Question about Browning Hi-Power (vs Sig 229) for CCW?

[geojap]

I'm getting my CHL finally and I have a Sig 229 in 40S&W that I plan on using as my main CCW. However, I have a 1980's-era 9mm Browning Hi-Power that I really like a lot and would like to carry it sometimes too. It is just a dream to shoot. But I have some questions about it since it is single action and to be honest, I don't quite trust it as much yet as the Sig for a carry weapon. I'll say though that I have never had a failure in either weapon at the range with any type of ammo.

I was going to carry my Sig with one in the chamber. Is that an unwise thing to do with the Browning for any reason since it is single action? I know some people don't carry 1911's with one in the chamber. Can I carry one in the chamber safely with the hi-power if the hammer is at the "half cock" position? Is there anything else I should know about carrying a Hi-Power? If you can share any opinions or experience on carrying the Hi-Power, it would be greatly appreciated.

Since I live in Texas and I don't stay indoors all the time when it's hot, and I sweat a moderate amount, I was going to get a Blade Tech IWB holster and possibly a Milt Sparks Versa Max 2 for winter.

 

[AK103K]

I have both the HP and the P229. I prefer to carry the 229. The HP is a fine pistol, and carrying it cocked and locked isnt an issue,(dont carry it on half cock) I just dont think it compares to the SIG.

I also use both the holsters you mentioned, pretty much in the same capacity. If I had to choose just one of them, it would be the Blade Tech. The VMII is a comfortable holster, but it is leather, and it doesnt hide as well as the BT, both of which are not good in the summer.

 

[Harold Mayo]

While I'm a big, big hi-power fan and carry one in preference to anything else, I don't recommend them to people. Unless you're an afficianado, you'll be better served with the Sig AND you won't have to worry with the Sig as much in terms of cleaning and corrosion.

Just be glad you're in Austin and not Houston.

 

[Jenrick]

If you're uncomfortable with carrying in condition one (one in the pipe, cocked and locked), then I'd recomend staying away from a BHP for carry. The main advantages of a SA auto are nullified when not carried in that fashion. Having to either run the slide or cock the hammer, presents all sorts of issues when conforted with a SD situation.

With that said, carrying a BHP with one in the pipe is not a problem is all. A newer model BHP will even have a firing pin safety, thought he older ones without are not unsafe at all. Having a steel pistol with anywhere from 13-20 rds of 9mm on hand, with a good trigger is quiet nice.

For carry here in Texas I actually prefer going OWB, as it keeps the weapon from getting sweated on quiet as much. I carried my BHP in a Gould and Goodrich Yaqui slide under a polo shirt without any issues.

Why exactly don't you trust your BHP as much as your SIG?

-Jenrick

 

[geojap]

Having a steel pistol with anywhere from 13-20 rds of 9mm on hand, with a good trigger is quiet nice.

That's exactly why I wanted to carry it at least some. It's such a nice shooter with beautiful ergonomics. And 18 rounds is nice to have.

Why exactly don't you trust your BHP as much as your SIG?

It's not that I don't trust it. I guess I was a little ignorant about carrying single actions and Condition One and unsure how it could be done safely. I just did a bit of reading online about single actions and Condition One. Now I think I will have no problems carrying my BHP in Condition One, but I will carry my Sig for a while first to get comfortable with it, and then carry the BHP sometimes and make a decision about which I want to be my main CCW.

I agree that there will be more maintenance with the BHP since so much sweat can get on the blueing in the waist band. I'll have to keep an eye on that.

Thanks for the info guys.

 

[rj112275]

sig

i currently carry a P220 Carry in single action only. If they offered a 229 in single action, i'd snatch it quickly. until then, i'm serious considering a DAK trigger on a 229. +1 for the sig.

 

[Sundles]

No other hi cap 9mm or larger pistol carries quite as nice as the BHP. The mk111 BHPs are very robust and reliable pistols--I like them better than the 229.

 

[sm]

Carry what YOU shoot best, dress around the gun.

Me? I do not do .40cal period, nor do I do DA/SA guns.
Gun fit to ME is a 1911 or BHP in 9mm.
I want one round chambered and Cocked & Locked, that is how I was taught to carry a Single Action when I was 6 years old in the year 1961.

