Thoughts on the the Browning HP Practical

[cdsdss]

I have the opportunity to pick one of these up for $670.00, and I'm on the fence. The controls feel a little unfamiliar (after my Sig), and I'm not thrilled about the mag not dropping free (though not really a deal-breaker, since I won't be doing any combat shooting with it).

Does anyone have any thoughts on these guns?

Thanks!

 

[Josh Aston]

You can either remove the mag safety or get the new mags that have the mousetrap spring in them for drop free. Other than that my opinion is that the Hi Power is one of, if not the best handgun ever created.

 

[17poundr]

I think it's such a classic and so much ahead of it's time that with the good magazine capacity, and the now cheaper circa, 700 dollar version (the older style which is all metal is still arround 1300 I belive), this is a collectible which however is also on par with many a 'modern' handgun. That's how influential it has been. Let's face it, appart from some manufacturing techiques, Polymer and Scandium, what really has changed in good handguns?

Lasers, more nifty switches for safety, mag releace ect but the main thing still remains pretty close to the idea of what I like to call the 'father of modern pistols', (this would make the Colt 1911 the Grandfather and the Luger an uncle ). Still, it's a great gun imho.

By the way, it's nice to be here, greetings from Finland! Please give imput on my question about which 22lr pistol I should get for my first gun, I'll post a thread.

 

[Husker1911]

Final firearm design (albeit incomplete) by a man I hold up there with Newton and Einstein. Oh yeah, your pistol is named for the man!

 

[Rangegod]

"Does anyone have any thoughts on these guns?"


Yes I do; I like them a lot.

JAC

 

[BrennanKG]

Wow Rangegod! Nice collection.

I think the BHP is a necessary part of any well-rounded handgun collection.
I know it's on my list.



B.

 

[Marshall]

If that price is for a new one, buy it. It's a good price anymore. You'll love the gun. You'll like it even better when you replace the Pachmayr wrap around with some nice wood stocks. Some like the black rubber Uncle Mike grips too.

 

[10-Ring]

I bought my practical a few years ago & after a short learning curve...love it! Much like my 1911, it just fits & works

 

[Wags]

You'll be glad you did

I've never owned the Practical, but I do a own a few MKII & MKII's. A pure classic, which usually multiply in numbers and you can get the mags to drop freely by removing the magazine safety which in turn will slightly improve the trigger pull.

"You can't get used to the controls since you shoot a Sig?" How do you think I feel when I pick up a Sig......... Sounds like a great purchase and reasonable price.

Wags

 

[10-Ring]

When I first got my BHP, I was bugged by a few things...the mag disconnect , longish trigger and for the first time, I experienced hammer bite
I did to it what I did to my Colt....I took it to a smith that specialized in HP mods. I did away w/ the mag disconnect, improved the trigger and on my part, lost a little hand fat. Now, my BHP is a dream to shoot & I have no other issues that an ammo shortage
The BHP practical rocks

 

[17poundr]

Now that's rangetainment!

Exellent 'Wallpaper' you have there! I wish I had but one of those... Sigh...

Well, my permit application is still in the bureaucratic machinery, let's hope I get a green light for my 22, so I can advance to 9mm practical shooting.

Let's face it, practical (which I have practiced a form of in the army on what we called 'the catwalk', with pop up targets ect coming up on a pair of men advancing with either FN 9mm pistols, or VALMET rk-62 assault rifles), is so much more interesting than just standing there and shooting at stationary targets from 25m year after year.

And also a potential lifesaver in giving good practice if you are a cop, or just happen to be attacked by an armed robber while being armed yourself. Something that isnt that impossible a thought in todays America (and slowly but shurely increasingly in Europe too), I belive...

 

[RS2]

I have only one, but I absolutely love it.

 

[browningguy]

I'm thinking they are excellent pistols. Here's my Practical:



I've since changed it over to a set of 1/2 checkered grips by Esmerelda, hope to get new pics soon.

By the way, Gander Mountain on 290 in Houston has a couple of them for $575.

 

[Steelharp]

I absolutely loved the BHP, one of my favorite pistols... until I tried a CZ-75 B. I've never looked back. It just suited me better, like a BHP perfected...

 

[springmom]

The BHP is an absolutely awesome firearm. We just had mine out to play this afternoon and its accuracy is just terrific. And as a 9mm, I can shoot it all day long with no problem.

Wow.

Springmom

 

[Geno]

$525.00 for mine

I bought mine about half a year back for $525.00 N.I.B. and love it. I do plan to have it hard-chromed. The only matter I have noticed is the long trigger compared to the Glock or 1911. Small consequence. It has never failed, and to boot, it is all steel.

Doc2005

 

[Coronach]

I'm a huge fan of the HP, but not so much of the Practical. I mean, there is nothing wrong with the Practical, I just don't like the two-tone. If the characteristics unique to the Practical float your boat, then buy it and don't look back. The HP platform is a classic handgun design, and in my biased opinion the best 9mm handgun on the market.

Make mine a MkIII, please, but a HP is wonderful one way or the other.

Mike

 

[rellascout]

I love the Hi-power. It is the perfect 9mm IMHO.

They will sometimes require some work to make them sing.

Here is mine.

 

[wildburp]

Browning

Never heard of the "Browning Practical"; shows what I know. I have a Browning HiPower, and once tried ordering extra after market clips from Cabelas. They were a joke, so I sent them back. You had to really push to get them in, and they would not drop out when released, like my two 13 round and a 20 round original (all steel). Maybe you got some cheap after market knock offs.

Maybe getting factory magazines will work; I can't believe yours are originals, or maybe the originals were damaged, somehow. Brownings work.

wb

 

[cdsdss]

I ended up buying one

And I haven't regretted it. I switched out the sights to night sights and now it sits, loaded up with Glasers on my nightstand as my primary home-defense gun:

 

[Ala Dan]

I too, owned a BHP Practical a few short moons ago. Very nice indeed,
and proved to be extremely accurate; as I was firing from the 50 yard
line~!

 

[murph50]

I got a practical today. $599 at Ganders with a 20% cash back via a gift card.
Took it to the range tonight and shot about 350 rounds. No flaws, no problems. I shot factory and reloads. This gun seems to be very reliable and accurate. It's a keeper for sure.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

The Practical is a great variant of a classic pistol. If you buy one you will like it.

Mine:

 

[BHPshooter]

the older style which is all metal is still arround 1300 I belive

Umm... what?

Hi Powers are, and always have been, made completely out of metal from the factory.

Wes

 

[michiganfan]

love mine