting was employed. All in all a great class. I gained a lot of practical knowledge.

As it starting getting colder the BHPs started jamming fairly regularly with the Blazer ammo.

Both guns were stripped at the next break, cleaned and lubed with Rem oil. The guns did better, but were still not 100% reliable with the Blazer. I switched to the Georgia Arms loading and did not have any problems thereafter.

I guess what I am trying to convey is the fact that what works well in warm weather, will not always work when it is cold and wet.

Sorry for the long post, good luck.

Charles

[Bartholomew Roberts]

I've had both a jam and multiple stoppages with the Hi-Power; but then I shoot Hi-Powers quite a bit too. The jam happened when the KKM Match Barrel snapped its barrel lug and locked the pistol up nice and tight. Forcing the slide back and getting the broken barrel lug out was lots of fun. I put the stock barrel back in and have been getting pretty much the same accuracy but much better reliability.

As for stoppages, like Dr. Rob, about 99% of them were related to magazines. Off-brand mags, weak springs in old surplus mags, followers with big chunks out of them, etc. Like many well-designed semi-autos, the Hi-Power is quite reliable if you feed it good mags and good ammo.

The remaining 1% of stoppages happened when the ejector snapped off during training. The gun continued to function; but failures to eject reached 2-3 per magazine.

[Brian Maffei]

FN Hi-Power in .40s&w. Haven't had a jam yet. Same goes for my CZ 75B.