DA/SA, "throw the first round , now the gun shoots like a gun is supposed to".

Sigs are nice, some like .40cal. Fine.
MY CCW choices go back before .40cal came to be, guns chosen to fit me at a early age.
Never saw a reason to change what works...

Revolvers are what one learns on ( I did starting at age 3) and one learns to shoot DA only.

Single action for semis, DA for revolvers and DAO for any semis, I do not do levers going "up" to fire or any, decockers either.

Set in my ways some say...

 

[Chupacabra]

I've been carrying a Hi-Power for about 9 months. I love it! Before that, I carried a USP40 compact and a 1911 (occasionally) for about 4 years. I will probably never go back to carrying the USP, but I might carry the 1911 once I get some work done on it (Better sights and a re-finishing). Of those three guns, I shoot the Hi-Power and 1911 equally well, but the HP gets the carry duty because it's a bit lighter. I was never able to warm up to the USP.

It is perfectly safe carrying with a round in the chamber and the safety on. Or, in the case of the Sig, with one in the chamber and the hammer de-cocked. Some will disagree, but you should NEVER EVER carry a single action firearm with the hammer in the half-cock position.

Sigs and Hi-Powers are excellent firearms and you can't go wrong with either. Just carry the one you feel the most comfortable with.

 

[AK103K]

Carry what YOU shoot best, dress around the gun.

I agree 110% here,

but as for this....

DA/SA, "throw the first round , now the gun shoots like a gun is supposed to".

This may be true for those who dont shoot DA/SA, but its not for those of us that do. My first DA shot goes exactly where I was looking when the gun goes off, as do the shots that follow SA. I keep hearing the transition is supposed to be a problem, but I've never found it to be.

 

[Richard]

Which one of these two pistols do you shoot better and which are you the most comfortable with? There in lies your answer as both are great weapons. Regards, Richard

 

[BHPshooter]

Can I carry one in the chamber safely with the hi-power if the hammer is at the "half cock" position? Is there anything else I should know about carrying a Hi-Power? If you can share any opinions or experience on carrying the Hi-Power, it would be greatly appreciated.

Yes, you can safely carry with a round in the chamber, but DON'T put the hammer at half-cock. The gun was designed to be carried cocked and locked, and it is safest to do so. One of the most unsafe things you can do with an autopistol [that doesn't have a decocker] is to lower the hammer manually. Do do it, you have to intentionally pull the trigger while simultaneously wrestling the hammer (and the hammers on later HPs are quite stiff).

If you're uncomfortable carrying the HP in condition 1, then I would go with the Sig.

Another thing to consider, since you mentioned that the HP is blued, is that the finish on it will not likely last long once you start carrying it, especially in the summer. I had a blued FEG HP that I carried, and the bluing simply would not put up with sweat for any period of time. I would get home, pull out my gun, and it would be half orange. So much for that beautiful blued finish!

Wes

 

[Richard]

If it is a newer High-Power (BHP), the manufacturer says you can carry them with the hammer resting on a loaded cartridge. I prefer to carry a BHP cocked and locked. Regards. Richard

 

[Texfire]

I went with a M95 Detective for my primary IWB carry gun. It's a BHP Mk3 clone manufactured in Argentina by FM on a standard High Power frame with a shorter slide. It had a bite problem with the default hammer, but a trip to Hank Fleming and installation of a C&S hammer/sear fixed that. It's now got one of the nicest triggers on any of my guns. I've flirted with some other guns but keep coming back to the M95, mostly because its the gun I'm most accurate with and it's very thin for a double stack. You'll find the Sig 226 is noticeably thicker, whether that's a problem for carry is individual. I'm currently flirting with a Springfield XD45 Compact, but it's still in the evaluation process for personal accuracy and reliability.

