A Tale of Two Hi-Powers

[OneSevenDeuce]

My love of the venerable P35 started long ago. I read an article as a young buck Sergeant about a hard core motivator on a PSD detail in Israel back in the 70s. His sidearm of choice, the Hi-Power. It wasn't issued, he chose it. When I got out of the military and started working PSD details overseas myself, I came to appreciate how much faith that stud from a previous generation put in his sidearm. Personally, I carried a GLOCK 19 when on a detail. I didn't have choice, it WAS issued. I came to regard the G19 as a world class working pistol and would depend on it without hesitation. After extensive experience with my own Hi-Powers I can understand how previous generations depended in their Hi-Powers. Last year my father in law got to shoot my T Series Hi-Power for the first time. He immediately decided he needed one of his own, and soon after a brand new MK III ended up in his safe. For my part, the T Series stays safely locked away until it makes one of its frequent visits to the range. For every day carry, I depend on a MK III with several Cylinder and Slide parts, as well as Mepro-Light night sights. The T series takes the cake in terms of aesthetics with a deep reflective blue, impeccable fit, and probably the best Hi-Power trigger I've ever felt. The MK III does not match up in either of those areas, but the metallurgy involved is said to provide a much stronger frame and slide than earlier models. Whatever the case, the MK III is as reliable out of the box as any full-size pistol I've ever shot. Despite having a factory trigger inferior to the T series (the magazine disconnect safety claims some, though not all, of the blame for that) it nonetheless breaks cleanly and ends up being lighter than many others out there.

Next on the list is a C series, and a FEG clone. The love of a Hi-Power is more than an obsession, it's a way of life.

 

[GZOh]

Beautiful pistolas!!...
The BHP is truly a classic and one of the best pistolas made. My BHP is probably one of the most accurate guns I own!
Have a couple of FEGs (PJK-9HP) that were bought NIB and they are also real nice pistolas, tho not quite a BHP....
But at less than half the price, they're definitely worth having... if you can get one close to NIB!
Enjoy your BHPs!

 

[Pilot]

My factory stock Browning Hi Power, MK III Silver Chrome is my most accurate center fire handgun. It could easily be in my carry rotation except it would be better suited if I swapped the target sights with Novaks or something more low profile. It has been 100% reliable, and accepts flush fit 15 round Mec-Gar magazines, so a definite equivalent to any more modern "wonder nine" out there.

 

[bannockburn]

Years ago I had a T series Hi-Power and while it had the most beautiful blued finish along with great looking walnut grips it possessed one of the worst trigger pulls on any pistol I have ever used. That combined with the tiny sights and difficult to operate thumb safety turned an otherwise great handling gun into something that produced side-of-the-barn accuracy. When they announced the new and improved MK.II version I knew I had to try one out because few other semi-autos fit my hand so well as the Hi-Power. Well it was definitely as advertised as the trigger was light and crisp even without removing the mag safety, the sights were quick to acquire and well regulated, and the thumb safety was at last large enough and easy to use. Only change I made was to add a full set of Pachmayr grips as they gave me a better overall feel than the factory stocks. Overall a great gun that is capable of some amazing accuracy and is totally dependable and reliable. If I had to choose just one 9mm. my Hi-Power would be the one.

 

[OneSevenDeuce]

Great looking pistols, guys! FEGs certainly are available for a good price these days, and I'm sure one will soon be finding its way into my collection. Bannock, interesting that you say your T series had a bad trigger. I suppose variances in manufacturing are to be expected, but it's surprising to me that mine was so good while yours was so bad.

 

[huntershooter]

Great guns. My favorite platform in 9 mm and one of my favorite carry guns.

A "T" series I rescued from a Pawn shop that was roached and has had several mods and HC finish.





Mk lll FN that has been worked over:

 

[OneSevenDeuce]

Those are lookers! Are those Spegel stocks?

 

[huntershooter]

Yes sir.

 

[OneSevenDeuce]

I'm waiting for him to start taking new orders. I'll definitely be getting a pair.

 

[jhb]

Now that is a bunch of pretty pistols. Thanks for sharing with us.

 

[bannockburn]

huntershooter

Some great looking Hi-Powers there! My brother had his Hi-Power hard chromed when it started to develop surface rust on the slide and frame. The plating has held up perfectly all these years and made his gun look like it was made out of stainless steel.

