Why hasn't the Hi Power gone the way of the 1911?

[TennJed]

After reading the "favorite 9mm to shoot" I noticed the Hi Power seems to be by far the most popular. Why hasn't it gone the way of the 1911 and been "cloned" by more companies.

Now before you get your feathers ruffled I am not wanting to have a 1911 vs Hi Power thread, nor would I expect as many manufactures to make them as do 1911s. It just seems like it is such a good platform that we should see more if them. Maybe a sub $500 RIA Hi Power

 

[wally]

Charles Daly before they went belly up used to bring in the FEG HiPower clone at about $500. Didn't sell all that well, although it appeared to be a nice pistol.


As far as double stack 9mm pistols go, its "low capacity" at 13 rounds.

 

[Kleanbore]

There have been several manufacturers of the Hi-Power.

It is a good design, but the trigger pull leaves something to be desired and is not readily improvable. Also, the safety is difficult for most people to release during the draw. Those factors prevented me from buying one last year.

I wouldn't refer to it as a "platform"-- it is a design. The term "platform" properly refers to computer system elements that support different applications, to various raised flat structures ("plat" means flat, and "form" means shape) that support things, and sometimes, to multi-purpose vehicles to which a number of different modules can be mounted. And, of course to political policy, where the word means ground pan.

 

[bainter1212]

I believe that a new, affordable U.S. made Hi Power introduced into the present market would do quite well. However, by the time a company had gotten tooled up, marketed and started shipping, this whole panic may very well be dead.

Also, the Hi Power (IMO, please don't flame me) is not a visually attractive or "tacticool" looking gun. The 1911 has some very appealing lines. Since most gun enthusiasts or potential gun enthusiasts are guys, naturally many of us, maybe even subconciously, buy partly for looks or clean lines. After all, us men are very visually based. I like the look of the Hi Power because it evokes a strong nostalgia and reverence for the work of John Browning, not because it is objectively good looking. A new shooter who doesn't have that respect for JMB may just see a blocky, heavy gun that looks somewhat outdated.

The 1911 evokes an emotion above and beyond what I get from looking at a Hi Power. It is just an attractive pistol all around. Also, the infinity of options for customization of the 1911 also makes it a more attractive option.

Don't get me wrong here, I would love to own a Hi Power or three....but the price and options just haven't struck a chord with me. I would have snatched up one of the surplus alloy frame models recently for sale by AIM, but through sheer bad timing I had just bought a rifle and didn't have the funds.

 

[nathan]

THe Hungarian PJK 9HP was well worth it , and i have one. I used it to qualify for my my CHL and it shot amazingly tight groups at 15 yrds. I wish i had the money though to get the real Browning Hi Power.

 

[wally]

THe Hungarian PJK 9HP was well worth it

Yes indeed, I picked one up for like $250 when they first came in before the Clinton ban.

 

[mesinge2]

It is a good design, but the trigger pull leaves something to be desired and is not readily improvable. Also, the safety is difficult for most people to release during the draw. Those factors prevented me from buying one last year.

I agree with this completely.

 

[primalmu]

The Hi Power is butt-ugly IMO. IMO, the CZ 75 platform is superior in terms of design and aesthetics.

 

[mdauben]

The Hi Power is butt-ugly IMO. IMO, the CZ 75 platform is superior in terms of design and aesthetics.

On the other hand I think the Hi Power is probably the best looking 9mm semiauto ever made, although I will concede the CZ is a close second.

 

[sixgunner455]

I think the Hi Power is *more* attractive, visually, than the 1911. I have a CZ75 because it fits my hand better than either. 9mm doesn't bother me at all.

 

[leadcounsel]

I fell into the Hi Power hype, John Browning and all, and bought one. It was nice, well kept, and all. I spent an hour removing the mag disconnect to improve the trigger. I wanted to like the gun, but it just never worked out.

I shot it and it was a lackluster gun. Accuracy was acceptable but nothing to write home about. Trigger was still okay. Controls were unremarkable.

The reason the 1911 has kept a following is because it 1) served our nation in many wars and conflicts and other actions, 2) possibly carried by law enforcement, 3) it's a unique design, unlike much of anything else, 4) companies have poured money in to tuning these, 5) it is a gorgeous pistol, and 6) it shoots the .45 ACP, which by itself has a huge following.

 

[savanahsdad]

The Hi Power is butt-ugly IMO. IMO, the CZ 75 platform is superior in terms of design and aesthetics.

you should go vote on the pole "Favored 9mm to shoot" thred / pole , I think the Hi-Power is way out front . I voted UZI for the fun-factor ,

to the OP, it could be the whole 9mm -vs- 45acp thing , or that the 1911 has more history, WWI, WWII, ect ect,, LE use.... funny thing is the Hi-Power has J M Browning's name on it ,I read some where that J M Browning thought or wanted the Browning Hi-Power to be the gun he was remembered for , "His Greatest Gun" ... and I too would buy a nice clone if some one would start making them again

 

[YZ]

I think it was because the 1911, a complex design, has remained the best of its kind, in spite of all attempts to build upon it. Notably for its trigger, handling, and the rate of fire. The Hi Power held no clear advantage over the up-and-coming 9mm dual-action designs. It became a legacy pistol, admired for its old school qualities. I don't know about the cost of manufacturing, but it usually plays a role too.

