A tough one...1911 Vs. Hi-Power..which is overall the "best" in your opinion??

[MICHAEL T]

1911 I dislike the trigger in Hi power and not in love with 9mm

 

[2nd 41]

I have both. A Gold Cup and a Silver Chrome BHP with the Pimpy trigger. The BHP is extremely reliable, build very well. "Aside from the Trigger....."
It's a beautiful pistol but I do not like it. It does not group well. The 1911 is a shooter(target gun). For the better All Around Pistol I say the 1911.

 

[jr_roosa]

I think the only way to tell properly is to do the experiment. I would be happy to answer this long-debated and fundamental question for all of us.

Please send me the best examples of each that you can find and I'll put them through extensive and rigorous testing and post the answer here in about 10 years or so.

Some might be "destroyed in testing" so don't be sad if I can't send them all back at the end.

Oh, make sure you send some ammo along since I can't be expected to do this sort of thing for free.

-J.

 

[Techsan]

Semi-related question. I recently acquired an FN Hi-Power in .40 S&W. I'm concerned that the gun could "shoot loose" with enough rounds through it. I've been told this can be a problem, as the Hi-Power frame is designed for the 9mm, and the .40 is just too large a caliber for it to handle over time. Any truth to this?

 

[falnovice]

I like them both, but I have to give a nod to the Hi-power. (Walkalong isn't surprised by this.) There is very little wrong with the gun that can't be easily fixed.
1. Mag Disconnect? Even the least mechanical person can remove this.
2. Hammer Bite? Gotta File? Fixed.
3. Trigger? Mag disconnect will help with that, and a little polishing will go a long way. A truly great trigger requires a visit to a good smith.

These are tough guns. I do wish an American company would pick up the Hi-power, and commit to a new MkIV version....no mag disconnect, no-bite hammer, and a mechanically better trigger design from the get go.

FWIW: I recall the first Browning Prototype was striker fired with a 15-16rd double stack mag.

 

[MachIVshooter]

1911 wins by a landslide. IMO, the Hi-Power was JMB just wanting to do one more gun design, and really fell short of his other genius creations.

I can get all the desireable features of the Hi-Power for less money by purchasing the gun that took the HP and fixed all of it's shortcomings: The CZ-75.

 

[DWARREN123]

Depends on who makes them. FN Hi Powers have a good rep as do Para, SA, and so on.

 

[LUPUS]

It does not group well

The BHPs that I have been shooting and the ones you shot seem to be pretty different, since every BHP I shot grouped pretty well at least as good as my P226 or CZ. Maybe I am not a shot good enough to feel the difference, but that is just my 0.02$.

JMB just wanting to do one more gun design, and really fell short of his other genius creations.

I think BHP is one the most genious pistols ever designed offering a 9x19 mm caliber platform with a considerable amount of magazine capacity which fits to many different shaped hands and conceals pretty well despite of its' service size dimensions.

 

[lechiffre]

"the Hi-Power frame is designed for the 9mm"

the .40 hi-power frame was designed for .40

"The HP was used by both the Allies and Axis during WWII"

so was the 1911


the .40 hi-power also has a heavier slide and recoil spring plus an extra locking lug

OP the hi-power and 1911 are two of my top 3 favorite semi-auto handguns. of those two

2.1911
1.hi-power

 

[LUPUS]

the .40 hi-power frame was designed for .40

9 mm BHPs also use the same frames designed and manufactured for .40 SW.

 

[Phil DeGraves]

They are both excellent guns. I have and like both. The HP has more features that I like but the 1911 has one more important feature (the better trigger) that makes me like it better than the HP.

 

[MachIVshooter]

9x19 mm caliber platform with a considerable amount of magazine capacity which fits to many different shaped hands and conceals pretty well despite of its' service size dimensions.

I think most here will agree that you've just perfectly described the CZ-75 platform.

The CZ took the basic layout of the Hi-power and improved the lockwork, gave it DA capability and made the ergonomics more user-friendly. And added two more rounds to the magazine without increasing the size of the gun.

