Hi-Power and Hollowpoints

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Jaywalker

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I have a 1980 Browning Hi-Power that has flawlessly fed the Remington 115g HPs that have been my favorite round since I bought the pistol new. It really likes the jacket that runs all the way to the hollow tips. Once, I tried an early load of what was then new 147g round and it wouldn't feed - not even once - it got hung on the humped feed ramp.

Still, I'd like to try some again. Those of you who have used a current 147g HP in a not-so-current HP, what works best?
 
Stay away from +P loadings if you are trying those, the Hi Power isn't built for those kind of loadings.
 
FIVETWOSEVEN Stay away from +P loadings if you are trying those, the Hi Power isn't built for those kind of loadings.
Click to expand...

A Hi Power isn't going to explode because someone runs a mag or three of +P through it....not even a three or four boxes will cause it to kaboom.

What +P will do is cause wear more rapidly than standard loads (just as full power .357 loads will loosen up a K frame quicker than .38 specials).

If you plan to run a case of +P through your forged frame Hi Power just install an extra power Wolff recoil spring.
 
I would try some Remington 147s. The 124 has the same nose profile as the 115 that your gun likes and I believe the 147 is similar in nose profile.;)
 
A Hi Power isn't going to explode because someone runs a mag or three of +P through it....not even a three or four boxes will cause it to kaboom.

What +P will do is cause wear more rapidly than standard loads (just as full power .357 loads will loosen up a K frame quicker than .38 specials).

If you plan to run a case of +P through your forged frame Hi Power just install an extra power Wolff recoil spring.
Click to expand...

Didn't say that its gonna explode, just that it isn't built for that. I believe it was Massad Ayoob that said that he has seen Hi Powers with cracked slides and frames in military lockers (foreign) from the NATO 9mm loading.
 
CZ57: I would try some Remington 147s. The 124 has the same nose profile as the 115 that your gun likes and I believe the 147 is similar in nose profile.
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Thanks, I'll try them, and the 124s.

Guys, don't sweat the p/+p argument. I've made up my mind which way I'm going.
 
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147 grain ammo has been all over the board with me.

DISCLAIMER for the nitpickers: I have not tried it in every 9mm known to man.

147 has only worked in a Smith 940 for me. Yup folks, that is a revolver.

Browning Hi Power, HK P7, Smith 3913, and CZ 75 pre B model all had problems with it. I would load a magazine and cycle the slide and it would jam instantly in all cases. I read later the P7 was optimized for 115 gr loadings so that makes sense. My Hi Power was a later manufacture with the straight feed ramp so I would not have thought it would have been an issue. Feeds 124s fine. In all cases this was with Remington Golden Saber 147 standard pressure. Yeah it is just one manufacture but I have a bad taste in my mouth.

As a rule, I stay away from all 147 gr 9mm. YMMV. Good luck.
 
Thanks, that was my experience, too, so that's why I'm asking. If it's a common problem (and maybe even if it isn't...), I'll try some 124s. After all, I've gone 30 years with what's now called Remington Express and Sivertips.
 
I have a BHP purchased in the mid 80's that was manufactured in Belgium, assembled in Portugal and have had no trouble with feeding it JHP's. I've shot a lot of Remington 115gr JHP reloads as well as Federal Hydra Shoks, Fiochi 115 gr, Remington GS in both 124gr and 147gr without having any feeding difficulty. It is currently loaded with 147gr Hornady Tap.

I don't worry about using any USA +P ammo as its no more potent than the tyrannical European CIP standard ammo. FWIW Fiocchi 115gr JHP's (not makred +P) run just under 1,300 fps, well into the +P velocity of US ammo (almost +P+) and the Europeans and the rest of the worlds military's don't have any problems with their Browning HP's using ammo in that velocity range.
 
FYI, 527, Massad Ayoob has been widely trashed for that BS article he did on Hi-Powers. I wouldn't use it as a source for any valid info.
 
jonnyc, can you post a link of that article possibly?

Or PM it to me?

I would like to take a look at it.
 
Didn't say that its gonna explode, just that it isn't built for that. I believe it was Massad Ayoob that said that he has seen Hi Powers with cracked slides and frames in military lockers (foreign) from the NATO 9mm loading.
Click to expand...

This has been debunked many many many times over since it was published. Look at all the Israeli MKII and prior guns which are coming into the country and have been shot using hot NATO/Isreali ammo all their lives.

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/BHPandHighPressureAmmo.htm

That said with the improvements in bullet technology the need to use +p hollowpoints for defense has been greatly reduced IMHO.
 
As OP, let me ask again more directly, if less politely: PLEASE STOP POSTING ON THE P/+P CONTROVERSY. It is not relevant to my question. If you want to discuss that, start your own thread.

I want to know 147g reliability in older Hi-Powers.
 
I believe you can swap out barrels to one without the hump or have a gunsmith remove the hump. I own a MK III Hi Power so don't have to worry about the hump. It feeds hollowpoints great. I only use standard velocity ammo, but carry +p for SD.
 
Pilot,

Yeah, and I'm considering a hump-grind. I took this HP to the only gunsmith I trust (Sandy Garrett in Northern Virginia) before we moved away last year. After 29 years, I figured I was going to keep the piece, and finally had a trigger job done... Since it always functioned with my primary ammo, I didn't bother with the hump at the time.

Now, however, looking at some potentially better offerings, I regret that choice. When we go back to visit relatives, I'll take the piece and have him do it then and avoid the expensive shipping charges. His prices are high enough as they are from his shop sitting on expensive Virginia real estate, so I want to avoid other charges.
 
Jaywalker said:
I have a 1980 Browning Hi-Power that has flawlessly fed the Remington 115g HPs that have been my favorite round since I bought the pistol new. It really likes the jacket that runs all the way to the hollow tips. Once, I tried an early load of what was then new 147g round and it wouldn't feed - not even once - it got hung on the humped feed ramp.

Still, I'd like to try some again. Those of you who have used a current 147g HP in a not-so-current HP, what works best?
Click to expand...
I had the same experience with a early eighties HP and found the same solution. To make it even better, the same round also worked in my 1980 P6, which wouldn't accept most other HP's. I have moved on to 45 now, and have found that the Remington JHP works well there also, even in a couple of pistols that don't recommend HP.
 
The Remington Golden Saber profile is a pretty close approximation to that of ball bullets.

I haven't tried it in weights above 124 gr. in 9mm. But that feeds in all of my 9mms and the 230 gr. GS feeds fust fine in my .45s

Golden Saber doesn't seem to get a lot of respect out there.... as there are some better performing offerings from Hornady and others. But I like them and find them to feed very reliably.
 
They shoot NATO fine worldwide, I wouldn't worry about +P. The margin of error isn't that close in firearms anyways. If it was going to crack with +P it was going to crack with lower pressure 9x19mm as well, there was something wrong with the slide. The MKIII is built a little bit stronger than the old guns as well and makes a fine shooter with +P. Of course you might have a tiny bit more wear, but shooting your gun in general causes wear. I do use an 18.5lb Wolff recoil spring, but mostly for snappier slide return, and not so much because of the ammo I shoot. It doesn't get shot much anyways.
 
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