Hi Power Question

[Nightcrawler]

How come the Hi Power never got out-sourced like the 1911 did? I mean, the patents have expired. You can buy a 1911 from Colt, Springfield, Kimber, Olympic, on and on. Every frickin' body makes 1911s. And if you don't want a factory gun, there's numerous aftermarket parts companies where you can have one built just for you.

So how come Caspian isn't making HP slides? Why doesn't Springfield have a 1911 clone? Why doesn't Kimber make an uglified Hi-Power with front cocking serrations?

Is there just not enough potential customers to justify this, or does FN still hold the rights to the design? (Doubt that, as Armscor is now making a Hi-Power clone.)

 

[WonderNine]

I don't really know what the story is on that other than to say maybe other gun companys don't think the HP is "uber" enough. Charles Daley is coming out with the HP clone made from FEG parts. FEG makes a clone. The Argentine military made a clone, the "FM" Hi-Power. Arcus makes a Hi-Power style gun that accepts the mags....

But there is no Kimber, Colt, S&W Hp...I dunno why.

 

[doctorhumbert]

I would love to have a forged frame LesBaer Hi-Power with polished blue finish, Novak sights, 40 lpi checkered frame, and thin spegel grips.

I think the truth is that there is probably much higher market demand (1/20 may be?) for the 1911 than BHP. Also the fact that there are lot more wondernine makers out there since the 1935 doesn't help BHP dominance either, not that BHP is inferior to Beretta/sig/Gluck.

Mean while, I would have to be content with this:

 

[WonderNine]

Oh boy, is that a 60's HP or just a later one with a ring hammer installed? Nice finish on that one! If it's a 60's I'd be afraid to use it. I wouldn't want to put a scratch on it. I noticed it has the pre-MKII style sights like my 82' does.

 

[doctorhumbert]

Yup 1969 T series. There is like 3 tiny scratches (I counted them). Believe or not, I am not keeping it stock, and gettting it customized.

 

[WonderNine]

Oh nooooo....

What are you going to do to it? I like everything about the early HP's over the new ones except the humped barrel. I prefer the spur hammer as well, but the ring hammer wouldn't bother me enough to change it.

 

[doctorhumbert]

Ha Ha, I am butchering an irreplaceable mint T-series hi power! I don't deserve her! I am not keeping it as a safe queen/collector piece, so I am going to have it teflon camo finished.

 

[Old Fuff]

Part of the reason is that the frame has some very thin walls that would be difficult to make by investment casting. Manufacturers could tool up to make frames from machined forgings, but this would be expensive. The P-35 Hi-Power is an excellent pistol, but the market has been diluted with the introduction of newer (but not necessarily better) designs. And yes, the Government Model .45 has more fans in this country then the Hi-Power.

 

[WonderNine]

LoL

My "HP customization" basically involves removing the mag safety before I even shoot it and then possibly changing the grips. Then it's customized.

It would be nice if browning offered a P-35 with checkering on the front and the back of the magwell, but I wouldn't do it to one that didn't already have it.

 

[doctorhumbert]

I am just kidding about the Camo finish, but I am getting Bo Mar sight installed and trigger job done by a 'professional'. Of course the mag disconnect is gone (shhh, don't tell my lawyer...), on the same day I got it.

 

[WonderNine]

My trigger was a little heavy when I first got it. Heavier than my MKIII was in fact, but I've put about 300 rounds through it now and it has lightened up a bit and is perfectly crisp. Not even the slightest hint of creep and the sear looks great. Right now I wouldn't want anybody to touch it anymore, even though I was considering it at first. I like the trigger the way it is right now and it will probably even lighten up some more.

It's been my experience that HP's give themselves trigger jobs after a few hundred rounds. How much have you shot yours?

 

[WonderNine]

Another thing doc, when they cut that slide to put those uber sights in, the resale of that gun is gonna go down the tubes. Or at least be lower than a normal T series.

 

[doctorhumbert]

I shot about 200 rounds. Dry fired many more with snap caps. It does not have what you would call a creep, but I can feel sear move smoothly across the hammer .5mm before it falls. It is not silky smooth like cusotm 1911 or Sig P210 trigger, but pretty decent. One thing I do not like about HP trigger is its rather long trigger take up for a SA auto, this 1911 and Sig P210 is much superior.

 

[doctorhumbert]

the resale of that gun is gonna go down the tubes

Resale? What Resale?

An artist conception photo of what my new customized Hi-Power would look like. Except for Bo Mar sights.

 

[WonderNine]

It does not have what you would call a creep, but I can feel sear move smoothly across the hammer .5mm before it falls.

That is exactly how my 1994 silver chromed MKIII was.

This one has zero creep. I noticed on my MKIII the sear was not perfectly straight either, this one is. There were a couple other minor detail about the MKIII that I didn't like compared to my current one, but nothing that affected its reliability. I agree about the trigger takeup, but IMO it also helps to make sure you don't shoot unless you really want to and I think it only has a very minor effect on rate of fire. I can fire my HP at practically full auto speed although the Beretta 92 is a little faster.

 

[CWL]

As I understand, the wonderful CZ-line of (duty) pistols are a direct rip-off of the BHP design.

Kinda hard to enforce patents back then with the commies.

 

[WonderNine]

An artist conception photo of what my new customized Hi-Power would look like. Except for Bo Mar sights.

Hmm, you could pick up a practical and it would look the same after custimization and would cost less to do because the finish is already how you want it. And you wouldn't have to butcher that T series.

 

[WonderNine]

As I understand, the wonderful CZ-line of (duty) pistols are a direct rip-off of the BHP design.

Somebody on Glocktalk said to me that the CZ is superior in every way to the BHP. I pressed him on it and he wouldn't elaborate.

 

[doctorhumbert]

you could pick up a practical

This

versus

Hey, those custom gunsmiths gotta make a living. It's good for the American economy.

 

[Old Fuff]

Before you have the frontstrap of a Hi-Power checkered notice how thin the metal is across the front. Checkering can substatially weaken it. A hard blow may actually dent it in enough to hang up magazines. This is not a common occurance, but it has happened. Many of the after-market Government Model frames have extra metal across the front to allow for checkering. Browning frames do not.

 

[doctorhumbert]

I agree. BHP may be checkred 40 lpi (very expensive), or stippled. I am leaving mine smooth. Not worth $200 checkering job or an ugly stippling.

 

[WonderNine]

I would pretty much have to get the grip stipled on a silver chromed HP if I were to use standard grip panels instead of the wrap around grips. But I like the factory wrap around grips very much (not the hogue aftermarkets though). I wouldn't get any stipling or checkering on a blued one though. The silver chromed is very slippery with just grip panels. Now imagine when your hands are sweaty.

 

[WonderNine]

I hate those factory prebans of the style shown in the second picture. They rattle alot.

 

[Bren]

Oooops, also guilty of butchering a 1965 "T" series.

I think the some of the problem is milling cost (American labor) . I would like to see one with a screw in bushing, titanium frame, Mag disc removed or on the frame. (like GP) with a GP model made again also.. Bren

 

[denfoote]

Patents can be renewed!! Make one slight change to the design and it can be protected!! FN has obvously kept up with it!!

Wondernine, to forstall any heart attack that you may be planning to have, my BHP, a 1986 "vigilante" model, is going to be kept stock, including the mag safety!!!

Doctorhumbert, you heritic!!!! If Steven Camp were still an LEO, I would have him arrest you!!!