Browning Hi power

[S&W657]

So the other day, I picked up a 3 in S&W 66-2 for 450 otd on consignment at a LGS. Come the find out I pretty much stole the gun. The same gentlemen also has a 870 wingmaster for 350 and a Browning Hi power for 650. I don't know enough about Hi powers and all the different models, but 650 seems like a good price. All I seen was a Browning box, and the pistol had black grips and said Belgium on the slide. I'm tapped out cash wise, but if its gonna be another once in a life time steal, I'll go put $ down to hold it. What should I look for when I go tomorrow?

 

[Captcurt]

Grab it.

Belgium made, in the box, grab it. If it is clean, not dinged up, and nice blueing, $600 is a bargain.

 

[Bartholomew Roberts]

Are you looking at it as a shooter or collector? Either way, you can probably make your money back at $650 if it is in good condition. AIM Surplus sold out of Israeli surplus Hi-Powers in a few days at $429 each and those were beat all to hell.

 

[HankB]

Black grips suggest a Mk III Hi Power - did it look like this:

In good shape, $650 isn't a bad price at all these days, especially if it's a later version with the cast frame. (Which is, oddly enough, stronger than earlier versions with a forged frame - the difference is alloy and heat treatment.)

 

[leadcounsel]

I say first I'm no Browning HP expert.

$650 seems like a lot of cash for a shooter. I'd do some serious research to make sure you can recoup your investment. There are many different BHPs. It might be worth more than $650... but there's not much upward room to move unless it's a pristine collector.

I've seen these go from $400 - $800... really pristine ones might garner north of $800...

I had a good specimin - I removed the mag safety to improve the trigger dramatically.

Handy, slim 9mm pistol. Similar in feel to a CZ75. Clever safety design. Fair sights, albeit slim.

As far as a shooter, many people love them. I found the HP to be simply an okay gun. If you are looking for a carry or defensive gun, there are probably 20 other more affordable platforms that are better, and less expensive.

The HP is an iconic and inventive gun - but has been surpassed for what it does versus the cost.

 

[S&W657]

BHP

I guessing mark III also. I gonna go look again tomorrow. I don't have any safe queens and if I buy it, I gotta shoot it to see what the hype is all about. Thanks for all the replies already. Anything in particular to look for?

 

[Captcurt]

I guessing mark III also. I gonna go look again tomorrow. I don't have any safe queens and if I buy it, I gotta shoot it to see what the hype is all about. Thanks for all the replies already. Anything in particular to look for?

The Mark III in assembled in Portugal and $600 would be about max for clean one. If it is Belgium made, grab it.

 

[jhb]

Yep those aimsurplus / century ones were beat to all get out. I got a hand picked best of 5 and I shudder to think what the other four looked like if I got the best of 5.

Fun project gun which is what it is now.....but it was no good deal or fair deal no matter how to look at it. Learned my lesson....

On direct topic. Unless it is a belgium .....not worth it at 650 imho. You can pick up a new MkIII for another 200+ bucks form buds. They go fast but it's been a pretty consistent refill and pricing. Granted this is my opinion and I expect it's worth what ya paid for it.

 

[Pilot]

The Mark III in assembled in Portugal and $600 would be about max for clean one. If it is Belgium made, grab it.

The BHP for decades has been manufactured in Belgium, and assembled in Portugal. There is no worries concerning this issue, and it is just as high quality. $650 if it is in excellent condition is a good price for a MK III BHP.

 

[Lucky Derby]

The BHP for decades has been manufactured in Belgium, and assembled in Portugal. There is no worries concerning this issue, and it is just as high quality. $650 if it is in excellent condition is a good price for a MK III BHP.

This.
They were assembling them in Portugal for at least 15 years (probably more) before they started marking them as such. Really makes no difference in performance.
Some of the late MKIIs also had those black plastic grips as well.
In any event if it is in decent condition thats a fair price. Yes there are better deals online through Coles, but those are military (Israelli) surplus. Nothing wrong with that, but not exactly the same.

 

[bannockburn]

I have an early MK.II with "Made in Belgium" on the slide but without the "Assembled in Portugal" rollmark. Great shooter with the best out-of-the-box trigger pull on a Hi-Power that I have ever encountered. To me $650 sounds like a good deal on a used Browning Hi-Power in the box. I would definitely put money down on it to hold it, provided of course that everything checks out okay with it.
URL=http://s1184.photobucket.com/user/TailoAltera/media/guns2005_zps0021fd3e.jpg.html] [/URL]

 

[jhb]

the Belgium assembled vs. Portugal assembled has nothing to do with quality, only perceived value. i don't think anyone was arguing one was better than the other, only perceived values and prices. could be wrong though.....but that was my point on the issue.

 

[Bartholomew Roberts]

Anything in particular to look for?

There are probably hundreds of Hi-Power variants, each with different things that affect its desirability as a shooter or collector.

The post-2000 MkIIIs are probably the best of the line in terms of being the base for a good shooter that can take a lot of rounds; but they usually need trigger work. if you can get a picture of it, we can figure out the details pretty quick.

