Browning Hi Power, Discontinued

stchman said:

I disagree, it has more to do with looks. High end expensive 1911 makers like Wilson Combat, Ed Brown, Les Baer, are sold out quite some time in advance while you can get a RIA or other cheaper 1911 any day of the week. The BHP in its current form is not a really attractive gun unless you are a purist.

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A purist "what"? How many 9mm SA quasi 1911s are there around with a double stack mag, and a relatively slim profile, comfy grip and good ergonomics for just about any hand small to large?

I love the BHP and I'm sure glad I have mine!

Price will be what kills the beast, though. A good friend of mine wants one pretty bad, but just can't justify the expense.

Like trying to sell maseratis to a Honda Civic crowd.

Mizar said:

Can we refrain from putting Browning Hi-Power and Glock in the same sentence, please?

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Well I grew up on S&W K and Colt O frames. In IPSC I used 1911s and later the P-35 High Power. That P-35 never jammed. I sometimes won matches not cause I was a better shot but because my P-35 NEVER JAMMED. Later, when I got into IDPA I had read about the Glocks going over 100,000 rounds without failure of any part and how in the Glock .vs. 1911 matches Glock 17s going the whole 1000 rounds without any cleaning AND no jams! Thus in IDPA I went to the Glock 17. Had 'em got 100,000 rounds easily. And that gun just went on and on.

And that is why I favor the Glocks for combat. Sorry, but a new idea came and did well so I cannot ignore the good points of the Glocks.

Deaf

I love the feel of the Hi Power, both shooting and just handling it. I find it a lot like several other Brownings including the Auto 5 in that you can just feel the quality and "rightness" of the design. It'll be interesting to see what prices do over the next few years. People may suddenly "discover" them one of these days.

I have tried a lot of "Wondernines" over the years and the Hi-Power still remains my favorite. Took me awhile before I found one that had a decent trigger, safety, and sights but once I did it was definitely a keeper. I know my Mk.II won't win any beauty contests but boy can it shoot!

Over here in Belgium a used HiPower (or ‘GP’ as we call them) is about the cheapest pistol one can buy. Most local gun shops have a crate somewhere in a corner with surplus GP’s.



I recently had a unfired-new-in-box FN HiPower (made in ’75 and in a collection ever since) put aside for me and I ordered a Glock G19 gen4 the same day. They both were exactly the same price.



I’m a bit embarrassed to admit that although I have owned about 100+ different guns and have currently about 30, this is actually my first Belgian made gun.

ZEN.45

I’m a bit embarrassed to admit that although I have owned about 100+ different guns and have currently about 30, this is actually my first Belgian made gun.

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Well it may have taken you awhile but here's hoping it was worth the wait! Let us know how it does at the range.

I'm sure someone already posted this link to Browning. It shows both "discontinued" models of the BHP and "Current Production" models. So the BHP is still available.

http://www.browning.com/products/firearms/pistols/hi-power-pistols.html

tipoc

bannockburn said:

I know my Mk.II won't win any beauty contests

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.......unless all the other contestants were glocks

tipoc said:

I'm sure someone already posted this link to Browning. It shows both "discontinued" models of the BHP and "Current Production" models. So the BHP is still available.

http://www.browning.com/products/firearms/pistols/hi-power-pistols.html

tipoc

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What's weird is that the Hi Power Standard and MKIII are listed on both the disontinued and current production links.


ETA: I just noticed... they discontinued the .40 in both and the 9mm is still available in both.

stoky

True enough but what I meant was a beauty contest between other Hi-Powers . Had a T Series years ago that had the most amazing deep blue finish; you could get lost just staring into it. While it was a real looker it had Minute Of Barn accuracy so I sold it to another eager Hi-Power collector. Would much rather have the one I got.

