Browning HiPower Magazines stick

[Guitarslinger46]

OK, so my dad gifted me a Belgian-made Browning HiPower 9mm yesterday. He included 4 magazines + an extended magazine. I was just checking out the general functionality of the controls, and discovered that all but one of the magazines stick in the well, and do not drop freely when I hit the release. (While the clips are empty). Only one of the magazines consistently will drop free of the well when released. The other mags snap in place OK, but I have to lightly pull the bottom to release them from the well. Clues as to what might be going on here? Could all but one of the mags be somehow deformed? After a quick field stripping, and changing out the grips, I don't see any evidence of rust, although I can tell it has been fairly well used. At the very least, I'm going to take it to a smith to inspect a non-matching safety swap out, check the recoil spring tension, and polish the feed ramp. Nice acquisition though, I love the feel of the BHP in my hand, compared to many other 9's I've tried.

He also gave me S&W model 36 Chief's Special .38 SPL 5-shot snubby. Much easier to pack around then my 4" barrel Ruger GP100 .357 magnum.

 

[Bovice]

just curious... why do you want the feed ramp polished? have you tried shooting it yet? If it's having trouble feeding everything, then I might have the feed ramp polished. If it's not having problems, then don't create one.

These magazines that you have... are they factory magazines or aftermarket? I hear people having problems with aftermarket magazines in just about every gun you can imagine, and if you want reliability you need the factory magazines.

 

[Texas Bob]

Is the magazine safety "still in place," because this one item will "hang-up" all but the "spring-type" mags.?

 

[Coronach]

I'm betting that the magazine safety/disconnect is in place and is holding the magazines in place. If you leave the magazine disconnect in, the only mags that will routinely drop free when empty are the "mousetrap" style magazines. You have three options:

1. Accept that the mags in a HP will not drop free.

2. Use only mousetrap-style magazines

3. Remove the magazine disconnect.

I would opt for #3.

Mike

 

[jonnyc]

In addition to the above, some rubber aftermarket grips tend to bow-in a bit and impede extraction.

 

[W L Johnson]

Browning HP's as originally designed, the mags don't drop free. This was done on purpose.

 

[JTQ]

Just like the CZ75B

 

[W L Johnson]

Just like the CZ75B

Beat me to it, I was just getting ready to edit mine to say just that.
Oh and just in case you are wondering why it doesn't drop free, a lot of militaries order them this way so you don't lose you mags in the mud.

 

[wrs840]

I just got my Belgian HP out, and the 2 factory mags I got with it when purchased new do not drop free (empty weight)... they pop out about 5/16" and stop. The MecGar stainless mags I bought aftermarket do drop all the way out, most of the time. All of these mags have been Dri-Lubed within the last 3-4 months.

Les

 

[Ala Dan]

I just purchased 3x 13 round Mec-Gar magazines for my Browning Hi-Power
from Brownell's; and all drop freely when the magazines are empty~!

 

[Gordon]

Oh yeah Dan! Ain't no more reassuring pleasure in this life than a mag safety removed Hi Power and those free falling Megar 13 rounders!
BTW OLD Hi Powers do not feed blunt HPs. They do well with the new profiled HPs like Winchester Ranger ect.

 

[sideways]

It's doing just what it should do unless been tampered with.

 

[Guitarslinger46]

Thanks for the responses. All but one of the mags are factory, so that makes sense. I did put some different grips on it, so that's probably it. I had another Belgian BHP many years ago that was stolen, and I did experience the problem with the blunt JHP rounds on that one. Anyway, picked up some ball ammo yesterday, and will be taking it for a spin soon. It's nice to have another BHP. It just feels like an old friend. Next, I got my eyes on a Sig P220. The grip profile on that feels very comfortable in my hands too, just like the BHP always has. I also tried an H&K .45 yesterday, and just didn't care for the feel of it. As for the ramp, I want to see how it feeds the ball ammo, and take it from there.