Tell me about the Browning Hi Power please

[Katty]

I may not be looking in the right spot. I can only buy the Hi-power in the blue gun? I am looking for hard crome, stainless or something . Are they making these still?

 

[RPCVYemen]

Make sure you shoot one before you buy. I really, really wanted to like the Hi-Power.

I have a revolver as my main weapon right now - a Backhawk. I am keeping my eye out to pick up an auto at some point.

I have a friend who had an HP, and I shot his. I didn't like it at all. Other people love them. Shoot one first.

Mike

 

[Harold Mayo]

Some people love them, some don't understand. Personally, although I prefer a hi-power to pretty much anything else (with the possible exception of a 1911), I don't recommend them to people. My personal preferences point me toward NOT liking stock hi-powers. At a bare minimum I have to change grips and almost all of the springs and take out the magazine disconnect.

 

[Bart Noir]

Names for the springs

The spring in the slide is the "recoil spring".

The spring in the grip, which powers the hammer, is the "mainspring".

I believe there were a limited number of HPs made with aluminum frames but I haven't touched one. There were not any made of stainless steel, and any fully chromed HPs got that way by the delicate touch of an aftermarket firm. There are some two-tone factory finishes. The real experts will tell us if I am wrong on any of this, as in "Mr Camp, where are you?".

Really, his site it first rate and it includes a forum.

Bart Noir
Whose made-in-India-on-Inglis-tooling HP shot rather well for a basic GI gun.

 

[Harold Mayo]

FN/Browning never made any stainless hi-powers but a company named Baford Arms did. They're now out of business. Once in a great while one of their guns will come up for sale online.

There are some fully-chromed hi-powers from FN/Browning out there, not just the two-toned Practicals.

 

[Harold Mayo]

Oh...one poster made mention of the trigger spring and hard primers...

I think that there might be some confusion there. The only spring that has anything to do with the trigger (other than the magazine disconnect spring) is the trigger return spring. Changing it out affects the trigger reset. Although it slightly increases the trigger press/pull weight, I prefer the Wolff two-coil (extra power) design because it gives me a very noticeably more positive reset as compared to the factory spring.

The only two springs that might have something to do with hard primers are the firing pin spring and the hammer spring (i.e. mainspring). I've never had any problem with hard primers and a 26# hammer spring in conjunction with a factory firing pin spring but, of course, YMMV.

 

[Fisherman_48768]

I have a Belguim (FN)made BHP and an Argentine (FM) HP both are 9mm. I honesty can't tell the different in the way they shoot. Both are extremely accurate, reliable, parts all interchange. The FM was about $400.00 cheaper than the FN. I have fired literally thousands of rounds thru the FM and it shows very little wear, mostly finish wear on the edges. Apparently, there is a compact version of the FM on the market called a 'Detective model' never fired one only read about them a year or so past. BTW: FN is blued carbon steel and the FM is parkerized carbon steel. FM model is licensed by Browning to the Argentine Gov't arsenal, guns are mfg using browning equipment and blue prints from what I understand.

 

[bigmike45]

I have been shooting the venerable 1911 for over 30 years and love the gun, I have a 4" version that is my daily carry concealed weapon. I looked around for the 9mm version of the 1911, and the ones I have found are extremely expensive so while looking I started reading the pros & cons listed in this forum and many others including highpowersand handguns by Stephen Camp, who by the way is also a moderator here. I decided to try to find one and looked a about a half dozen different models and finally saw one in a shop, in the lower rear corner of the case. I asked to look at it and afer about 15 minutes of scrutiny and a couple of mags of testing in their test room, plopped down the cash. It is a 1977 model that is in really great shape. I decided to make a few changes so I went to the premier parts maker for 1911and Hi Power to get a few things. Cylinder & Slide has some of the finest made parts available. After changing the hammer from the "bite your hand" spur to the ring style, original trigger to a wider target model and a decent set of grips, the gun is much more comfortable to shoot. It came with the excellent Millett adjustable rear sight with the white Longhorn notch setup. It is accurate and fits my 1911 holsters perfectly. I now have the better 9mm, 1911...er Browning High Power. Here is my new addition:

 

[manyskunks]

Bhp: Fantastic!!

I have owned a Belgian made HP 9mm for over 30 years and after carrying it for duty and protection I can honestly say that it is by far and away the best firearm (handgun) I've ever been blessed to shoot!
It is extremely accurate with many loads, Handloading will get you in the X ring easily, and with Hogue finger ridge grips it handles as good as any handgun I've ever used.
Hope you choose a BHP! You can't go wrong. I have many handguns but the Browning is the only one that I really want to stake my life on!
Best wishes!
ManySkunks

I forgot to mention that you should install a recoil buffer. It's cheap (9.99) insurance and Buffer Technologies Buffers are sold many places. It just keeps your slide from getting battered.