Like you, I was uncertain about a SA carry gun at first and researched the whole SA versus DAO versus DA/SA choice issue. I finally decided that I agreed with the camp that thinks the main safety for the gun is between my ears, not on the frame or built into the trigger. But still, when I started carrying a SA I would find myself surreptitiously checking throughout the day to make sure the safety hadn't disengaged during carry. I was able to break this nervous habit after I became comfortable with it. Now I have no reservations about carrying a BHP. But it needs to be something that is right for you.

As far as blued guns and IWB in the summer, I use a Bianchi Professional for each of my carry guns, it has a clip for easy removal and leather that covers the whole gun on the body side. This is easier on the gun as well as my skin. Another option is a OWB holster, like a Don Hume JIT slide, probably the most comfortable form of carry out there, but you'll need to pair this with a short gun/long shirt to avoid flashing. For extremely hot days and modes of dress that don't allow IWB carry, a pocket gun and cargo shorts are always an option. I say cargo shorts because I have to have somewhere to put the stuff I've evicted from my front pocket for the gun.

The biggest factor for finding a comfortable belt carry method is the belt. It's easy to discount those who say that but I've learned it from experience. A belt that is stiff enough will control the gun better and make it more comfortable. The wilderness instructor belt has the advantage of looking innocous enough, but will support any gun. It also can expand or contract according to carry and is easy to slip open for reattaching a holster after leaving a restricted location. Highly recommended, I've started using it on my work pants I like it so much. For slightly fancier dress there are leather belts that work just as well.

Tex

 

[DogBonz]

I have both in 9mm

I love my HP… at the range. Carry-wise, the 229 gets the nod. The 229 feels better on the hip, and I am pretty sure that it is smaller, but might be heavier. Both hold the same number of rounds (in 9mm), but the SIG has the better trigger (between my two). I don’t know why, but even though I love my HP, there is just something about it that I don’t trust. Neither pistol has ever failed, so my fear is pretty much unfounded. That said, I have put thousands of rounds through my 229, but only a couple of hundred through the HP.

 

[Richard]

In regard to carry in hot weather take a look at the Vern Humphrey holster. This one is for a 1911 but it will also work with a BHP. If you opt for this holster you will be able to carry a handgun under a T-shirt in humid areas. My Vern Humphrey holster was made by Ken L. Null. Regards, Richard

 

[Richard]

DogBonz, a BHP like a 1911 requires rote skills to safely operate it and that takes more than a "a couple of hundred" rounds. To safely carry a BHP or 1911 one has to automatically apply the safety as soon as a round is chambered, flick the safety off when ready to fire, and reapply the safety as soon as you stop firing. Until you can do this each and every time you pick up a 1911 of BHP they are not a safe weapon for you/anyone to carry. Regards, Richard

 

[DogBonz]

Richard

When I said that I don't trust it I meant about it going bang each and every time. I have been shooting a 1911 for over 15 years, so the manual safety is not a concern. In fact, I prefer a manual safety over other fire systems. That’s why I love my USP. Combat Tupperware that you can carry cocked an locked.

 

[Richard]

DogBonz

DogBonz, I am not messing with you but stating facts about what everyone should know about 1911/BHPs. I cannot remember a malfi with any of my BHPs or clones. You might ask Stephen A. Camp about unreliable BHPs as it is also one of his favorite handguns. I guess in the end I flat out like BHPs and I shoot them faster and better than any other handgun. Regards, Richard

 

[MrDig]

I do not CCW and have heard many expound the virtue of Poymer frames when doing so. This is due to the weight of an all steel/metal carry weapon.
I do not own any polymer frame weapons so if I were to CCW it would be one of the HPs I own. I have only one type of ammo that will ftf in my HP's CCI Blazer. This is the only time I have had a malfuction with a Hi-Power pattern Hand Gun.

 

[BrennanKG]

i currently carry a P220 Carry in single action only. If they offered a 229 in single action, i'd snatch it quickly. until then, i'm serious considering a DAK trigger on a 229. +1 for the sig.

rj,

A thread on the SigForum has lead me to believe that Sig's custom shop can convert any newer Sig handgun (other than the 232)to an SAO configuration. I haven't confirmed this with Sig, but it does make sense. Honestly I think a P229 Elite SAO would be the cat's meow!


Back on topic, both pistols can make a great CCW choice.


B.