I've never really been THAT impressed by any of the Hipowers I have fired, but have never actually OWNED one, and they ARE a classic, and with CDNN's FN Hipower price I thought I'd take the plunge rather than get another 1911 that I was toying with and add one to my collection. But as it turns out, CDNN has decided they will no longer sell to residents of NY, and I can't seem to talk mysef into shelling out the $800 or so for a new Browning, so it looks like it's back to the plan of another 1911. Now, I do have one fullsized Colt in 38 Super, but otherwise my experience has been with Smith's and Springer's. I have sort of toyed for awhile though with getting one of the blued Colt Commander's, even though it makes me a bit nervous ordering one sight unseen given the somewhat checkered QC rep of Colt these days. Then I read another post about the "well known problematic rep of Colt Commanders..." !?! Is there a "well known" rep for problems with Colt Commander's? I was not aware of that, but as stated I'm not really a Colt guy. Anyone know the scoop on this?
well, I was GOING to buy a Hipower, but it looks like another 1911
- Thread starter scubie02
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1911 guy
Member
Commander length runs decent.
The real problems come when you try to turn a fighting gun into a pocket gun and whack a couple inches off. Commanders are 4.25", don't go any shorter unless it's designed from the ground up as a short barreled pistol.
The real problems come when you try to turn a fighting gun into a pocket gun and whack a couple inches off. Commanders are 4.25", don't go any shorter unless it's designed from the ground up as a short barreled pistol.
jaysouth
Member
The 1911 platform will give you a better trigger. Since getting an STI 9mm tuned by David Dawson at Dawson Precision, I have traded off all but one BHP.
I lead either a charmed or boring life. ALL my 1911s work. Whether OM, Commander, Gov or Extended slide, no problems for me.
I carry daily IWB. I have found that the Gov model with 5" barrel settles down in the holster and feels more secure that a shorter barrel model. The delimiting factor on concealment is the size of the butt, not the length of the barrel.
Does an OM conceal better than an Gov model? Yep. Do you notice the difference after a couple days carrying the bigge one? Nope.
I lead either a charmed or boring life. ALL my 1911s work. Whether OM, Commander, Gov or Extended slide, no problems for me.
I carry daily IWB. I have found that the Gov model with 5" barrel settles down in the holster and feels more secure that a shorter barrel model. The delimiting factor on concealment is the size of the butt, not the length of the barrel.
Does an OM conceal better than an Gov model? Yep. Do you notice the difference after a couple days carrying the bigge one? Nope.
yeah, I've apparently been lucky with all my 1911's too--never had a bad one yet *knock wood* but always feel like I should actually OWN a Hipower at least once in my life, but obviously this was a Higher Power's way of telling me to stick with the 1911 haha
i was really looking for a 9mm hipower anyway for the cheap ammo.
Does anybody reasonably priced even make a 9mm 1911 these days? Springfield has a full sized ss model, right? Anything else? I wouldn't mind a 38 super commander to go with the full sized either, but wasn't necessarily wanting the ambi safety and such of an xse
i was really looking for a 9mm hipower anyway for the cheap ammo.
Does anybody reasonably priced even make a 9mm 1911 these days? Springfield has a full sized ss model, right? Anything else? I wouldn't mind a 38 super commander to go with the full sized either, but wasn't necessarily wanting the ambi safety and such of an xse
Dean407
Member
Check gunbroker. You can get HP's around $500 and sometimes less.
1000 rounds of 9mm 124gr Speer LAwman ammo at ammoman.com for $189.
1000 rounds of 9mm 124gr Speer LAwman ammo at ammoman.com for $189.
DHart
Member
Among my three Hi-Powers, my two faves are in 40! The HP is a superb platform for forty caliber. Stone reliable, accurate, potent, comfy to shoot. They only thing I think that ALL Hi-Powers need, nines and forties alike, is a high quality TRIGGER JOB, such as Don William's does. Remarkably, Don can make the Hi-Power trigger approach that of a 1911 trigger. Each of my 3 Hi-Powers has a Don William's trigger job and I strongly recommend that to all HP owners.
Yeah, sadly, from what I have seen pricing wise here, I can bring the Colt Commander home for less than it will cost me to get a Hipower here. I can get the Commander for $725 out the door if I order from the local guy, whereas it looks like HP's are going for more like $750 before tax, and tax in NY is going to put it over $800 which is somewhat hard to swallow for a cast frame handgun that's going to need a trigger job *sigh*. I should go buy a lottery ticket...
