Browning Hi-Power ? Values vary?

It may be regional as far as price goes. In my neck of the woods, pre-gun craze, a new MKIII Hi-Power was a $900-$1,000 pistol. That was a year or two ago. I haven't seen any recently.

Here is the MSRP, $1,060, so my local prices were probably about right.

http://www.browning.com/products/catalog/firearms/detail.asp?fid=007B&cid=051&tid=001

Depends. If you can find one of the hard chromed ones with a gold trigger, they will fetch an even higher price if they are NIB.

10 years ago I paid 650.00 for mine. Aside from some trigger creep, it is probably among my favorite autos for duty or CCW.

Nothing like the original Browning HP to be sure--That said, I never could see spending 1K on any one handgun (YMMV) so I picked up a FM Argentinian model a few years back and it is a very well made Hi Power "clone." If money were no object, I would have a few Brownings.

Not more than $650 around here, I bought a MKIII in .40 S&W that was mint and probably never fired more than a mag or two for $450 about 5 years ago. Last year I saw several very nice Mk III's in the $500-650 range at local shows and shops.

Early Belgian guns go for more, even though they really aren't as good for an everyday carry gun (MKIII sights are better). THey aren't marked MK III, and there are several places online you can look up the serial number to get a date of manufacture, or just ask and one of us can look it up in our books.

Used MKIIIs go for about $700 'round here.

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$600-750 depending on area.

I've bought a like new (seriously mint) MkIII polished blue used on Gunbroker in the last year for $600 + shipping and transfer so about $650.

Also bought a used with some minor imperfections MkIII in .40 in a local FTF deal for $650.

About a year ago you could buy a new matte black epoxy coated BHP from CDNN for $700 plus shipping and transfer.

Man, last year I picked up a true Belgian built HP for $400. I must be one of the lucky ones.

I picked up a Mark III a couple of years ago for $499. My blued Hi Power that I bought a year before that was $550, both were bought used.

All Browning Hi Powers that were made after 1988 are "MK III's". While values may vary, a used MK III in nice condition should be able to be acquired for $600 or so. For NIB, obviously a bit more. You may have to look a bit, but deals are out there.

The center of gravity for gently used, low mileage BHPs here in Virginia is between $600 and $700.

Have you ever noticed now many posts we get about regret in letting a BHP go? I think that says something.

I paid $750 for my Belgian made [and assembled] HP, but it did have night sights, special hammer, and a pretty good trigger. Had wood grips too, but I put Hogues on instead.

"The center of gravity for gently used, low mileage BHPs here in Virginia is between $600 and $700.

Have you ever noticed now many posts we get about regret in letting a BHP go? I think that says something."


Where the heck is the "Like" button on this forum?!?

Pilot said:

...You may have to look a bit, but deals are out there.

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Swap out "a bit" for "indefinitely" and you're correct ...Really difficult to find deals out there at the moment but I agree with you in that there should be a much better chance of finding one relative to these models (though there are so many places 'out of stock' even on .22lr guns at the moment). I have a few guns that I have placed on my "Wish List" at a few sites like Gallery of Guns--I will receive an email saying that the gun is back in stock and "Literally" and immediately click on the link to that site listing the "Wish List Back in Stock Item" only to find that in less than one minute since receiving the email that there are ZERO remaining in Stock . Mind you that this has happened to me countless times on several different sites in which I have previously purchased.

I realize that I am "preaching to the choir" as they say, but the current chaotic environment of today makes the late 20th Century's scare resulting from Clinton's AWB look like a picnic...

True, the current climate is difficult for almost all firearms acquisition, but there are signs it is loosening up. I am hopeful in a few months, indefinitely may just turn into an eternity.

Pilot said:

All Browning Hi Powers that were made after 1988 are "MK III's".

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WADR, the words "all" and "never" are best avoided when referring to the BHP pistol . All Browning Hi Powers that were made after 1988 are NOT "MK III's". FN produced the MkII and MkIII simultaneously through 1989...

Since we're talking "dates", currently, . . . from 1998 and on, it says that "510=Hi Power". Is "511" just a newer designation?

^From: http://www.browning.com/customerservice/dategun/detail.asp?id=35

Mine was free.

In all seriousness, I normally see them going in the $800-900 range around here. I don't see them very often, though.

WADR, the words "all" and "never" are best avoided when referring to the BHP pistol . All Browning Hi Powers that were made after 1988 are NOT "MK III's". FN produced the MkII and MkIII simultaneously through 1989...

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I should have indicated that or used a qualifier like "in general". However, the fact remains that FN started the MK III production in 1988, and pretty much anything after 1988 is going to be a MK III. Certainly, after 1989 all BHP's are MK III's.

sub-moa said:

WADR, the words "all" and "never" are best avoided when referring to the BHP pistol . All Browning Hi Powers that were made after 1988 are NOT "MK III's". FN produced the MkII and MkIII simultaneously through 1989...

Click to expand...

Pilot said:

I should have indicated that or used a qualifier like "in general". However, the fact remains that FN started the MK III production in 1988, and pretty much anything after 1988 is going to be a MK III. Certainly, after 1989 all BHP's are MK III's.

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WADR, I'd be warm and fuzzy with leaving it at: "I should have...used a qualifier like "in general"." . Concurrent regular production of both versions hardly qualifies as "pretty much anything" to say nothing of contract pistols manufactured with specific features outside that which was in regular production at the time...and again, I would suggest: "the words "all" and "never" are best avoided when referring to the BHP pistol"...

Attempts to pidgeonhole BHP pistol variants...outside the nomenclature used by FN…or Browning can be, uhmmm...counterproductive

IMHO people over pay for BHPs. I always see people stating that they are $600+ used guns but I personally have never paid more than $550. If you are patient know what you are looking for and have cash when the right guns show up you can get BHPs in the $500 range.

Prices will vary from one region to another but not by as much as they used to. With the internet and a good transfer dealer regional price variances can be eliminated.

The contract guns is where date and version really get confusing. Guns like the Israeli MKII 1/2s for example. They show signs of MKII guns and MKIII guns as they shipped from the factory.

Most of the time you can tell a MKIII gun by the cast frame which will have lines on the mag well area. There are some MKIIIs with forge frames but not many and there are IIRC no MKIIs with cast frames. In this pic both guns IIRC are MKIIIs.

@ the risk of appearing the resident know-it-all of the thread , allow me to suggest: FN actually produced many MkIII pistols from late '88 into '94 with forged frames...like the frame pictured on the left of your photo (Note the thin left/right front edges of the magwell...as compared to the same, thicker, areas of the cast frame pictured on the right).

FNs initial cast frame MkIIIs were without the familiar frame striations as seen on the frame pictured on the right of your photo. Early cast frames can definitively be identified by a casting icon on the upper inside right of the magazine well that looks like this:



We are BTW in agreement regarding contract pistols...particularly the Israeli surplus BHPs identified by some as the MkII 1/2...

AND...if you are getting excellent condition BHPs for $500, I need to move back up to Virginia