Let's Make a Company: Semi-custom Hi-Powers

[Danus ex]

I find it annoying that the Browning Hi-Power, one of the most ergonomic and appropriately sized pistols on the market, comes standard with a biting hammer, a mushy safety, a terrible trigger, and a useless magazine disconnect safety. Mind you, mine has been smithed to address these issues, but does anyone else wonder if there'd be a market for semi-custom Hi-Powers like there is with the 1911?

If you could have a Hi-Power from the factory with those problems addressed for similar or slightly more money than the FN/Browning guns, would you go for it?

Thoughts?

 

[AirForceShooter]

ohh my YES!!!!

AFS

 

[BrennanKG]

Yep.


B.

 

[Kenneth Lew]

There are hundreds of gun smiths already doing that.

 

[mete]

It's been done for many years . I wish I still had my own to show - checkered frame ,fancy grips, accurized [fitted bushing ,yes the BHP has a bushing !] ,adjustable sights etc.All my own work.

 

[Roadkill]

Sure would. My last home project was removing the mag safety and reworking the trigger on an old Austrian Police HP. Thing shoot like a dream now.

rk

 

[Cosmoline]

I'd take this even further. Why not a 10mm BHP? A .45 ACP BHP? Surely the design patents have long expired. You could just call it something different like a "Moses" to avoid infringing on the "Hi-Power" trademark.

 

[Charles S]

Sounds great to me.

I love the High Power.

Charles

 

[Candiru]

I don't much for the "enhancements" currently popular with 1911s, so I have no particular interest in seeing them added to Hi-Powers. What I would like to see, though, is a stainless Hi-Power. I wonder if there's some metallurgical reason none have been made, or if it's just due to lack of demand.

 

[atblis]

The HiPower

while a nice pistol, is archaic as far as firearms go.

Improve/Strengthen the design, fix most of those problems = CZ75

 

[Harold Mayo]

Archaic?

I don't think that you'll find the hi-power lacking in any area. It can do what can be reasonably expected from any handgun and then some, in my experience.

CZ75? Good gun but still not a hi-power in terms of ergonomics and shootability for most people. It's highly subjective, of course, but there are plenty of people who will argue FOR the hi-power out there.

 

[bluto]

I definitely would like to see the mag safety disconnect jettisoned as a production design improvment. While I like CZ's very much, my old Hi Power shoots just as well as the several CZ75's that I've tried - even with the stock 95lb. trigger!

 

[spencerhut]

Anybody done a write up on removing the magazine safety? Not that I would ever do such a thing . . .

Spencer

 

[Azrael256]

Candiru, Browning did a model in brushed nickel some years ago. I don't know if any were released under the FN name. I think it died due to lack of customer demand. It came with gold accents and, from my understanding, was quite pricey compared to the other models. I know of no metallurgical reason why a stainless model would be impossible. All the fun parts on the nickel model were stainless anyway. I know they're still selling the nickel slides on a blued (I think) frame as the two-tone.

Spencerhut, there are many, many writeups on how to get rid of the mag disconnect, and it is a very common modification for that pistol. Anybody who shoots competitively with the BHP or just wants a smoother trigger has already removed it. You can probably find instructions right here if you search for it.

And if the market for customized 1911s is any indication, I think there's a market for it. The BHP never became as popular here in the states, I think because it was never adopted for military service. I do believe, however, that the popularity could be dramatically increased if somebody offered more than three basic models for purchase.

 

[akanotken]

Awesome idea

Outdated? No more so than the 1911, and a lot less finicky IME.

Lots of smiths doing it? Sure. That's the niche that Kimber tries to fill, and the custom shops of 1911 man try to fill. "Typical" custom work done in mass to get it to us for a lot less than individual guns sent to individual smiths.

I think the market would love this.

But I admit to a love affair with browning products

 

[bpisler]

I would like to see a aftermarket frame with
a extended beaver tail.

 

[the naked prophet]

If someone were to make the Hi-Power with a polymer frame, in different calibers, with true full-capacity magazines (unlike the semi-double stack .40 mags ) with the same ergonomics, I think it would sell well. It's the size of the mid-sized Glocks, but handles like a full-sized service pistol (which it is, though small).