For example, although the two Hi-Power pictures in this thread look rather similar, you can tell the second one is an earlier MkII because it has staked on front sights and an extended barrel bushing.

 

[Capt. Ct.]

My how times and prices do change. I thought it sounded high until I checked the web. I payed something like $600 for mine, new. Then again that was the fancy chrome model with target sights. Oh yeah, that was also about 25 years ago.

 

[mgmorden]

As others have said - it really depends on the condition and such. I paid $375 for my Hi Power less than a year ago but it's one of the Israeli surplus ones and though not in bad condition certainly isn't a show-piece (I don't own any safe queens either so getting one in pristine condition isn't as important to me anyways).

See if you can get a picture of it and people can help out a lot better. Either way though I don't think $650 is going to be a "deal of a lifetime" on it regardless.

 

[S&W657]

Mark III

So I went to look at it today and it is a Mark III, just like the one HankB posted a pic of. It's old enough to have the white styrofoam case and cardboard sleeve? I forgot my phone, so no pics, sorry. It is in mint shape, not a scratch on it. Any guess as to how old from the packaging?

 

[Captcurt]

Although the new guns are every bit as good as the old ones the FN guns will bring a premium. Why? Who knows? I believe that the guns started to be assembled in Portugal in 1993. I have a Practical in 40 S&W that I bought in 94. Excellent quality. When I received a MkIII on consignment I think that it sold for $600 and it was 90%.

 

[Bartholomew Roberts]

OK, for an early forged frame MkIII in good condition, that is a fair price. It isn't the steal of the century or anything; but it is about $200 cheaper than what a new one will run you (though the new one will have a cast frame and an upgraded slide stop).

If you look at the first two letters after the 245 in the serial number, that will give you a date code to tell you how old it is. Probably P-something (meaning 1980s) manufacture.

 

[HankB]

The late Stephen A. Camp had a site which contained a wealth of information on the BHP.

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/index.html

. . . I found the HP to be simply an okay gun. If you are looking for a carry or defensive gun, there are probably 20 other more affordable platforms that are better, and less expensive.

Pay no mind to the ramblings of heretics like this , so long as it fits your hand, the BHP is one of the finest defensive pistols ever made.

 

[jhb]

^very true.

While the hi power may be an old design....it's pretty hard to say it's outdated or obsolete as many still shoot it and it works. I got plenty of new designs. I think 30 + last time I counted and I still reach for the hi powers often. I'm not an old timer either stuck on nostalgia. It is just that good of a gun....but too each their own.

 

[leadcounsel]

While the hi power may be an old design....it's pretty hard to say it's outdated or obsolete as many still shoot it and it works. I got plenty of new designs. I think 30 + last time I counted and I still reach for the hi powers often. I'm not an old timer either stuck on nostalgia. It is just that good of a gun....but too each their own.

Not what I said, if that's a reference to my post.

Look only to various pistol competitions like IPSC and such. Pistol shooters will naturally gravitate to the best manual of arms, design, lowest cost, durability, etc. These open competitions are dominated by Glock, SW M&P, XD, CZ... I think Browning HPs make very infrequent appearances.

Same with military & police. The HP had a strong showing in its day. Not so much anymore. Yes, they do exist out there... not disputing that. Heck, I carried one in Iraq as an assigned sidearm.

But take this information as you will. Lethal and great design, no doubt. But its day on top has long passed.

 

[Lucky Derby]

There are newer and less expensive designs. There are no better designs for the 9mm cartridge, IMHO.

 

[tarosean]

These open competitions are dominated by Glock, SW M&P, XD, CZ... I think Browning HPs make very infrequent appearances.

To be fair, the BHP being a double stack single action pistol, is severely limited in the classes it can compete in esp. when you add minor (9mm) into the equation.

 

[Jorg Nysgerrig]

To be fair, the BHP being a double stack single action pistol, is severely limited in the classes it can compete in esp. when you add minor (9mm) into the equation.

Yeah, it's kind of hard to say that a certain design is preferred for the "best manual of arms, design, lowest cost, durability" when so much is dictated by equipment divisions and rules about modifications.

 

[Bartholomew Roberts]

I own a Hi-Power and carry one. It is one of my favorite pistols. I particularly like its slim, compact design for carry and that is one of the few areas where modern double-stack pistols have not surpassed it. However, as a practical shooter, both the Glock and M&P are better out of the box, cheaper to work on and less likely to need work over 30,000 rounds or so.

FN is just killing the design here in the states. They cost almost $850 now and as soon as you buy one it usually needs another several hundred dollars of custom work to make it competitive with the $500 polymer pistols. I really wish FN would take a look at the 1911 market and start offering some "production custom" options. Just a little thing like Novak sights, Spegel-style grips and a decent trigger from the factory would really breathe life into the pistol. Though at least FN has done some substantial upgrades to improve service life and the already high level of reliability.*

*The other area where modern pistols cannot match the Hi-Power is the ability to crush even the hardest primers every time due to its ridiculous 32lb hammer spring.