Just Picked up a Browning HP!

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nwilliams

nwilliams

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Just Picked up Browning HP!

Well I went out today with the intention of buying a Browning HP, a gun that I've wanted for years. I expected to pay around $600+ for one and ended up picking this one up for $400!

I took it to the range right after I bought it and put two boxes through it and instantly fell in love! What a great shooter, where has it been all my life! The only thing I want to do is buy some original style grips for it.

Anyway I'm so happy with my purchase and I feel like my collection was lacking something up until now. Ok so its still lacking many things, but its less lacking now:D

Anyway I had to take some glamour pics of it to share with you all!

BrowningHP2.gif

BrowningHP.gif

BrowningHP3.gif
 
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Honestly I don't know about the sights, I've never seen a HP with sights like these, but then again I'm no expert. I'll post another pic of the sights and maybe someone can id them.
 
Congradulations on a excellant purchase. I know you'll enjoy it for many years to come. I don't care for the pachmyar grips on a High Power myself but I dislike even more the square box type original grips that usually come with HP's. Since you saved a lot with this purchase I would suggest a good set of custom grips available, such as Spegel's or Esmeralda's and others.

The sights on this pistol do not appear to be stock. The only HP's I've seen that have that S&W type adjustable rear sight are on some of the HP's owned by Stephen Camp. So if they were in fact added on aftermarket you got an extra value for you purchase in stead of have just stock sights. I also noticed that the back strap is checkered, so this pistol has had some custom work done on it. I don't suppose any documentation came with it when you got it?

One other thing of note, I can't quite get a good look and the front end of you pistol but the crown on the front looks like it is a MK II. Or a screw in bushing??? There are others who can better ID the type. If you don't know the date of mfg. you could post the first few alpha/numeric digits of you s/n so we can date it. example 245PZXXXX the letters on your pistol is the year of mfg. code. Or you can go to this link to look it up for yourself. http://www.browning.com/services/dategun/detail.asp?id=35

RC
 
Thanks for the info Stinger, you certainly know more than me about them!

It does have a screw-on bushing on the front and the serial number 245PN7*** if that helps.

Sadly all it came with was the mag, not even a case and it has checkering on the front and back but the grip covers it up on the front.

I'll look into those custom grips, the grips that are on the gun now aren't bad and may very well be better than the the original grips so maybe some high quality custom grips are in order.
 
Hello, sir. Yours is a customized Hi Power for sure and the work looks really nice. I think I can see a slot in the bushing so I suspect that it is a screw-in custom one to allow for tighter lock up and probably better mechanical accuracy.

Best.

PS: Has the butt been shortened on your pistol? I cannot tell for sure, but it appears that the Pachmayer wrap-around grip has been split as it
is higher on the front strap and under the trigger guard than the ones I've seen.
 
PS: Has the butt been shortened on your pistol? I cannot tell for sure, but it appears that the Pachmayer wrap-around grip has been split as it
is higher on the front strap and under the trigger guard than the ones I've seen.
Click to expand...

Honestly I can't say for sure, it certainly feels more compact than other HP's I've held and looking at it now the grip does look shorter. It fits my hand very well and feels perfect for concealed carry. The grip does split under the trigger guard, which is one of the reasons I considered replacing them. I'd really love to put some wood grips on it and expose that checkering on the front and back.

Thanks for the great info guys! I feel even more like my money was well spent.
 
"...grip does split..." Something is screwy with those grips. I'd just cut the split part away. A checkered frame isn't a bad thing though.
It's possibly but unlikely that the frame has been shortened. It's be a great deal of work. The frame isn't solid. The hammer strut and main spring would have to be shortened too. It'd be a major redesign.
Does look like Smith sights. That's not a big deal. At one time, that's the only way you could have adjustable sights.
 
thats is sweet to the bones. HP s are the best aesthetically for a full size 9 mm.
 
It's possibly but unlikely that the frame has been shortened. It's be a great deal of work. The frame isn't solid. The hammer strut and main spring would have to be shortened too. It'd be a major redesign.
Click to expand...