 

[bannockburn]

OneSevenDeuce

I would have to say my T series Hi-Power was the classic example of beauty just being skin deep. The metal was expertly polished and the finish was, well it was that incredibly deep bluing that was done to perfection, which of course FN did so well way back when. But beyond that the gun itself was a dreadful combination of a trigger pull that was off the charts (we estimated it to be around 12 pounds or more), tiny little sights that were incredibly difficult to see let alone shoot with, and a thumb safety that was so small and hard to use that it required a hit from a plastic mallett to get it to move on and off. Accuracy was so bad I started referring to the gun as producing minute-of-the-side-of-the-barn groups and that was being rather generous on my part.

Overall I was greatly disappointed in the performance of the gun and had no problem selling it to a collector who specialized in Hi-Powers as he was thrilled to find one in such beautiful condition. This was no doubt due to the fact that myself and any other previous owners probably gave up on the gun after actually putting just a few rounds through it. Maybe given more time and money I could have had someone work on the gun to make it at least halfway usable and accurate but I wasn't so inclined at the time. Once the MK.II came out, though nowhere as nicely finished as the T series gun, but totally functional and accurate as well, I knew that I had found my one true Hi-Power at last.

 

[Comrade Mike]

I only own two automatics, and only one automatic that I shoot regularly. My BHP. I don't plan on owning any more.

 

[Dentite]

I love BHPs.

The history, esthetics, feel of the frame in my hand (with the right grips), and the balance of size/slimness/capacity are the main reasons.

Here's is a couple of mine.

One for drooling on:



One with a few mods for shooting the crap out of:

 

[RainDodger]

Here's mine, which some of you have already seen. It's very custom inside, with all competition springs, modified feed ramp, Smith & Wesson adjustable sight (on one slide) and a bunch of other stuff. The extra slide is an additional complete top-end with the factory (read: TINY!) sights. I bought this one new, 30+ years ago. There's nothing as nice as a pretty Hi-Power!



(edited for picture size)

 

[HorseSoldier]

I've had as many as three High Powers at any given time through the years, but have down-sized to just one that I shipped off to Cylinder and Slide to have them work on it. It's one of the great pistol designs of the 20th century -- I just wish it was popular enough here in the US to fuel the sort of product improvement and aftermarket options the 1911 has backing it.

 

[Lucky Derby]

Nice HPs everyone.
The HP is my favorite. I'm lucky enough to have two.
1. A beautiful blue C series. I changed out the thumb safety for one from a MKII/MKIII, but only did it single side, and swapped the spur hammer for a round one. I also got rid of the MDS. Currently wears a set of wood Hogues. Shoots great.
2. A MKIII "Practical" which is what Browning calls the two tone HP. Hard Chrome frame with the black epoxy finish on the slide. On this one I got rid of the MDS and changed nothing else. Currently wearing a set of Spegels that I originally bought for the C Series long before I go this MKIII.

Both get shot and both get carried.

 

[OneSevenDeuce]

Bannock, I'm sorry to hear that. What a shame that such a great looker couldn't deliver in the area that really counts, shootability. In any case, I'm glad you found someone who would take it off your hands. Glad to see the MK II worked so well for you!

Dentite, I too go the "one for shooting, one for drooling over route". Although I have to admit that I drool over my shooter a lot too. ;o)

Horse Soldier, I have been thinking of that too. I wish someone would step up and make an updated version. One thing I personally would improve upon, I'd beef up the extractor slightly and make it more along the dimensions of an M&P extractor.

 

[Lucky Derby]

Horse Soldier, I have been thinking of that too. I wish someone would step up and make an updated version. One thing I personally would improve upon, I'd beef up the extractor slightly and make it more along the dimensions of an M&P extractor.

Someone is.

www.EliteWarriorArmament.com

 

[OneSevenDeuce]

I don't see anything about HPs on that website other than a few replacement parts.

 

[MK11]

Dentite, what is that safety on the second Hi-Power you show? Thanks!

 

[hso]

I have a love affair with the BHP as well and a very customized Al-alloy with a Commander length slide/barrel is my EDC.

 

[OneSevenDeuce]

Awesome. Personally I experimented with smaller 9mms, a few compact 9mm 1911s, and settled on the HP after everything else showed itself deficient in some way to me.

 

[johnmcl]

Hi all,

A beautiful BHP came to me from a member here, which went through a transition with new Novak three dot sights, a single side C&S safety, and a wonderful trigger job. That little heater has worked its way into my In-A-Suit Carry (IASC).

That gun outshoots my G34 any day of the week.

 

[OneSevenDeuce]

They are remarkably accurate with a decent trigger. Thinking about a trigger job on my MK III too.