I really like my Hi-Power (.40) but when I can carry more firepower in a lighter package, I usually do. If the mags were truly double stack, and would hold something like 13 rounds, it might be different. I thought about making a frame that would take Glock magazines... but I have too much work to do.

 

[meef]

Hey... I bought an FN Hi-Power with the SFS safety from CDNN that has none of the problems you mention.. with the exception of the mag disconnect, and it has a great trigger so that seems to be no problem.

There's nothing more I could ask for with it... it's perfect.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

[pittspilot]

Archaic?

A Hi-Power with Navidrex grips feels like it was designed for my hands. Nothing even comes close.

No hammer bite, nothing.

Yes, the magazine disconnect sucks, but it easy to get rid of.

In the end, if I could get one with a crisper safety, and a shorter reset for a decent price, stock, I would jump all over it.

 

[Jamie C.]

while a nice pistol, is archaic as far as firearms go.

Improve/Strengthen the design, fix most of those problems = CZ75

Archaic? How do you figure that?

If you'll take a peek inside most modern self-loaders, you'll find quite a few of the same design features in them as are found in the High Power...

As for comparing it to a CZ-75... I've owned and shot both. They don't really compare.

Anyway, to each his or her own. Me, I'll take a nice semi-custom HP over most other offerings any day.

J.C.

P.S. Charles S - That pic you posted made me drool, and made my ol' girl jealous... ( My early 60's HP needs a new finish... Right now, she's a bit "cosmetically challenged" )

 

[Croyance]

I don't get hammer bite, so that is no factor to me.

I like grips like Navidrex, but even with factory grips it fits me better than most out there.
The trigger isn't great, but honestly tell me it is even on the same scale of bad as a Glock. I could stand improvement, but it isn't on the top of my list.

What I would like more than anything is a 1911 style safety - the positive 'click' feel and having the paddle face the right way to catch my thumb. A low-profile 1911-type would work fine.
Nicer sights.
Then the other stuff.

 

[HorseSoldier]

If someone starts making them, I'd be happy to buy one (maybe two ) to help keep them going. It really seems, to me at least, to be an untapped but real market.

 

[atblis]

You're right

they don't compare!

The HiPower is dying. Face it.

I'll admit, a little trollish.

The CZ75 is more affordable, has no magazine disconnect, just as accurate, no hammer bite, more versatile, stronger (full length frame rails anyone?), and less archaic (I'll add more popular too).

 

[ugaarguy]

You're right

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

they don't compare!

The HiPower is dying. Face it.

I'll admit, a little trollish.

The CZ75 is more affordable, has no magazine disconnect, just as accurate, no hammer bite, more versatile, stronger (full length frame rails anyone?), and less archaic (I'll add more popular too).

Atblis, you are trolling - either quit bashing the Hi-Power and say something constructive about the topic at hand or quit posting in this thread.

I'm 24 and got my first Hi-Power a few months ago. I love it. Hammer bite is no problem, but a beavertaiil frame and commander style hammer would look nice. I removed the mag disconnect - I'm safer dropping the mag and ejecting the chambered round as I taught than I am with the mag safety functional. The trigger is not a 1911's, but I shoot it better than I shoot 1911s. The big thing I'd like is a more 1911 like safety, which could easily be done up as a drop in part. If I could get a stock Hi-Power at a good price that's slightly tweaked out of the box I'd look hard at buying one. I really like the Hogue MonoGrip on my BHP, but I also have a monogrip on my S&W M66 - they just fit my smallish hands. The Daly imported FEG Hi-Powers, with the XS sights, rubber grips, and captain/commander style hammer, are definetly a move in this direction.

 

[distra]

I think I would buy the modified HP, but then again it's fun tweaking a pistol I got first HP this week. 9mm practical two tone, black slide, stainless frame. I shot it this afternoon and man is it a sweet shooter! BUT, it does need some trigger work, mag safety removed, and a commander hammer. I did not get bit, I just felt the back of ring hammer on the web of my shooting hand after every shot. It's a like water torture, it just stings a little and build over time.