 

[loop]

The mag disconnect safety kind of stinks and can make an HP feel gritty. It can be improved by polishing the contact point on the mag. It can be fixed by removing it.

The FEG HPs are dangerous. Gave one to my son and the pins kept warping. Eventually it went full auto on us. Much to the dismay of my 16-year-old son I had all the pins replaced with hardened pins. Eventually they began to change the round pin holes to oval-shaped holes. Gave up on the pot-metal piece of junk.

My only complaint about an HP is that I have large hands and they bite me in the web even with the commander-style hammer.

But, if you get a quality HP you will be hard pressed to find a more accurate, reliable weapon.

 

[UKarmourer]

I carried one daily in Northern Ireland when in civi clothing, shot every monday, I love it, now however I mainly fix them (change of jobs)

It is possible to teach a educationally challenged idiot with no grasp of anything mechanical to strip it to its 40 odd component parts in a morning.

and reassemble it, I know we had 2 on my course!

its a great pistol, and still on general issue for the British armed forces (special ops & CP have moved to Sig)

borrow one, use it, and try it in a holster, some guys couldnt get on with concealing it, I had no problems

 

[Scorpian]

John Moses Browning was a unequaled genius. His triumph was the Hi-Power, that's all I have to say.

 

[Stephen A. Camp]

Hello. Hopefully, the links below will be of service:

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

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/Hi Power Longevity.htm

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/Why the 9mm Hi Power Remains Favorite.htm

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/9mm_hi_power_reliability.htm

http://hipowers-handguns.blogspot.com/2008/06/should-i-download-hi-power-magazines.html

http://hipowers-handguns.blogspot.com/2008/06/why-use-185-lb-9mm-hi-power-recoil.html

http://hipowers-handguns.blogspot.com/2008/06/bhp-hammer-safety-problems.html

http://hipowers-handguns.blogspot.com/2008/06/best-hi-power.html

http://hipowers-handguns.blogspot.com/2008/07/hi-power-and-hammer-bite.html

http://hipowers-handguns.blogspot.com/2008/06/new-hi-power-immediately-customize-or.html


Best.

 

[Pilot]

and any fully chromed HPs got that way by the delicate touch of an aftermarket firm.

There were Silver Chrome MK III Browning Hi Powers produced by FN in the 90's. I have one. It sports an adjustable Millet sight like the Standard, but has a gold trigger and factory Pachmayr grips. Its not that rare, either. Many have them as the due the two tone "Practical" model that is half chrome half blue.

 

[Travis Bickle]

They come in .40 S&W and 9mm luger. Also, the .40 S&W can probably be easily converted to .357 SIG like most .40 S&W pistols.

IMO, they're good weapons, but I'd rather have a Beretta 96F, since it doesn't need to be manually cocked before the first shot. (There are variants of the Browning Hi-Power that are DAO and don't have to be cocked, but I prefer a SA autopistol.)

 

[BikerRN]

I'd like to learn about the Hi power. I've searched and it all seems so confusing.
There are different models? Quality? Recoil? Where are the best places to buy for price?
Anything I may need to know about this pistol?
Thanks!

Hi Powers are as scarce as hen's teeth.

You may have to buy a Used one. Personally I would look for a Mk III, no matter the finish. Look for "Made in Belgium Assembled in Portugal." Also, look at the magazine well, and if it has striations or lines, it is cast. If it's smooth, it's a forged frame. Personally, I like the cast frames, as they are stronger and can handle the pressure of the +P 9mm rounds.

I myself am relying on a .40 S&W Hi Power as my off duty carry gun. With a change of the Barrel and magazine I can shoot 9mm too. That gives me two guns in one for a nominal cost. Bear in mind, .40's are harder to find.

If you find an FN instead of a Browning, buy it, is my advice. FN owns and makes Browning Hi Powers, but are less expensive. Browning doesn't put a lot of focus on their handguns. Their "bread and butter" are the hunting rifles and gear. Handguns are an "afterthought" for Browning.