Yeah I have to agree with you, taking the grips off it doesn't look like anything was modified to the internal parts. There is no sign at that there was any work done to the metal. Also other than the grip spliting under the trigger guard rest of the grip fits perfectly to the frame and it doesn't look like there was anything done to the grip to make it fit a shortened frame. I can't explain why the grip was split like that, but its no longer a problem because I took your advise and just cut away that portion and it looks fine now. I still want to get some nice wood grips but there's no rush.
 
Good choice, nothing says class like a Hi Power. I wish I hadn't sold mine. That gun fit my hand like nothing else, but when I suddenly found myself with 2 peoples bills and 1 persons income, sacrifices had to be made. That gun demands a nice set of grips. Go forth immediately, lest the ghost of John Browning become angry and haunt your dreams.
 
The S&W Sights were a common mod...

for a few years, I saw them all the time. It's really well done on your pistol. (You stole it, in my opinion)
I really like that model.
As the the grip, I have of late seen terrible variation in Pchmayr grips, where some fit perfectly, and others aren't even packaged right. The last set I bought for a K-frame said "ruger speed six" on the insde of the panel.
You have a very, very nice HP there. Enjoy.
 
Haha Omg!

I just found another BHP for sale at (well I'm not telling yet) for the same price $399 and its all matching numbers and Nazi marked!

I think I'm going to have to buy it, my credit card company is going to love me:D
 
Done!

I just picked it up and although I discovered that only the frame and slide are matching #'s the barrel isn't. The frame and slide read 1937** and the barrel reads 1878** so they are close but still thats ok the gun itself is in great condition the only blemish is a tiny chip in the corner of the left grip panel and a tiny bit of pitting under the slider release.

I post a new thread regarding this gun later.
 
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That is an interesting High Power.

1. S&W sights.
2. Grip appears to be chopped. Do you have another mag to put in it, and does it stick out?
3. Looks like some sort of bushing on the barrel. Stock BHPs don't have barrel bushings.
 
Yeah there was some discussion earlier on this thread on whether the grip was shortened or not. I'm certain that it wasn't now that I have another BHP and can compare them side-by-side, they are exactly the same size, I think it just looks weird in the photo, maybe the angle makes the grip look smaller.

I'd love to find out who customized it, whoever it was did a very professional job.
 
That is beautiful! Hi Powers *feel* nice, but (one of my many blasphemies when it comes to gun aesthetics) most of them I don't much like the look of. Doesn't mean I'd turn one down for free, or even for a decent price :)

That one, though, has grips I really like -- I think it looks a lot better than the typical HP w/ light-colored wood grips.

This has been a thread to inspire envy normally reserved for thing like Ed Brown 1911s and .45 ACP revolvers :)

timothy
 
I wish that my stock High Power didn't bite the hand that feeds it. I have a Mk3 that doesn't get shot nearly as much as I would like to because of that. Oh well, we always hurt the ones we love... :)

Tex

ps- Grats on the nice deals. Looks like a good one.
 
My two bits. I've got the FEG High power from Hungary and the FM HI-power from Argentina, and I'm very happy with both guns. I finally decided that I would try another Hi Power browning(I had a very bad experence with one about 35 years ago, it wouldn't even work brand new out of the box.)
I was offered the FEG at a very good deal. After shooting it and finding it accurate and reliable, I've kept it.
I was offered the Argentina Hi-power at a good price and I've been very happy with it also.
Sometimes I use either gun as my concealed carry.(that's how much I like and trust them.)(I'm from TExas, don't you know)
There's only two little downers with these guns. And it's the same with the Browning Hi-power. These guns are only single action and they have only 13 round mag.s
The two guns that I have, have better triggers than the Browning(ok, not much better) and one of them(The trigger) can be improved some.
Would I buy another Browning Hi Power? No, not in this reincarnation.
Would I buy another of the other two, Yes. AT the right price, in a heart beat.
And I have feeling about other guns, Just ask.
Pat
 
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