Within the last year, I finally bought the 9mm I dreamed of owning for decades: a Hi-Power. It's a 1973 model in near perfect shape, and it's one of the few expensive guns I've owned that wasn't a letdown in any way. I love it, and I've had no buyer's remorse. Disappointed to hear Browning may phase out the gun. It's got to be hard for them to compete with CZ, who makes world class steel frame 9mm's at a much lower price. I'm tempted to buy a new HP to encourage Browning to keep the line. Now I just need to find the money....

Maybe they should have Hi-Point make a version of it. Think of the possibilities of a Hi-Point Hi-Power....

It is sad to see the Hi-Power go. Might just have to keep my eye out for one.

I was considering a Hi Power until the gunsmith at my LGS showed me a tub full of used Hi Power parts and said the Hi Power doesn't hold up. So he turned me off the Hi Power.

Yes, they don't hold up - just a bunch of Belgian crap... Send those stupid bloody Hi-Powers to me, please.

P.S. I know that I'm asking too much, but is there any chance that you could tell your gunsmith to bugger off? Please! I would happily do that myself, but I live too far away...

98bluewave said:

I was considering a Hi Power until the gunsmith at my LGS showed me a tub full of used Hi Power parts and said the Hi Power doesn't hold up. So he turned me off the Hi Power.

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Your report from that "gunsmith" gave me a good laugh. I think most readers would more than likely question the quality of your gunsmith's opinion and not the quality of BHPs.

98bluewave said:

I was considering a Hi Power until the gunsmith at my LGS showed me a tub full of used Hi Power parts and said the Hi Power doesn't hold up. So he turned me off the Hi Power.

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What's the name of the store? Does it have a website? I'd like to buy those parts off him.

How big a tub? Like a tub of butter or "I can't believe it's not butter!" tub, or like a wash tub that ya wash your chonies in?

It's true they don't hold up. I have one that was used for 20 years by the IDF and then for 10 years by me for thousands of rounds and finally I had to replace 2 parts. I once replaced the recoil spring! That's three parts. Until that gunsmith spoke up I thought I had a good reliable piece.

How big a tub again? Like half a wine barrel?

danez71 said:

...What's weird is that the Hi Power Standard and MKIII are listed on both the disontinued and current production links.

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The .40 versions are what is shown as having been discontinued. That happened some time ago.

The CZ finally did them in. Lets face it the plastic crowd (nothing wrong with that) didn't do them in. As much of a classic as it is, the CZ was a better version. And it wasn't as classic as the 1911A1. I think their will always be a market for them, but maybe in diminished numbers.

They're not dead yet. Even if officially discontinued at some point (which is not now) they still won't be dead. Heck the Luger ain't even dead, as far as being dead goes.

The CZ 75 and it's kin is a very different gun. It's resemblance is, only that, a resemblance.

If FN ceases production it's because it's no longer profitable enough to make them.

The BHP is no longer a front rank military weapon. Sig and Beretta won that battle in the 1980s. Then Glock showed up. So those contracts aren't available to FN for the BHP. There is only really the commercial market. Competition has been stiff there for years.

Eugen

Your report from that "gunsmith" gave me a good laugh. I think most readers would more than likely question the quality of your gunsmith's opinion and not the quality of BHPs.

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Here, here sir! Well said, very well said indeed!

tipoc said:

The BHP is no longer a front rank military weapon. Sig and Beretta won that battle in the 1980s.

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Odd statement considering the Brits just replaced it 3 years ago!

"The BHP in its current form is not a really attractive gun unless you are a purist"

Wha'......???

dh1633pm said:

The CZ finally did them in. Lets face it the plastic crowd (nothing wrong with that) didn't do them in. As much of a classic as it is, the CZ was a better version.

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Oh my, no. The CZ is a fine gun, but the Hi-Power is uniquely a higher capacity pistol that is suited to the small hand. The CZ75, while having a very comfortable grip, has one of the longest trigger reach of all.

If you chose a Hi-Power because you wanted a double stack 9mm, and the Glock or Beretta 92 didn't fit, you're not going to pick the CZ75 over the Hi-Power.