FEG Hi Power?

[Dryft]

Hey y'all,

In meandering around online firearms retailers yesterday, I found a site selling FEG Hi Powers in "excellent condition", and I was wondering what the word on the street was about them.

The description is as follows:

"Hungarian Made Hi Power 9MM, External Extractors, fixed sight, ringed hammer (standard hammer also available). Para (9x19)"

And that's it.

Frankly, I'm a big fan of the Hi Power, and for the price can totally see picking one up - if, of course, it's worth it and compatible with Browning and FN Hi Powers! Here's the picture off their site, if it helps.

Any thoughts or opinions would be most welcome.

Thanks!

 

[firesky101]

They made lots of different models with varying degrees of interchangeable parts to a real hi power. Without the model # it is hard to give a good opinion. I can tell by the picture that its not the model I had, mine was closer to the S&W 59 internally, but overall quality was good enough for a shooter.

 

[Rubber_Duck]

They are great guns if you get the one that is a true Browning clone. This site has much info: http://feghp.blogspot.com/2010/02/decoding-feg-hi-power.html?m=1

 

[tekarra]

You may also want to visit www.hungariae.com.

 

[Onmilo]

I have one sitting here.
Latest models have three dot sights, extended thumb safety which is really mushy in operation, cut down slide stop lever assemblies and will probably come with a 10 shot magazine.

Overall fit and finish on mine is really good except for the safety & one other issue I will get to.

Standard capacity Browning magazines fit and function just fine.

If the distributor really does offer the standard late model spur hammer order it, the ring hammer is large and a biter, the gun I have sitting here has had the lower half of the ring cut away in an attempt to prevent hammer bite.

This is also the second Hungarian Hi-Power I have owned that came to me with the left grip screw cobbled up and the frame through hole threads all mashed up from crush fitting the screw.
Since this gun came to me used and quite filthy, I am going to guess it is same as my brand new gun and both screw mash-ups were done at the factory.
Here' a pic of the gun to show how previous owner cut the hammer down and the grip being held on with tape while I wait for some replacement screws to show up.
It also shows the new style cut down slide stop assembly.


I bought my 1st Hungarian Hi-Power back around 1990 as a test pistol for trying out some really REALLY hot 9mm handloads, matter of fact I was looking to find the threshold of these handloads by intentionally blowing the handgun up.
Try as I may, I couldn't do it and decided on loads that I knew would be safe in all handguns.
That gun was also 100% reliable with full metal jacket and sharp nosed hollowpoints like the Federal 115 grain.
Back then the guns was $179 retail new and that really wasn't all that great a bargain since genuine surplus Hi-Powers were flowing out of all corners of the clobe and available for $200-$300 in excellent to like new refinished, but, I didn't want to blow up a genuine Hi-Power...
My new Mkll Hi-Power and my Inglis were my most obscenely expensive Hi-Powers at the time, costing me $400 and $425

Not sure what the price is on the ones you are looking to buy but, If you don't mind a few quirks, the Hungarian guns can be very good bargains. HTH

 

[tarosean]

They are like 1911's tons of copies out there. Personally I would look to pick up a surplus FN, they are found relatively cheap and there are no worries about parts down the road.

 

[Dr.Rob]

I am a fan but there are several models and not all are 'clones'.

Very well made overall though. Have thousands of rounds through mine. Had to replace an extractor and spring, shot it enough to wear the bluing off the back strap.

 

[Snowdog]

I have a Charles Daly knock off and love it. I bought mine from CDNN when they were dumping the like they were hot ($289 NIB). I have since removed the magazine safety but it's stock otherwise. I love the darn thing.

As far as I'm aware, the CD Hipower is completely interchangeable. I understand some Fegs were not. I have heard many happy owners love them.

 

[bannockburn]

A decent copy of a Hi-Power with slightly less refinement in the areas of fit and finish than a comparable FN built gun. Trigger pull seems a bit heavier and grittier than an actual Hi-Power but nothing that can't be cleaned up and improved upon. The FEG offering is a good buy for someone looking at Hi-Power clones.

 

[Jaymo]

Mine had a much better polish/blue than an FN HP.
I hate to say it, but it's true.
It was a great pistol and I deeply regret selling it.

 

[Stringfellow]

A decent copy of a Hi-Power with slightly less refinement in the areas of fit and finish than a comparable FN built gun. Trigger pull seems a bit heavier and grittier than an actual Hi-Power but nothing that can't be cleaned up and improved upon. The FEG offering is a good buy for someone looking at Hi-Power clones.

Bannockburn said it perfectly.

I bought mine as a dirt-cheap stopgap on my way towards a Browning. But after getting a trigger job and having the mag safety removed, its trigger is absolutely perfect and I just don't see the need to get a BHP--money would otherwise have to be fiercely burning a hole through my pocket.

 

[Stringfellow]

shot it enough to wear the bluing off the back strap

Now THAT is cool!

 

[KevininPa]

Mine is like Onmilos

I like it. It shoots better than I do. Beware the DA Smith and Wesson types. Not that they're bad, but you can get older model S&Ws pretty cheap. Or at least you could. Haven't priced them since the AWB Talk storm.

 

[Dryft]

Hey y'all,

Thanks for the advice - I think I'm going to have to get me one of these. I have an email asking a few questions in to the company, ie: true hi power clone, mag safety, number of and capacity of mags, etc.

You can get it with either a ring or spur hammer apparently, and I guess I'm open to interpretation on that one. If I do like the pistol, I can see giving Cylinder & Slide some of my money and making it a bit more "mine", you know?

Any additional input would be much welcomed!

 

[Stringfellow]

Dryft--it looks like you have your bases covered.

The only thing I will add is that I tend to like the look of ring hammers on any pistol (1911, CZ75, etc.), especially the HP. However, I get severe hammer bite from HP ring hammers, and absolutely nothing from HP spur hammers. When I say "bite", I mean the stupid thing pinches my hand even when racking the slide. Yet, the spur hammer curvature follows the curvature of the web of my hand so that there is never any risk of bite.

So if you are prone to hammer bite, you may want to get the spur hammer version if given the choice.

Good luck and be sure to post some pics when you finally get it!