Just wondering outloud; I wonder which gun, HP or Glock, has been produced in the in the largest number? Despite the longevity of the HP, the Glock, (due to huge numbers), may have more Man Years of use. Just wondering.
Nope, not even close. The are are three BHP for every Glock in the world.....possibly four. Compound that with the fact that the majority of the Glocks manufactured are here in the USA, mostly in civilian hands. THe BHP has been used in conflicts all over the world for the last sixty years. It is a proven design.
People grossly overestimate the amount of Glocks in the world, mostly because of the marketing powerhouse that Glock is.
The Hi Power has been the most widely used 9mm handgun in the world for a long time, and will continue to be for the next couple decades.
I love the Hi Power, it is my favorite handgun. I own several. Having said that, I have to say I think the Brits made a good choice with the Glock. Tough, durable, and damn near grunt-proof it is an excellent selection for a long use handgun.
I seem to recall a long thread when the SAS was switching out the BHP for the Sigs were some Brits weighed in with opinions. I can't find it here so it must have been another forum.
If I remember correctly the biggest complaint they had against the BHP was it was worn out. They had been using these guns for a long time, and the older Hi Powers aren't as durable as modern guns. Even with minimal use 500 rounds a year over 40 years is about the entire service life of Pre- MKIII Hi Power.....beyond the service life if they weren't doing proper maintaince. (Which few militaries do)
The second compaint was the magazines were all worn out.
Now I believe there was some discussion back then about the Glocks but the lack of second strike capabiity and soft primer strikes took them from the running.
Going forward, no military that currently uses BHPs will ever sign a contract for more of them. FN really doesn't want to sell them, they certainly haven't tried to modernize the design and as a whole the world has moved to polymer. The price points alone favor Glock heavily.
In closing, I love the Hi Power. I have introduced many people to these fine guns and several of them converted to the BHP. Ergos, pointability, accuracy, and reliability.....these are fantastic guns. But if I were tasked with outfiting any sizable force with pistols in the modern world it would definately be a modern polymer striker fired pistol a la Glock/M&P. These guns bring a lot to the table for any organization that expects decades of use.