FN Alloy Browning High Power The Action Works Custom Redux.

[WVsig]

So I got my Alloy FN Browning High Power back from Don Williams of The Action Works today. I originally bought it as a brace to my other alloy and I was going to throw some C&S & Garthwaite parts into it and then have Don put a set of new sights on it get it refinished locally and call it a day. By the time I bought all the parts had him do the sight yada yada yada I was already most of the way to just letting him do it. Well one thing led to another and I sent it into Don at the end of 2019.

These alloy BHPs were contract guns for some LEO in Europe. There is a lot of myth and mystery as to who had them. R Blake Stevens in his book "The Browning High Power Automatic Pistol" Limited Edition attributes the '80 alloy BHP to "Belgian Gendarmerie Motorcycle Police issue" They weight about 25 .6 oz with an unloaded mag. For a point of comparison a Glock 19 weights 23.63. They make for awesome carry guns. The gun looked like this when I bought it.



I ended up with the following build.

• • Deluxe trigger job with C&S hammer, sear and Garthwaite Trigger
  • Stippled Front and rear grip straps.
  • Don fabricated a custom extended thumb safety
  • Reliability Package
  • Beveled the magwell
  • Installed a Gold bead front sight
  • Crowned and polished the barrel 11 degrees
  • Rear Business End Customs 1911 Sight with a U notch
  • Cerakoted in Elite Series Blackout

The gun came out really nice. The trigger breaks just over 4 lbs and is super clean. In my experience BHP triggers under 3.5 don't hold for very long. They are right on the edge or reliability so I aim for a 4lb trigger that is clean. For me clean and consistent is more important than .5 lbs lighter but remember I am just a duffer with nice clubs.

I went with Cerakote because the frame is Aluminum and it is so hard to get a blued side to match an andonized lower. I considered Black T but it hold up the same as cerakote and Don can do the cerakote local and in house. I think it came out pretty well. I won't get a chance to shoot it until sometime next week. It came with a test target fired at 10 yards showing it is hitting point of impact point of aim.

 

[Spats McGee]

She's gorgeous. Congratulations!

I'm have to save up some dough and get a BHP or clone. That's just all there is to that.

 

[boom boom]

I have its poorer Argentinian Cousin and it fits my hand like a glove. Natural pointing pistol but it just won't have the glass break trigger that a 1911 with a mag disconnect and that bothers some folks (plus the whole 9mm thing).

 

[Spats McGee]

I've never shot a 9mm 1911, but I'm not bothered by 9mm, in and of itself. I do have a bit of a purist streak in me though. I feel like a 1911 really should be a .45. I don't have that particular hang-up about BHPs, though. I'm good with them being 9s.

 

[Schlegel]

Nice! I have one of those I'd like to turn into a carry gun myself. Can you tell or PM me if you'd rather what that ended up totaling?

 

[drband]

That custom safety lever is just perfect!

 

[WVsig]

I sent a Hi-Power to Don Williams once. Can't say I want to have that experience again. But yours looks nice.

If you are going to bad mouth someone you should at least disclose the entire story..... https://forums.1911forum.com/showthread.php?t=954578

This is Don's reply to you... He refunded your money. The issue were correctable. People make mistakes those with integrity take responsibility and do their best to make it right.

One of my customers let me know about this thread that he thought applied to me, and yes it does. I'm the guilty party here. I regret that this happened to the customer, and I've sent him a check today for the full amount of his bill. Unfortunately, there were some heath issues with two family members that set me back a bit. Diagnoses of cancer will change your priorities a bit, though that's not an excuse for my missing a couple of errors on this mans gun. When it was originally sent back, the trigger pin was over installed by about .020 and I didn't catch it. He had also asked for an early style safety to be installed, and the cast frame had a a spot on it that was a bit high. I removed some metal from the safety to clear it, but apparently not enough. I cannot account for the trigger pin moving out the way it did, but it has, and that likely caused the weak trigger return. The failures to eject I'm unsure of, as HP's are notoriously reliable weapons, so it may be ammunition related?

Again, I regret the problems, and confess to not being perfect, though I know someone who is, but He doesn't do gun work and is presently out of town. I have it on good authority, that He'll be returning however.

 

[Spats McGee]

Thanks a lot, @WVsig .... Because of you, I spent a couple of hours yesterday trying to get a feel for BHP/BHP-clone pricing. I probably could have made better use of that time. This is your fault.

 

[WVsig]

Thanks a lot, @WVsig .... Because of you, I spent a couple of hours yesterday trying to get a feel for BHP/BHP-clone pricing. I probably could have made better use of that time. This is your fault.

My advice to you is don’t over pay. $500 to $650 is the sweet spot these days IMHO. Surplus guns are looking rougher and prices are going up. There are a few good sources still but you have to pick through a lot of them to find a gem. T series gun pricing is insane. C series are climbing but there are deals still out there. There is a lot of FOMO in the market which doesn’t make sense to me because there are tons of them out there. Good luck on your search. Let me know if I can be of any more help. LOL

 

[Master Blaster]

Wow that is really nice, and looks like it's very accurate too.

 

[Spats McGee]

My advice to you is don’t over pay. $500 to $650 is the sweet spot these days IMHO. Surplus guns are looking rougher and prices are going up. There are a few good sources still but you have to pick through a lot of them to find a gem. T series gun pricing is insane. C series are climbing but there are deals still out there. There is a lot of FOMO in the market which doesn’t make sense to me because there are tons of them out there. Good luck on your search. Let me know if I can be of any more help. LOL

Thank you and I certainly will. That said, a BHP has been on The Long Want List for a long time, so who knows when I'll get to it?

 

[bannockburn]

WVsig

Nice work done on your lightweight Hi-Power! Looks extremely business-like with just the right amount of modifications done to it!

 

[Rock185]

WVsig, Your lightweight Hi Power sure came out nice!

Just a comment or two on Don Williams. Don has done work for me on a Hi Power and a few 1911s. He repaired one 1911 while I waited. On another occasion, he took the time to show me how to fit 1911 barrel feet in the mill. I know for a fact he does excellent work, stands behind his work, and is a gentlemen to deal with.

The only thing I don't like about Don is that he became nationally known I used to get stuff back within 2-3 weeks. Last time I was there, I heard him tell a potential customer on the phone that the work he was requesting would take about a year.

Bottom line: IMHO, Don deserves every bit of the recognition and success he has achieved,and I would not hesitate to have him do any custom pistolsmithing I might want in future...

 

[tarosean]

Awesome

 

[Rule3]

Nice! I have one of those I'd like to turn into a carry gun myself. Can you tell or PM me if you'd rather what that ended up totaling?

Here you can do a rough estimate.

http://theactionworks.com/browning-hi-power/

 

[WVsig]

Here you can do a rough estimate.

http://theactionworks.com/browning-hi-power/

It was in the ballpark of his tactical package.