Don't mean to insult those who love their HP, but the gun just generally rubs me the wrong way. And I also hate admitting that a foreign design was better than a domestic one, but it's the truth.

Custom 1911 and CZ-based pistols have dominated IPSC for a reason.

 

[jpwilly]

1911 is my favorite and the extra goodies make them even better nothing wrong with my 8+1 45 ACP!

 

[mljdeckard]

I've fired a few HPs in 9mm and .40, no reason comes to mind that would make me like any aspect of it better than my 1911. I know a few guys who like the HP grip better.

 

[chieftain]

Custom 1911 and CZ-based pistols have dominated IPSC for a reason.

The same reason the Hipower has been and is still serving in so many military organizations for so long. In combat it still can be relied on to do what a fighting weapon needs to do.

I think the CZ and the 1911 are fantastic competition weapons. I think the Hi Power is a fantastic fighting weapon. And so does most of the world.

The British issue their Prince Harry a Hipower in a hot combat zone. He can afford any weapon he wants, and I doubt anyone would bother him either.

Confidence in the weapon and his ability to use it.

Go figure.

Fred

 

[Pilot]

The CZ took the basic layout of the Hi-power and improved the lockwork, gave it DA capability and made the ergonomics more user-friendly. And added two more rounds to the magazine without increasing the size of the gun.

I have two CZ's a 75B and compact PCR and a factory Silver Chrome Hi Power. The BHP is closer in size to the compact CZ with a slighty longer barrel. Its slimmer and the single action trigger is better than the CZ. DA doesn't add anything to the design and there is nothing wrong with the BHP's SA lockwork that needs improving. I love my CZ's but the Hi Power is just special. Its also my most accurate handgun. More accurate than my 1911's, CZ's, HK P7's and Sig P228.

 

[LUPUS]

I think most here will agree that you've just perfectly described the CZ-75 platform.

Being a snob fan of the CZ platform and a proud owner of a CZ 75B 9mm, I completely agree with the comments below.

I have two CZ's a 75B and compact PCR and a factory Silver Chrome Hi Power. The BHP is closer in size to the compact CZ with a slighty longer barrel. Its slimmer and the single action trigger is better than the CZ. DA doesn't add anything to the design and there is nothing wrong with the BHP's SA lockwork that needs improving. I love my CZ's but the Hi Power is just special.

As Colonel stated, DA is the solution of a non-existing problem.
I know that many statistics show that the second strike capability is not an easy to ignore advantage, but practically many departments and civilians concentrate on the tap-rack drills.
DA first pull seems like adding confidence with the safety issues that does not matter to the seasoned shooters.

Regards.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

If the HP had been designed for, and available in, .45ACP I think it would be more popular in the US. It is one of the best pre-WWII 9mm pistols. I have uses for .22 , .38/.357 and .45 but not 9mm. My ammo situation is conplicated enuf.

 

[BryanP]

Eh. Whichever you like more. Me, I'm on my second HP, but I've never bothered to buy a 1911. A nice MKIII HP with a trigger job is a joy to handle. Add in that I don't have to be careful about launching parts when taking it down and I'll take my HP over a 1911 any day.

 

[Silvanus]

I prefer the HP by far. It fits my hands nicely and I like the 9mm caliber.

 

[texagun]

That said, a friend has a BHP with quite a nice trigger action. He doesn't like it because of the "long reset" but that does not bother me. He won't sell it to me, though.

Jim,
Everything is for sale.....you just haven't offered him enough.

 

[redneckrepairs]

I have to go on record as saying that owning and shooting both is best LOL .

 

[Youngster]

There are any number of 9mm pistols that I'd choose over the Hi Power functionally but very few .45s I'd choose over a well executed 1911.

 

[Dustinthewind]

1911 Vs. Hi-Power,

I have both. I like both. I shoot competition with the BHP, but I carry the 1911. For me it's a toss up. They are both exceptional designs.

 

[kwelz]

If the 1911 is the beautiful Child of JMB then the HP is the Ugly, deformed child that you hide in the basement and should never let out into the world.

Ok maybe that is a bit over the top but I love my 1911s and have never seen a HP that I wanted to own or even shoot.