 

[wow6599]

There are folks who think the Hi-Power is an ugly firearm? I had no idea......

 

[Torian]

There are folks who think the Hi-Power is an ugly firearm? I had no idea......

Yep. Some of the youngsters of today don't have quite the appreciation we do for the classics

BHP is a very simple design with fewer moving parts than many of handguns we shoot today. Also...compared to the other handguns I own...it is easily the most concealable high-capacity for me. The South African mags I have hold 17 rounds.

The trigger pull however continues to be poor unless you start modifying it from its original design.

 

[tarosean]

The reason the 1911 has kept a following is because it 1) served our nation in many wars and conflicts and other actions, 2) possibly carried by law enforcement, 3) it's a unique design, unlike much of anything else, 4) companies have poured money in to tuning these, 5) it is a gorgeous pistol, and

The hi power is the rest of the worlds "1911" its still used in wars carried by LEO, etc.
We are very unique with our 45ACP. Price point probably hurts it the most along with it's expensive to maintain.

 

[huntershooter]

Although I have (and carry-yes, one at a time...) nine 1911's, I believe the P-35/BHP is head and shoulders above it in terms of appearance.
A true classic along with Colts "P" model, Luger, C-96/Broomhandle Mauser (and 1911).

 

[Redlg155]

Many Americans, including myself, love the .45 Cartridge and the 1911 platform, but more importantly, the cartridge.This being said, the Hi Power is a nice weapon, but even the Brits eventually abandoned it for the Glock.

 

[tarosean]

but even the Brits eventually abandoned it for the Glock.

They bought 25,000 glocks and have 250,000 soldiers. I'm not sure I would call it abandoning...

 

[Drail]

Quite simply because people have been brainwashed into believing that a lightweight polymer gun is somehow "better". Lemmings.

 

[SharpsDressedMan]

Lots of reasons, many already mentioned. There were non-Belgian made guns that didn't quite come up to the quality of the originals, and then the Belgian guns got too expensive. When there were hundreds of other 9mm's to choose from, and the price/quality variables made the Hi Power a headache to know which one to buy, buyers often just chose another gun. The BHP doesn't DO what the 1911 does, so it is not in direct competition to that, either.

 

[Deaf Smith]

After reading the "favorite 9mm to shoot" I noticed the Hi Power seems to be by far the most popular. Why hasn't it gone the way of the 1911 and been "cloned" by more companies.

Now before you get your feathers ruffled I am not wanting to have a 1911 vs Hi Power thread, nor would I expect as many manufactures to make them as do 1911s. It just seems like it is such a good platform that we should see more if them. Maybe a sub $500 RIA Hi Power

Simple.

Glocks last well over 100,000 rounds. P-35s don't.
Glocks have very few parts failures over 100,000 rounds. P-35s don't.
Glocks take corrosion very well. P-35s don't.
Glocks don't bite the hand that feeds them (hammer bite.) P-35s sure do!
Glocks take +p+ all day. P-35's don't.

And hey, I do have a soft spot for the HP.

Deaf

 

[Rob1109]

JMB wished for a high capacity pistol that would solve the problems of the 1911 that he fathered, hense the P-35. However, he died in 1926 long before he even completed the first design. That was completed by his chief designer, a Belgian, whose name I could never pronunce, let alone remember. Unfortunately, he (the Belgian) never got so much as a "thank you". The very beautiful BHP P-35, for the year of production, was arguably the most prolific pistol in the world, manufactured throughout Europe and the middle East. The U.S. was married to the 1911 so why would we revisit the BHP? A simple google search would reveal the number of countries that had the P-35 as standard issue.

Best.

 

[Bartholomew Roberts]

Actually, the Hi-Power has been manufactured by many countries: FN/Browning, Inglis, Indonesia, Chinese Inglis clones, Fabrica Militaire in Argentina, the Kareem in Israel, FEG/Charles Daly in Hungary, and the Indian R-type Inglis clones. Probably a dozen other clones around the world.

As for why we don't see more in the United States, I am not sure. It does seem that the aftermarket parts for 1911 is a lot larger - you can get high quality partially finished 1911 slides and frames. Not so much with the Hi-Power.

I do recall there was a manufacturer who attempted to build a stainless steel Hi-Power here in the states. I've only seen a few of them. They apparently weren't in business long.

As a practical shooter, the Hi-Power is still a great gun but it is more maintenance intensive and expensive to operate than many modern offerings. It lacks the great trigger of the 1911; but it certainly isn't any worse to maintain than a 1911. Not sure why it isn't more popular.

 

[BigG]

My view: The High Power is butt ugly. It is 9mm. The CZ75 is a pretty close clone except for DA trigger.