Dravur
Member
Wow,
and I have a beautifully blued, 1972 vintage Hi-power I have been trying to sell for $550. Im going to have to up the price hehe
and I have a beautifully blued, 1972 vintage Hi-power I have been trying to sell for $550. Im going to have to up the price hehe
oh, I might be able to find a used one on Gunbroker or something for cheaper, but then you are always worried that some home gunsmith may have tinkered with it and be looking to pass their resulting problem on to you, you know? Some guns probably lend themselves more to tinkering than others. Most people probably don't mess with something like a Glock or XD, but 1911's or HP's I'm guessing are another story...
and as mentioned, NY tends to be more expensive on handguns precisely BECAUSE so many places just won't deal with NY.
In theory a 72 would have the hicaps and be perfectly legal to own in NY though since it'd be peban I believe, have to check on that
but CDNN had brand new ones for $439, and apparently they were $399 not so long ago--that may be hurting you
and as mentioned, NY tends to be more expensive on handguns precisely BECAUSE so many places just won't deal with NY.
In theory a 72 would have the hicaps and be perfectly legal to own in NY though since it'd be peban I believe, have to check on that
but CDNN had brand new ones for $439, and apparently they were $399 not so long ago--that may be hurting you
Dravur
Member
hmmmmmm,
I put on new grips, does that count? heheh
I put on new grips, does that count? heheh
DHart
Member
scubie... go for that Colt Commander, my friend. You won't go wrong. Then start saving for a Browning Hi-Power in FORTY, either high polish blued or silverchrome (hardchrome)! The FORTY caliber HP was designed specifically for forty caliber (beefier than the 9mm version) and is a pleasure to shoot in that snappy caliber. I have high polished blue & silverchrome HP's in forty and they are magnificent. You'll love them after a trigger job. The only criticism I can level on an HP is that the thumb safeties tend to sweep off too easily (IMHO) and the mag capacity isn't up to what you can get on some newer design guns.
Speaking of FORTY, it's hard to beat a Glock 23 as a defense/carry gun. Compact, lightweight, 14-round capacity, economical, reliable. All the 23 needs is a 3.5# connector (brings the trigger pull to around 5#) and a smooth-faced trigger ($15 swap out). For a utility gun in 40, go for the G23. For class and pleasure of shooting/ownership in 40, I'd recommend the Glock 23.
Speaking of FORTY, it's hard to beat a Glock 23 as a defense/carry gun. Compact, lightweight, 14-round capacity, economical, reliable. All the 23 needs is a 3.5# connector (brings the trigger pull to around 5#) and a smooth-faced trigger ($15 swap out). For a utility gun in 40, go for the G23. For class and pleasure of shooting/ownership in 40, I'd recommend the Glock 23.
thanks dhart! I'm leaning towards going with the Colt blued basic Commander that I was originally thinking about before being tempted by the cdnn deal. Unfortunately, in the People's Republic of NY we are limited to ten round mags anyway, so capacity becomes less of an issue *sigh* which is one reason I tend to stick to larger calibers and classics like 1911's (take THAT NY--unintended consequence of limiting capacity--people tote around more powerful handguns! haha). Anyway, we'll have to see with the HP 40 I guess--interesting that you feel it absorbs recoil well--I had wondered about that since design can make so much difference in that regard and the 40 IS somewhat snappy--in general I prefer my 1911's in 45, and had wondered if the somewhat similar design of the HP would also serve to tame recoil as well. I have also toyed with an XD in 40 since I like the option of barrel swaps to 357 sig or 9mm with those. Ever fired one of those in 40? I'm wondering how they compare.
That is ONE concern I do have with teh HP and have mentioned it before--I HAVE had the thumb safety get brushed off a time or two on a 1911, but still don't have a problem with cocked and locked carry since you still have the grip safety and my holsters cover the trigger, but the HP NOT having the grip safety, and tending towards mushy/non-positive thumb safeties in my experience, make me a bit nervous.
That is ONE concern I do have with teh HP and have mentioned it before--I HAVE had the thumb safety get brushed off a time or two on a 1911, but still don't have a problem with cocked and locked carry since you still have the grip safety and my holsters cover the trigger, but the HP NOT having the grip safety, and tending towards mushy/non-positive thumb safeties in my experience, make me a bit nervous.
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