Gary W. Strange
Member
- Joined
- Jan 1, 2018
- Messages
- 383
Back in the 80's I owned a Browning HI Power. I enjoyed it very much. It was a firearm that was considered state of the art. Every gun store had them in the shelf and when the one on the shelf sold, another was ordered to replace it. In the 90's I got the notion I needed a Freedom Arms revolver in 454 Casual, having a young family, I had to part with one of the firearms I owned to make it happen. I decided to part with my Hi power. I thought I could replace it at anytime. Back in in 2012 or so, I noticed they were no longer just setting in the shelf in the gun stores. A look in line and none of the distributors had them in stock. I looked for over a year and they were just not common anymore. They had been replaced with the fantastic plastic. While looking on line one afternoon, I seen one of the distributors showed them in stock, I called the local gun shop, I always deal with and had them order one for me. The next day, the distributor did not show them in stock anymore. I received it in just a few days. It looked the same as the one I had in the 80', I had read they were made with cast frames now because it was stronger. Really no noticeable difference. The grips were dark and looked like plank wood. Not pretty at all. I had always read and heard good things about Craig Spegel and his Hi Power grips. A look on line and I seen you had to call because they could not be just ordered on line. I called and got to talk to Mr. Spegel his self. They were not just on the shelf and had to get in his weighting list. We talked for a good thirty minutes. He was just getting an idea of what I wanted. He took my information and said he would call me when he made up a batch. It dragged on for about 4-5 months. I had just about given up on Spegel grips for my Hi Power. Then one evening, I got a call from Mr. Spegel, he said he had some Hi Power grips made of king wood in exhibition grade, fancy, simi fancy and plane grades, all priced according to the grade. I settled on a set of fancy grade and off went a money order in the mail. He does not do credit cards or on line payments. In about a week i received a very beautiful Sent of grips that makes me smile every time I look at my Hi Power. They are a work of art. Looking at the Browning catalog now, the only firearms they offer now that was designed by John Browning now is the semi auto .22 rifle and the superposed over and under shotgun, through their custom shop. The auto 5 has been discontinued for years and now the Hi Power has been discontinued. A lot of the fine firearms of yester years are gone. Now the shelves are full of the plastic stuff. I don't know that, they are not good firearms, they just don't have the level of craftsmanship as the walnut and steel firearms had. Just molded and stamped parts. To me, one has to view them in the same way you would a tool in the tool box. I can see no long term collectors value in them. I guess times have changed in the world of firearms, don't know if it is for the better. I collect and own many firearms. Firearms are and always have been my hobby. Now there is not much new walnut and steel hitting the shelf. I wish I had some of the stuff I traded off years ago to get something else I thought I wanted more at the time.
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