It's taken me years to come around to the Hi Power. I've been a 1911 fan since Moses was a Corporal, and always like the Hi Power from afar. Now I love the Hi Power and keep the one I have close. There aren't a lot of accessories for the Hi Power compared to the 1911. Part of that is because their isn't much of a market for Hi Powers in the United States, compared to the rest of the world and also because the Hi Power doesn't require much in regards to parts to be "perfect". I'd be perfectly happy with a "stock" Hi Power.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Browning_Hi-Power

My wife, who is not a big "fan" of shooting, likes the Hi Power. I'm a big "fan" of the shooting sports, and I love the Hi Power. I think that sums it up, and shows how "perfect" the Hi Power is.

BikerRN

 

[Dr.Rob]

Long ago when I decided to shop for a hi-cap 9mm I went to a range that had rentals of various 9mm pistols.

As I recall my friend Brian and his wife tried every 9mm they had. That was a Ruger P-85, a Beretta 92, a Glock 17, a Sig 226 and a BHP. None of them were very 'clean' (they were dirty rental guns cleaned weekly rather than daily). We shot them all a LOT.

While Brian and I really liked the HP (felt more like my single action Colt Commander) Brian's wife really liked the Sig. Thing is back THEN a new Sig 226 was like $700 and a Browning $450.

Well I was on a budget and couldn't afford an FN made hi-power so I got one from FEG. Thousands of rounds later I have only broken one part. I have replaced a worn extractor and that's it.

FEG is out of business, but Mauser Sa-80's and Daly hi-powers were both made by FEG. They are not 'premier' finished guns but they are decent mil-spec shooters.

Not all FEG 'clones are true clones, later models had cost saving cuts in machining. All Daly and Mauser HP's are all true clones.

The original Browning safety is small and gritty and the magazine disconnector makes for a mushy trigger. Both are easily remidied.

But the BHP is still the wondernine by which all wondernines are judged.

 

[Gelgoog]

one thing no one has mention is the how thin the slide is. most pistols today tend to have very wide slides like glocks. Very few pistols ever get the slim profile that the HP does, and it makes carrying them alot more comfortable.

 

[191145fan]

My BHP had a poor trigger from the factory.

I took off the magazine disconnect and installed a trigger pull reduction spring kit from Cylinder and Slide. The trigger pull went from around 10# and gritty to about 5 pounds and smooth.

If you get a BHP do a little work to improve the trigger and you will love it.

 

[Tinpig]

I have an early '50s FN. It is a real pleasure to shoot, with a decent trigger despite still having the mag safety. It has the old-style internal extractor. When I bought it it was having extraction problems, but I had no trouble finding a replacement extractor and it is now flawless.

If you do get a Hi Power, I highly recommend Steven Camp's booklets "The Shooter's Guide to the Browning Hi Power" and "Hi Power Disassembly."

Tinpig

 

[BHP FAN]

I have a 1980's Utah addressed BHP,an Argentine milsurp,and a MKI*Canadian WWII. These are just the best handgun ever made.

 

[RSABear]

Another Browning HP 9mmP, this is my 14 year old son's. He uses it for IPSC shooting and have done some mods, sights and extended saftey level or easy working while running.

 

[lechiffre]

Gun people always think older is better; i.e., "the ones made in Belgium are better than the ones made in Belgium and assembled in Portugal". I won't even get into the "cast pot metal" vs "assembled by magic gnomes from forged steel" debate. As you can tell, I'm something of a pragmatist.

i think the fn hi-power may be the exception that proves the rule.

the cast frame is stronger than the forged frame. the newer hi-powers are more forgiving of hollow points. the improvements made to the hi-power over the years really are improvements.

i would take a new fn hi-power made TODAY over one from the 30's,40's,50's,60's,70's.......... *



*unless i wanted some kind of rare or collectible variant just for the sake of rarity or collectibility.

 

[BikerRN]

i think the fn hi-power may be the exception that proves the rule.

the cast frame is stronger than the forged frame. the newer hi-powers are more forgiving of hollow points. the improvements made to the hi-power over the years really are improvements.

i would take a new fn hi-power made TODAY over one from the 30's,40's,50's,60's,70's.......... *



*unless i wanted some kind of rare or collectible variant just for the sake of rarity or collectibility.

I agree.
The reason I suggested a newer "Made in Belgium Assembled in Portugal" was if one were going to use it as a daily carry/self defense weapon. The older High Powers are nice, but for daily use I think the newer one's are just slightly better.

BikerRN

 

[numbers]

There were Silver Chrome MK III Browning Hi Powers produced by FN in the 90's. I have one. It sports an adjustable Millet sight like the Standard, but has a gold trigger and factory Pachmayr grips. Its not that rare, either. Many have them as the due the two tone "Practical" model that is half chrome half blue.
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Any Idea what I would have to pay for one of these?