Interesting Hi Power conversion

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Paladin5469

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Hello all,

I am new to the shooting community and I want to thank everyone who gave me advice in an earlier thread on choosing a handgun. I have decided i think i will purchase a FN 9mm Hi-Power SA. Unfortunately it seems CDNN is out of NIB $400.00 SA only hi powers. Darn. However, I have found several low priced .40 SA only Hi powers. Because I want to fire the 9mm round due to the price, how difficult is it to convert the .40 hi power to a 9mm? What parts and workmanship are required? How much would it cost? Coincidentally I have found an article in GUNS MAGAZINE by Massad Ayoob where he quotes Cylinder and Slide Shop's owner Bill Laughridge addressing the subject.

"It turns out that Browning did it right.[development of the .40 Hi Power] The slide on the .40 version is much heavier, more like that of a Government .45 ACE That plus a stronger recoil spring seem to allow the .40 Browning to stand the gaff. Indeed, Laughridge says that the trick set-up is to get a .40 Hi-Power and convert it to 9mm. Now it will take the hottest 9mm without damage, have even less recoil than the original 9mm P-35, and be convertible to .40 S&W at will."

This certainly seems like winner from the long-term reliability and shootability standpoint. Has anyone done this and have any problems resulted from this?
 
Converting the .40 to 9mm can be done with just a drop in $200 Bar-Sto barrel and maybe new magazines and new recoil springs.

I wouldn't be any more concerned about fring 9mm +P and +P+ ammo in a Hi-Power than any other quality 9mm.
 
I have long held that it can't be that easy. Bar-Sto does indeed make a 9mm barrel with 3 lugs, intended to be mated to a .40-caliber slide. You would also need the aforementioned magazines and recoil springs. You would also need to install a 9mm ejector.

However, there are several questions that, to my knowledge, nobody has ever answered. For instance: What about the breechface dimensions? Does the extractor need to be replaced to work with 9mm? What about the bushing -- does the outside diameter of the aftermarket 9mm barrel match that of the OEM .40-caliber barrel?

If anyone can do it, I know that C&S can (and they reportedly have made them). However, I would imagine that the cost would be considerable.

If you can afford it, go for it. But it isn't something I'd do by myself.

Wes
 
Hello. I have never done this conversion. I have "visited" by email with a couple of folks who have. I don't remember if the ejectors had to be changed or not, but it apparently works with the .40 Hi Power breechface and extractor when doing the 9mm conversion. I am sure that the recoil spring has to be reduced, but don't remember to what level.

Best.
 
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